Scan barcode
hopelesslyovercommitted's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
aimeeverret's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Murder, and War
Minor: Child death and Racial slurs
meghb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicide
Minor: Sexual assault
sgtmian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Suicide
valentinaa_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War
olivia_russell's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Suicide, Death of parent, and War
bdilley28's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Honestly I thought I would like this book much more than I did. It's very me: a book that explores mother-daughter relationships and discusses family trauma and grief. I didn't dislike the book, but I found it a little confusing. Unless it is written well, I have a hard time following a book that doesn't have a linear timeline, and with the amount of characters in this book, it was not necessarily easy to follow. I liked the ending and thought it closed out the book really well.
Overall not bad but not my favorite book.
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War
randeedandeelion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Suicide and War
emmie_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide
halfcactus's review against another edition
3.0
I was really engaged in Ruth's PoV, the conflicts and anxieties that arose from her traumatic upbringing, and the way she personified the themes of language and ghosts and writing. I'm so glad she found answers and got closure in the end, even though I wasn't very invested in the mystery of Bao Bomu's real name. I did really enjoy the novel's relationship with language and translation, and how Ruth's struggles with the language were very specifically a product of their time and place—matching radicals to the paper dictionary + her insinuation that only old or extremely specialized people could read traditional script. 😂
I couldn't stand Art or Art's kids and couldn't forgive them for how rude they and their families were during Mid-Autumn dinner. They were old enough to know better and school their children. May they never be invited to parties or community events ever again.
I actually think Lu Ling's chapters were the weak link because they weren't paced very well, and in spite of its intentions I think it failed to convey the emotional complexity in her relationship with her sister. The non-tragic relationships, in general, didn't feel earned.
Unrelatedly, I wish I'd paid more attention to the timelines of this book, because it feels like Ruth loses her voice around ghost month?
Content notes: this book contains suicide, drug addiction, and childhood sexual assault
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, and Colonisation
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Torture