Eve J. Chung

This is a historical fiction set in China during the Chinese Revolution. The wealthy Ang family flees their home when the revolutionaries seize it. However, the grandparents and the father leave the mother and her daughters behind. Since she hasn't produced a male heir, the grandmother looks down upon her daughter-in-law, and her granddaughters, deeming them less than worthy of her financial assistance. The mother and her daughters make a difficult journey across China, trying to reunite with the father. Sadly, the grandmother's hatred spews forth again and she tells her daughter-in-law not to come because her son will marry another.
I didn't know of the troubles that people had in China once the revolution took place. The internal politics and the cruelty among its citizens, especially females was heartbreaking. The kindness of a few good people restored my faith.
A very interesting story of hope and perseverance.… (más)

Riveting, haunting historical fiction based on the true experiences of Eve J. Chung’s grandmother during the Chinese civil war following World War II.

Hai grows up in Shandong, in their traditional male-centric culture, the eldest worthless daughter of a mother who has produced no sons. Her mother is continually verbally and physically abused by her mother-in-law, forced to kneel for the slightest of perceived wrongs. And they all must toil all day to earn their keep, despite the Ang family wealth. When Hai’s father and his family flee before the advancing communists arrive, leaving behind Hai and her mother and sisters, Di and Lan, the discarded females are thrown off their property in the communist redistribution of land and forced to live in an animal shed. Hai is tortured, and the mother and her three daughters, the youngest still a baby, are forced to undertake a difficult and dangerous trek on foot across war-torn China, hoping to be reunited with the rest of the Ang family, who they eventually learn are safe in Taiwan. The story is spellbinding, the prose well-crafted, and the characters beautifully rendered—especially these resilient, resourceful Ang females.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this debut novel in exchange for an honest review.… (más)

DAUGHTERS OF SHANDONG by Eve J Chung
“Girls are nothing more than wives for other people’s sons.” And so begins the story of Hai, her mother and her sisters. When the communist revolution comes to their area, the girls and their mom are left behind by their wealthy landowning family with only a vague promise to return for them.
Enemies of the communists because of the family’s wealth and importance, the girls and their mother are evicted with no money or food as enemies of the people. Hai, the eldest daughter not yet a teen, narrates this compelling, barely fictionalized account of the journey by foot through China toward Taiwan. The girls come alive on the pages as their harrowing tale is told.
Chung relates the story of her grandmother with deftness and empathy. Although filled with danger, poverty, and continuing disasters, the story offers hope, resilience, love and the power of faith and kindness. Readers will learn much about the Communist takeover of China and the ravages war brings to a peasant population. Book groups will have many topics for discussion from foot binding to the importance of education. I highly recommend this book
5 of 5 stars… (más)

First thanks to the publisher and BookBrowse for an advance readers copy.

The reader joins the authors family's story during civil and political unrest during the Communist takeover in China 1948, but in rural Shandong, the wealthy, landowning Angs are more concerned with their lack of an heir thus treating the mother with distain. In this novel, we experience the emotional, often heartbreaking but determined journey of a mother and her four daughters from their home in the countryside to the bustling city of Qingdao, and onward to British Hong Kong and eventually Taiwan where they were forced to endure because they were left behind when the father and others fled the unrest because there were no male heirs.

The daughters' characters are very well drawn and quite distinct, which adds depth and multiple perspectives, as their mother reacts to them individually and as a group. The mother's character also evolves as they endure dangers and hardships, leavened with happy moments and growing togetherness. Their travels are conveyed to reader in a clear informative narrative where we feel part of their lives and cheering them on, as we learn about China during this time period and the suffering many, especially women, endured to achieve success and the decisions mom and the children made together.

An excellent book and wonderful read. Highly recommended.… (más)