I was no longer a child. I didn’t have the luxury to be one—that had been taken . . . by hunger, by exhaustion, and by the constant fight for survival.
A riveting and harrowing tale set during the Communist Revolution, Daughters of Shandong gives an intimate look into the perilous journey a mother and her daughters must embark on to escape Communist persecution after being abandoned by their family for not having produced a male heir.
I think this is one of those stories you can immediately tell is inspired by true events close to the author. It is too raw and too heartfelt to be mistaken for anything else. Eve J. Chung must have done so much meticulous research in order to piece together her personal family history as well as historical accounts of what was going on during this time. And the result is a seamless blend of fact and fiction that brings history to life.
At its heart, this is a story about love and resilience, and there is so much of both in here. I dare you to read it and not feel deeply moved. How anyone could have endured so much suffering and grueling hardship, then persevered in the end, is truly awe-inspiring. It reminds us that no matter how bad things are, there is always hope for a better tomorrow, especially for our children.
Reading this book makes me want to reach out to my parents and hear their stories. They grew up during the Cultural Revolution, and unlike the characters in this story, did not escape. They had a front row seat during their childhood to all the fear, famine, and turmoil. And I still see in them the legacy of this suffering to this very day, which makes what they have achieved, mostly to give me the opportunity for a better future, all the more amazing.
It also reminds me of just how precious the bond is between a parent and a child. The lengths Chiang-Yue went through for her daughters is beyond words. And it completely resonated with me. Is there no despair we would not endure and no hardship we would not gladly take on, if it meant our children's survival and happiness? Even if we have reached our limit, we will find within ourselves an even deeper well from which we can draw strength and courage we did not know we had in order to do all that we can for our children.
What a heartbreaking, but ultimately triumphant celebration of the strengths of mothers and daughters this story turned out to be. It is as searing as it is memorable. Even though Eve J. Chung has now done what she set out to do and told her family story, I hope she doesn't stop here.
Readaroo Rating: 4 stars
0 comments:
Post a Comment