Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung!

I can see why Daughters of Shandong was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award. This is an incredible debut novel.

I know very little about Chinese history and even less about when the Communist Party overthrew the Socialist government. Since reading the memoir Beautiful Hero by Jennifer H. Lau, I have been interested in knowing more about the history of Asia.

Chung used family stories as the basis for her story and the story definitely feels authentic. I was really drawn into the story of a mother and her daughters being abandoned by their wealthy family as the communist army began sweeping across China. I didn't want to put it down and when I did have to put it down I couldn't stop thinking about it - I even dreamed about it one night.

In their culture, women are there to serve the men in the family. They are little more than indentured servants. To have only daughters is to lose face as a male heir is necessary as they are the only ones able to care for the family.

It was interesting to see, although Hai, her sister, and her mother prove they are very capable women, that Hai's mother cannot let go of the culture that is ingrained in her. I also think it is interesting that the role of women and tradition is changing at about the same time that it was in the U.S. Perhaps it is the result of WWII.

I loved the characters and was rooting for them the whole time. The things they went through are incredible.

I loved the history and glimpse into the sociopolitical culture of not only rural China, but urban China, British Hong Kong, and Taiwan. I understand a little better the animosity between mainland China and Taiwan.

Whether you want a great story about human resilience or want to know more about a time and place in history that you might not know a lot about, this is a book you do not want to miss.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Tuesday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/12/daughter-of-shandong-by-eve-j-chung.html

I don't like books in which the main character is a child for most of the book and which are also written in first person. I don't need to watch characters grow up, I want to watch them do something besides get victimized or hurt(which is generally what child narrators spend their time doing), and I don't like reading through the naivete that child narrators always have.

That's the whole start of this book, along with an entirely evil grandmother (who lets a baby girl die because she doesn't want to spend money on a mere girl), an entirely gormless husband (who's easily convinced to let his wife and daughters face the rebel army while he absconds with his parents), an entirly martyred mother (who is abused constantly but never shows anything but dutiful deference toward her abusers). Everything was black and white, there was no nuance in any character and it seemed cartoonishly over the top. Who knows, maybe it really was exactly this way, since the author claims to be writing based on family history. But it felt like cheap melodrama and I didn't feel like going further for more.

I only read about half of this book. Although the time period is intriguing and the characters well-drawn, I found the pace of the story slow, and I lost interest. It is very well written, it just didn't capture my attention.

Hai was the first daughter of a wealthy family. When the Communists took over China her father and Grandparents escaped her home but left her, her two sisters and her mother since girls were only mouths to feed. The Communists took their farm and the four women lived in a shed with the chickens and a donkey. They eventually travelled South with a wheel barrow as their transportation. This is an amazing story of fortitude. It is based on the author's Grandmother.

This story was a story about a mother and her children fighting for their lives during the communist revolution in China. Abandoned by her father's family , Hai, her mother and her sisters are forced to survive on their own while also trying to stay together and hold onto their land. This book was hard to read at times, the misogyny during this time felt so sad and deflating for these women. I loved seeing how each sister found their way in the world. I didn't know much about this time period in China so it was an interesting subject that sparked my need to know more.

Overall I really like it and look forward to reading more by this author .

I've been reading a lot of similar books as of late, but Daughters of Shandong stands out to me. The storytelling in this book works really well, the characters fleshed out in a way that made me really care for them. I'd say pick it up if you're interested in this period and family dynamics.

Eve Chung's historical fictional story, inspired by the author's grandmother's life, tells the harrowing story of a mother and three daughters left behind when their Nationalist family flees communist revolutionaries. Narrated from the perspective of the eldest daughter, Li Hai, the book masterfully captures the thoughts and experiences of an adolescent girl grappling with unimaginable trauma and everyday concerns.

I enjoyed the portrayal of the relationship between Li Hai and her younger sister. It is both tender and honest, showcasing the complexities of sibling bonds. The gripping plot follows the mother and daughters' perilous flight and their struggles as women in a patriarchal society.

More than just a page-turner, this thought-provoking novel offers inspiration for the fight for gender equality. The author's writing is impeccable, with every word serving a purpose.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for sharing one of the best books I have read in 2024.

A great sense of time and place. I was riveted by Hai's story. I'm eager to see more from Eve Chung.

