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A review by okiecozyreader
The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book has it all - family, mystery, history, culture, literary fiction. I felt like I could predict a lot of what happened, but the writing was so engaging and moving, I loved the way it was told.
Jasmine’s story was so fascinating - from her time in China married at 14 to the awful Wen to her time in NYC in Chinatown and at her place of employment. I felt like I was there with her, witnessing all she went through.
I felt less connected to Rebecca, but I thought her story in publishing, trying to get a manuscript to publish was interesting. I am curious how much of this happens to editors and writers.
“No one knew better than I that while your mind might disappear, the body must endure.” Ch 4 Jasmine
“I hide myself because beauty is but an illusion like flowers reflected in a mirror and the moon in water.” Ch 7 Jasmine
“Beauty without power was a curse.”
…
“Over time, I became exceptionally gifted at hiding. I knew how to fade into the background, to allow people to forget I was in the room.”
…
“Why was it that women had to pay the price for men’s desires?” Ch 10 Jasmine
“Walk often enough by the river’s edge and your shoes will get wet.” Ch 16 Jasmine
“After all, a book is a garden you carry around with you.” Ch 18 Jasmine
“In China, I’d seen posters warning girls of the danger of becoming leftover women, women that no one wanted. Leftover like scraps on a table, uneaten food, both a sacrilege and wasteful, something that should have nourished our country squandered and turned into rubbish: unwanted, purposeless, of no use to anyone. I was a leftover woman, I realized. After everyone else had carved away what they wanted to see in me and taken what they desired, I was all that was left.” Ch 21 Jasmine
Jasmine’s story was so fascinating - from her time in China married at 14 to the awful Wen to her time in NYC in Chinatown and at her place of employment. I felt like I was there with her, witnessing all she went through.
I felt less connected to Rebecca, but I thought her story in publishing, trying to get a manuscript to publish was interesting. I am curious how much of this happens to editors and writers.
“No one knew better than I that while your mind might disappear, the body must endure.” Ch 4 Jasmine
“I hide myself because beauty is but an illusion like flowers reflected in a mirror and the moon in water.” Ch 7 Jasmine
“Beauty without power was a curse.”
…
“Over time, I became exceptionally gifted at hiding. I knew how to fade into the background, to allow people to forget I was in the room.”
…
“Why was it that women had to pay the price for men’s desires?” Ch 10 Jasmine
“Walk often enough by the river’s edge and your shoes will get wet.” Ch 16 Jasmine
“After all, a book is a garden you carry around with you.” Ch 18 Jasmine
“In China, I’d seen posters warning girls of the danger of becoming leftover women, women that no one wanted. Leftover like scraps on a table, uneaten food, both a sacrilege and wasteful, something that should have nourished our country squandered and turned into rubbish: unwanted, purposeless, of no use to anyone. I was a leftover woman, I realized. After everyone else had carved away what they wanted to see in me and taken what they desired, I was all that was left.” Ch 21 Jasmine