The Lost Daughter of Happiness
6 journalers for this copy...
From Library Journal:
"A young Chinese woman named Fusang is kidnapped and sold into prostitution in San Francisco during the Gold Rush. Based on an actual historical character, she is here presented through the sometimes distracting voice of the imagined writer, a descendant of Chinese immigrants, who compares impressions of Fusang's time with her own."
"A young Chinese woman named Fusang is kidnapped and sold into prostitution in San Francisco during the Gold Rush. Based on an actual historical character, she is here presented through the sometimes distracting voice of the imagined writer, a descendant of Chinese immigrants, who compares impressions of Fusang's time with her own."
Despite the difficult subject matter, Geling Yan's novel is a satisfying read. I appreciated the flux between past (action) and present (narrative voice), as it helped to defuse the dramatic tension when this became necessary. And the fact that the narrator's identity remains elusive to the very end, provides another layer of suspense...
Journal Entry 3 by okyrhoe at By mail / post / courier, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, August 6, 2008
That was fast, Okyrhoe! I look forward to reading this, this first of the three I took out of the vbb. I love the Greek Convention label~~wish a BC store one would do the questions/"you'll find the answers"... designed to pique interest and get people to the journal page~ bravo to whomever did the design!
And thank you, O, for sending this so quickly, and in spte of being in recovry!
And thank you, O, for sending this so quickly, and in spte of being in recovry!
Oh, rats....one of those books I did not journal immediately after reading.....even when working like crazy, I read in bed, but then don't get the computer time....and the next thing I know, I've forgotten all about it.....sorry. Unlike, okyrhoe, I found the style of Geling Yan to be distancing and off-putting. It took me awhile to fall into the rhythms of the book, but from that point on I was mesmerized. Haunting, sad, beautiful, disturbing.... an excellent read. Thanks for sharing, okyrhoe!
Oh dear, I *have* had this a while...well, another copy is on the most recent Global lit vbb I've joined, so I am going to move this one on to new readers by putting it in the "Anything BUT Romance bb I'm sending out.
Grabbed from the Anything But Romance Shrinking Book Box.
Loved it. I agree, sad and haunting. Beautifully written. Already have another reader in mind.
Off to HI77 for International Women's Day. Hope you enjoy this story.
The dolls are wind up,
the movements and the sounds
the make are preconceived
notions of heaven,
or hell
the movements and the sounds
the make are preconceived
notions of heaven,
or hell
This book is on another BC'ers wishlist. :)
They had lots of interesting looking books, so this has become a trade with them!
As for the book itself, I had gotten it as a gift in one of the games in the Forum. I had never heard of it before but it did look interesting. I didn't have time to get to right then but I keep it around close and finally had the chance to dive it.
It was strange and the disconnection of its heroine was sometimes right on, but sometimes it lost the integrity of what was happening. It's one of those borderline books that could be good or bad, depending on what you want from it.
I, myself, decided that I liked it. Weird works for me. lol
They had lots of interesting looking books, so this has become a trade with them!
As for the book itself, I had gotten it as a gift in one of the games in the Forum. I had never heard of it before but it did look interesting. I didn't have time to get to right then but I keep it around close and finally had the chance to dive it.
It was strange and the disconnection of its heroine was sometimes right on, but sometimes it lost the integrity of what was happening. It's one of those borderline books that could be good or bad, depending on what you want from it.
I, myself, decided that I liked it. Weird works for me. lol
Thank you!
I haven't read Geling Yan's work, but many years ago I watched a movie called Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl, and really liked it. So when I found out that the movie is based on Yan's novella, I promptly put this book on my wish list. (I highly recommend the movie!)
I haven't read Geling Yan's work, but many years ago I watched a movie called Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl, and really liked it. So when I found out that the movie is based on Yan's novella, I promptly put this book on my wish list. (I highly recommend the movie!)
It's hard for me to say whether I like this book.
I find having a contemporary narrator rather distracting, though she provides interesting insights to today's Asian American experience. Moreover, it's not easy to relate to Fusang, who barely express any thoughts and only allows glimpse of her inner world.
That said, the prose is beautiful, and allows me a glimpse of the early days of San Francisco that I didn't know much about.
Sending to a BCer who has this on her wishlist.
I find having a contemporary narrator rather distracting, though she provides interesting insights to today's Asian American experience. Moreover, it's not easy to relate to Fusang, who barely express any thoughts and only allows glimpse of her inner world.
That said, the prose is beautiful, and allows me a glimpse of the early days of San Francisco that I didn't know much about.
Sending to a BCer who has this on her wishlist.
Thanks a lot Azuki for this book from my wishlist and the bunch of stamps !!! I am so happy for both of them !! Many thanks ! :-))))
