A review by kaileehaong
Swimming Back to Trout River by Linda Rui Feng

emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

4.0

I've read many immigration stories/novels but this one did such an excellent job of weaving together the stories of several people in a way that feels fresh and captivating. There are so many moments of sadness and despair, but we're also provided with moments of reprieve and of hope, especially through children (and mostly through Junie). We mostly follow Momo and (later) Cassia fleeing China's cultural revolution to chase their dreams in the US, leaving Junie behind with grandparents. But each parent has a past (and present) that's dragging them further away from each other and further into solidifying their places in the US. Meanwhile, Junie is growing up to love life in the countryside and with her grandparents that she doesn't even wish to reunite with her parents. The characters are all so beautifully written and complex. I really enjoyed this book.