Daughters of Shandong is one of the best debut novels that I have read. It is roughly based on a true story. The novel begins in 1948 in Shandong, China. The wealthy Ang family is anxious for the oldest son to have a male heir to carry on the family title; however, the son is cursed with only having daughters. The matriarch of the Ang family, Nai Nai, is ruthless with her treatment to the in-laws.The Ang family flee to Taiwan and leave the wife and daughters behind. They become refugees and have an arduous journey to Hong Kong and then Taiwan.

The two main developed characters are the two oldest daughters, Hai and Di. Chung developed these characters throughout the novel so beautifully. Hai endures so much in these changing times. I learned so much history by reading this book. It was even heightened by the author’s note at the end of the book.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced e-galley.

Based on the author’s grandmother’s story of fleeing China for Taiwan during the Cultural Revolution. The Chinese treated their girls like crap; they may still. A lot of cultures devalued their daughters, but the Chinese raised it to an art form. And the mothers and grandmothers not only put up with it, they encouraged it. Inspiring but depressing at the same time.

Thanks to @berkleypub @netgalley and @eve.j.chung.writes for my #gifted copy! Also, a special shoutout to @dolenperkinsvaldez for selecting Daughters of Shandong for her book club! I thoroughly enjoyed the chat with Eve and learning more about how this book relates to her family history.

Set during the Communist Revolution in China, Chung’s storytelling transported me back to a time when families were torn apart by familial traditions, obligations, and differing ideologies. As we follow Hai, Di, Lan, and their mother through unimaginable circumstances in Qingdao, then refugee camps at Mount Davis and Rennie’s Mill, we bear witness to the resilience of citizens through a harsh landscape and building a community with new family units.

I thought Chung’s emphasis on the importance of education was perfection: “Education, while only in one facet, creates a foundation for working toward other goals. It can lift people out of poverty, and break harmful cycles that have endured for centuries.”

I think the mother daughter relationship really hit home for me because I know there’s absolutely nothing my mom wouldn’t do for me. Chung states in her acknowledgments, “Most important, I was able to write about the selfless love that mothers have for their daughters, because it is something I received plentifully. No matter how old I am, my mom still tries to take care of me. It is a kindness that I no longer take for granted, and one that I cherish even more as time goes by.”

As historical fiction novels often do, Daughters of Shandong deals with heavy subject matter and there are trigger warnings. Feel free to DM me about them before you read.

Based on the life of the author’s grandmother, Daughters of Shandong is a haunting story of China in the
mid-1940s and early 50s when communist rule was taking over. Hai and her mom and sisters survive living on the streets, malnutrition, being beaten, disease, and more during their journey from their nice home in Zhucheng. When the communists come to run out the landowners, Hai’s father and grandparents flee in terror leaving Hai, her mom, and 2 sisters to fend for themselves. Because they are girls in a society that values men, they are left behind and forced to find their own way to Taiwan. The journey brings hardship and pain, but the women learn what they are truly capable of. This is a heartbreaking story of survival and determination.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is an amazing debut novel that captures China in the time period in the late 40s/early 50s when the Communist revolution is occurring. In amazing detail, we follow the journey of a mother and her daughters as they cross China on their own to Hong Kong and ultimately to Taiwan. This is a time period and culture when women were not valued, so the Ang daughter-in-law and her daughters were left behind when the men (and mother-in-law) of the family flee their home ahead of the communists. The women are left behind to bear the anger of the communists against the landowners and then have to make their own way with no resources to reunite with their family. This is a riveting story based loosely on the author's own family. Eve Chung has written an incredible story that really puts you in the moment and helps you to understand the experiences of these characters. If this is her first novel, I can't wait to see what this author does next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an early ecopy. My opinion is my own.

A story set in 1940's/50's China as the communist government came to power and the landowning Ang family were targeted by the new regime. Hai is the eldest daughter in the family and she is left along with her mother and sisters to stay in house while her father and rest of the family abandon them and head to safety. Hai and her mother and sisters then go through harrowing experiences as they are expected to take the punishment for the rest of the Ang family, all while they try and reunite with the rest of the Angs. The story then follows the trials they face as they try to get to Taiwan. Overall, a story of the discrimination women faced and the hardships they went through just to survive. It was interesting to watch Hai's change in perspective on women as she broadened her horizons .

This is a book about gender equality that you’re not likely to forget. The things these women went through are unbelievable, and yet, they survived them all. I enjoyed learning about this part of the world during this time period, something I knew little about, and these characters really brought it to life. This is a heavy read, but a story that definitely needs to be heard. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction with girl-power mixed in.

Historical fiction about a mother and her daughters who were abandoned during the communist takeover of China. Great story that brought to life the attitude toward women in China at that time.

