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What Members Thought
What a beautiful novel... a girl, Li-yan, lives on a remote mountain in China in a primitive tribe, the Akha people. She experiences a life full of superstitions, traditions and rules that cannot be broken. Her family is impoverished and she's frequently worried about doing things the right way. But that's not the end for her - it is only the beginning.
This is a coming-of-age novel, not only for Li-yan, but also for her entire family and tribe. This amazing, gorgeous novel takes her through tri ...more
This is a coming-of-age novel, not only for Li-yan, but also for her entire family and tribe. This amazing, gorgeous novel takes her through tri ...more
This was a lovely read. Nothing extraordinary and a little predictable but still very enjoyable. I really love that so much research went in to this as well as how adopted children from a different culture view things. As grateful as they are there's a lot more to it.
Li-Yan is from a remote village in the Yunan province of China - the hills people, those who cultivate tea. It's about how she copes with her Akha cultural practices and the journey her life takes.
The ending was slightly disappointi ...more
Li-Yan is from a remote village in the Yunan province of China - the hills people, those who cultivate tea. It's about how she copes with her Akha cultural practices and the journey her life takes.
The ending was slightly disappointi ...more
*3.5 stars*
A very thorough exploration of Akha people and their identity and way of life growing and selling tea in the mountains of western China. The first chunk of the novel feels highly expository, and while I learned a lot about the Akha, I found the writing to be a bit overly formal and informational. Once See settled into her storytelling rhythm and wove in other story elements and places to the main narrative line, I was much more compelled by her writing. The larger arc of the story con ...more
A very thorough exploration of Akha people and their identity and way of life growing and selling tea in the mountains of western China. The first chunk of the novel feels highly expository, and while I learned a lot about the Akha, I found the writing to be a bit overly formal and informational. Once See settled into her storytelling rhythm and wove in other story elements and places to the main narrative line, I was much more compelled by her writing. The larger arc of the story con ...more
A special story
I cried with both with sadness and joy at this story of a mother and her daughter, separated right after the birth, and their strong connection through tea. Even though it was clear to me throughout the story how it would end, I was stricken with emotion I could not hold in at the end of this engrossing tale. The beautifully drawn characters and the authors sensitivity in telling this story made this a very special and rewarding read. Not least of all, I learned a lot about tea in ...more
I cried with both with sadness and joy at this story of a mother and her daughter, separated right after the birth, and their strong connection through tea. Even though it was clear to me throughout the story how it would end, I was stricken with emotion I could not hold in at the end of this engrossing tale. The beautifully drawn characters and the authors sensitivity in telling this story made this a very special and rewarding read. Not least of all, I learned a lot about tea in ...more
Nov 08, 2017
Suzanne
marked it as to-read
May 11, 2018
Deborah
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Jan 29, 2019
Amber
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Dec 23, 2019
Jonathan
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Jan 04, 2021
Betty
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Jul 09, 2021
Anne
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Dec 22, 2022
Johanne
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Feb 19, 2025
PinkyReads
marked it as to-read
