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Book Reviewed by:A propulsive, extraordinary novel about a mother and her daughters' harrowing escape to Taiwan as the Communist revolution sweeps through China, by debut author Eve J. Chung, based on her family story.
Daughters are the Ang family's curse.
In 1948, civil war ravages the Chinese countryside, but in rural Shandong, the wealthy, landowning Angs are more concerned with their lack of an heir. Hai is the eldest of four girls and spends her days looking after her sisters. Headstrong Di, who is just a year younger, learns to hide in plain sight, and their mother—abused by the family for failing to birth a boy—finds her own small acts of rebellion in the kitchen. As the Communist army closes in on their town, the rest of the prosperous household flees, leaving behind the girls and their mother because they view them as useless mouths to feed.
Without an Ang male to punish, the land-seizing cadres choose Hai, as the eldest child, to stand trial for her family's crimes. She barely survives their brutality. Realizing the worst is yet to come, the women plan their escape. Starving and penniless but resourceful, they forge travel permits and embark on a thousand-mile journey to confront the family that abandoned them.
From the countryside to the bustling city of Qingdao, and onward to British Hong Kong and eventually Taiwan, they witness the changing tide of a nation and the plight of multitudes caught in the wake of revolution. But with the loss of their home and the life they've known also comes new freedom—to take hold of their fate, to shake free of the bonds of their gender, and to claim their own story.
Told in assured, evocative prose, with impeccably drawn characters, Daughters of Shandong is a hopeful, powerful story about the resilience of women in war; the enduring love between mothers, daughters, and sisters; and the sacrifices made to lift up future generations.
1
Heirless
Nai Nai said whores weren't allowed in the house, so she kicked Mom out, slamming the wooden door shut with a clatter that startled the birds. We didn't know where my sister Di was, but Three and I sat beside Mom as she leaned against the courtyard wall of our shiheyuan, hands red and chapped from washing dishes. "Don't worry," she said to us. "She'll calm down when your father comes home." Nai Nai was a small, thin lady with ebony hair, birdlike hands, and dainty bound feet. Yet, even as she tottered in her small silk slippers, she had the presence of a warlord and a tongue like a whip. I was eleven, and old enough to know that no one could calm her after such a rage, not even her first and favorite son.It was fall, and dried leaves swirled in the chilly wind, skimming yellow grass that swayed gently. Luckily, the harvest was finished and most of the workers had gone home. Mom didn't want reports of this shameful spectacle to make the rounds-the peasants hated Nai Nai as much...
Is there a quote or scene in Daughters of Shandong that stood out to you? Why do you suppose it resonated?
Quote: "I knew then and there that my daughter would never kneel to anyone." –The concluding scene of the novel offers a satisfying resolution of everything Hai has worked for, a story of generations of women lifting women up. The thought that Chiang-Yue 's daughter can be independent and never b...
-Lillian_T
What audience would you recommend Daughters of Shandong to? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
I would recommend it to people that like to read historical fiction with an interest on Chinese culture and family relationships in tumultuous times of war. The author's style reminds me of Lisa See and Kristin Hannah.
-Lillian_T
Is there an antagonist in Daughters of Shandong? If so, who or what do you think it is, and why?
I believe that Nai-Nai was the antagonist of the story. She was a cruel, selfish, and narcissistic woman who took every opportunity possible to inflict pain and to demean the girls and their mother.
-Dixie_C
What did you think of the ending of Daughters of Shandong? Would you have changed anything about it? If so, what?
I liked the ending, but believe if it had been developed a little more, it would've been better. I would've liked to known what happened in Di's life, the other siblings, as well as the grandparents. It just seemed to wrap up too quickly.
-Dixie_C
If you were either Hai or Di, could you forgive your father? What about your grandmother and grandfather?
I find it interesting that women had such low value in the family, and yet, as they became the matriarchy of the family, they were revered and on top of the totem pole. Being from the Western world, I find the whole concept reprehensible, and just can't imagine the women of this time finding any ...
-Dixie_C
Overall, what did you think of Daughters of Shandong? (no spoilers, please!)
