From the Bookshelf of Our Shared Shelf…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
I found this so disappointing after Snow Flower and Peony! I just found the writing/narrator to be so stilted. Is that the right word? - It was forced and dry, almost like a computer was reading/interpreting the story. It's too bad b/c the story itself was pretty good, and I think it could have been a lot better. I also recognize that I think the narrator's voice was like that intentionally, I think maybe b/c she had traumatic experiences and it was her distanced way of talking about it or somet
...more
I am not giving a synopsis of the story - just my feelings after finishing : A compelling book crammed with immigrant history, fears and secrets and hence laced with drama. It has very good descriptions of places, people and situations. The middle third of the book is my favorite. But, it was tiring to read about tragedy after tragedy and the ending really left me disappointed, hanging and wondering. Even though the book was predictable in too many places, it was page turner. The characters made
...more
Full of emotion and great historical detail, Shanghai Girls is a getting novel. A pretty fast read that had me entranced with the story of two sisters who go from living it up in Shanghai to nearly losing everything in America. The ending comes on a little fast, and I'm glad the next book is already out so I can find out what happens when the sisters are forced to go back to China.I'm amazed at the research the author must have done to craft such a believable story.
...more
This is a wonderful novel. The author rendered the characters fully and completely, subtly exposing their flaws, their hopes, their heartbreaks, and their beautiful hearts all at once. That's not easy to do, but I certainly stand up and applaud when I am lucky enough to encounter it. I also learned a great deal about Chinese culture and how the Chinese were treated in this country before WWII, after, and during the days of McCarthyism. A great read. I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.
...more
Sep 30, 2009
Heather
marked it as to-read
Jun 29, 2010
Nita
marked it as to-read
Jan 16, 2011
Megan
marked it as to-read
Mar 10, 2011
Maureen
added it
Mar 04, 2012
Angie
marked it as to-read
Aug 15, 2018
Brittany
marked it as to-read
Jan 04, 2019
Jackie
marked it as to-read
