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Dragon Springs Road
From the author of Three Souls comes a vividly imagined and haunting new novel set in early 20th century Shanghai—a story of friendship, heartbreak, and history that follows a young Eurasian orphan’s search for her long-lost mother.
That night I dreamed that I had wandered out to Dragon Springs Road all on my own, when a dreadful knowledge seized me that my mother had gone away never to return . . .
In 1908, Jialing is only seven years old when she is abandoned in the courtyard of a once-lavish estate outside Shanghai. Jialing is zazhong—Eurasian—and faces a lifetime of contempt from both Chinese and Europeans. Until now she’s led a secluded life behind courtyard walls, but without her mother’s protection, she can survive only if the estate’s new owners, the Yang family, agree to take her in.
Jialing finds allies in Anjuin, the eldest Yang daughter, and Fox, an animal spirit who has lived in the courtyard for centuries. But Jialing’s life as the Yangs’ bondservant changes unexpectedly when she befriends a young English girl who then mysteriously vanishes.
Murder, political intrigue, jealousy, forbidden love … Jialing confronts them all as she grows into womanhood during the tumultuous early years of the Chinese republic, always hopeful of finding her long-lost mother. Through every turn she is guided, both by Fox and by her own strength of spirit, away from the shadows of her past toward a very different fate, if she has the courage to accept it.
That night I dreamed that I had wandered out to Dragon Springs Road all on my own, when a dreadful knowledge seized me that my mother had gone away never to return . . .
In 1908, Jialing is only seven years old when she is abandoned in the courtyard of a once-lavish estate outside Shanghai. Jialing is zazhong—Eurasian—and faces a lifetime of contempt from both Chinese and Europeans. Until now she’s led a secluded life behind courtyard walls, but without her mother’s protection, she can survive only if the estate’s new owners, the Yang family, agree to take her in.
Jialing finds allies in Anjuin, the eldest Yang daughter, and Fox, an animal spirit who has lived in the courtyard for centuries. But Jialing’s life as the Yangs’ bondservant changes unexpectedly when she befriends a young English girl who then mysteriously vanishes.
Murder, political intrigue, jealousy, forbidden love … Jialing confronts them all as she grows into womanhood during the tumultuous early years of the Chinese republic, always hopeful of finding her long-lost mother. Through every turn she is guided, both by Fox and by her own strength of spirit, away from the shadows of her past toward a very different fate, if she has the courage to accept it.
367 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2017
394 people are currently reading
7721 people want to read
About the author
Janie Chang
7 books1,333 followersJanie Chang is a bestselling author of historical fiction. Her books are often inspired by tales of ancestors who encountered dragons, ghosts, and immortals as well as family stories about life in China in the years before the Second World War. Her novels, THREE SOULS and DRAGON SPRINGS ROAD were nominated for the International Dublin Literary Award. DRAGON SPRINGS ROAD was a Canadian national bestseller. Her third novel THE LIBRARY OF LEGENDS was a Canadian national bestseller and a Book of the Month Club selection. THE PORCELAIN MOON is set in WWI France and brings to readers the forgotten history of the 140,000 Chinese workers sent to the Western Front. THE PHOENIX CROWN, a novel co-authored with Kate Quinn, released in February 2024. THE FOURTH PRINCESS, releasing in February 2026, is her first Gothic novel.
Born in Taiwan, Janie has lived in the Philippines, Iran, Thailand, and New Zealand. She now lives on the Sunshine Coast of beautiful British Columbia, Canada with her husband and Minnie, a rescue cat who thinks the staff could do better.
Born in Taiwan, Janie has lived in the Philippines, Iran, Thailand, and New Zealand. She now lives on the Sunshine Coast of beautiful British Columbia, Canada with her husband and Minnie, a rescue cat who thinks the staff could do better.
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February 9, 2017
!! NOW AVAILABLE !!
Jialing’s mother would often leave her in the Western Residence for hours; sometimes overnight, visiting Noble Uncle. The longest time before had been two days. As she burned incense in front of the Fox altar that morning, her mother had told her this time she would be back in three days. The month was November and the year was 1908. After they prayed, her mother dressed her in her new winter tunic that she’d cut from one of her jackets, silk crepe. She’d embroidered a garland of chrysanthemum leaves on the cuffs and collar. Jialing was seven years old.
The neighbors heard the crying at night for the last two nights, since Noble Uncle’s family moved away, deciding it must be the ghost of his concubine.
After three days have passed she hears voices, but none are her mother’s voice. A new family has bought the residence and is moving in. She watches them parade in and out, carrying items. Jialing waits, in hiding. Then she spies a young girl, and she hears a voice saying “Show yourself to her.” The hollowness in her stomach has her take that first step.
She asks the girl, “Have you seen my mother?”
The girl asks, “Who’s your mother?”
“Her name is Mama.”
The girl introduces herself, “My family name is Yang, Yang Anjuin” and takes Jialing to talk to her grandmother, Grandmother Yang. There, Jialing is brought before Grandmother and the three wives. It is there, for the first time, she hears this word describing herself.
Zazhong.
An ugly word meaning she has European-Asian parents. Accepted in neither world.
She sees that her presence has created both revulsion and fascination.
After praying for guidance, Grandmother Yang, interceding on her behalf, wants a closer look at her, at her tunic, declaring the embroidery beautiful, the work exceptional. She picks out several inches of hem, which seems heavy and uneven, and finds a sash of unbleached cotton, a string of characters stitched in thread. Grandmother Yang hands it to Master Yang, who reads it out loud.
“I entrust my daughter to your care. These coins should be
enough to buy her many years of rice. May the Buddha bless
your kindness and reward you in this life and the next.”
Grandmother Yang decides to take her in, declaring Jialing her “bond servant,” hoping Buddha will recognize this “good deed” and for this act she will be rewarded in the Afterlife.
Dragon Springs Road is the story of Jialing’s journey through the years, living by the grace of the Yang family and with her young friend Anjuin. It’s a journey filled with magic, and also many unlucky obstacles with enough good luck to balance out through her story. As in all life, there are mistakes, choices made, hardships endured, love and delightful happenstance.
The storytelling flows in a lovely way, sometimes lyrical, magical, sometimes filled with fear and mystery and even hate bred of ignorance. There’s a little bit of everything in this charming coming-of-age tale that grows beyond that periphery and whispers Polonius’ words “This above all: to thine own self be true.”
Pub Date: 10 January 2017
Many thanks to William Morrow Publishing, Edelweiss, and to author Janie Chang for providing me with an advanced copy for reading and review
Jialing’s mother would often leave her in the Western Residence for hours; sometimes overnight, visiting Noble Uncle. The longest time before had been two days. As she burned incense in front of the Fox altar that morning, her mother had told her this time she would be back in three days. The month was November and the year was 1908. After they prayed, her mother dressed her in her new winter tunic that she’d cut from one of her jackets, silk crepe. She’d embroidered a garland of chrysanthemum leaves on the cuffs and collar. Jialing was seven years old.
The neighbors heard the crying at night for the last two nights, since Noble Uncle’s family moved away, deciding it must be the ghost of his concubine.
After three days have passed she hears voices, but none are her mother’s voice. A new family has bought the residence and is moving in. She watches them parade in and out, carrying items. Jialing waits, in hiding. Then she spies a young girl, and she hears a voice saying “Show yourself to her.” The hollowness in her stomach has her take that first step.
