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sarah_mitra's review against another edition
5.0
I'm so glad I judged this book by its beautiful cover. The story was a great mixture of historical fiction, surreal/magical elements, female friendships and family dynamics. I loved learning about China's position during the Great War, as well as a little bit about politics in China at that time. The historical elements were perfectly placed to provide context, without being too much of a history lecture. The dramatic parts of the story, about Jialing's life as an orphan and bond servant, the struggles she faced being half European/half Chinese, and the impossible position of being a woman living at the mercy of the men surrounding her, were thoughtfully balanced with magical and spiritual moments. The landscape descriptions are beautifully written and helped ease the tension along the way.
Around the World in Women Writers: Taiwan
Around the World in Women Writers: Taiwan
rebeccareadinstead's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
oliviaomwong's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
jessraven's review against another edition
5.0
As we approach the Chinese New Year, it’s time for us to discuss Janie Chang’s stunning new heroine, Jialing, and the captivating tale that she spins in Dragon Springs Road. A story of love, loss, and everything in between, Dragon Springs Road is the deeply moving bildungsroman of a young girl living in China at the beginning of the twentieth century. Only seven years old when the story begins, Jialing lives with her mother, who is the mistress of a wealthy neighbor, in the crumbling Western Residence of a lavish home belonging to the Fong family. Being a young child at the time, there is much about her life that Jialing does not understand: why she must be very quiet and hide in her playroom when Uncle Noble comes to visit her mother; why her mother leaves for days at a time; where her mother goes; and, on one fateful day, why her mother never comes back. This becomes the driving force for the majority of the story as Jialing finds herself in a life of servitude, struggling to come to terms as she grows with why her mother left and the secrets that she kept from her.
Utterly enchanting and captivating in its style, Chang manages to seamlessly embody the narrative voice of a child and allows for Jialing’s storytelling to evolve as she matures. Readers get to immerse themselves in the rare experience of witnessing a young girl flourish into young adulthood, and the many heart-wrenching trials and tribulations that she endures along the way, all within the pages of a single book. Chang accomplishes in 367 pages what some authors fail to accomplish in an entire series of novels; the construction of a highly likable, thoughtful, admirable character who we root for, unflinchingly, from cover to cover.
Along with a phenomenal protagonist whose journey is one of the most profound that I’ve read in years, I feel the need to touch on the sheer vividness of every aspect of the novel from its historical elements to the magical hints of fantasy. When one reads Dragon Springs Road, you truly believe that you have been tossed back into the early years of the Chinese republic; Chang depicts the China of a century ago in a way which is both enlightening and imaginatively stunning. She provides descriptions so clear that you can see the crumbling homes, which previously were so majestic, and smell the incense burning upon a fox shrine. She conveys the noisy bustle of Dragon Springs Road in such a way that you feel like a peddler could jump off of the page and into the room with you and you wouldn’t even be surprised. Every detail is so wonderfully refined that it makes reading the novel a true sensory pleasure.
Yet, where Janie Chang’s talent as a novelist truly shines is when she mingles the spiritual aspects of Chinese culture into the historical fiction narrative in such a way that it will make lovers of fantasy novels clamor to get their hands on a copy. Throughout the entirety of the novel, Jialing is accompanied and protected as she grows by the fox spirit who resides in the Western Residence of her home; Fox, who at times appears in animal form and in other instances as an elegantly beautiful woman, is the highlight of the entire book. Possessing the quick-witted nature that one would expect of a fox manifested as a person, her sharp attitude and sassy little quips give readers something to chuckle over even when the events of Jialing’s life grow emotionally heavy. Take, for example, Fox’s reaction to Fox Springs Road being renamed Dragon Springs Road years before the events of the novel take place:
She sniffed. “Dragons and phoenixes. It’s always dragons and phoenixes, even though all they do is fly around looking superior. I’ve never met one who bothered doing anything useful.” (pp. 94)
As the sole fantastical character in an otherwise realistic, historically accurate novel, Fox’s disdain for the more popular fantasy animals will tickle readers pink. At the same time, she represents the fiercely spiritual nature of the protagonist’s Chinese culture and, serving as Jialing’s spiritual guide throughout the novel, helps to convey what I feel is Chang’s true message: even in times of hopelessness and adversity, we must always cling to our faith, whatever form it may take. It will always show us a door to something brighter.
For fans of historical fiction, fantasy, or coming-of-age stories, Janie Chang’s Dragon Springs Road is an absolute must-read.
Utterly enchanting and captivating in its style, Chang manages to seamlessly embody the narrative voice of a child and allows for Jialing’s storytelling to evolve as she matures. Readers get to immerse themselves in the rare experience of witnessing a young girl flourish into young adulthood, and the many heart-wrenching trials and tribulations that she endures along the way, all within the pages of a single book. Chang accomplishes in 367 pages what some authors fail to accomplish in an entire series of novels; the construction of a highly likable, thoughtful, admirable character who we root for, unflinchingly, from cover to cover.
Along with a phenomenal protagonist whose journey is one of the most profound that I’ve read in years, I feel the need to touch on the sheer vividness of every aspect of the novel from its historical elements to the magical hints of fantasy. When one reads Dragon Springs Road, you truly believe that you have been tossed back into the early years of the Chinese republic; Chang depicts the China of a century ago in a way which is both enlightening and imaginatively stunning. She provides descriptions so clear that you can see the crumbling homes, which previously were so majestic, and smell the incense burning upon a fox shrine. She conveys the noisy bustle of Dragon Springs Road in such a way that you feel like a peddler could jump off of the page and into the room with you and you wouldn’t even be surprised. Every detail is so wonderfully refined that it makes reading the novel a true sensory pleasure.