I haven't read a book that I enjoyed this much in a long time. I really enjoy sagas and this one was hard to beat. The writing was absolutely beautiful and I felt like I was right there with Hai and her family.
-Dixie_C
To what audience would you recommend The Girls of Good Fortune? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
I would recommend this book to someone who likes a plot-driven book with lots of action and twists. For me it was heavy on fiction and light on history. In contrast, I would recommend Daughters of Shandong by Eve J Chung. Chung does a masterful job of weaving fact and fiction.
-Lynne_Zolli
Hai wonders what her mother would have insisted on joining her husband in Taiwan if she hadn’t been encumbered with her children. What do you think? Would her path have been different without her daughters?
I also think that without children there would have been a greater chance that the husband would have taken her with him and yes she might have relied on more because she needed all the strength she find to safeguard her childrem
-Carrie_Marlowe
At Rennie’s Mill, the girls’ friend Biao-Wu turns down a “golden ticket” to Taiwan, opting to stay in Hong Kong instead. Do you think he made the right decision? Why or why not?
Yes, I think he made the right decision. He turned down the golden ticket because he didn't want to go to Taiwan. He said "Hong Kong is going to be my home. I'll learn Cantonese in time and maybe, once things are better in the mainland, I could go back and find my mom." He was outgoing and he had...
-Sylvia_L
Hai says, "Sometimes, success is something that happens over the course of generations..." Why is it important for her to make this observation? Within your own family or community, have you seen examples that reflect this sentiment?
It took generations for change within Hai's family. She admired her mother for her resilience, intelligence and resourcefulness troughout their journey to reunite with their father's family. However Mom continued Chinese traditional beliefs that Hai was determined to not pass on to her children. ...
-Sylvia_L
Di is often portrayed as selfish. When she’s caught stealing the Zhang family’s eggs, she defends herself saying she’s “adapting.” What do you think of her actions here and elsewhere in the book?
Agreed! Di may be hard to like, but I admired her tenacity and desire to survive against immense odds.
-Ricki_Aiello
Have you traveled to China or Taiwan? If so, what were some interesting experiences or observations that you encountered? If not, would you like to vacation there if you had the opportunity?
I've never been to China but always wanted to go. When my husband was active duty USMC and we were stationed in Okinawa, Japan, we traveled to Hong Kong. This was before Hong Kong reverted back to Chinese rule and was still under British authority. Our flight layover on this trip was to Taiwan bu...
-Kathy_Downey
What are some of the most pressing injustices that continue to affect women and girls today? What do you think we can do to change them?
Injustice, especially against women and girls, is rooted in cultural, political, and historical systems. We see how Hai, Di, and their mother are devalued because they are female. This inequality still exists today. The most pressing injustices women and girls continue to face include: Gender-bas...
-Karen_M
Hai is convinced her father knew that he was leaving his wife and daughters in Shandong with no resources or protection. What do you think his motives were? Do you think he realized how dire their situation would become?
I don't know that he thought much about leaving them behind. He was just doing what he was told and looking out for himself. He may also have been in denial about what might happen to them.
-Vicky_S
Did you learn anything new about China’s culture or history from the novel? What surprised you?
Yes! I enjoyed learning so much about Chinese culture - I knew there was a preference for boys/sons but didn't know much beyond that. I also wasn't familiar with the war in the 40s. Absolutely fantastic historical fiction (based on true story) - so well written!
-Amber_H
Hai's mom makes many difficult decisions. Do you think she regrets any of them? Do you think she is happy at the end of her life?
Difficult decisions, many. Regret, hard to say. She was forced to live in the moment. She was in survival mode for most of her life. Her love for her daughters forced her to make the decisions she made. Decisions were moment to moment, day to day. She did what she had to do to get them to Taiwan ...
-Joan_G
In China, the historical favoritism for boy children has led to terrible consequences for girls and to broad social issues. Are there any harmful traditions in or aspects of your own culture that affected you or people who you know?
Great comment that includes a lot that I left out!
-Donna_M
Did knowing the book is based on Eve Chung’s grandmother’s experiences change the way you approached the novel, and if so, how?
