A Hundred Flowers by Gail Tsukiyama
Gail Tsukiyama has done it again---written a most wonderful story. This is what I would call a "gentle" book........a book that "gently" tells you a story and "gently" brings you through some of life's worst moments and "gently" deposits you at the end, leaving you thinking "How wonderful is this story?"
The story starts in the late 50's in China during the Cultural Revolution. A little boy named Tao falls out of a Kapok tree in his courtyard of his house and breaks his leg. Then you find out that his father has been taken away from the home and sent to be "re-educated." The time line of the story is from July, 1958 to November, 1958, but in that time all the characters are are fully sketched and their histories are fully known. The story is told from the viewpoint of several characters: Kai Ying, the mother; Tao, the little boy; Wei, the grandfather; and Song, the Auntie. Also there is a side story of Suyin and her baby, a young 15 year old girl who is taken in by the mother.
The story builds until the grandfather confesses a secret that leads him on a journey and finally his return to the family home.
A beautiful, wonderful, "gentle" story!!!
Rated of 5
by Peg S. (Durham, North Carolina)
A Hundred Schools of Thought
The structure of short passages, fully and continuously portraying each character gave a broad view of the of the change in a professor's family's life under Mao TseTung and communism. I considered this a kaleidoscopic view of an educated Chinese family, the changes in their large home and life with the kapoc tree in their courtyard. I loved this book and want to read more by Gail Tsukiyama.
Rated of 5
by Gwen C. (Clearfield, PA)
A Hundred Flowers
This book drew me in from the first page. The story is told from the perspectives of different characters ( a popular trend, and used to advantage here) and encompasses five months in 1958 with one Chinese family's struggles in the aftermath of the Communist Party's rise to power. I'm no student of Chinese history or politics, but Gail Tsukiyama seamlessly introduced the necessary backstory into her tightly woven, wonderful plot. A momentous misunderstanding of a person's name, father-son relationships, Chinese lore and stories, and much more make for a fascinating read, with a satisfying - yet totally realistic - conclusion. As a language lover I couldn't resist underlining many beautiful and illuminating phrases and I thoroughly enjoyed the occasional Chinese words intermingled in the text. This would be an excellent read for book clubs. My only criticism is I wished for a map - and could not tear myself away from the book to look up locations.
Rated of 5
by Susan Q. (East Williston, NY)
Captivating
As with every other novel by this great author, I was hooking from the beginning. Character development, plot and story line are on target. The ending wasn't as developed as would have hoped, but don't let deter you from picking up this book!
Rated of 5
by Annette S. (Duluth, GA)
A Hundred Flowers
Another winner from Gail Tsukiyama. The story is told from multiple points of view and you learn about the daily life and culture of a Chinese family during Mao's Communist regime. This is an enlightening novel that shares insight into the struggles of an ordinary Chinese family during the 1950"s. With no hesitation it is a 5 star read.
Rated of 5
by Karen D. (Dedham, MA)
A Way of Life
A beautiful but sometimes a sad tale of life. I forgot how life could be in another culture at another time. Precious memories of time gone past is all that some have. These memories keep them going on in life. I have read other books by this author. I enjoyed this book but my favorite is still The Samurai's Garden.
Rated of 5
by Leslie D. (Le Roy, NY)
A Hundred Flowers
This character-driven story is perfect for book groups and will appeal to readers of historical fiction. Told from multiple points of view, it concentrates on one Chinese family during Mao's Hundred Flowers campaign in 1957. Life changes for all the people in the book, and although they long wistfully for the past, they each meet their new challenges in unexpected ways. Although the time frame and themes are very similar to Lisa See's Dreams of Joy, the precise storytelling has a much different feel. A great way to learn Chinese history, I really enjoyed this book.
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of 5
by Judy B. (Santa Fe,, NM)
