A review by nordstina
Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

dark informative sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

Four Treasures of the Sky is a historical fiction taking place in China and the western US over some thorny times in American history that there are not enough stories about. Daiyu is a young girl in China living with her family when her parents disappear and she is taken to the city in order to hide/protect herself. She is ultimately kidnapped and shipped off to America, where she ends up in a brothel in San Francisco and ultimately in rural Idaho at a general store. It is an epic tale highlighting challenges Chinese immigrants had in the US and how sentiment against them rose up with the Chinese Exclusion Act. Daiyu lives many lives to protect herself from others. The inspiration for this novel is sad and a worthwhile historical event to built a novel off of. This is sad and violent and has echos of present time, and is a worthwhile read.
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