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A review by ktlee_writes
Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution by Helen Zia
4.0
LAST BOAT OUT OF SHANGHAI: THE EPIC STORY OF THE CHINESE WHO FLED MAO’S REVOLUTION by Helen Zia paints the picture of Shanghai during the Japanese occupation from 1937-1945, through the end of the Chinese civil war with the Nationalists fleeing the country, and into the early years of Communist rule. Through the lens of four families that Zia follows as they flee Shanghai, the reader tracks the diaspora to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the U.S.
By choosing to tell the stories of families from disparate social strata - from a girl who is twice abandoned (first by her biological family, then by her adoptive family) to the son of a police commissioner and Japanese collaborator - Zia gives a more comprehensive look into the struggles and sudden reversals of fortune that characterized that tumultuous time.
Though I have studied a fair amount of Chinese history, this definitely filled a gap in my knowledge and gave me a deeper appreciation for the uncertainties of living in wartime as well as the travails of immigration. Somehow, it had never hit home to me before how cosmopolitan and developed Shanghai and certain parts of China were in the 1930s-40s, and Zia’s lively portrayal of the city, its schools, and its nightlife makes the contrast to the coming decades (Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution) ever more disconcerting. The descriptions of life under Japanese occupation added to my personal stores of family tales of the same in Hong Kong.
Anyone interested in learning more about Chinese history, civilians in wartime, refugees, and the forces of migration would gain a lot from this book. Zia is a captivating storyteller who draws on countless hours of interviews to make the reader feel like they are right there with the subjects.
I listened to this as an audiobook, which worked well for me, but which others may find confusing as the narrative switches among the four families. Recommended pairings: THE POPPY WAR (Second Sino-Japanese War, fantasy), THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS (Romeo and Juliet retelling set in Shanghai), THE WARMTH OF OTHER SUNS (migration, nonfiction).
By choosing to tell the stories of families from disparate social strata - from a girl who is twice abandoned (first by her biological family, then by her adoptive family) to the son of a police commissioner and Japanese collaborator - Zia gives a more comprehensive look into the struggles and sudden reversals of fortune that characterized that tumultuous time.
Though I have studied a fair amount of Chinese history, this definitely filled a gap in my knowledge and gave me a deeper appreciation for the uncertainties of living in wartime as well as the travails of immigration. Somehow, it had never hit home to me before how cosmopolitan and developed Shanghai and certain parts of China were in the 1930s-40s, and Zia’s lively portrayal of the city, its schools, and its nightlife makes the contrast to the coming decades (Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution) ever more disconcerting. The descriptions of life under Japanese occupation added to my personal stores of family tales of the same in Hong Kong.
Anyone interested in learning more about Chinese history, civilians in wartime, refugees, and the forces of migration would gain a lot from this book. Zia is a captivating storyteller who draws on countless hours of interviews to make the reader feel like they are right there with the subjects.
I listened to this as an audiobook, which worked well for me, but which others may find confusing as the narrative switches among the four families. Recommended pairings: THE POPPY WAR (Second Sino-Japanese War, fantasy), THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS (Romeo and Juliet retelling set in Shanghai), THE WARMTH OF OTHER SUNS (migration, nonfiction).