What readers think of Daughters of Shandong, plus links to write your own review.

If a book taking place during a war (communist revolution in China, 1948) can be called enjoyable, this is it. I say enjoyable based on the mother/daughter relationships, the three dimensional characters and the rising above the circumstances which almost made the reader forget the horrors in favor of the power of the storyline.

The thread of misogyny was prevalent throughout the novel. "Di looked me in the eye and said, 'All girls are disposable, and you know it.'" As much as the war raged between Nationalists and Communists, all females struggled with humiliation, punishment and wondering if she held any value at all.

Through tension, love and just plain stamina, the characters wrestled with traditional versus non traditional values, the old and the new. This book offered a lot of insight about how we escape (and, in some cases, don't escape) hard core beliefs.

I thoroughly enjoyed Eve J. Chung's writing and would highly recommend this novel.

I am a longtime avid reader and rarely find a book that I would rate 5-stars. This is one. Eve Chung has done a wonderful job of telling a historically based family story during the tumultuous events in China from the 1940s through 1960s. The extreme challenges of women, their resilience and fortitude are portrayed in a realistic way. Chung's writing is descriptive without being overly expansive. Daughters of Shandong was a real pleasure to read and I hope Chung continues to write.

This is a story beautifully written. While it was painful to read, it held my interest completely and deeply touched my heart. While I knew in general that women had been valued less than men in China, the details in this story taught me so much about how women were openly considered less than men and also violently abused. I liked the way hope was shown through improvements in women's rights over time, just as in the United States. I was heartbroken though by the way some older Chinese women completely bought into the degradation of their own daughters and daughters-in-law.

It left me with questions about the United States and its relationship with China. Does having so many of our products made in China actually hurt or help women there? What are factory conditions and pay like for Chinese women? (Maybe the setting for another story?) So much to think about - brought tears to my eyes and definitely ranks as the most touching book that I have read this whole year.

A fictionalized version of the author's family history, Daughters of Shandong is set during the Chinese Revolution (1948 - 1960) and traces the story of the wealthy Nationalist Ang family. When their town of Zhucheng is threatened by the Communists, the father of the family and his parents leave for greener pastures, delegating the care of the family home to his wife and their three daughters -- less important because they were women. Communist forces seize the family home and "try" the oldest daughter, Hai, as a stand-in for her father, beating and torturing her in the process. The women escape on a cross-China journey in search of their family members, ultimately reaching Hong Kong, and then Taiwan. They face starvation, horrible living conditions, disease, and danger in their search. A consistent emphasis of the book is the status (or lack thereof) and treatment of women in the Chinese culture.The book is well-written; the story line is propulsive and the characters are well-developed.I learned a lot while enjoying a really good story.

A story of perseverance, determination, family support, and four women walking their way through the ups and downs of Chinese politics beginning in the 40s. The women are strong and determined albeit a somewhat dysfunctional family group of 4.

This book Daughters of Shandong was a fascinating read. It is fiction and has a lot of action which is great as you are able to easily understand everything and the fast pace keeps you interested. The story is based on a Mom and her 3 daughters who are left to fend for themselves in Communist China. I had no idea how the takeover happened but I feel like now I understand more. The Character development was great also, and you felt you knew this family. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Thank you for the ARC.

What an amazing story about China from 1948 to 1960, a time when girls didn't matter in Chinese culture. The author, Eve J. Chung says this is fiction, yet there is so much about China's history that is true. I loved all the characters (well not Nai Nai though she represents the elders in Chinese society) and the geography associated with the families and friends. My heart went out to the girls, they were so resilient (maybe not so much with Di) and I could feel the mother's angst about taking care of her girls. Travelling from Zhucheng, Shandong to Qingdao, Shandong to Hong Kong to Taiwan was quite the adventure (or torture) but the will to succeed was quite apparent. So many great details about the times and places, I could not put this book down! I look forward to reading other books by Eve J. Chung and want to share this story with my teenage grand daughter.

Daughters of Shandong is a must read for fans of Wild Swans, Peach Blossom Spring, and books by Lisa See and Amy Tan. This story celebrates the strength & resiliency of women who were 'less than' because of having been born female. Even today, sons are preferred in China & Taiwan.

Having been privileged to live in Taiwan & Hong Kong and spoken to survivors of WWII and the Civil War between the communists and Nationalists, these stories are critical to our understanding of the past as well as the current political challenges facing ROC from PRC. I moved to Taipei in 1988, just after Chiang Ching Kuo died and martial law was lifted. Filial piety was still expected. Since that time women in Taiwan have triumphed in society and government. Loved this book!