Yet, where Janie Chang’s talent as a novelist truly shines is when she mingles the spiritual aspects of Chinese culture into the historical fiction narrative in such a way that it will make lovers of fantasy novels clamor to get their hands on a copy. Throughout the entirety of the novel, Jialing is accompanied and protected as she grows by the fox spirit who resides in the Western Residence of her home; Fox, who at times appears in animal form and in other instances as an elegantly beautiful woman, is the highlight of the entire book. Possessing the quick-witted nature that one would expect of a fox manifested as a person, her sharp attitude and sassy little quips give readers something to chuckle over even when the events of Jialing’s life grow emotionally heavy. Take, for example, Fox’s reaction to Fox Springs Road being renamed Dragon Springs Road years before the events of the novel take place:
She sniffed. “Dragons and phoenixes. It’s always dragons and phoenixes, even though all they do is fly around looking superior. I’ve never met one who bothered doing anything useful.” (pp. 94)
As the sole fantastical character in an otherwise realistic, historically accurate novel, Fox’s disdain for the more popular fantasy animals will tickle readers pink. At the same time, she represents the fiercely spiritual nature of the protagonist’s Chinese culture and, serving as Jialing’s spiritual guide throughout the novel, helps to convey what I feel is Chang’s true message: even in times of hopelessness and adversity, we must always cling to our faith, whatever form it may take. It will always show us a door to something brighter.
For fans of historical fiction, fantasy, or coming-of-age stories, Janie Chang’s Dragon Springs Road is an absolute must-read.
teeggzz's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
hectaizani's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the magical realism/fantastic aspect of the fox spirit juxtaposed with the reality of Jialing's situation as an orphan being taken in by the family next door. The ending was melodramatic but it wrapped up the story nicely so I'll let it slide.
emclougher's review against another edition
4.0
A compelling and evocative tale of friendship, family, loss, and perseverance, with just a little bit of magic. The characters are memorable and dynamic, and the narrative moves along smoothly, pulling me from page to page. I couldn't put it down.
justicepirate's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this story a lot.
The story takes place in the early 1900s. A young girl is raised by her mother, but is suddenly abandoned. She can see a fox spirit who helps her throughout life. She makes some friends and is even given a chance to attend a mission school in hopes that it will give her a better future. She has Eurasian blood, and is therefore looked down upon by the rest of the area where she lives near Shanghai. This makes her life a little harder to go through.
All the characters in this book were really so interesting and the plot was so well written and tied together from start to end without any questions going through my mind at the end.
The story takes place in the early 1900s. A young girl is raised by her mother, but is suddenly abandoned. She can see a fox spirit who helps her throughout life. She makes some friends and is even given a chance to attend a mission school in hopes that it will give her a better future. She has Eurasian blood, and is therefore looked down upon by the rest of the area where she lives near Shanghai. This makes her life a little harder to go through.
All the characters in this book were really so interesting and the plot was so well written and tied together from start to end without any questions going through my mind at the end.
leweylibrary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I recently discovered Janice Chang, and this book cements the fact that I am a FAN. I love how simple and yet lovely her writing is and how well she weaves the magical into the realism. The Fox spirit character is such a wonderful part of this book, and I loved the romance which isn't something I often say about a book lol. The last 100 pages kept me on the edge of my seat, pushing back a phone call I was really looking forward to so I could finish it lol and the writing itself was just 🤌 Truly I have no complaints or notes, and I can't wait to read more of Chang's work.
Quotes:
Quotes:
- I knew what she wanted because she'd told me often enough while looking through my school books. To know the difference between science and superstition. To look up at the stars and understand there was more than what folk stories could teach, to look into a magnified drop of water and see what resided within that tiny liquid world. To learn the history of other nations and understand how they had become so strong and China so scornfully weak.
"Just to know, Jialing," She said. "I don't need to use that education for my livelihood, I realized that. But just to know." (88) - The best gardens are created through the art of deception, says Fox. Gardens should employ the art of the large in the small and the small in the large, providing for the real and the unreal and the unreal in the real. (181)
- Her rueful smile made her look older." I don't believe in happy endings. It's enough to feel like so intensely. Happiness that makes your heart twist and pain, Jialing, the exquisite pain of knowing such happiness will end." (312)
- Every more of dust hanging in the light was part of this moment. The faint scent of pine needles, the sound of wind shaking the trees outside, the taste of salt tears on my lips. These details were vivid and unforgettable. I understood what Leah meant. I had never felt life as intensely as I did. In that moment. The pain was exquisite, a long sharp needle of comprehension that pierced my happiness, knowing that this could not last, that it would inevitably come to an end. (326)
- If I had taken Fox's powers, I wouldn't be worried about my welcome in Harbin. Even if Wan Taiyong had read my telegram with indifference, I would have searched for him, made him love me.
But it would have been a meaningless love, as artificial as a pine tree cultivated in a shallow basin, any way where emotion, any deviation from passion pruned and wired, shaped to create an imitation of love. The unreal in the real. (362)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Grief, Racism, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Confinement, Drug abuse, Infertility, Addiction, Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Drug use
Moderate: Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Murder