She asks the girl, “Have you seen my mother?”
The girl asks, “Who’s your mother?”
“Her name is Mama.”
The girl introduces herself, “My family name is Yang, Yang Anjuin” and takes Jialing to talk to her grandmother, Grandmother Yang. There, Jialing is brought before Grandmother and the three wives. It is there, for the first time, she hears this word describing herself.
Zazhong.
An ugly word meaning she has European-Asian parents. Accepted in neither world.
She sees that her presence has created both revulsion and fascination.
After praying for guidance, Grandmother Yang, interceding on her behalf, wants a closer look at her, at her tunic, declaring the embroidery beautiful, the work exceptional. She picks out several inches of hem, which seems heavy and uneven, and finds a sash of unbleached cotton, a string of characters stitched in thread. Grandmother Yang hands it to Master Yang, who reads it out loud.
“I entrust my daughter to your care. These coins should be
enough to buy her many years of rice. May the Buddha bless
your kindness and reward you in this life and the next.”
Grandmother Yang decides to take her in, declaring Jialing her “bond servant,” hoping Buddha will recognize this “good deed” and for this act she will be rewarded in the Afterlife.
Dragon Springs Road is the story of Jialing’s journey through the years, living by the grace of the Yang family and with her young friend Anjuin. It’s a journey filled with magic, and also many unlucky obstacles with enough good luck to balance out through her story. As in all life, there are mistakes, choices made, hardships endured, love and delightful happenstance.
The storytelling flows in a lovely way, sometimes lyrical, magical, sometimes filled with fear and mystery and even hate bred of ignorance. There’s a little bit of everything in this charming coming-of-age tale that grows beyond that periphery and whispers Polonius’ words “This above all: to thine own self be true.”
Pub Date: 10 January 2017
Many thanks to William Morrow Publishing, Edelweiss, and to author Janie Chang for providing me with an advanced copy for reading and review
February 7, 2017
3.5 stars rounded up.
What I enjoyed the most about this book was lovely descriptive writing, often lyrical. I couldn't help but care about 7 year old Jialing, abandoned by her mother with no one but the fox spirit to take care of her and give her guidance. If your going to read and enjoy this story you have to be able to accept this fantasy aspect. I was surprised that I actually had no problem right from the start even though I am not a fan in general of fantasy. Jialing is Eurasian, "zazhong" (bastard) or more kindly word her teachers used "hun xue", mixed breed and not fully accepted by the Chinese or the Europeans. She is fortunate to be taken in as a bond servant who can buy her freedom by the Yang family who take over the property where she lived with her mother. Even after getting an education her hopes of being more than someone's mistress or working at a brothel are hopes at best given the view of her mixed heritage.
There is much here - spirits , customs, superstitions , family ties, social views, history and politics during the early part of the 20th century in Shanghai. It was a captivating story following Jialing through her journey to adulthood. It would have been 4 solid stars but I did at times feel it was a bit drawn out. Having said that I will round up to 4 stars from my 3.5 star rating because of the lovely writing and a character to remember.
I received an advanced copy of this book from William Morrow/HarperCollins through Edelweiss.
What I enjoyed the most about this book was lovely descriptive writing, often lyrical. I couldn't help but care about 7 year old Jialing, abandoned by her mother with no one but the fox spirit to take care of her and give her guidance. If your going to read and enjoy this story you have to be able to accept this fantasy aspect. I was surprised that I actually had no problem right from the start even though I am not a fan in general of fantasy. Jialing is Eurasian, "zazhong" (bastard) or more kindly word her teachers used "hun xue", mixed breed and not fully accepted by the Chinese or the Europeans. She is fortunate to be taken in as a bond servant who can buy her freedom by the Yang family who take over the property where she lived with her mother. Even after getting an education her hopes of being more than someone's mistress or working at a brothel are hopes at best given the view of her mixed heritage.
There is much here - spirits , customs, superstitions , family ties, social views, history and politics during the early part of the 20th century in Shanghai. It was a captivating story following Jialing through her journey to adulthood. It would have been 4 solid stars but I did at times feel it was a bit drawn out. Having said that I will round up to 4 stars from my 3.5 star rating because of the lovely writing and a character to remember.
I received an advanced copy of this book from William Morrow/HarperCollins through Edelweiss.
August 14, 2016
"Both my words came out more sharply than I'd intended, but my life had been a
leaf, blown around a courtyard at the behest of others. My mother, then fox. The Yangs, Anjuin. Even Miss Morris. They had all made decisions on my behalf. It had been necessary, I knew that. I had been a helpless child".
"From now on, however, the decisions ruling my life had to be my own".
Jialing was considered illegitimate and a "zazhong"....(Eurasian: of mixed blood), a daughter of a prostitute.
Even with an education....[paid for by an American woman in Jialing's case- for her to attend a mission school], if a woman is born with a Chinese mother -and an English father...(any foreigner), she is considered bad luck. Sometimes the girls educated at the mission school get jobs - but often it's still very difficult - they might get a
clerical job, or a nanny job, but most often, if their grades are not good enough for college - a 'zazhong', could end up working in a brothel, on the street as a beggar, or a man's mistress...."a hun xue".
Some women turned to opium and could run up more debts than they could ever pay off. These women become desperate. And could end up with very sad lives.
American teachers try to help young orphan girls and zazhong girls at the mission school with an education- so they might make better choices than their own mothers had made....but it's still a challenge within the culture.
If a young woman could talk the same language as the foreign men...and if he is infatuated with her, he'd be willing to pay a high price. If wealthy, they might provide a house, clothes, and food. He might even treat her with kindness - to a point - but he 'owned' her. (no power, limited possibilities for 'her').
Jailing had been allowed to attend school when she was a bond servant, because the grandmother of the Yang family who took her in as a child, wanted to earn merit in heaven. Jailing's mother had left her behind when she was a small child ---which Jailing will spend a lifetime trying to find out why....and resolve for herself.
With no father - alone in the world...other than a spiritual fox looking over her- she was taken into the Yang family on "Dragon Springs Road" as a bond slave as a young child.
The storytelling is brilliant in creating a sense of place. The characters come 'alive'
and we learn to understand them through their journey. I was constantly hanging on by a thread ...fully engrossed - my seat belt was buckled tight and I didn't release it until I came to the end.
This story is equally as good as "The Three Souls", which I read just before this book- back-to-back *Ecstasy*!!!
I was swept away into the old Asian world --with all the ingredients we love so much about these stories.
I couldn't begin to say which book I enjoyed better. Both books are an 'experience'.....
"Dragon Springs Road", is an intimate story of emotions, choices, hardships, consequences, friendships, murder, mystery, surprises, compelling and complex situations for the times, magical realism 'lite', passion, inspiration, and most of all its FULLY ENJOYABLE!!
"Dragon Springs Road" will be released in Jan. 2017.
I highly suggest, you grab yourself a copy of "The Three Souls", now....if you haven't read it. If you 'have' read it....you're anxiously waiting for "Dragon Springs Road"!
Can't blame you. You won't be disappointed!!! Your heart will sing!!!
Janie Chang is a brilliant storyteller --readers who enjoy giant epics...old fashion Asian stories....will devour this sprawling novel with glorious passion.
Thank you William Morrow Publishing, and Janie Chang
leaf, blown around a courtyard at the behest of others. My mother, then fox. The Yangs, Anjuin. Even Miss Morris. They had all made decisions on my behalf. It had been necessary, I knew that. I had been a helpless child".