Since I knew the book was based on the author's grandmother's experiences, it had a greater impact for me. Hai's descriptions of all the horror they experienced on their 1000-mile journey from their home to Taiwan was heartfelt. It was amazing that the girl's mother encouraged them with hope for ...
-Sylvia_L
Di often calls Hai a coward. What kinds of bravery does each character exhibit? How does each character's bravery (or lack thereof) shape the family's story?
Di is fearless and brusque. She opposes her mother and sister. Her daring manner drives the family forward. Her impatience and rebelliousness often force decisions that move them toward survival. Her unwillingness to be passive foils Hai's cautious approach. Hai's courage is quiet, not cowardly. ...
-Karen_M
Hai and Di each have dreams for themselves. Do they achieve them? If not, was there anything different that they could have or should have done?
Hai longs to get an education and imagines a future where she works and supports herself, a life beyond the domestic roles. By the novel's end, Hai succeeds in continuing her education in Hong Kong. She enrolled in school and began to shape a future with academic and professional promise. Her dre...
-Karen_M
Familial relationships are important to all the characters. How do Hai's and Di's relationship with their mom evolve throughout the book? What about Hai and Di's relationship with each other?
Through the process of abandonment, all 3 learn to rely on each other. Even though Hai and Di are different in their approach to life in general, they did learn to appreciate each other and support their mother. All three did their best to survive even if meant some forgiveness of differences and...
-Ann_H
About the Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung Discussion category
Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung.
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BookBrowse Awards
2024
A mother and three daughters are left behind when the more powerful members of their Nationalist family flee to escape Communists during the revolution. The story is told from the perspective of the oldest daughter, Li Hai, and the author does an astonishing job of capturing the thoughts of an adolescent girl dealing with both inconceivable trauma and everyday concerns (Kathleen L). If a book taking place during a war can be called enjoyable, this is it. I say enjoyable based on the mother/daughter relationships, the three-dimensional characters and the rising above the circumstances, which almost makes the reader forget the horrors in favor of the power of the storyline (Marie M). Chung's writing is descriptive without being overly expansive. Daughters of Shandong was a real pleasure to read and I hope Chung continues to write (Laurie B)...continued
Full Review
(632 words)
(Reviewed by First Impressions Reviewers).
Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy
One of those rare works of fiction that entertains, educates, and inspires. Harrowing, heartbreaking, and brilliantly paced, Daughters of Shandong is impossible to put down. I'll definitely be recommending this one to my book club. Karin Tanabe, author of The Sunset Crowd
If you like your historical fiction to read like a thriller, Daughters of Shandong delivers. A story of never giving up on yourself, Chung's debut is a propulsive journey through Chinese history that shows not the women who walked so their daughters could run, but the women who fought so their daughters could fly. Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye
Human rights attorney and debut author Eve J. Chung takes personal family history and spins it into pure gold in her haunting first novel...Daughters of Shandong is a powerhouse debut from a major new talent! Thao Thai, author of Banyan Moon
In Eve J. Chung's skillful debut, she creates a winding, breathtaking tale through the many political upheavals of mid-century China. ...Spellbindingly transportive, Daughters of Shandong is one of those rare books that stays with readers long after the last pages and promises to illuminate all the corners of humanity. Weina Dai Randel, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Last Rose of Shanghai
From the snowy land, to the golden wheat field, to the crowded colony of tents, to the island across a glittering sea, Daughters of Shandong tells an epic journey of a mother and her three children seeking to unite with the family that abandons them. ...Intimate, immersive, and utterly enthralling, Daughters of Shandong is a brilliant debut by an astonishingly gifted writer!
Eve J. Chung's debut novel Daughters of Shandong focuses on the mother and daughters of a landowning family who flee China for Taiwan as a result of the Communist revolution in the late 1940s. Chung has spoken about how she was motivated to write the book by her maternal grandmother's experiences of that period of history.
However, what became a work of fiction started as a simple attempt to record her family's past. In a note to readers, Chung portrays the special relationship she formed with her grandmother from having lived with her in Taiwan as a child. While they were close, bonding over competitive billiards and period dramas, Chung knew little of her grandmother's history as a refugee. After her grandmother passed away in ...
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