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hasanah's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tamracielle's review against another edition
4.0
Any Amy Tan novel is worth a read. I found this one to be a bit uneven. The present day story with the daughter, Ruth, is not terribly compelling and the writing is less than stellar. But when Tan switches to the mother's account of her early life in China, the story really takes off and draws the reader in. The writing here is heartbreaking and beautiful. A lovely account of mother-daughter relationships and the secrets families keep.
jaina8851's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Really loved this book. The relationships between the characters were so beautifully handled and I loved the slow unfolding of Luling's backstory. The audiobook was phenomenal, both narrators made the characters and the story come alive. The mother-daughter dynamics were so poignant as well, I'm not at the point yet where I need to be grappling with my parents losing their mental faculties but am definitely at a life stage where I feel very reflective about the whole rich lives my parents had before I was born. I would love to re-read this in a five or ten years because I'm sure it will continue to hit differently as I age.
mitskacir's review against another edition
3.0
Not my favorite Amy Tan, and I think it mostly suffered from the ending which felt quickly resolved after the slow burn of the rest of the book. Nonetheless, this was certainly a page turner and I was particularly compelled by both the daughter's and the mother's childhood recollections.
ksreads93's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
open_far's review against another edition
4.0
good family history & culture feels (how to love as mothers and daughters and cope with the migrant/cultural gaps as you age!), shows people living with and taking seriously the weird pseudo-spirituality of Chinese belief in fate & superstition
sirvex27's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
violet_primroses's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
missyjohnson's review against another edition
2.0
still thinking about why I enjoyed the middle section of the book and not so much the first and third. I may update this when I figure it all out
meghb's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.5
A very emotionally heavy read. Ruth’s anxiety seeps off the page. Definitely a book that stays with you after you’re done it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Minor: Sexual assault