"From now on, however, the decisions ruling my life had to be my own".
Jialing was considered illegitimate and a "zazhong"....(Eurasian: of mixed blood), a daughter of a prostitute.
Even with an education....[paid for by an American woman in Jialing's case- for her to attend a mission school], if a woman is born with a Chinese mother -and an English father...(any foreigner), she is considered bad luck. Sometimes the girls educated at the mission school get jobs - but often it's still very difficult - they might get a
clerical job, or a nanny job, but most often, if their grades are not good enough for college - a 'zazhong', could end up working in a brothel, on the street as a beggar, or a man's mistress...."a hun xue".
Some women turned to opium and could run up more debts than they could ever pay off. These women become desperate. And could end up with very sad lives.
American teachers try to help young orphan girls and zazhong girls at the mission school with an education- so they might make better choices than their own mothers had made....but it's still a challenge within the culture.
If a young woman could talk the same language as the foreign men...and if he is infatuated with her, he'd be willing to pay a high price. If wealthy, they might provide a house, clothes, and food. He might even treat her with kindness - to a point - but he 'owned' her. (no power, limited possibilities for 'her').
Jailing had been allowed to attend school when she was a bond servant, because the grandmother of the Yang family who took her in as a child, wanted to earn merit in heaven. Jailing's mother had left her behind when she was a small child ---which Jailing will spend a lifetime trying to find out why....and resolve for herself.
With no father - alone in the world...other than a spiritual fox looking over her- she was taken into the Yang family on "Dragon Springs Road" as a bond slave as a young child.
The storytelling is brilliant in creating a sense of place. The characters come 'alive'
and we learn to understand them through their journey. I was constantly hanging on by a thread ...fully engrossed - my seat belt was buckled tight and I didn't release it until I came to the end.
This story is equally as good as "The Three Souls", which I read just before this book- back-to-back *Ecstasy*!!!
I was swept away into the old Asian world --with all the ingredients we love so much about these stories.
I couldn't begin to say which book I enjoyed better. Both books are an 'experience'.....
"Dragon Springs Road", is an intimate story of emotions, choices, hardships, consequences, friendships, murder, mystery, surprises, compelling and complex situations for the times, magical realism 'lite', passion, inspiration, and most of all its FULLY ENJOYABLE!!
"Dragon Springs Road" will be released in Jan. 2017.
I highly suggest, you grab yourself a copy of "The Three Souls", now....if you haven't read it. If you 'have' read it....you're anxiously waiting for "Dragon Springs Road"!
Can't blame you. You won't be disappointed!!! Your heart will sing!!!
Janie Chang is a brilliant storyteller --readers who enjoy giant epics...old fashion Asian stories....will devour this sprawling novel with glorious passion.
Thank you William Morrow Publishing, and Janie Chang
March 16, 2020
Dragon Spring Road is a book that mixes two genres that I love; historical fiction and fantasy. I think adding the fantasy element of the Fox, an animal spirit to the story was a brilliant move. It gave the story something extra. Otherwise, we would have a traditional historical fiction tale, but now with the added mysticism, we get something a bit different.
The story of Jialing is a sad tale, she is left by her mother when she is a little girl and she is taking in by the family that moves in. However, she is not part of the family, she is a bondservant. But, she does grow up close to the daughter in the house. But, she also has a secret, Fox, an animal spirit that has lived in the courtyard is looking after her. And, she does need the extra help, it's not easy for a Eurasian child growing up in a world where everyone looks down at a mixed-race child.
Dragon Springs Road is a captivated story, I found Jialing story interesting, especially since it takes place in such a turbulent time in China. I did for a while think that the story spent a little too much time on Jialing as a child and the love story towards the end felt a bit rushed. Like the author realized that she had to add some happiness to Jialing by throwing in a man that she would love. I never felt that the romance part truly convinced me. However, it did find it made the ending sweet.
I think Dragon Springs Road is a good book. The story never dragged on, and I found myself taken with the ending when Jialing faced a hard decision. Her final thoughts at the end of the book are probably one of the reasons I ended giving the book 4-stars. It tipped the scale. That and that I love the fantasy elements of the story and reading about China is so fascinating.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review!
The story of Jialing is a sad tale, she is left by her mother when she is a little girl and she is taking in by the family that moves in. However, she is not part of the family, she is a bondservant. But, she does grow up close to the daughter in the house. But, she also has a secret, Fox, an animal spirit that has lived in the courtyard is looking after her. And, she does need the extra help, it's not easy for a Eurasian child growing up in a world where everyone looks down at a mixed-race child.
Dragon Springs Road is a captivated story, I found Jialing story interesting, especially since it takes place in such a turbulent time in China. I did for a while think that the story spent a little too much time on Jialing as a child and the love story towards the end felt a bit rushed. Like the author realized that she had to add some happiness to Jialing by throwing in a man that she would love. I never felt that the romance part truly convinced me. However, it did find it made the ending sweet.
I think Dragon Springs Road is a good book. The story never dragged on, and I found myself taken with the ending when Jialing faced a hard decision. Her final thoughts at the end of the book are probably one of the reasons I ended giving the book 4-stars. It tipped the scale. That and that I love the fantasy elements of the story and reading about China is so fascinating.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review!
March 5, 2017
Really liked this, except for some of the stuff that happened close to the end, which felt a little melodramatic. Also, I know this story is fiction/historical fiction, but it has a fantastical element, Fox, the fox spirit, so I'm thinking that this is borderline fantasy, too.
There's some really painful stuff in this story; Jialing, a mixed race girl is taken in by the Yang family after her mother disappears. Jialing has the companionship and protection of Fox, so her nights are occasionally livened by conversations and dream-like reviews of Fox's wanderings. Everyone, except for Anjuin, Yang's daughter, reviles Jialing because she's mixed race. The fear and disgust she's held in follows her through her life, restricting her hopes and opportunities. There are references to China's government and relations with the outside world, but this story ultimately has a smaller focus on the racism directed at Jialing and her search for both her mother and a way to find her own way through a society that hates how she looks.
There's some really painful stuff in this story; Jialing, a mixed race girl is taken in by the Yang family after her mother disappears. Jialing has the companionship and protection of Fox, so her nights are occasionally livened by conversations and dream-like reviews of Fox's wanderings. Everyone, except for Anjuin, Yang's daughter, reviles Jialing because she's mixed race. The fear and disgust she's held in follows her through her life, restricting her hopes and opportunities. There are references to China's government and relations with the outside world, but this story ultimately has a smaller focus on the racism directed at Jialing and her search for both her mother and a way to find her own way through a society that hates how she looks.
January 4, 2017
5/5 stars
THIS BOOK COMES OUT ON JANUARY 10, 2017 SO LOOK OUT FOR IT
"The body is only a shell.... where the gods chose to discard it is not for me to guess."
Summary
In this absolutely beautiful second-novel by the wonderful Janie Chang, the reader follows a young girl named Zhu Jialing and her hardships from childhood until womanhood. Jialing is a "zazhong" - a girl born to one white and one asian parent, which immediately sets her up for discrimination and hatred even from strangers on the street. One day her mother leaves her all by herself at a house they used to live at alone, only getting visits from "Noble Uncle" and she has to beg to be taken in by the new family that moves in. The Yang's allow her to live there with them, where she befriends their daughter, Anjuin, and the little white girl who moves in next door - Anna. Jialing's story, already filled with hard times, takes a drastic turn when Anna decides, at seven years old, that it's time for her to leave this world - and she walks through the door into the immortal world. The rest of the story is filled with family drama, Jialing desperately trying to find out why her mother abandoned her, and eventually Jialing just simply trying to survive. A story of fox spirits, murder, and searching for happiness, Janie Chang's writing in "Dragon Springs Road" is not something to overlook.
