Explore our new BookBrowse Community Forum!

Read advance reader review of All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson

Summary | Reviews | More Information | More Books

All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson

All the Flowers in Shanghai

A Novel

by Duncan Jepson

  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Published:
  • Dec 2011, 320 pages
  • Rate this book

  • Buy This Book

About this book

Reviews


Page 1 of 4
There are currently 23 member reviews
for All the Flowers in Shanghai
Order Reviews by:
  • Terri M. (Jacksonville, FL)
    Fascinating!
    I love stories from other cultures, especially ones that follow the life of a central character and are historical in nature. All the Flowers in Shanghai was all of that and more. The book follows the life of Feng "the second daughter". From the minute I picked it up, I couldn't put it down, I had to find out what was happening to Feng and how she would handle it. So well written, I was sorry to see it end.
  • Susan P. (Boston, MA)
    All the Flowers in Shanghai
    A very enlightening story of an innocent young woman exposed to privilege but against her will. Can be enjoyed by anyone interested in the place of girls and women in pre-WWII and in the Cultural Revolution that follows. Enjoyable but heartbreaking as well. Oddly, though, flowers per se as a theme seems a bit inchoate but it didn't detract.
  • Jacquelyn H. (Blanco, TX)
    BRINGS HISTORY ALIVE
    ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI brings history alive in a spellbinding tale of Shanghai in the 30's to the time of the revolution. Feng, a sympathetic young girl, makes mistake after mistake after being caught in an unexpected arranged marriage while totally unprepared for the life she must lead. The book is a fine read that gives a solid overview of historical perspective.
  • Margaret M. (Chicago, IL)
    The flowers of shanghai
    This is a fun read that keeps your interest. I became Interested in Xiao Feng and her life. I felt I knew her!
    This is a fun and informative story. It is a fast read.
    The story includes mysteries and cultural information about the Chinese family before and after the revolution and at the same time is an interesting and captivating, particularly to women.
  • Patricia M. (Davidson, North Carolina)
    A Mesmerizing Book
    This beautifully written book could be categorized as Historical Fiction. I couldn't wait to read it each day. It depicts the Chinese people during a time before the Revolution. A very intimate portrayal and the reader becomes immersed in their everyday lives. The author brings you right into the story. I shed a tear when I finished the book as I didn't want it to end.
  • Sara S. (Murfreesboro, TN)
    Moving
    All the Flowers in Shanghai was a thoughtful book that displays the impact of one's environment. Feng's character is a complex yet naive woman, who eventually breaks through her imposed shell.

    I appreciated reading this book, and look forward to more from this author. The subtle beauty was divine...
  • Martha D. (Poway, CA)
    An interesting veiw into the past.
    I have been interested in historical fiction for some time now and this was a interesting look into a period China I found fascinating. I found myself staying awake to find out what would happen. If you're looking for a look into another time and another place this book will take you there. A completely enjoyable read.

More Information

Read-Alikes

Top Picks

  • Book Jacket: The Sisters K
    The Sisters K
    by Maureen Sun
    The Kim sisters—Minah, Sarah, and Esther—have just learned their father is dying of ...
  • Book Jacket: Linguaphile
    Linguaphile
    by Julie Sedivy
    From an infant's first attempts to connect with the world around them to the final words shared with...
  • Book Jacket
    The Rest of You
    by Maame Blue
    At the start of Maame Blue's The Rest of You, Whitney Appiah, a Ghanaian Londoner, is ringing in her...
  • Book Jacket: The Book of George
    The Book of George
    by Kate Greathead
    The premise of The Book of George, the witty, highly entertaining new novel from Kate Greathead, is ...

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Pony Confidential
    by Christina Lynch

    In this whimsical mystery, a grumpy pony must clear his beloved human's name from a murder accusation.

Who Said...

It is among the commonplaces of education that we often first cut off the living root and then try to replace its ...

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

F the M

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.