What audience would you recommend Daughters of Shandong to? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
Readers of historical fiction and nonfiction would glimpse the hardships faced by Chinese who wanted to flee Mao. The cultural differences and especially the treatment of women by women would spark a book club’s discussion.
Any audience of women! I liken it in many ways to Mrs. Tan’s Circle of Women, another excellent read.
1 Like
I think that any one would enjoy, and learn from, this book. The chain of cultural transmission is universal.
This book begins like many of the books written about women in China. The binding of feet. Then goes on to the treatment of women in China. Books clubs will have much to discuss about a Mother and daughters trying to survive.
The book would be an excellent historical fiction selection for a book club because it is an absorbing narrative of the restrictions and decisions women women had to live by during that time period in China.
Vicki_C, I agree that is the book I was thinking of!
I feel the book would be a hit for historical fiction fans, book clubs or readers wanting to learn more about China. It would be a hit with lots to discuss.
People who like books about strong women. Women who go through horrible circumstances but who survive.
If you appreciate history with characters that are authentic, this book will draw you in and capture your interest. The sacrifices made, the descriptive writing allows you to feel the hunger, the fear of the Communists, and the pure exhaustion. I sometimes had to put the book down as i truly felt their angst.
I agree with the previous comments. This would be an excellent book for a BookClub or fans of historical fiction. I also think it would appeal to a younger audience who might not have knowledge of that period in world history.
I think this book would appeal to fans of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See or Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.
The appeal of Daughters of Shandong to a younger audience is definitely reflected in that it was selected by the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association (ALA) for an Alex Award given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults.
3 Likes
@Karen_Belyea I’m glad you mentioned that - I’d completely forgotten.
I liked the book, but there was something about it that I couldn’t put my finger on that didn’t quite click for me. That would be it.
Historical fiction fans for sure, as well as, book clubs. This would be a great choice with discussions of the powerful resilience of women, mother-daughter relationships, sister relationships, and sacrifices made.
Readers who enjoy historical fiction and nonfiction would capture a sense of the
pain and misery inflicted on the Chinese, especially women, as they fled the cruel regime of Mao. I read The Daughters of the Flower Fragrant Garden featured several years ago in Book Browse book club. The subject was a similar view into life in China at this same time in history. Great book club choices!
Everyone should read this book, it is fascinating and so rich in history and cultural values. I read a similar book, also excellent “The leftover woman” by Jean Kwok that also sheds more light on the culture and customs that are less known to us Westerners.
I would recommend it to both readers of historical fiction and nonfiction because it centers of the the history and culture that is not usually the focus of books read.
Anyone with an interest in the history of China. I’ve met so many people who experienced the Cultural Revolution and suffered its consequences. Our,if’s insurance representative in Hong Kong told us of his memories of the Rape of Nanjing. The horror of hearing the gunshots and screams outside.
“Daughters of Shandong” would appeal to 1) readers of character-driven historical fiction, especially those interested in 20th-century China or oppressive regimes; 2) fans of intergenerational women’s stories with the theme of survival; and 3) readers who liked “The Island of Sea Women” by Lisa See where history and culture shape narratives.
“The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane” is another book by Lisa See that explores the theme of mother-daughter relationships, as does “The Island of Sea Women.”