My Thoughts
Now. It is NO secret that Janie Chang's "Three Souls" is my all time favorite novel. I've been waiting for this novel since before it was even announced - when it was just a blurb on Janie's website about how she was 'working on a historical fiction novel set in China' and I was waiting and waiting and WAITING for ANY information. When I was contacted by Janie to receive I copy of this novel before it's release date I SCREAMED and ran up and down the hallway of my residence hall at school, hugging every one of my friend's who came out to ask what was going on and definitely scaring some people who thought I was probably having a psychotic episode I waS SO EXCITED.
Needless to say I was TERRIFIED going into this book. There's so many things that made me nervous to dive into this story - what if it wasn't as good as Three Souls? What if I hated it? What if I'm disappointed? Considering I've been disappointed and incredibly upset when reading my favorite author's not-as-good books, I was so so SO scared of this book because I'd been waiting for SO LONG to get my hands on it.
I was not disappointed.
Though, not as good as "Three Souls" (but, I doubt anything ever will be) this novel was BEAUTIFUL. I suppose I should say a disclaimer, but it should be obvious, that my opinion for this book has not been swayed. I wasn't even asked to do a review - I was simply asked if I would like a copy of Janie's book because she knew how much I loved her first book and she's the sweetest human being EVER. I simply loved this book and it's 100% unbiased-ly worthy of the 5/5 stars I've given it.
Obviously Janie's writing is gorgeous. I've always been able to read her writing so easily - the last few times I've read through "Three Souls" I've been able to do it in one or two sittings because I just absolutely eat up her words. They're simple, not too flowery, but not too minimalist; her writing is the perfect type that just punches you in the face. But like, you appreciate it punching you in the face, trust me.
These characters. Though I WILL admit I was a little confused with Janie's explanation of one of the characters in the back of the book, but besides that little confusion, I loved all of these characters. I just wanted Jialing to be happy, I loved the Yang's - even Grandmother Yang - and especially Anjuin. I even loved Sanmu who reminded me SO MUCH of Hanchin, and Mr. Shea. I loved Fox, I loved Anna, I loved Jialing's friends who always stayed by her side, and I loved Taiyong. Janie Chang has an incredible talent for writing characters that latch onto your heart and make you care SO MUCH FOR THEM.
The plot was also amazing. Although this one was much more subtle and not as exciting and filled with plot devices pushing the story along like Three Souls, I appreciated the little stories that left you feeling comfortable and at home - kind of like comfort food, if that makes sense. Jialing's life isn't all that exciting, and the little events in this book that tell her story aren't necessarily the most enthralling, but I loved each and every one. The plot twists and craziness that DID happen in this book though, like omg, it was CRAZY. The ending was also absolutely perfect and it had me almost crying but happy crying but also sad crying and yeah Janie Chang makes me very emo.
Overall, a wonderful, beautiful novel that I will definitely be returning to in the future!!
Before release:
Summer 2016
WE FINALLY HAVE A COVER AND DATE FOR THIS BOOK AND IVE NEVER BEEN MORE EXCITED FOR ANYTHING EVER
Late 2015
Three Souls by Janie Chang is my all time favorite book. Needless to say I'm SLIGHTLY terrified for this new novel because my expectations are ridiculously high but I'm also more excited than I've ever been for a book EVER.
THIS BOOK COMES OUT ON JANUARY 10, 2017 SO LOOK OUT FOR IT
"The body is only a shell.... where the gods chose to discard it is not for me to guess."
Summary
In this absolutely beautiful second-novel by the wonderful Janie Chang, the reader follows a young girl named Zhu Jialing and her hardships from childhood until womanhood. Jialing is a "zazhong" - a girl born to one white and one asian parent, which immediately sets her up for discrimination and hatred even from strangers on the street. One day her mother leaves her all by herself at a house they used to live at alone, only getting visits from "Noble Uncle" and she has to beg to be taken in by the new family that moves in. The Yang's allow her to live there with them, where she befriends their daughter, Anjuin, and the little white girl who moves in next door - Anna. Jialing's story, already filled with hard times, takes a drastic turn when Anna decides, at seven years old, that it's time for her to leave this world - and she walks through the door into the immortal world. The rest of the story is filled with family drama, Jialing desperately trying to find out why her mother abandoned her, and eventually Jialing just simply trying to survive. A story of fox spirits, murder, and searching for happiness, Janie Chang's writing in "Dragon Springs Road" is not something to overlook.
My Thoughts
Now. It is NO secret that Janie Chang's "Three Souls" is my all time favorite novel. I've been waiting for this novel since before it was even announced - when it was just a blurb on Janie's website about how she was 'working on a historical fiction novel set in China' and I was waiting and waiting and WAITING for ANY information. When I was contacted by Janie to receive I copy of this novel before it's release date I SCREAMED and ran up and down the hallway of my residence hall at school, hugging every one of my friend's who came out to ask what was going on and definitely scaring some people who thought I was probably having a psychotic episode I waS SO EXCITED.
Needless to say I was TERRIFIED going into this book. There's so many things that made me nervous to dive into this story - what if it wasn't as good as Three Souls? What if I hated it? What if I'm disappointed? Considering I've been disappointed and incredibly upset when reading my favorite author's not-as-good books, I was so so SO scared of this book because I'd been waiting for SO LONG to get my hands on it.
I was not disappointed.
Though, not as good as "Three Souls" (but, I doubt anything ever will be) this novel was BEAUTIFUL. I suppose I should say a disclaimer, but it should be obvious, that my opinion for this book has not been swayed. I wasn't even asked to do a review - I was simply asked if I would like a copy of Janie's book because she knew how much I loved her first book and she's the sweetest human being EVER. I simply loved this book and it's 100% unbiased-ly worthy of the 5/5 stars I've given it.
Obviously Janie's writing is gorgeous. I've always been able to read her writing so easily - the last few times I've read through "Three Souls" I've been able to do it in one or two sittings because I just absolutely eat up her words. They're simple, not too flowery, but not too minimalist; her writing is the perfect type that just punches you in the face. But like, you appreciate it punching you in the face, trust me.
These characters. Though I WILL admit I was a little confused with Janie's explanation of one of the characters in the back of the book, but besides that little confusion, I loved all of these characters. I just wanted Jialing to be happy, I loved the Yang's - even Grandmother Yang - and especially Anjuin. I even loved Sanmu who reminded me SO MUCH of Hanchin, and Mr. Shea. I loved Fox, I loved Anna, I loved Jialing's friends who always stayed by her side, and I loved Taiyong. Janie Chang has an incredible talent for writing characters that latch onto your heart and make you care SO MUCH FOR THEM.
The plot was also amazing. Although this one was much more subtle and not as exciting and filled with plot devices pushing the story along like Three Souls, I appreciated the little stories that left you feeling comfortable and at home - kind of like comfort food, if that makes sense. Jialing's life isn't all that exciting, and the little events in this book that tell her story aren't necessarily the most enthralling, but I loved each and every one. The plot twists and craziness that DID happen in this book though, like omg, it was CRAZY. The ending was also absolutely perfect and it had me almost crying but happy crying but also sad crying and yeah Janie Chang makes me very emo.
