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Ein Meer dazwischen - eine Welt entfernt.
Amerika mit den Augen einer Chinesin gesehen: Die Geschichte spielt zu Anfang des 20. Jh. Yanyan, im Westen Sheila genannt, stammt aus Schanghai. Sie hat keine traditionell eingebundenen Füsse mehr. Sie denkt auch mit zwanzig Jahren nicht ans Heiraten, wie es im damaligen China üblich ist. Sie will Ärztin werden und in Amerika studieren. Ihr Vater ist stolz auf sie und befürwortet die Idee. Ihrem in China wohnhaften Freund, der seine Heimat, die Mandschurei zusammen mit Untergrundkämpfern wieder von China unabhängig machen will und Yanyan für seine Ansichten gewinnen will, passt das Vorhaben nicht. In Amerika geht es Yanyan anfänglich nicht gut. Die westliche Kultur und die harten Schulbedingungen machen es ihr nicht leicht. Die amerikanische Familie, mit der sie aus China ausreist, und ihr neuer chinesischer Freund in Amerika helfen ihr, sich im Westen einzugewöhnen. Ein spannendes, besonders für Mädchen geeeignetes Buch. Ab 13 Jahren, gut, Esther Kiefer.
Hardcover
First published June 11, 2002
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282 people want to read
About the author
Lensey Namioka
43 books69 followersNamioka was born in Beijing, the daughter of linguist Yuenren Chao and physician Buwei Yang Chao. The family moved often in China. In 1937, the Chaos were living in Nanjing, and fled westward in the face of the Japanese Invasion. They eventually made their way to Hawaii, then Cambridge, Massachusetts. Namioka attended grade school in Cambridge and excelled at mathematics.
Namioka attended University of California, Berkeley, where her father was a professor of Asian Studies. Here she met and married Isaac Namioka, a fellow graduate student in mathematics. The Namiokas moved to Ithaca, New York, where Isaac Namioka taught at Cornell University, and Lensey Namioka taught at Wells College.
In 1959, the Namiokas' first daughter Aki was born, followed by a second daughter Michi, who was born in 1961. The family moved to Seattle in 1963, when Isaac Namioka accepted a position at the University of Washington.
In the 1970s, on a visit to Japan, Namioka visited Namioka Castle. The experience inspired her to learn more about the samurai. This study culminated in The Samurai and the Long-nosed Devils, which was published in 1976. Namioka expanded this book into a whole series of books about samurai. Namioka also wrote a series of books about a Chinese American family named Yang, and several books about young women and girls facing difficult choices.
Lensey Namioka is the only person known to have the first name "Lensey." Her name has an especially unusual property for a Chinese person born in China: there are no Chinese characters to represent it. Lensey's father, Yuenren Chao, was cataloguing all of the phonemes used in Chinese. He noted that there were two syllables which were possible in the Chinese language, but which were used in no Chinese words. These syllables could be written in English as "len" and "sey." His third daughter was born soon after, and he named her "Lensey."
Namioka attended University of California, Berkeley, where her father was a professor of Asian Studies. Here she met and married Isaac Namioka, a fellow graduate student in mathematics. The Namiokas moved to Ithaca, New York, where Isaac Namioka taught at Cornell University, and Lensey Namioka taught at Wells College.
In 1959, the Namiokas' first daughter Aki was born, followed by a second daughter Michi, who was born in 1961. The family moved to Seattle in 1963, when Isaac Namioka accepted a position at the University of Washington.
In the 1970s, on a visit to Japan, Namioka visited Namioka Castle. The experience inspired her to learn more about the samurai. This study culminated in The Samurai and the Long-nosed Devils, which was published in 1976. Namioka expanded this book into a whole series of books about samurai. Namioka also wrote a series of books about a Chinese American family named Yang, and several books about young women and girls facing difficult choices.
