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karis_lit's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
lemon_y's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
polymorph's review
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
transparent_tea's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Reading debut novels has been refreshing, mostly on books that contain topics that I'm fond of. I recall Shanghailanders being a part of a giveaway on Storygraph (which I did not win). I also saw the same novel featured on Indiebound (a newsletter I sometimes pick up at my local bookstore, to see what new novels are out there and if novels are interesting enough to be on my TBR).
What interested me about this novel is how the structure is set up; it's going in a backward-linear, the first chapter starts in the "present" (circa 2040) and the story goes backward to 2014. In addition, each chapter features a specific character, whether Yumi, Yoko or Kiko, Eko or Leo, or another character integrated into the lives of the Yangs (like their driver or a live-in nanny). What ties all the chapters together is a tiny little detail that showcases the butterfly effect, whether it's Yumi's first ex-boyfriend, a cabin in the woods, or Ai-Yi (an auntie) that one of the kids recalls. From my perspective, the way the author puts the story together gives the reader an understanding of something in the past triggered this current event that's happening, but instead of showing the past to the present, the author tells you about the present, and for the reader to figure out in the next chapter how things are linked.
As the jacket states, this linkage shows the strong bonds between family, and everyone has their past secrets that trigger what happens in the present. (Example would be in Rouge Allure, two later chapters explain a bit more between the conversations of Eko and Yoko.)
What interested me about this novel is how the structure is set up; it's going in a backward-linear, the first chapter starts in the "present" (circa 2040) and the story goes backward to 2014. In addition, each chapter features a specific character, whether Yumi, Yoko or Kiko, Eko or Leo, or another character integrated into the lives of the Yangs (like their driver or a live-in nanny). What ties all the chapters together is a tiny little detail that showcases the butterfly effect, whether it's Yumi's first ex-boyfriend, a cabin in the woods, or Ai-Yi (an auntie) that one of the kids recalls. From my perspective, the way the author puts the story together gives the reader an understanding of something in the past triggered this current event that's happening, but instead of showing the past to the present, the author tells you about the present, and for the reader to figure out in the next chapter how things are linked.
As the jacket states, this linkage shows the strong bonds between family, and everyone has their past secrets that trigger what happens in the present. (Example would be in Rouge Allure, two later chapters explain a bit more between the conversations of Eko and Yoko.)
encgolsen's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This powerful novel opens in Shanghai in 2040 and moves backward in time, revealing moments in the lives of the Yang family: Leo, a wealthy structural engineer and Shanghai native; his wife Eko, born in Japan and raised in Paris; their three daughters, Yumi, Yuko and Kiko; and glimpses of the staff whose lives are temporarily interwoven with theirs. Fascinating, beautifully written, and deeply tragic.
ukponge's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Infidelity, and Abortion
eestellar's review against another edition
This book was just not compelling enough for me to finish. I was able to put it down for weeks at a time without thinking about it. The idea of stories being told backwards is interesting as a concept but didn't enhance *this* story - there wasn't a strong enough setup to make me care about the characters or the things that led them to this point.
Thank you to Storygraph and the publisher for receiving this book in a giveaway .
Thank you to Storygraph and the publisher for receiving this book in a giveaway .
melodys_library's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It’s obvious that Min is a very gifted writer. The reverse timeline was creative and unique, but I’m not convinced it was really effective. The book was so short, and I wanted to get to know more about these characters. I didn’t find myself craving to read this book; but anytime I picked it up, I was surprised to find myself engrossed in each chapter.