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Shanghai Girls
by Lisa See (Goodreads Author)
by Lisa See (Goodreads Author)
This was the third book I've read by this author and I'm still confused as to my feelings for her writing. The first book I read, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, I loved. I think it was all the descriptions and information about the cultural nuances, including foot binding. Then, I was excited to read, Peony in Love, until I actually started it. Then, I thought maybe this book would turn the tide either way. Unfortunately, I'm still ambivalent. It was an interesting enough story: two "modern" sisters escape the country into arranged marriages in the United States, but it lacked the interesting older cultural nuances that I so enjoy. Plus, and please forgive me if you adore history, reading about war bores me. Thank you to everyone who has served or is serving our country. We would not have the freedoms we have now were it not for people giving their life, but reading a fictional account of any war is not something I normally enjoy. I guess I will wait until this author writes something else and decide then if I'm interested enough to read it. If you like to read about Chinese culture, skip this one and "Peony in Love" and go straight to Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.
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Candice
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rated it 4 stars
Jun 22, 2011 12:44pm
I feel the exact same way about Snow Flower and Peony. Snow Flower is still her best!
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must agree with you. Snow Flower was such a great book and i couldn't wait to read Peony, but hard as I tried i couldn't seem to get into it. As for Shangai Girls, I'm on the fence with this one. I can't quite seem to put my finger on why I didn't like it. I don't think I cared about the two main characters that much. They were not the most likable girls and even at the end of the book I didn't feel like they redeemed themselves at all, which may have made the whole story worthwhile. The story then ends where possibly Joy's own story would begin, but I also found her to be another selfish girl just like mom and aunt. I think i ended up liking Old Man Louie more than these two characters by the end of his story because you at least saw some growth. The two sisters remained two selfish and self-absorbed personalities who never learned to appreciate how good their lives actually turned out to be.
I'd recommend reading dreams of joy. It brings a whole new perspective. The two should definitely be read in sequence although dreams of joy could stand on its own.
I felt the exact same way about Snowflower (absolutely loved it) and Shanghai Girls. I really enjoyed Shanghai girls initially, but lost interest as it went on and I believe it was for the same reasons you mention. Also, I know See was describing hardships amongst the Chinese, however the amount of sadness and tragic events in this book was too much for me. I kept waiting for a happy event or even a happy ending.
I also recommend reading Dreams of Joy. Far fewer descriptions of war and rape. More character, warmth, and fascination. It makes Shanghai Girls start to seem like a real book. I waited a long time before reading Dreams of Joy because I was so disenchanted with Shanghai Girls. But it's totally worth it.
