Reviews with content warning for Torture - Pět Číňanů oběšených v Idahu

Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Pět Číňanů oběšených v Idahu by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

25 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

yepstillgarbage's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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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

moodyromancereader's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a fantastic job. The writing in this is beautiful, filled with rich imagery and symbolism. Please check the content warnings, as this book can be challenging in specific chapters. Nonetheless, I’m glad I could listen to the audiobook. There were a few things I was confused about, which could have been on my end since I was listening to the audiobook. I couldn’t always tell when we were in the present or the past. And as others have mentioned, I’m not sure how Daiyu managed to get away posing as a man for so long. This is a story that I will think about for a long time. It is heartbreaking, horrific, but impactful. My rating for the book is 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4.

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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.

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