Lensey Namioka is the only person known to have the first name "Lensey." Her name has an especially unusual property for a Chinese person born in China: there are no Chinese characters to represent it. Lensey's father, Yuenren Chao, was cataloguing all of the phonemes used in Chinese. He noted that there were two syllables which were possible in the Chinese language, but which were used in no Chinese words. These syllables could be written in English as "len" and "sey." His third daughter was born soon after, and he named her "Lensey."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
June 17, 2016
Xueyan aka Yanyan is eager to finish at the American missionary school near her home in Nanjing, China and go to college to become a doctor. She is envious of her best friend Ailin who is leaving for America. When Yanyan goes with Eldest Brother and his friend Liang Baoshu to Shanghai to wave goodbye to Ailin, Yanyan gets more adventure than she bargained for and finds herself strangely attracted to Baoshu and him to her. She must make a difficult decision about her future. Can she have the life she dreamed while following Baoshu and having adventures or should she honor her father's wishes and become a doctor as she has always dreamed? Her decision isn't easy either way.
I really liked the characters in this book. Because Yanyan's father lived and worked in England, he is more Westernized than most Chinese men. He's very progressive- even for a Westerner- he allows his daughter to attend an American school, speak out at the table and learn as much about science and medicine as she can. This makes Yanyan an appealing character for modern teens. She has hopes and dreams but finds her head turned by a young man. She doesn't give up even when the going is tough and always does the unexpected. I need a sequel so we know what happens to her! Ailin is also an admirable character. I didn't read her book but this one fills in enough background information. Ailin refused to conform to societal norms and sought out her own path to happiness. I liked that the book follows her so readers can find out how she's doing in her new life.
Baosho seems exciting and the type of bad boy teen girls love to crush on but not the type that appeals to more mature women. Without spoiling the story, I came to the same conclusion about him that Yanyan did and would have felt the same way about it.
I knew a little bit about the history of China during this time but I learned a lot more. I also really liked the incorporation of the history of American Chinese restaurants and American Chinese food. The story teaches gentle lessons about prejudice and judging people without knowing them. It was a tiny bit juvenile for a young adult novel so I would say this book is for young teens on up.
I really liked the characters in this book. Because Yanyan's father lived and worked in England, he is more Westernized than most Chinese men. He's very progressive- even for a Westerner- he allows his daughter to attend an American school, speak out at the table and learn as much about science and medicine as she can. This makes Yanyan an appealing character for modern teens. She has hopes and dreams but finds her head turned by a young man. She doesn't give up even when the going is tough and always does the unexpected. I need a sequel so we know what happens to her! Ailin is also an admirable character. I didn't read her book but this one fills in enough background information. Ailin refused to conform to societal norms and sought out her own path to happiness. I liked that the book follows her so readers can find out how she's doing in her new life.
Baosho seems exciting and the type of bad boy teen girls love to crush on but not the type that appeals to more mature women. Without spoiling the story, I came to the same conclusion about him that Yanyan did and would have felt the same way about it.
I knew a little bit about the history of China during this time but I learned a lot more. I also really liked the incorporation of the history of American Chinese restaurants and American Chinese food. The story teaches gentle lessons about prejudice and judging people without knowing them. It was a tiny bit juvenile for a young adult novel so I would say this book is for young teens on up.
October 4, 2012
1. This book is about a chinese girl Yanyan from Nanjing, who is torn between following her dream to become a medical doctor or running away with her brother’s friend. She went oversea to American and started studying more about medicines. Life in america was different than living in China, as she slowly adapts into her new enviroment.
2. I give this book a 5 star because I enjoyed reading it. While I was reading this book, I did not want to put the book down. I found this book to be entertaining and informational. Every step Yanyan takes, makes me want to know the next step of she was going to do, facing 2 completely yet major decision.
3. This book ended with "An ocean apart, a world away" which is also the tittle of the book. I choose this quote because A 16 year old girl, went to America alone to pursuit on her dreams and studys. In china, most 16 year old girls are at home getting ready for arranged marriage from their parents, Yanyan was different from all the other girls. She went to America, which was an ocean apart, a world away from her homeland.
4. We wrote our own personal statements a while ago, and while I was looking for my college prompt, i came across to this statement "What is your dream?" I think she answered it well and did well on staying with her dreams and working towards it even when there were many obstacles and distractions along the way.
