Reviews with content warning for Hate crime - Pět Číňanů oběšených v Idahu

Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

Pět Číňanů oběšených v Idahu by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

46 reviews

jayisreading's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.5

This was a great debut novel from Jenny Tinghui Zhang, who takes the reader to the time when the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in the late 1800s and draws attention to a Chinese girl’s arduous journey from being kidnapped in China then smuggled into the United States (first landing in San Francisco then ending up in Idaho). A lot of careful research clearly went into this novel, and I found that it was as informative as it was imaginative; I thought that Zhang found a great balance between providing historical facts while also taking creative liberties to tell a compelling story (particularly in her handling of incorporating Chinese folklore). Furthermore, this novel was by no means an easy read, and the protagonist, Daiyu, suffers quite a bit. I’d highly recommend checking the content warnings for this novel before picking it up, especially considering that Zhang doesn’t shy away from sharing the grim realities of Chinese people during this time period (especially towards the end).

I enjoyed the author’s writing style, which was lyrical but also not to the point that she was dipping into purple prose. (In some ways, the writing style read as more “grounded,” for lack of a better word, than C Pam Zhang’s How Much of These Hills Is Gold, which had a similar setting and was apparently an influence for Jenny Tinghui Zhang.) I did feel that the limited narrative (told from Daiyu’s perspective) made some parts of the novel feel repetitive (especially as Daiyu’s thoughts circle around the same topic), but at the same time, there was something authentic about her perspective as she tried to make sense of the world around her and survive as best as she can.

I don’t think this novel will be for everyone, and I would stay away if you’re not interested in anything heavy and traumatic, but I think it’s worth picking up if you want a close-up of a subject that isn’t as talked about when United States history is brought up.

Content Warnings

areen's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative reflective sad tense

5.0

I always love when a book teaches me about history through the lense of fictional characters, spanning the course of their lives. but more than that I love when authors can write them in a way that feels like they are writing from memory, like it's actually their experience.

I literally have nothing but good things to say about this book. It is so so powerful and the fact that the author wrote it during the pandemic when all the Asian hate crime was rampant makes this even more powerful to me. she really showed us how so little has changed in america.

the writing is phenomenal. so full of depth and meaning. not a single paragraph wasted. and the incorporation of calligraphy and chinese words to tell the story? I can't praise it enough. absolutely obsessed.

when Lin Daiyu said at the end "you will never forget me." yes!!! I think she'll live inside me forever (iykyk 👀). I really need everyone to read it, but please check tws first!

Content Warnings

0124eliza's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated

4.5

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augustriver's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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superlillative's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The style the book was written in made it easy to read, but the seriousness and emotional depth are still very prominent and conveyed well. Zhang does a great job in developing characters in few words.

As an Asian American, it is sobering to read these accounts as history is meant to learn from, not something that can be cherry picked because someone does not agree or share an opinion.

I know it’s my own personal preference, but I would have enjoyed more historical descriptions of the environment as well, but I understand that this book is meant to focus on the characters.

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martinjen98's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

fkshg8465's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Beautifully written, a story that needed to be told. Will be gifting a copy to my niece. Worth reading through how the author decided to write this story. Historical fiction that probably happened to many Chinese women and Chinese citizens. Need to acknowledge it of part of US history too.

Content Warnings