Overall, a wonderful, beautiful novel that I will definitely be returning to in the future!!
Before release:
Summer 2016
WE FINALLY HAVE A COVER AND DATE FOR THIS BOOK AND IVE NEVER BEEN MORE EXCITED FOR ANYTHING EVER
Late 2015
Three Souls by Janie Chang is my all time favorite book. Needless to say I'm SLIGHTLY terrified for this new novel because my expectations are ridiculously high but I'm also more excited than I've ever been for a book EVER.
September 12, 2017
More like 4.25 stars.
WOW.
When I first started Dragon Springs Road, I didn't feel too invested in the story, and was thinking this would be a 3 star read.
However...This story became so much more around the 100 page mark, and with every chapter proceeding, Dragon Springs Road became so much more interesting, intriguing, and just so much more.
There is some magical realism in this book, and magical realism is not something I typically gravitate towards. However, I really enjoyed the magical realism, and how it tied to Asian culture.
I also enjoyed how the story came full circle, and I feel like everything wrapped up so nicely. Not conveniently, though.
Really well done novel, with a lot of research about China and the political culture of the time.
WOW.
When I first started Dragon Springs Road, I didn't feel too invested in the story, and was thinking this would be a 3 star read.
However...This story became so much more around the 100 page mark, and with every chapter proceeding, Dragon Springs Road became so much more interesting, intriguing, and just so much more.
There is some magical realism in this book, and magical realism is not something I typically gravitate towards. However, I really enjoyed the magical realism, and how it tied to Asian culture.
I also enjoyed how the story came full circle, and I feel like everything wrapped up so nicely. Not conveniently, though.
Really well done novel, with a lot of research about China and the political culture of the time.
March 20, 2017
Dragon Springs Road by Janie Chang, is, simply put, a beautiful novel. The novel deals with identity, otherness, race and struggle. With a hint of the magical. It combines the real with the ethereal and it was a truly enjoyable experience.
Read our full review here.
Read our full review here.
February 10, 2017
Summary: Enjoyable but a bit bland and not as good as the author's earlier novel.
Although I enjoyed this book, it left me with mixed feelings. The writing was good, but it mostly just stayed out of the way of the story. The scenery wasn't easy to picture and sometimes I felt I was only given a few small details about a place or a person - not enough to picture them as a whole. The plot was fast-paced, but I didn't feel especially emotionally invested. The only time I found myself getting a little emotional was in the last chapter or two. The historical setting was interesting and I learned a little bit about post-WWII China, but it was less than I would have liked. The ending might be a bit too neat for some people, but I like a neat ending where everything comes together and everything is wrapped up nicely. I also liked that Fox's magic wasn't so powerful it made everything easy; it just gave our protagonist more difficult choices. The plot felt a little sensational and unbelievable in part, but not because of the magic. At times the magic felt tacked on to the story though and at others, it felt like a lazy plot device.
In short, I enjoyed this, but nothing about it blew me away. I would recommend it if you enjoy light historical fiction with decent writing, an exciting plot, and a nice, neat ending. I could definitely see intentionally picking something like this up as a light comfort read. However, compared to the author's debut, Three Souls , the descriptions were less vivid; the magical realism less well integrated; and the story less engaging. I'd definitely check out Three Souls first!
For some other perspectives, check out the other stops on the tour.
This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
Although I enjoyed this book, it left me with mixed feelings. The writing was good, but it mostly just stayed out of the way of the story. The scenery wasn't easy to picture and sometimes I felt I was only given a few small details about a place or a person - not enough to picture them as a whole. The plot was fast-paced, but I didn't feel especially emotionally invested. The only time I found myself getting a little emotional was in the last chapter or two. The historical setting was interesting and I learned a little bit about post-WWII China, but it was less than I would have liked. The ending might be a bit too neat for some people, but I like a neat ending where everything comes together and everything is wrapped up nicely. I also liked that Fox's magic wasn't so powerful it made everything easy; it just gave our protagonist more difficult choices. The plot felt a little sensational and unbelievable in part, but not because of the magic. At times the magic felt tacked on to the story though and at others, it felt like a lazy plot device.
In short, I enjoyed this, but nothing about it blew me away. I would recommend it if you enjoy light historical fiction with decent writing, an exciting plot, and a nice, neat ending. I could definitely see intentionally picking something like this up as a light comfort read. However, compared to the author's debut, Three Souls , the descriptions were less vivid; the magical realism less well integrated; and the story less engaging. I'd definitely check out Three Souls first!
For some other perspectives, check out the other stops on the tour.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
August 16, 2017
I grabbed Janie Chang's newest novel, Dragon Springs Road, to keep me occupied during my painfully long flight from Alaska to Japan. Instead of getting any work done, I found myself totally immersed in this enchanting tale of 20th century China and ended up relating the story to my ten-year-old daughter, who absolutely loves foxes. Needless to say, Fox was our favorite character, blending beauty and fantasy into this gorgeous work of historical fiction.
As a history teacher, I also appreciated the meticulous details Chang wove into Jialing's story of growing up as a child of Eurasian ancestry, as well as the little tidbits I picked up along the way about the early years of the Chinese republic. This is certainly one of the best books I've read this year!
As a history teacher, I also appreciated the meticulous details Chang wove into Jialing's story of growing up as a child of Eurasian ancestry, as well as the little tidbits I picked up along the way about the early years of the Chinese republic. This is certainly one of the best books I've read this year!
October 30, 2017
Every night I couldn't wait to pick up this book and re-enter the estate on Dragon Springs Road, just outside of Shanghai. This beautifully written historical fiction brought early 20th century China to vivid life. As with most periods of history in most areas of the world, this was not a great time for women who were forced to be completely dependent on men. There are several characters, old and young, with bound feet which surprised me. I didn't realize this barbaric practice continued so late in history. I know that it was a symbol of status but it makes me so angry to think of these poor women dependent for life and unable to run away. In this story many of the wealthy families lose their fortunes and the women are sold to work in factories or brothels. This is an awful fate in any circumstance but imagine doing it on tiny and painful bound feet!
Things were especially tough for the main character Jialing due to her being of mixed race. Her story is such an interesting look at gender, race and poverty/wealth. I knew very little about this period of Chinese history and I found the little bits of political background and events quite fascinating. At first I wasn't sure if I would like the touch of magical realism with the fox spirit but it made total sense for the story and she was a very interesting character who I loved. I became very involved in the story and there were a few tears near the end. This book was a lovely escape from reality and would be an excellent book club selection as there are so many issues raised that would be fun to discuss.
Things were especially tough for the main character Jialing due to her being of mixed race. Her story is such an interesting look at gender, race and poverty/wealth. I knew very little about this period of Chinese history and I found the little bits of political background and events quite fascinating. At first I wasn't sure if I would like the touch of magical realism with the fox spirit but it made total sense for the story and she was a very interesting character who I loved. I became very involved in the story and there were a few tears near the end. This book was a lovely escape from reality and would be an excellent book club selection as there are so many issues raised that would be fun to discuss.
May 11, 2017
This story is about Jialing who is only 7 years old when we meet her in Shanghai. Jialing is also a Eurasian: half European, half Asian, and while you wouldn't think that's much of a problem, it was back in the beginning of the 1900s in China.