5. I would remcommend this to girls that are intrested in romance books with some historical background covered. This book expressed well of yanyan's feelings toward relationship, guys, education and dream. I think this book will most likely attract girls than guys.
2. I give this book a 5 star because I enjoyed reading it. While I was reading this book, I did not want to put the book down. I found this book to be entertaining and informational. Every step Yanyan takes, makes me want to know the next step of she was going to do, facing 2 completely yet major decision.
3. This book ended with "An ocean apart, a world away" which is also the tittle of the book. I choose this quote because A 16 year old girl, went to America alone to pursuit on her dreams and studys. In china, most 16 year old girls are at home getting ready for arranged marriage from their parents, Yanyan was different from all the other girls. She went to America, which was an ocean apart, a world away from her homeland.
4. We wrote our own personal statements a while ago, and while I was looking for my college prompt, i came across to this statement "What is your dream?" I think she answered it well and did well on staying with her dreams and working towards it even when there were many obstacles and distractions along the way.
5. I would remcommend this to girls that are intrested in romance books with some historical background covered. This book expressed well of yanyan's feelings toward relationship, guys, education and dream. I think this book will most likely attract girls than guys.
January 22, 2011
An Ocean Apart, A World Away is basically a story that deals with a young Chinese girl who wishes to take medicine. The story takes place about 10 years after the 1911 Revolution (toppling of the Qing Dynasty). The main character (a Chinese girl) is born into a fairly liberal well-off family who sends her to a Western-run school. Experiences at home, with a close friend, and with what one can call a “lover” leads the main character to re-think her decision to take up medicine. Eventually though she makes a decision that leads her to America, where she struggles with her studies, her environment and with the people, before she finally realizes what she really wants in life.
The book is quite a short read. The plot isn’t that hard to understand, and it’s quite an interesting read since it involves little tidbits about Chinese history. I found this a bit off though since the inclusions of Chinese history are too random, and aren’t concise with the flow of the story. The story in itself, is also very fast-paced, and does not contain a very detailed timeline of events. To some, the story can be a bit lacking in the sense that, an angle has just been formed within the story, before it suddenly disappears and isn’t thoroughly tackled by the writer. It may leave some to be a bit frustrated with the quickness of the flow of the story, but in the end, it still tackles a very good issue within the story.
What I liked about the story is that it incorporated a lot of humor into the plot, adding in very many modern ideas (a little too modern I think). The humor and the “intrigue” injected into parts of the story kept the plot interesting enough to continue the story.
I don’t wholly recommend this book to people who are busy with their work/studies/activities/hobbies. If one is able to free up about 1-2 hours though, you can read this book for leisurely purposes. With less than 200 pages, it’s not that difficult to finish.
The book is quite a short read. The plot isn’t that hard to understand, and it’s quite an interesting read since it involves little tidbits about Chinese history. I found this a bit off though since the inclusions of Chinese history are too random, and aren’t concise with the flow of the story. The story in itself, is also very fast-paced, and does not contain a very detailed timeline of events. To some, the story can be a bit lacking in the sense that, an angle has just been formed within the story, before it suddenly disappears and isn’t thoroughly tackled by the writer. It may leave some to be a bit frustrated with the quickness of the flow of the story, but in the end, it still tackles a very good issue within the story.
What I liked about the story is that it incorporated a lot of humor into the plot, adding in very many modern ideas (a little too modern I think). The humor and the “intrigue” injected into parts of the story kept the plot interesting enough to continue the story.
I don’t wholly recommend this book to people who are busy with their work/studies/activities/hobbies. If one is able to free up about 1-2 hours though, you can read this book for leisurely purposes. With less than 200 pages, it’s not that difficult to finish.
January 26, 2009
Yanyan, a sixteen year old Chinese girl, plans to attend university and become a doctor in the future. While many girls in China in 1921 get married at this age, Yanyan takes no interest in marriage. However, she later encounters Liang Baoshu and changes her views about marriage. Being with Baoshu is both dangerous and adventurous, but Yanyan realizes that she would have to give up her dream of becoming a doctor if she is with Baoshu. Yanyan makes a decision to go to America to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor.
