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leasummer's review against another edition
3.0
I had a hard time getting in to this and didn't feel any affection for any of the gals making it hard to be interested in the story. It was easy reading and fast paced so that made it easier.
kitten_nugget's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Rape and War
Minor: Suicide
jessicataylor71's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
tairaxo's review against another edition
4.0
What a great book! I've read Lisa See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, which I loved, so I knew that I'd move on to some of her other novels eventually. I'm so glad I read this book. It kind of reminded me of The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, their writings are similar and both stories take you through years of friendship between women who are dealing the issues that most women of their time were forced to overcome being Asian. I highly recommend this book, I was hooked from the beginning til end.
erinthelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I love Lisa See and this book did not disappoint! I learned so much about Chinatown during the pre-war years, the ways in which the Japanese were weaved into the culture and sadly at risk. I learned about SF clubs and the interesting variety of ways that a native Chinese or Chinese American would weave into American life. I also learned a lot about being a widow in a traditional Chinese family.
lbmillan's review against another edition
2.0
I have enjoyed all of Lisa See's books, but this one was a disappointment. It was disjointed and predictable. I had a hard time liking any of the characters, and the character development was mediocre at best.
purplelalaland's review
2.0
This book was a wonderful look into what the 1930s-1950s looked like for Chinese and Japanese Americans. It put that time period into context and allowed me an avenue to continue researching parts of the history that I an interested in.
The writing, however, was poor. The character descriptions and history were insufficient to really separate the three women from each other. The way they thought and acted often clashed with each other in ways that were completely unrelatable and senseless. I didn't buy into a lot of the development of relationships and couldn't believe that certain characters were really friends, or certain characters were really in love. It really felt like the author had written scenes that she wanted to include in the book and were trying to piece them together, albeit, unsuccessfully.
The writing, however, was poor. The character descriptions and history were insufficient to really separate the three women from each other. The way they thought and acted often clashed with each other in ways that were completely unrelatable and senseless. I didn't buy into a lot of the development of relationships and couldn't believe that certain characters were really friends, or certain characters were really in love. It really felt like the author had written scenes that she wanted to include in the book and were trying to piece them together, albeit, unsuccessfully.