I thought that this book would explore the Eurasian problem more than it did. Instead, it felt like "Dragon Springs Road" came with a lot of different themes that pointed in different and confusing directions, instead of focusing on just that one theme. I had a hard time understanding what the point of the story was, but I did enjoy reading about Jialing and her Chinese upbringing.
The storyline is linear, which made it slightly uninteresting at some points. Even when things started happening, I felt like they were forced on the plot and I could see them coming. To me, it felt like the writing style was very telling instead of showing, and I wasn't a huge fan of that.
It might sound like I didn't really like this book, but I did! I liked how it mingled Chinese traditions and beliefs into the storyline, and I loved the Fox! I was just a little bit disappointed that, in my opinion, this novel wasn't nearly as good as "Three Souls" by the same author which I read some years ago and found magical. With this book, it kind of feels like Janie Chang has taken a step back in her writing and story telling, but "Dragon Springs Road" was definitely still good and worth a read.
I thought that this book would explore the Eurasian problem more than it did. Instead, it felt like "Dragon Springs Road" came with a lot of different themes that pointed in different and confusing directions, instead of focusing on just that one theme. I had a hard time understanding what the point of the story was, but I did enjoy reading about Jialing and her Chinese upbringing.
The storyline is linear, which made it slightly uninteresting at some points. Even when things started happening, I felt like they were forced on the plot and I could see them coming. To me, it felt like the writing style was very telling instead of showing, and I wasn't a huge fan of that.
It might sound like I didn't really like this book, but I did! I liked how it mingled Chinese traditions and beliefs into the storyline, and I loved the Fox! I was just a little bit disappointed that, in my opinion, this novel wasn't nearly as good as "Three Souls" by the same author which I read some years ago and found magical. With this book, it kind of feels like Janie Chang has taken a step back in her writing and story telling, but "Dragon Springs Road" was definitely still good and worth a read.
March 28, 2017
Actual Rating 4.5 stars
This was such a lovely book! I really enjoyed the magical realism dealing with Chinese folklore and the setting was masterfully described. I really fell into the world of China at the turn of the century. The plot was full of cultural strife, political intrigue, and relationship drama. It ticked so many boxes for what I look for in a historical fiction and I am really glad I found this book through Muse Monthly!
This was such a lovely book! I really enjoyed the magical realism dealing with Chinese folklore and the setting was masterfully described. I really fell into the world of China at the turn of the century. The plot was full of cultural strife, political intrigue, and relationship drama. It ticked so many boxes for what I look for in a historical fiction and I am really glad I found this book through Muse Monthly!
October 11, 2016
Do you really want to know what it's like to be a Fox? Her voice echoed in my head, amused. And I settled inside this memory, seeing what Fox wanted to show me. I was myself and I was also Fox.
When Jialing's mother fails to return after leaving her alone in an abandoned home, she is left hungry and scared. A child of mixed race in 1908, a shameful thing , she will find refuge as a servant for the new owners. The idea of a young girl on her own, making her way in an effort to survive is heart-wrenching. The spirit in Jialing is moving, considering her fragile age. I cannot imagine myself in her shoes having the sense to find help, having grown up in a sheltered culture as I did. Why did the last family leave so abruptly? Is that the reason her mother is gone, is her disappearance tied to them? Her father remains a shadow, a mystery and a burden to carry his ethnicity when she never even knew him. The section of the place where she lives has been said to be haunted. But for Jialing, it's always just been home. In comes the Fox Spirit, whom her mother had respected and prayed to. The fox will guide her through her journey as she comes of age. She is at times able to become the fox, at least in spirit and mind. The Fox is the magical realism within the novel, taking the reader back through history.
We come to learn that zazhong is to be shunned (being a Euroasian, mixed child) and even more so when Jialing's mother is a known prostitute. But what we know is not always what is true. The mysterious disappearance of her beloved mother is stranger than even Jialing's friendship with an English girl whom also disappears. Jilaing's mother often left for amounts of time to be with her male friend, and Jialing was not to be seen. Keeping her hidden, Jialing's life until her mother's disappearance has been within the walls of her dwelling. Her friend's vanishing is different, one she actually witnesses. She knows her friend went somewhere better, didn't she? When Jialing is granted the opportunity to go to school because of the Yang family's grandmother (a matriarch to be sure) there seems to be hope. Can the fate of the mixed race children be altered through education, a chance to escape prostitution and the choices their mother's made that brought such shame on them? Then one has to wonder, what choice was there for such mothers? Why did their mother's keep company with men and sell themselves? What can one do when the the alternative is to go hungry and have nowhere to live.
There are magical elements that were beautifully written, not with the Fox spirit alone but in explaining what happened to Jialing's dear friend. There are culture clashes, moral ambiguity, heartbreak, shocks, cruelty, innocence, murder and so much heart. The reader will unravel each mystery of every vivid character within the novel and chew on every choice and consequence that comes of it. How much of what happens is fate, really- and what can we do with what we're given? The decisions are a thread that ties everyone together, some for better, others for worse. There is something charming and beautiful about Asian folklore and mythology. The wisdom and insight is ripe for gorgeous storytelling as Janie Chang has created in Dragon Springs Road.
Publication Date: January 10, 2017
William Marrow visit my blog https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
When Jialing's mother fails to return after leaving her alone in an abandoned home, she is left hungry and scared. A child of mixed race in 1908, a shameful thing , she will find refuge as a servant for the new owners. The idea of a young girl on her own, making her way in an effort to survive is heart-wrenching. The spirit in Jialing is moving, considering her fragile age. I cannot imagine myself in her shoes having the sense to find help, having grown up in a sheltered culture as I did. Why did the last family leave so abruptly? Is that the reason her mother is gone, is her disappearance tied to them? Her father remains a shadow, a mystery and a burden to carry his ethnicity when she never even knew him. The section of the place where she lives has been said to be haunted. But for Jialing, it's always just been home. In comes the Fox Spirit, whom her mother had respected and prayed to. The fox will guide her through her journey as she comes of age. She is at times able to become the fox, at least in spirit and mind. The Fox is the magical realism within the novel, taking the reader back through history.
We come to learn that zazhong is to be shunned (being a Euroasian, mixed child) and even more so when Jialing's mother is a known prostitute. But what we know is not always what is true. The mysterious disappearance of her beloved mother is stranger than even Jialing's friendship with an English girl whom also disappears. Jilaing's mother often left for amounts of time to be with her male friend, and Jialing was not to be seen. Keeping her hidden, Jialing's life until her mother's disappearance has been within the walls of her dwelling. Her friend's vanishing is different, one she actually witnesses. She knows her friend went somewhere better, didn't she? When Jialing is granted the opportunity to go to school because of the Yang family's grandmother (a matriarch to be sure) there seems to be hope. Can the fate of the mixed race children be altered through education, a chance to escape prostitution and the choices their mother's made that brought such shame on them? Then one has to wonder, what choice was there for such mothers? Why did their mother's keep company with men and sell themselves? What can one do when the the alternative is to go hungry and have nowhere to live.
There are magical elements that were beautifully written, not with the Fox spirit alone but in explaining what happened to Jialing's dear friend. There are culture clashes, moral ambiguity, heartbreak, shocks, cruelty, innocence, murder and so much heart. The reader will unravel each mystery of every vivid character within the novel and chew on every choice and consequence that comes of it. How much of what happens is fate, really- and what can we do with what we're given? The decisions are a thread that ties everyone together, some for better, others for worse. There is something charming and beautiful about Asian folklore and mythology. The wisdom and insight is ripe for gorgeous storytelling as Janie Chang has created in Dragon Springs Road.