I just realized that Lensey Namioka has become one of my favorite authors. I have read many of her books and each of them tells a story that connects to my own. I think her books attract me is because the protagonist is Chinese-American, like me, and also that it somehow teaches me more about the history of China. I always have an interest in learning about Chinese culture.
As I was reading this book, one thought pop into my head was "Yanyan is really brave" because she has the courage to go on a long journey by herself. If I was her, I don't think I would be able to do it. Also, seeing Yanyan going to college reminds me of my own future. I'm still deciding which college I am going to attend.
I just realized that Lensey Namioka has become one of my favorite authors. I have read many of her books and each of them tells a story that connects to my own. I think her books attract me is because the protagonist is Chinese-American, like me, and also that it somehow teaches me more about the history of China. I always have an interest in learning about Chinese culture.
As I was reading this book, one thought pop into my head was "Yanyan is really brave" because she has the courage to go on a long journey by herself. If I was her, I don't think I would be able to do it. Also, seeing Yanyan going to college reminds me of my own future. I'm still deciding which college I am going to attend.
April 15, 2017
Second Lensey Namioka book and I have yet to be impressed. The Chinese culture infusion within the plot can be attractive, but Namioka is not the first one to do that. Even with that distinct setting of the 1920s, I feel like the author could have done better to make this one into a much more meaningful read.
May 16, 2017
This book is about a young girl named Yayan living in China in 1921. She wants to go to a university to become a doctor. She does not think about marriage or even love until she meets her older brother's friend named Baoshu. Her family approves of Baoshu until he gets into trouble. The police chase after him after he and a group of friends get together to restore the Manchu dynasty. Before running away, Baoshu secretly meets up with Yayan to ask her to go wit him. Yayan loves Baoshu but decides she does not want to disappoint her father. Her father soon sends Yayan to Cornell University in America. Yayan finds it hard to live in America. She cannot find friends or family to keep her from feeling lonely. After years of not hearing from Baoshu, he comes to Yayan's home and once again asks her to leave with him. Yayan struggles to say no Baoshu because she still loves him but finally decides to make him leave.
August 20, 2020
A sequel of sorts to Ties that Bind, Ties that Break, but this time, An Ocean Apart, a World Away explores the life of Yanyan, Ailin's friend, who faces a different problem: she is interested in medicine and has always resolved against marriage. But her feelings about marriage change after she meets an outstanding scholar and martial arts student. Their growing attraction and her determination to attend medical school is the key point of conflict in the story, but that's not to say it doesn't explore other themes - for one, the discrimination Yanyan faces as both a girl and an Asian in medical school in the US is clearly highlighted. While the romance could have been explored further and the conclusion to the story made less ambiguous, this was generally still a very enjoyable read.
September 24, 2023
I’ve had this book and read it many years ago when I was in high school. Reading it again made me applaud xueyan’s dad for thinking and embracing changes.
1925 China is in the brink of sticking to traditions or getting out of its shell and start adopting foreign ideas and beliefs. Xueyan’s father allowed her to study abroad and pursue medicine and he didn’t had his daughter’s feet bound. He defied a lot of norms during that time. He respected his daughter’s wishes and allowed her to have her own mind.
1925 China is in the brink of sticking to traditions or getting out of its shell and start adopting foreign ideas and beliefs. Xueyan’s father allowed her to study abroad and pursue medicine and he didn’t had his daughter’s feet bound. He defied a lot of norms during that time. He respected his daughter’s wishes and allowed her to have her own mind.
July 8, 2023
This is a well written tale of pursuing your dreams and going after what you want without letting cultural norms hold you back. My favorite part, though was how the main character is constantly coming across situations where people made generalizations about different cultures of people. The book reminds us that we should not judge others, we should get to know them first and expect the unexpected.
April 6, 2023
I loved going on the main character journey. Some say it’s slow but I appreciate how she did have strong emotions for her love story but still kept her focus and she isn’t to much against falling in love as much she thinks she is but I love how the end she understood why she came into making her decision. It was relatable for me.
September 12, 2017
A wonderful story of a young woman's journey - making her own decisions, proving herself in a time when women were to just be housewives. She is Wayward AF!!
