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Daughters of Shandong
Daughters of Shandong | Eve J. Chung
9 posts | 2 read | 2 to read
A propulsive, extraordinary novel about a mother and her daughters harrowing escape to Taiwan as the Communist revolution sweeps through China, by debut author Eve J. Chung, based on her family story Daughters are the Ang familys curse. In 1948, civil war ravages the Chinese countryside, but in rural Shandong, the wealthy, landowning Angs are more concerned with their lack of an heir. Hai is the eldest of four girls and spends her days looking after her sisters. Headstrong Di, who is just a year younger, learns to hide in plain sight, and their motherabused by the family for failing to birth a boyfinds her own small acts of rebellion in the kitchen. As the Communist army closes in on their town, the rest of the prosperous household flees, leaving behind the girls and their mother because they view them as useless mouths to feed. Without an Ang male to punish, the land-seizing cadres choose Hai, as the eldest child, to stand trial for her familys crimes. She barely survives their brutality. Realizing the worst is yet to come, the women plan their escape. Starving and penniless but resourceful, they forge travel permits and embark on a thousand-mile journey to confront the family that abandoned them. From the countryside to the bustling city of Qingdao, and onward to British Hong Kong and eventually Taiwan, they witness the changing tide of a nation and the plight of multitudes caught in the wake of revolution. But with the loss of their home and the life theyve known also comes new freedomto take hold of their fate, to shake free of the bonds of their gender, and to claim their own story. Told in assured, evocative prose, with impeccably drawn characters, Daughters of Shandong is a hopeful, powerful story about the resilience of women in war; the enduring love between mothers, daughters, and sisters; and the sacrifices made to lift up future generations.
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LatrelWhite
Daughters of Shandong | Eve J. Chung
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Saw this recommendation on Instagram from Oprah‘s bookclub for the audiobook. I love reading about this culture and I‘m not sorry I purchased the audiobook and pick-up the book from my local library. Sent a message to the author and she thanked me and hope I enjoy it. Which I can say the first chapter has already captured me!❤️❤️❤️

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lilpumpkin2.0
Daughters of Shandong | Eve J. Chung
Pickpick

June 17, 2024 continued from last post... Di became a nurse and Li-Hai became a teacher in Taipei in Taiwan. She was always caring of her mom and wanted the best for her mom when she was under her wing, but her Mom didnt really care for Li-Hai to take care of her. She had her 22 year old son take care of her when he graduated from college. Not a surprise by any means

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lilpumpkin2.0
Daughters of Shandong | Eve J. Chung
Pickpick

June 17, 2024 Man! Where to start!!!? I love the relationship that the author created between the main characters: Nai Nai, Yei Yei, Mom, Li-Hai, Di, Lan, and Chiao. The rest to me were not as important. The ending was happy. Happy as in Di and Li-Hai having kids and leaving "the nest". Their Mom, had another daughter and a SON. Finally a son. The Chinese government favors sons more than daughters based off of Chinese history FYI

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lilpumpkin2.0
Daughters of Shandong | Eve J. Chung

June 17, 2024 Chung is a vivid writer. Even though the book is historical fiction, some of the chapters make you feel like you are there in-person. The emotion that she portrays is also very touching; one feels for the three daughters and her mom in almost all the chapters because of their hardships and lack of shelter, food, clothing, as well as the torture they were put through. I am almost finished with the book. Next post will be the rating!

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lilpumpkin2.0
Daughters of Shandong | Eve J. Chung

June 13, 2024 Despite the hard, strenuous, painful and cramping conditions of their trek to Qingdao, Mom, Li-Hai, Di, and Lan manage to make it to Qingdao. Qingdao is supposedly where Father and Yei Yei are. Is this true? Did Father and Yei Yei escape and abandon them? Reading in to find out...

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lilpumpkin2.0
Daughters of Shandong | Eve J. Chung

June 13, 2024 I just read one of the most disturbing chapters titled "Dinner Party" and the 13 year old daughter, Li-Hai, decides for the Communist to take her instead of her Mom. Neither her nor her mom or any of the family deserved to be tortured but the Communist were upset with her family, as well as other families, that they selected her bc she was young. They threw mud, rocks, dirt, and even made her kneel for 6 hours straight. BRUTAL ???

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lilpumpkin2.0
Daughters of Shandong | Eve J. Chung
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June 5, 2024 Reading these two at the SAME time. Can I do it? I hope so. One is a historical fiction while the other is romance fiction. Both of them are pretty good so far.

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lilpumpkin2.0
Daughters of Shandong | Eve J. Chung
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June 4, 2024 New bookstack for my TBR

KadaGul I loved reading Meghan Quinn's book, Runaway Groomsman! It was such an exciting and enjoyable read! 6mo
lilpumpkin2.0 @KadaGul Which # book is that and when was it published? 6mo
KadaGul @lilpumpkin2.0 Its a standalone novel published in 2022."Hollywood screenwriter Sawyer Walsh knows a good love story when he sees it. But when it comes to real life romance, he's a mess. That's how he finds himself standing at the altar…as his ex-girlfriend ties the knot with his very famous best friend". https://a.co/d/2I49XQ0 6mo
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nitalibrarian
Daughters of Shandong | Eve J. Chung
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Sneak peek of books out next week. They are ready for me to catalog.😍📚