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A review by amy_alwaysreading
Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung
4.5
Many thanks to my friends at @berkleypub and @prhaudio for the free #gifted copies of this book. #berkleypartner
Some stories, like Chung’s vibrant historical fiction debut, are so compelling and important they become etched into my being.
When a mother and her daughters are abandoned by their family, they must flee the upheaval of the Communist Revolution in China on their own with no resources.
With a seamless blend of fact and fiction, Chung breathed life into her own family’s history in a way that captivated. The attention to every detail proved her careful concern and meticulous research, and the way the storytelling brimmed with raw emotion made it obvious that she poured her heart and soul into this work. That personal touch made me feel as though I was experiencing the grueling ordeal alongside the characters and made the overcoming feel all the sweeter in the end.
What a harrowing journey! Hai, her mother, and female siblings faced grueling conditions as they were forced to immigrate to foreign lands. Homelessness, famine, disease, torture... there seemed no end to the suffering. And yet, these females proved determined and fierce, never losing sight of their fight for survival and hope for a better future.
Truly, this novel is a testament to the strength of women, in particular Chinese women devalued from birth. It’s also a tribute to the overwhelming love of a mother and her unwavering fight to break generational holds and forge a new path for her daughters and their future lineage.
Though not a light read, the empowering message made it one I won’t soon forget. An extraordinary debut that well honors Chung’s grandmother.
➡️As is almost always true, the author’s note is not to be missed.
🎧 I partnered the audiobook with my print copy, and narrator Yu-Lin Alice Shen made it a fully immersive experience. Her narration amplified the voice of Hai and heightened the emotion in a way that enriched.