Such an inspiring, and empowering story!
Such an inspiring, and empowering story!
May 18, 2018
A fast read young adult book with some Chinese history.
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April 25, 2023Asian (Chinese) girl moves to America (NY) for education. Great cultural clashes (a little preachy) forbidden romance. Similar to Ties That Bind, Ties That Break.
January 5, 2026
2.5 stars
It was okay and somewhat interesting, but nothing more.
It was okay and somewhat interesting, but nothing more.
April 30, 2010
My only problem with it was that I found it tedious. This is rare, I don't usually find historical fiction boring, but this novel moved so slowly. Also, I don't think it helped to have half the story take place in Ithaca, New York. After all, nothing happens in Ithaca! There's no diversity and hardly anything to do. Yanyan was bored and lonely and I was bored with her. I wanted more China time or to really delve into the experiences of Chinese students in America. Yanyan is an outsider, so she doesn't spend much time with the few Chinese students there and I wish that she had. I wanted to know about their experiences too, to have their stories interwoven.
The novel does present an interesting portrait of China because China is torn apart by different groups fighting.
I enjoyed reading about the differences between the two groups (Manchus and Chinese) of people and following Yanyan and Liang Boshu's debates. Of course, Yanyan meets someone in America too, so we have a distant love triangle. I love Yanyan though, she studies martial arts with her Eldest Brother (her Second Brother ignores her), she discusses politics with her father, devotes herself to learning English at the school she attends in China and studies medicine on her own. In America, she takes hard courses precisely because her counselor told her Chinese people and especially Chinese women, could not succeed at them. This was refreshing to read about because Yanyan does not necessarily prove him wrong (I don't like when a character comes into a new setting and does perfectly at a strange school in hard subjects), she struggles but she handles the situation maturely. I also really admired her for leaving her home at the age of sixteen and traveling across the world to a foreign place where she wasn't fluent in the language. That takes courage.
An Ocean Apart, a World Away had potential with a strong female main character and unique setting, but this novel crawls along and there's little action. There's a lack of secondary character development which is a shame, because the other characters (not just the Chinese students but the other women students) seem to have interesting background stories. I liked reading about China in the early 190s and the learning about the various disputes going on, and of course, the discrimination against Asians and women made my blood boil. Other people will probably enjoy this novel more than I, it had too little action and adventure for my tastes
The novel does present an interesting portrait of China because China is torn apart by different groups fighting.
I enjoyed reading about the differences between the two groups (Manchus and Chinese) of people and following Yanyan and Liang Boshu's debates. Of course, Yanyan meets someone in America too, so we have a distant love triangle. I love Yanyan though, she studies martial arts with her Eldest Brother (her Second Brother ignores her), she discusses politics with her father, devotes herself to learning English at the school she attends in China and studies medicine on her own. In America, she takes hard courses precisely because her counselor told her Chinese people and especially Chinese women, could not succeed at them. This was refreshing to read about because Yanyan does not necessarily prove him wrong (I don't like when a character comes into a new setting and does perfectly at a strange school in hard subjects), she struggles but she handles the situation maturely. I also really admired her for leaving her home at the age of sixteen and traveling across the world to a foreign place where she wasn't fluent in the language. That takes courage.
An Ocean Apart, a World Away had potential with a strong female main character and unique setting, but this novel crawls along and there's little action. There's a lack of secondary character development which is a shame, because the other characters (not just the Chinese students but the other women students) seem to have interesting background stories. I liked reading about China in the early 190s and the learning about the various disputes going on, and of course, the discrimination against Asians and women made my blood boil. Other people will probably enjoy this novel more than I, it had too little action and adventure for my tastes
August 12, 2025
Xueyan, also called Yanyan by her friends and family is a girl living in the southern part of China whose dream is to grow up and become a doctor. Her best friend's dream is to be a teacher. The family wants her to be a housewife although she is lucky since her father is rather process and supports the idea that it is a new age, after all it almost 1920, and to fit it, people have to be willing to face the future and the ideas that come with that.
