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There are currently 21 member reviews
for A Thread of Sky
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Myra B. (corvallis, oregon)
A thread of Sky by Deanna Fei
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The interwoven relationships between the women is what I found most appealing. Five women from three generations in very different places in their lives travel to China to reconnect to each other. Through their travels, many family secrets come to light. Sharing the secrets brings these women closer together and more understanding of each others lives.
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Jane N. (Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey)
A Thread of Sky
Wow, what a great start for this author. There is so much to like about this book on many levels. The themes are universal, growing up, growing old and learning how to deal with all of life's seasons. I identified with the mother and the grandmother the most and I'm sure that anyone who reads this book will also have their favorite characters. The trip through modern China is fascinating ! A good read and a great choice for a book club !
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Beth C. (Sioux Falls, SD)
Mothers/Daughters and the Sights & Sounds of China
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Deanna Fei's book, "A Thread of the Sky". This novel weaves a marvelous tapestry - both with the relationships of grandmother, sisters, and daughters and the history and perceptions of life that each brings to their two-week vacation trip to China.
I found the characters to be very realistic in their relationships with each other and in their reactions to what they were seeing. Fei does a marvelous job describing the scenes in various Chinese locales and the reactions of the Chinese -American daughers to the food, the shops, the toilet facilities as well as the actual sights.
This would be a great discussion book for book groups.
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Ginny P. (Alexandria, Virginia)
A Thread of Sky
An outstanding book, especially by a new, published author. The characters are strong and complex without being predictable. The author has developed a wide-range of women characters: a modern-day teenager getting ready to leave her family for college, three women in between with their own unique challenges, and a grandmother at the end of her fascinating life who is re-examining her defining moments. Although this book takes places within the context of an Asian family and backdrop, anyone who enjoys strong characters, family dynamics, and debut novels will appreciate this stunning book.
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Carole A. (Denver, CO)
The beauty of this book is the journey!
A Thread of Sky was well written about three generations of Chinese women and their journey together - and alone. This novel could have been about three generations of women in any family. While part of the same family or a single thread they all have their own journey that has changed them and taken them apart. The beauty of this book is the hanging on to that single thread which is family. Descriptions of China through different eyes was an interesting background. Bravo to Fei - may she continue to write and grow!
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Lisa B. (Denton, TX)
Loosely woven threads
I really enjoyed the book and thought it was well written and the characters were well developed. It reminded me a lot of an Amy Tan book, as other reviews have mentioned. The relationships between all the women in the book read so much like real life.
I think the book could have been improved by cutting out the rambling thoughts and preachy internal dialogue. It slowed the pace of the book and slowed down my reading. I found myself quickly skimming those sections so that I could get to the real meat of the story.
Overall, I think it was definitely worth reading and I have been suggesting it to my friends.
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Lou M. (kennebunkport, maine)
A First Novel! Are you sure?
Not a book I would think to purchase; a book I enjoyed reading.
Another good example of how reviewing books has broadened my reading horizons. This is a terrific first novel because: Ms Fei has presented the story in a very professional, well organized manner; because, through flashbacks,
she has described cultural and national changes and how they have affected the lives of three generations. Although the story takes place in China and is about Chinese Americans, it could be about any family with immigrant antecedents. i liked that. She emphasized human beings, not a country. I am an old guy who was an early tourist (1979) when China was first opening to foreigners. There are many stories to tell, but suffice it to say that the cultural changes Fei describes and her comments about the various national movements are succinct and well done. This is a good book club book. i will recommend it to the group I lead.
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