An interesting story, set in an interesting part of the world -- Mehrigul is a Uygur girl under Chinese rule -- she has talent as a basketweaver, but her family life is very difficult, hampered by a father who drinks away their money and forces her to quit school. It's a pretty bleak story, though she wins through in the end. ( )

Mehrigul is fourteen. She lives with her family on a farm in Uyghur (pronounced We-gur) , the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China. They eke out a living by selling what they grow in the weekly market. When an American lady comes to the market and buys a basket she had made for herself, Mehrigul begins to dream about a different life.

The trials Mehrigul encounters and her relationships with her grandfather and sister, in particular, are poignantly told. Young people in the western world will be introduced to a new culture. But adults will also enjoy this story. All readers will laugh and weep with Mehrigul, as I did. ( )

Mehrigul is a 14-yr old in East Turkestan who lives on her family's farm near a small village between desert and mountain. Her brother's recent departure (to avoid capture by the ruling Chinese) has affected all her family, exacerbating the difficulty of life already made hard by land seizures of the Chinese. Her mother is depressed, her father is turning to drink and gambling, and Mehrigul becomes burdened by responsibilities which keep her from school. Mehrigul doesn't think much about politics, however, and the story focuses on following her thoughts and feelings as she goes about her daily work. We see the strength of her inner spirit as she struggles to let it bloom in a situation which expects more humility and unchallenged obedience. She is very perceptive about her father's moods, she fosters a love of learning in her younger sister and supports her innocent joy, she confides in her grandfather and lovingly assists him.
An excellent book for middle to older children (or adults, especially those who are craft workers or interested in other cultures). Provides an insight into another culture without using too many unfamiliar terms, often simply by the choice of phrasing. E.g. in the evening Mehrigul notices "The sun had already joined the earth."
What I loved: the unobtrusive depiction of learning to access her intuition to create new beauty.
What bothered me: nothing--the entire book was worth the read. My review doesn't really reflect the storyline as much as my interpretation of the underlying issues. ( )

Life has been hard for fourteen-year-old Mehrigul, a member of the Uyghur tribal group scorned by the Chinese communist regime, so when an American offers to buy all the baskets she can make in three weeks, Mehrigul strives for a better future for herself and her family despite her father's opposition. ( )

Very well written, interesting story about a little known ethnic group, not sure how much popular appeal this will have ( )