She lives in a fairly wealthy family so when she wants to go to another city to see her best friend leave, it is no trouble for her family to arrange for her to have her brother and another guy as an escort so that she will not be traveling alone. While on the truth, the addition male, develops a real attachment to her, and that attachment grows when she helps him with some injuries.
He wants her to run off with him, but she insists she has to go to America to study to follow her own dream. So it is that she ends up going to northern New York State and going to school. She is brave enough to insist on taking physics and math although her advisor tells her neither subject is right for a female brain, unlike Home Ec as a particular example.
What stands out so much in this novel (or maybe it is an novella at only 193 pages) is that she is oddly away of her own assumptions and quickly recovers from what might have caused her more pain ut realizing her own assumptions and that of her family lets her face the overt racism of the Americans around her and forgive and get over it a lot faster.
I recommend it to any readers that have an interest in learning the reasons behind assumptions and how they separate folks and how understanding that everybody has cultural assumptions about others is a good way to get over those mis-communications a little bit easier. Also good for those that might enjoy knowing a tiny bit more about the modern history of China.
She lives in a fairly wealthy family so when she wants to go to another city to see her best friend leave, it is no trouble for her family to arrange for her to have her brother and another guy as an escort so that she will not be traveling alone. While on the truth, the addition male, develops a real attachment to her, and that attachment grows when she helps him with some injuries.
He wants her to run off with him, but she insists she has to go to America to study to follow her own dream. So it is that she ends up going to northern New York State and going to school. She is brave enough to insist on taking physics and math although her advisor tells her neither subject is right for a female brain, unlike Home Ec as a particular example.
What stands out so much in this novel (or maybe it is an novella at only 193 pages) is that she is oddly away of her own assumptions and quickly recovers from what might have caused her more pain ut realizing her own assumptions and that of her family lets her face the overt racism of the Americans around her and forgive and get over it a lot faster.
I recommend it to any readers that have an interest in learning the reasons behind assumptions and how they separate folks and how understanding that everybody has cultural assumptions about others is a good way to get over those mis-communications a little bit easier. Also good for those that might enjoy knowing a tiny bit more about the modern history of China.
May 27, 2010
Young Adult Fiction are not pure fantasy, some of them are also historical. An excellent example of that is Lensey Namioka‘s An Ocean Apart, a World Away.
While all the girls her age were planning for their weddings, Xueyan was not interested in marriage and was focused on her ambition to become a doctor. She was willing to break culture and tradition just to achieve that goal. Until she met Liang Baoshu, the man of her dreams.
Xueyan was forced to make a choice between love and dream. Her decision led her on to adventures and challenges in the land where she is the stranger: America. She had to deal with loneliness and prejudice during that point in history around the 1911 Revolution when it was unusual for a woman to attend a university.
Most of the time, when faced with love, people make the most difficult decisions of their lives. More often than not, they had to sacrifice something that is valuable to them. However, at the end of the journey, life comes up with surprises, even those we never thought possible.
An Ocean Apart, a World Away is a wonderful novel that takes us to China back in the early 1900′s. It is also an inspiration for a young woman to go after her dream while hoping to still find love in the end.
http://flipthrough.wordpress.com/2010...
While all the girls her age were planning for their weddings, Xueyan was not interested in marriage and was focused on her ambition to become a doctor. She was willing to break culture and tradition just to achieve that goal. Until she met Liang Baoshu, the man of her dreams.
Xueyan was forced to make a choice between love and dream. Her decision led her on to adventures and challenges in the land where she is the stranger: America. She had to deal with loneliness and prejudice during that point in history around the 1911 Revolution when it was unusual for a woman to attend a university.
Most of the time, when faced with love, people make the most difficult decisions of their lives. More often than not, they had to sacrifice something that is valuable to them. However, at the end of the journey, life comes up with surprises, even those we never thought possible.
An Ocean Apart, a World Away is a wonderful novel that takes us to China back in the early 1900′s. It is also an inspiration for a young woman to go after her dream while hoping to still find love in the end.
http://flipthrough.wordpress.com/2010...
