michromeu's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars - I really enjoyed the historical context, and as always, Lisa See paints a very vivid picture of the time period. However, the characters were much more difficult to enjoy - I can always get behind flawed protagonists, but the novel didn't give the characters time to breathe past Helen's "big reveal" at the end, and it was difficult to believe that these girls would stay friends or even become friends in the first place. I was also disappointed by the writing style - most of See's other novels feature beautiful prose, but the writing in this book felt stilted. Unfortunately, despite an interesting setting, the pieces just didn't come together for this one.
melodyramirez's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Sexism, Racism, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Child death, Antisemitism, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Abortion, War, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Cursing, Classism, and Adult/minor relationship
moogen's review against another edition
2.0
The characters here didn't feel true or distinct and they behaved in ways that made very little sense.
emilyusuallyreading's review against another edition
5.0
What I Liked
Lisa See absolutely swept me up in the era surrounding pre-WWII and into WWII.
Helen, Grace, and Ruby have very different voices. As they take turns narrating the novel, this is so important, and I was so impressed by See's ability to cultivate their voices in such strikingly different ways. For a while, I wondered if this was based on a true story, until the end when See admits it's fictional!
The renditions of WWII that I've heard have always come from a white-American perspective, Jewish perspective, German perspective, etc. I've never before read until now the struggles that it placed on Chinese-Americans. I had heard about the Japanese camps in the US, but I'd never read fiction about this.
Again See writes about the relationships between women and she captivates me once again.
Grace's character arc was my favorite in the story. She begins in one place and ends in entirely another, and while they all do, hers was the most realistic and tangible.
What I Didn't Like
At times, the glitz and the glam and the name-dropping become a little too much, but to me they really did not detract from the story itself.
Lisa See absolutely swept me up in the era surrounding pre-WWII and into WWII.
Helen, Grace, and Ruby have very different voices. As they take turns narrating the novel, this is so important, and I was so impressed by See's ability to cultivate their voices in such strikingly different ways. For a while, I wondered if this was based on a true story, until the end when See admits it's fictional!
The renditions of WWII that I've heard have always come from a white-American perspective, Jewish perspective, German perspective, etc. I've never before read until now the struggles that it placed on Chinese-Americans. I had heard about the Japanese camps in the US, but I'd never read fiction about this.
Again See writes about the relationships between women and she captivates me once again.
Grace's character arc was my favorite in the story. She begins in one place and ends in entirely another, and while they all do, hers was the most realistic and tangible.
What I Didn't Like
At times, the glitz and the glam and the name-dropping become a little too much, but to me they really did not detract from the story itself.
gilgulita's review against another edition
3.0
While I absolutely loved the settings of the story and the way the surroundings and atmosphere was described, I am so annoyed at how the characters acted and treated each other. I don't see why Grace, Helen and Ruby stuck to eachother that much, none of them have any idea what friendship means. Those characters and the truly unnecessary POV splits made the book seem hollow in a way.
athenany's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great book. I liked it a little better than Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, although I gave them both four stars, but not quite enough more to give it five stars.
Pros: Extremely interesting time period, fast-moving story that makes you want to find out what happens, no clear-cut purely good or purely bad characters.
Cons: Some of the things that the characters would do to each other and then forgive seemed beyond the pale and hence a little unrealistic. There were so many characters that at times I had trouble remember who people were and had to remind myself. Someone else commented that she could not get a grip on why these girls were friends. I feel like it was based on shared history but sometimes even that was a stretch.
Anyway, slight critique aside, I couldn't put it down and read it very quickly. I definitely recommend it.
Pros: Extremely interesting time period, fast-moving story that makes you want to find out what happens, no clear-cut purely good or purely bad characters.
Cons: Some of the things that the characters would do to each other and then forgive seemed beyond the pale and hence a little unrealistic. There were so many characters that at times I had trouble remember who people were and had to remind myself. Someone else commented that she could not get a grip on why these girls were friends. I feel like it was based on shared history but sometimes even that was a stretch.
Anyway, slight critique aside, I couldn't put it down and read it very quickly. I definitely recommend it.
jennydurnan's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lcrisostomo's review against another edition
5.0
I read this when I was a teenager. As a Pacific Islander-Asian-American, this was a book I could not put down. It gave gossip-girl, woman's rights, and a reel back into history. I enjoy reading this author's books.
reindeerbandit's review against another edition
3.0
can you like a story and a writing style, but hate every single character? if possible, see this book. it was beautiful and everyone was awful.
jlworley's review against another edition
4.0
Though I liked Snow Flower and the Secret Fan better, this one was good, too. Set during WWII (just before and through the war), 3 young woman develop a complicated friendship. Great character development, which is always crucial to my enjoyment of a novel.