Publication Date: January 10, 2017
William Marrow visit my blog https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
March 31, 2023
4,75
Coś czuję, że ta książka będzie jednym z większych zaskoczeń tego roku.
Sięgnęłam po nią, bo skusiła mnie jej piękna okładka na Legimi. Nie czytałam opisu, zerknęłam jedynie na jej ocenę na Goodreads.
Początek był trudny, bo miałam wrażenie, że nic takiego się nie dzieje a ja ciągle czytam o tym samym. Potem jak opowieść ruszyła z kopyta to wow! Mamy tu zbrodnie różnego rodzaju, kłopoty sercowe, nawiązania do tradycji i kultury chińskiej, problemy rasowe, ale największą rolę odgrywa realizm magiczny. Jest go dużo, co może niektórym przeszkadzać.
Dałam się porwać tej historii i postanowiłam zostawić maksymalną ocenę. Jeśli pod koniec roku zapomnę o tej książce, zmienię też ocenę na niższą. W tej chwili, jakiś czas po zakończeniu lektury, ciągle myślę o losach głównej bohaterki.
Coś czuję, że ta książka będzie jednym z większych zaskoczeń tego roku.
Sięgnęłam po nią, bo skusiła mnie jej piękna okładka na Legimi. Nie czytałam opisu, zerknęłam jedynie na jej ocenę na Goodreads.
Początek był trudny, bo miałam wrażenie, że nic takiego się nie dzieje a ja ciągle czytam o tym samym. Potem jak opowieść ruszyła z kopyta to wow! Mamy tu zbrodnie różnego rodzaju, kłopoty sercowe, nawiązania do tradycji i kultury chińskiej, problemy rasowe, ale największą rolę odgrywa realizm magiczny. Jest go dużo, co może niektórym przeszkadzać.
Dałam się porwać tej historii i postanowiłam zostawić maksymalną ocenę. Jeśli pod koniec roku zapomnę o tej książce, zmienię też ocenę na niższą. W tej chwili, jakiś czas po zakończeniu lektury, ciągle myślę o losach głównej bohaterki.
June 7, 2024
Read Around the World: Taiwan
Until the last 50 or so pages, I felt this book was about 100 pages too long. And to some degree, I still think that. There could have been a lot less of "we did this and we did that" and more of the plot and what started happened toward the end of the book could have happened a bit sooner; but those last 50ish pages were very very good and I had several "I DID NOT see THAT coming" moments. And I liked how it ended; it was a good ending without it being too pat or contrived.
This is a very sad book at times; China is not known for its kindness to women and there was even less tolerance for ones that were half Asian, half English [Eurasian]. They were considered less than even servants or upper-level prostitutes and there are parts of this story that just break your heart. Which makes the end even more satisfying.
The mystical aspects of the book were done very well; it was all very believable and at no point did I think it was weird.
Very well done.
Until the last 50 or so pages, I felt this book was about 100 pages too long. And to some degree, I still think that. There could have been a lot less of "we did this and we did that" and more of the plot and what started happened toward the end of the book could have happened a bit sooner; but those last 50ish pages were very very good and I had several "I DID NOT see THAT coming" moments. And I liked how it ended; it was a good ending without it being too pat or contrived.
This is a very sad book at times; China is not known for its kindness to women and there was even less tolerance for ones that were half Asian, half English [Eurasian]. They were considered less than even servants or upper-level prostitutes and there are parts of this story that just break your heart. Which makes the end even more satisfying.
The mystical aspects of the book were done very well; it was all very believable and at no point did I think it was weird.
Very well done.
April 12, 2019
I had no idea how much I would like this book when I first heard about it! Janie Chang is very gifted storyteller. Her characters are vivid and captivating, the story is full action, intrigue and surprises. The poignancy at the heart of this story about an abandoned girl in early 20th century China who longs to find her mother, is very moving and is the foundation for a complex saga about survival, friendship and romance. The author also cleverly intertwines the political upheaval that was taking place in China at the time with the life of the heroine and supporting characters. There is also a prominent metaphysical storyline, which I'm not generally a fan of but it was very effective in this book. This is a touching, meaningful and thoroughly enjoyable book that will keep you engaged.
March 20, 2019
Rather mediocre and very slow book.
Interesting because it is set in beginning of 20 th century China, and written well, but that sums up the positive points . I did like the combination of historical fiction and supernatural here, but it never outweighted the meager plot.
Interesting because it is set in beginning of 20 th century China, and written well, but that sums up the positive points . I did like the combination of historical fiction and supernatural here, but it never outweighted the meager plot.
January 20, 2021
Janie Chang is one of my top 5 favorite authors for the last 10 years. Some of her books are hard to locate in my library system. This was one of 2 that I have waited some time to receive.
It was worth the wait. Times 10. It's about an ordinary family in a period of Chinese Shanghai not much visited. The first part of the 20th century- with most of the events / years just post WWI. That period of multiple politico changes and when Chinese folklore held a much greater sway than before authoritarian take over.
I had not imagined that this book would contain magic realism in the manner it held. And that I would like the form it took as much as I did. That's not often the case for me at all. Here it was superb.
But the Fox was core to our orphan's story. More than her own self-identity or spirit to overcome strength. A full blown entity of power so sublimely meshed and described.
The role of women and their outcomes! The men who had responsibility full blown on shoulders! So much of Chinese core of system here too. When it worked and when it doesn't.
But as I am a garden lover and garden books always thrill me- the courtyards described here! That was a full 5. Almost as good as some of my 20th mid-century favorites, like Pilcher or Lofts. And the doorway?
This is common people and slow. But for me it was almost a 5 star read. The last quarter was a 5 star, especially in that ending with Mr. Shea.
Not my most favorite book of hers, but one of the earlier. An excellent and enthralling read.
Magic come alive in a time of immense human variety of position.
It was worth the wait. Times 10. It's about an ordinary family in a period of Chinese Shanghai not much visited. The first part of the 20th century- with most of the events / years just post WWI. That period of multiple politico changes and when Chinese folklore held a much greater sway than before authoritarian take over.
I had not imagined that this book would contain magic realism in the manner it held. And that I would like the form it took as much as I did. That's not often the case for me at all. Here it was superb.
But the Fox was core to our orphan's story. More than her own self-identity or spirit to overcome strength. A full blown entity of power so sublimely meshed and described.
The role of women and their outcomes! The men who had responsibility full blown on shoulders! So much of Chinese core of system here too. When it worked and when it doesn't.
But as I am a garden lover and garden books always thrill me- the courtyards described here! That was a full 5. Almost as good as some of my 20th mid-century favorites, like Pilcher or Lofts. And the doorway?
This is common people and slow. But for me it was almost a 5 star read. The last quarter was a 5 star, especially in that ending with Mr. Shea.
Not my most favorite book of hers, but one of the earlier. An excellent and enthralling read.
Magic come alive in a time of immense human variety of position.
January 17, 2021
:(((((((((( the ending was so fast paced I loved it but it was also bitter sweet but also positive. this book was so amazing. I have loved her writing ever since I read the Library Of Legends. The detail and Chinese historical information and references she uses are so perfectly weaved to create a realistic yet fantastical story of what it was like for a Eurasian lower-class woman. HIGHLY recommend!