Want to read
February 24, 2014 "An Ocean Apart, a World Away" is a wonderful book taking place in china after the revolution in 1911. There are different types of Chinese cultures that are touched in this book. Yanyan Zhang put enough determination and time into her dream to make it come true. Along the way she met the boy she thought she would marry who later turned out to betray her. She traveled around the world to attend Cornell university to become a doctor. She traveled alone and lived in America for 4 years. She met a nice couple the Pettigrews who later acted like her second family and invited her over for dinner every Sunday. America was hard to adapt to after living in china for her whole life. She later found out how to skip over her fears and be adventurist.
Yanyan always did the unexpected. She never attended to be a stay at home wife, clean the house, or took care of the family. She wanted to work outside of home and support herself with the money she made. Yanyan was different from every other girl living in this time period. She didn't have bound feet, she took men's classes, and she even learned a little bit of karate along the way. This book inspired me to go after my dreams and dodge anything that comes in my way.
Yanyan always did the unexpected. She never attended to be a stay at home wife, clean the house, or took care of the family. She wanted to work outside of home and support herself with the money she made. Yanyan was different from every other girl living in this time period. She didn't have bound feet, she took men's classes, and she even learned a little bit of karate along the way. This book inspired me to go after my dreams and dodge anything that comes in my way.
June 1, 2008
An Ocean Apart, A world apart revolves around the 1900's in china. 16 year old Xueyan or Yan Yan is not like a regular girl who likes to plan their wedding and stay at home. But she has no interest at all in her marriage and goes to medical school, determined to be a doctor. thing start to change when Yan Yan meets Liang Bao, an excellent scholar and martial arts student. Yan Yan starts to develop feelings for him. But Yan Yan soon finds out that he is trying to restore the manchu dynasty and get rid of the foreigners that now occupy china. Yan Yan realizes that if she is with him, she will have to give up on her dream of being a doctor. She soon faces the decision of going to America or staying with Liang. finally she decides to go to America, leaving everyhting behind.This book is okay and talks a lot about decisions and growing up. If you really like female protagonists and feminist views, this book is for you.
February 29, 2008
It’s 1921 and Yanyan’s well-to-do family lives in Nanjing, China. Sixteen-year-old Yanyan, unlike nearly all girls her age, shows little interest in marriage, does not have bound feet and wants to become a doctor. Through her older brother she meets an intriguing young man, Lian Baoshu, who finds Yanyan’s unusual ways interesting. Yanyan’s graduation from an English-speaking high school coincides with growing political unrest in Nanjing. Yanyan discovers that Lian Baoshu works for a Manchu political group outlawed by the current government. Yanayan decides to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor and travels to the United States to attend Cornell University. Unexpected prejudice against the Chinese challenges Yanyan. She also finds the school work demanding. Yanyan gradually becomes more at home in the United States and decides to remain in school rather than return to China.
One of the characters, Ailin, from Ties that Bind, Ties that Break appears in this book
One of the characters, Ailin, from Ties that Bind, Ties that Break appears in this book
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November 3, 2008I dont know why, but I wanted to read the book the second I saw Jin Bin holding this book. My friend and I went to the library and when she got this book, I asked her right away if she would let me read the book first. The book is about a girl name YanYan who first just wanted to go visit her friend, Tao Ailin. She went with her brother and her brother's friend, Liang Baoshu. The first tiem she met Liang Baoshu, she got embarressed and she even liked Liang Baoshu and that changed her opinion of getting married. Also, she wanted to become a Doctor because of her admiration of old doctors. She admired them because they can determine sickly and other health problems by just feeling pulse. But as you can tell, these 2 choices of hers conflicts with each together and the problem of choice comes out again. The book is goood, and besdie the plot, the story was kind of funny as well, which does make any book better.
February 7, 2009
It was an easily readable but wholly unremarkable book, most easily portrayed by the fact that I couldn't remember the name of the novel when I finished it a few hours ago, and I had to put in the name of the main characters and locations to try and find it.
The story revolves around a 16 year old Chinese girl in 1921 who wants to be a doctor of Western medicine, but has to struggle against the stereotypes of women across the globe, the racism of the Western powers and her own feelings to be able to reach her goal, which takes her from rural China to Cornell University, New York State.