Eve J. Chung's debut novel is sure to leave you speechless!

"Daughters of Shandong" portrays the Ang family's challenges during China's 1948 civil war. The narrative focuses on Hai and her sisters, who are left behind when their family flees, and their subsequent journey across a changing nation. As they confront persecution and adversity, the novel explores themes of family loyalty, resilience, and the evolving roles of women in a time of societal transformation. Chung's vivid storytelling captures both the hardships and the strength of the Ang sisters as they navigate a turbulent period in Chinese history.

Chung's novelization of her grandmother's life pulled me in almost instantly. While the story was slow to start at first, I found it hard to book back down once I was halfway in. Unlike most Historical Fiction, "Daughters of Shandong"'s prose is relatable and easy to pick up. I highly recommend this novel if you're looking for a break between your usual genres of choice.

debut novel based of Chung’s own family.
Set in China in the late 1940’s/early 1950’s, this story follows the Ang
family, wealthy farming landlords who are solidly in the crosshairs of the
newly in power Communist regime. even though World War II has officially
ended, China is caught up in its own civil war between the current ruling
party, the Nationalists under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communists led by
Mao Zedong. Suddenly, this prosperous family’s old way of life has
vanished in an instant. Father, Nai Nai (Grandmother) and Yei Yei
(Grandfather) pack up all their worldly possessions and flee to safety,
leaving behind Mother and her three daughters in hostile territory with little
more than the grit and the clothes on their back to survive. in the absence
of any Ang family males, Hai, as the eldest daughter at 13 years old, is
chosen to answer for her father’s and grandfather’s “crimes” and is
subsequently tortured to near death. From Shandong to Hong Kong to
Taiwan Mother and her daughters travel with little more than the clothes on
their backs

The story is narrated in the first person from Hai’s perspective The eldest
daughter

This story doesn’t mince words, portions of this story are hard to handle but
well worth the read. Shows the parallels of how women were treated and
how they persevere

The story of Daughters of Shandong is set in 1948, when the Communist revolution takes place in China. The wealthy landowning Ang family lives in rural Zhucheng, Shandong with four girls, The family lives in the house where also the strict and not very nice grandmother Nai Nai rules the household, and who is not happy with four girls instead of a son who will take care of the family later on. Eldest daughter Hai, thirtheen years old, is the oldest of the four girls, Di is her headstrong younger sister, Three is the third daughter of the family who sadly passes away, and Lan is the youngest. Things take a bad turn for the four girls and their mother when the communist army reaches Shandong, and the father of the family, grandmother and other wealthy family that lives in the house, flee , and leave behind the four daughters and their mother, because they are seen as useless mouths to feed,but they have to guard the house for them. And then the land seizing communist cadres come to the house, take over the house, and without their father being there, or a son, the oldest daughter is punished for the family being landowners, and Hai is taken away and has to stand trial for the crime of being from a landowner family. She is beaten up badly and the punishment is physically and mentally brutal, which she barely survives. When she is released, the three daughters and their mother flee, as they are no longer safe in Shandong without family. Without any money for food, they flee to Qingdao, later British Hong Kong where they land as refugees later to Taiwan, where their father, who abandoned them, seems to be.

All together they flee a thousand miles, a difficult and dangerous journey during a tumultous revolution in China, and it is vividly describes what the four girls and their mother experience along the road and how they survive the hardships, and what happens later in life. It's a very impressive story of four very strong women, and the strong bond between them.

Daughters of Shandong is an impressive and beautifully written story based loosely on the life of the maternal grandmother of the author. The story takes place in a time when it was normal to '' value men, belittle women'', a Confucian tradition. The mother of the daughters is treated as a servant who has to kneel for the grandmother, whose behavior is nothing more then abusive, until later in Taiwan, she becomes the mother of a son. Mother Yue is kind and does everything to protect her daughters and to provide food for them. Hai is a very strong main character, you read everything from her point of view.

Di is a bit rebellious daughter, and Lan sadly had to face many health issues because of malnutrition and lack of food. I knew a little about the specific time period in China that the book is set in, but I learned more about it because of this book, and I truly applaud the author for creating this beautiful debut book, and I also learned more about specific Chinese traditions. But most of all the story is about four very strong Chinese women, who survive in a very difficult and dangerous time period in China and have to face homelessness and poverty. But later on, Hai's daughter is admitted at the best university in Taiwan, and their dream for a better life comes true. I absolutely love this book, and I truly recommend it!!