June 10, 2017
Really a lovely tale. My only complaint is that the end seemed a tad rushed, but otherwise it was such a beautifully told story.
January 13, 2017
I really enjoyed this magical book. It is a story of Jialing. She is a Eurasian in China in the year 1908. She is abandoned by her mother when she is seven years old and is taken in by the Yang's. Her best friend is Anjuin and Fox the animal spirit her mom has look over her. Jialing's life is hard as a Eurasian, the Chinese people want nothing to do with her. Fox helps her in any way she can. It is a magical story which I loved. Thank you to the WFWA Many Voices Book Club giveaway for this wonderful book.
August 6, 2021
Enjoyable historical fiction but not as much as Chang's latest novel, The Library of Legends. Set in 1910s/1920s Shanghai, the political unrest of the period is a backdrop for the story, focusing on the changing society and the disdain toward mixed-race people that stayed the same. The heroine, Jialing, was opaque at times. She would find out some Very Important Information and just...not respond to it. Not from numbness, just because of gaps in the narrative. Her motivations were unclear for a good part of the book, which made it hard to sympathize with her at times. However, Chang's strength in writing mythic magical realism is clear. The scenes with the Fox spirit delighted me, and were even more entrancing than the similar scenes in The Library of Legends. Yet, most of both novels is spent in the real world, and Jialing's story didn't capture me that much. While I enjoyed reading Dragon Springs Road, I doubt it will stick with me as much as The Library of Legends.
Content warnings: child abuse and abandonment; violence; a house fire; some fade-to-black scenes
Content warnings: child abuse and abandonment; violence; a house fire; some fade-to-black scenes
February 5, 2017
Combine an intriguing story with history and romance, a story with twists and turns that is never predictable or boring, excellent writing, and you have a winner in this atmospheric historical novel of a young Eurasian girl trying to find her place during turbulence in early 20th century China.
Read
August 26, 2017DNF....I know this is a very popular book, so I'm definitely in the minority on not really enjoying it. Maybe it just wasn't the right time for me to read it or something. I may come back to it at a later date. I enjoyed the Fox spirit the most, and there were chapters that were quite good, but there were also chapters that were very boring to me. I did like her writing style all in all though.
February 8, 2017
A major achievement by an immensely talented writer. Not to be missed.
February 16, 2017
3.5 stars. "Dragon Springs Road" is the story of Jialing who is abandoned by her mother (who Jialing fears may be gone forever) to the family that moves into the compound where they lived. Luckily the family is kind to Jialing and she is allowed to live there with a Fox spirit who sometimes appears as a literal fox and sometimes as a gorgeous woman. It is the early 1900s in China and the country is changing rapidly. This book is a historical fiction with a healthy dose of magical realism.
While the story line itself was very good and interesting, this book was a mixed bag for me and felt a little uneven. It took me awhile to get into the story. There was a lot of set up that goes into the story and it moved quite slowly. By about the last third of the book, there is a ton happening and it all happens very quickly as if the writer were in a rush to end the book. The very end itself seems like there may be an opening for a sequel, which would be welcome to tie up the remaining loose ends.
I don't read nearly enough historical fiction set in Asia. I was swept up in the description of the setting. Jialing has spent most of her life in the same house with a big, beautiful garden and the Fox spirit that her mother prays to. As the story goes on, the garden changes to reflect the events of the book, which I thought was a really cool device. I loved the descriptions of both of the houses on the compound.
I also loved the descriptions of what life was like during that time period in China. As I mentioned before, this is a time when things are changing rapidly. As Jialing is mixed race, she is sent to mission school to learn English, which will hopefully help her in the future as she has no true family. There are a lot of political implications that are referred to in the book, which was a nice taste of a history that I don't visit in my reading all that often.
Overall, this story was good even if they way that it was told was uneven.
While the story line itself was very good and interesting, this book was a mixed bag for me and felt a little uneven. It took me awhile to get into the story. There was a lot of set up that goes into the story and it moved quite slowly. By about the last third of the book, there is a ton happening and it all happens very quickly as if the writer were in a rush to end the book. The very end itself seems like there may be an opening for a sequel, which would be welcome to tie up the remaining loose ends.
I don't read nearly enough historical fiction set in Asia. I was swept up in the description of the setting. Jialing has spent most of her life in the same house with a big, beautiful garden and the Fox spirit that her mother prays to. As the story goes on, the garden changes to reflect the events of the book, which I thought was a really cool device. I loved the descriptions of both of the houses on the compound.
I also loved the descriptions of what life was like during that time period in China. As I mentioned before, this is a time when things are changing rapidly. As Jialing is mixed race, she is sent to mission school to learn English, which will hopefully help her in the future as she has no true family. There are a lot of political implications that are referred to in the book, which was a nice taste of a history that I don't visit in my reading all that often.
Overall, this story was good even if they way that it was told was uneven.
February 25, 2017
I loved this delightful novel. Janie Chang's fine writing and her ability to take us inside a world ostensibly so different from our own (but is it really?) is part of what makes her work special. The other part is her love and respect for and careful rendering of the cultural myths (I use the word in the most positive sense - a story explaining frequently profound and complex truths) that illumine the world of her characters, and helps us to see it as they do.
Jialing and her experience of otherness, desertion, and frequently powerlessness, is bound to resonate with women everywhere and in every society - but so too her resistance and courage.
Highly recommended - the kind of satisfying book that invites a long and leisurely afternoon curl-up. And when you're done, if you haven't already read Three Souls, there's still more to enjoy.
Jialing and her experience of otherness, desertion, and frequently powerlessness, is bound to resonate with women everywhere and in every society - but so too her resistance and courage.
Highly recommended - the kind of satisfying book that invites a long and leisurely afternoon curl-up. And when you're done, if you haven't already read Three Souls, there's still more to enjoy.
January 9, 2019
Overall:
3.5/5 stars. Well-written and a good mix of historical detail and character development to tell the protagonist's story from child- to adulthood.
Liked:
- No use of deus ex or insta-love; the otherworldly influences were kept believable and within reasonable limits.
- Strong, eloquent narrative voice that effectively captured both a) emotion; and b) how hard decisions were made and rationalized.
Disliked:
- Magical realism felt separated from the story, and wasn't woven in that cohesively.
- Poor pacing. Felt like a slow slice-of-life until 70% in, which was when I finally felt engaged by a moving plot.
Liked:
- No use of deus ex or insta-love; the otherworldly influences were kept believable and within reasonable limits.
- Strong, eloquent narrative voice that effectively captured both a) emotion; and b) how hard decisions were made and rationalized.
How many different kinds of pain can there be? How much loss can the human heart endure?
Disliked:
- Magical realism felt separated from the story, and wasn't woven in that cohesively.
- Poor pacing. Felt like a slow slice-of-life until 70% in, which was when I finally felt engaged by a moving plot.
January 10, 2021
I really enjoyed this story. It wasn’t exactly enthralling, but definitely entertaining. It pulls you in with magical imagery, then lulls you into a passive walk through a young woman’s trials and joys, ending in a fast paced, exciting race to a happy ending. The only problem I had with the story, was in the relationship between Jialing and the man she falls in love with at the end. How can she ever live happily with the man whose brother tried to rape her, and in whose murder she was implicit? Why was this not addressed in the book? I do have to say, I loved the fox spirit. Such a great character!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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