I knew that, theoretically, I should empathise strongly with the main character "Sheila", particularly given my own circumstances. But I felt like I didn't KNOW her well enough to really be able to get involved - the author only skimmed the surface with the historical, cultural and personal issues she tried to adress, and as a result the book seemed wholly superficial, and forgettable.
The story revolves around a 16 year old Chinese girl in 1921 who wants to be a doctor of Western medicine, but has to struggle against the stereotypes of women across the globe, the racism of the Western powers and her own feelings to be able to reach her goal, which takes her from rural China to Cornell University, New York State.
I knew that, theoretically, I should empathise strongly with the main character "Sheila", particularly given my own circumstances. But I felt like I didn't KNOW her well enough to really be able to get involved - the author only skimmed the surface with the historical, cultural and personal issues she tried to adress, and as a result the book seemed wholly superficial, and forgettable.
June 13, 2011
i really admire the protagonist's character. Xue Yan (Yan Yan) has a dream in mind and would try to reach it. although for that very dream, it made her lose someone she liked. good thing that she found another guy that would treasure her. the face that she was away from her home country half the world away from her family, she still found her will to continue on with her dream. during this time period, there were still sexist ideas that females are not smart enough to take advanced classes like math and science courses like chemistry, physics and biology. Xue Yan show everyone that although she is foreign to America and also a female, she can also do what males could do and even better too.
June 9, 2008
During the 1920s in China most of the girl marry at around sixteen years old. The main character Xueyan finshed missionary school at age sixteen instead if getting marry she decided to go to Cornell Unverisity to continue her study. Everything was working fine until she met Liang Baoshu a guy that she liked. Xueyan didn't know what to do. If she picked the guy that she liked that mean she has to sacific her dream and if she went to America then she has to sacific her relationship. I think picking between dream and love is a very hard decision to make. You want to pick both but you can only pick one. And dream and love are all very important to you.
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November 4, 2014In 1921 it was not typical for a Chinese woman to get post-secondary education let alone get a job, which was not okay with 16 year old Yanyan. She has no interest in marriage and is beyond desperate to attend medical school, until she falls hard for Baoshu. Yanyan realizes that being with him means changing her dreams therefore she ventures to America and is “othered” due to her cultural background. Teachers will love teaching this text because it tackles gender stereotypes that are still relevant in today’s society. Students will gain knowledge on how not to lose themselves in relationships as well as taking chances in life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2009
Again, Lensey Namioka writes about a Chinese girl breaking the boundaries of the Chinese traditions to pursue her dreams. Similar to TIES THAT BIND, TIE THAT BREAK, Yanyan seeks for a better future in America. As much as I love reading about this topic of feminism and the Chinese culture, the ending is very unsatisfying. Although this entire novel is more like a diary, I still expected a more fully developed ending. If not for this subtle ending, this story would have left me a greater impression.
November 6, 2007
THis book is about the main character's struggle in promoting the stop of sexism. she proves in this book that women can have education and they are smart like mens, can take classes like physics and matematices and not just take home eduacation. The main character shown great fortitue in pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor and showing others that she can also take course that boys are titled to.
July 22, 2010
I read this in about two & a half hours, & I fell in love with the story. My freshman & sophomore years of high school I took Japanese & I learned a lot about not only the language, but their customs. This book focused more on the Chinese & I could already tell there was a distinct difference.
I'm a fan of historical fiction & I could not put this book down. I learned a lot, and that's a good thing to say after finishing a book (:
I'm a fan of historical fiction & I could not put this book down. I learned a lot, and that's a good thing to say after finishing a book (:
July 7, 2012
Another winner by Lensey Namioka. I did not like it as much as Ties That Bind, Ties That Break, but it was still a lovely coming of age story. I especially liked the fact that Yanyan was brave and self-cognizant enough to realize that love wasn't as important to her as other things to her at that point in her life.
December 29, 2009
Short and quick. The thing is, while I found it vaguely interesting in a "huh okay" kind of way, the culture/history is just not where my interests lie. So I was never fascinated, and I *like* being fascinated. I also found some of the way it was written a bit jarring, most notably the usage (or lack thereof) of people's names.
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