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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
I love all of Lisa See's novels, this one though I was a little worried about since it is a continuation of Shanghai Girls but seen through Pearl and Joy's eyes.
I gave it five stars because not only did See restore her old characters such as Pearl, May and Z.G, she also added in new ones like Yong, Kumei and Tao that invoked an array of different emotions.
As always she does a marvelous job with her story telling and definitely pulls you in for the ride.
I gave it five stars because not only did See restore her old characters such as Pearl, May and Z.G, she also added in new ones like Yong, Kumei and Tao that invoked an array of different emotions.
As always she does a marvelous job with her story telling and definitely pulls you in for the ride.
Excellent book. Slow build to a fast and furious finish. I only wish there was more.
Dreams of Joy is the sequel to Shanghai Girls, which I read all the way back in 2013. I didn't realize I waited that long to read this! I love this author. Besides these two, I recomend Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. While the first book was about the sisters getting out of China and building their lives in LA, this book is about traveling back to China, and putting their lives together. It picks up exactly where it left off, with teenaged Joy finding out the family secrets and running away to China to find her birth father and join the Communist movement. This was in the 1950s under Mao. I knew nothing of this time at all. Nothing about these poor people starving because of ruined crops from having to follow the party way, causing many people to resort to cannibalism. The book goes between the points of view of young Joy and her mother Pearl, who returns to try and find her daughter and bring her home. After everything that happened in the first book, it was weird to realize May is only in her early 40's. I didn't like her so much in the first book, but in the second I did. This might be a novel where Joy grows up, but it's also one where May finally does. I can't wait to read more by this author.
It dragged a bit and of course, the subject matter was a bit depressing but Lisa See's books are always well-written and engaging.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Love Lisa See! Can't wait to read her other books!!
The last 5 pages brought me to tears. I read the prequel to this book several years ago and you definitely DON'T need to have read it to read this one. It was really great and brings in historic education on what it was like in China when it first became a communist country. I highly recommend!
Lisa See is a great author. She puts a ton of research into her books to make the fiction authentic.
I love her focus on female characters.
I love her focus on female characters.
I was happy to start the story of Pearl and Mae again. The personal relationships and how people act out of duty, love or because of what people think is right or wrong is always interesting. Joy is a bit naive to think she can change a Country but she learns and her Mom has to make the hardest choice to let her go and learn from her own mistakes! Lisa See's books are very good and a bit horrifying as well. It's horrible to know that things like this have really happened the baby thing freaked me out!! I'm glad Joy was such a fighter! You go Mama bear!