Reviews

Pět Číňanů oběšených v Idahu by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

Only show reviews with written explanations

bestknownfor's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Good but so bleak. The story repeatedly flirts with cliche (

Samuel being surprisingly innocent, Nelson's lawyer quest)

and then averts it to devastating effect.

After reading the origin, it makes sense that the whole book is leading up to Idaho, and I feel like some of the earlier segments could have been briefer. Really solid overall.

Content Warnings

awagnergaines's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark 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? It's complicated

3.5

Content Warnings

thebookishbint's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

“In calligraphy, as in life, we do not retouch strokes, Master Wang often said. We must accept that what is done is done.”

I was not expecting to be such a heavy read but it was and it had me teary. I was not aware of the origin story of this book so that made things even more depressing. Daiyu is such resilient young girl that has to battle against so much of the issues that she experiences. Zhang beautifully writes in a way that you feel you are living with her, hoping that her next encounter with a person is a good one.

The writing was atmospheric and melodious to some extent especially with the way calligraphy plays such a huge role in it. As well as that, I have never heard about the persecutions that Chinese people has experienced in the 1880s in America. Subhanallah, there is just so much that we do not know and thankfully through works of literature like this, we can educate ourselves. Please read trigger warnings before reading as it deals with emotive topics.