Wow, where do I even start? I don't often read historical fiction lately, I've been pretty stuck on mystery/thrillers and romance, but this story wouldn't let me go. I was immediately drawn to the family and couldn't put it down.

I spent so much of this book anxious that they wouldn't get to safety, or that Nai Nai wouldn't get taken to task for being so awful, but there was still so much love and hope. Buried between the tragedy, the pain, and the fear, was small moments of triumph but even larger than that, was the determination to survive against all odds. There is so much pain and anger in this book and I felt it all. Every injustice mother and Li-Hai endured, I endured with them. Their grief was visceral to me, and I felt my heart ache in my chest.

This was an absolutely stellar debut, and I am eagerly waiting for more books from Eve Chung.

The characters are impacted by large scale world events, but the book doesn't attempt to explain or teach the reader about the events.

In Eve J. Chung’s debut novel, a young girl embarked on a grueling journey to escape post-WWII communist China with her mother and sisters. The book comes in four parts: 1. Life in a family that owned land (地主) in Zhucheng, Shandong—where her kind mother is abused by a vicious mother-in-law—followed by mother and daughters’ journey by foot to Qingdao after being abandoned by the rest of the family. 2. Surviving in Qingdao through the kindness of relatives as they seek train tickets to Hong Kong. 3. Life in a refugee camp in Hong Kong as they seek news of their family who had fled to Taiwan. 4. The hesitant reunion with the family who abandoned them, and the continuation of the pattern of abuse along with change through the generations in response to trauma.

While the book begins like a trope in Chinese dramas, the touching story is one that resonates with many Chinese families. Those who stayed, survived, and rebuilt, or those who fled with or without their wealth; all who lived through that traumatic era of revolution have a story to tell. And yet, not many are willing to tell that story. In most instances, keeping your mouth shut was the best way to survive, and that instinct has endured through the years. The author broke through such barriers by supplementing family accounts with historical research, painting a vivid picture that not only brought the plight of one family to light, but provided the social, political, and cultural background that gave people a better understanding of China during that era regardless of how much they knew when they picked up the book. The author’s work as an international human rights lawyer also lends credibility to her understanding of the historical plight of women and refugees around the world.

As much as I loved this book, the spelling errors and formatting inconsistencies of Chinese words did bother me a bit. I’m hoping it’s because I’m reading an early version of this book and such mistakes are fixed in later versions. These errors are probably not something that would bother the average reader. However, having spent a lot of time figuring out how to effectively represent Chinese words in my own books, I’ve become extra sensitive to such details. From the very first sentence, sìhéyuàn was spelled shiheyuan, and persisted for the rest of the novel. The transliteration of Chinese words and names sometimes were by pinyin rules, and other times were based on spellings popular in Taiwan. (Yei Yei instead of Yéyé, the Chiang surname, Chiao, etc.) It’s a difficult decision to make, as many words accepted in English are oftentimes based on spellings that came out of Hongkong or Taiwan (Kuomintang as opposed to Guómíndǎng). The consistency of italics, spaces, and dashes are additional decisions that add to the complexity.

The perfectionist in me annoyingly interrupted the story every time it spotted an inconsistency, but the rich and heartfelt voice of the narrator pulled me right back in again. These details, while annoying, did not take away from the heartbreaking beauty of the story being told. Plus, the author brilliantly depicted a colorful cast of characters, allowing me to visualize them in their movements and speech as if I could hear their dialects and accents in Chinese.

The story is told with a sense of urgency, in a voice that draws you in, that welcomes you like a long-lost family member from whom you can learn the secrets of past generations. I highly recommend this book.

Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung is a historical fiction book set in post WWII China. It's written in a younger tone so it is easy to follow. I felt like I was immersed in the story and felt like I was in China. There was so much to this story I wasn't expecting and in the best way! I knew daughters were not a prevalent in the culture as what sons were. This book makes you stop to think. Overall a great read for a debut from this author!

I grew up knowing about what the Chinese thought of daughters, but seeing it as their citizens would have lived it was eye opening. While I had heard the words, the reality of it was more than I could have imagined. Chung did such a great job of pulling me in and having me experience the communist revolution and what it did to their citizens. The Ang family was thriving, but the male part of the family flees and leaves the rest to try and survive.

Following their ups and mostly downs of trying to meet back up with their family as they journeyed to Taiwan. Reading about how the slightest kindness made such a difference to these women.

Li-Hai is the oldest daughter and she is the narrator of their story. Describing what her mother does to keep them alive and as safe. Li-Hai is the opposite of her rebellious younger sister and while they often work together to help, they also are at odds with their beliefs.

Yu-Li Alice Shen narrated this one and definitely enhanced the journey of the Ang family. The emotions, the shock, and the love shown through in her narration. She made me feel like I was a part of the story experiencing every up and down.

This one is definitely one of the better reads for me this year.

I received this advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This novel was quite a surprise! I thoroughly enjoyed it and the very interesting storytelling about the civil War and the Communist revolution in China. This is a period of history that it is so often overlooked, and the role of women in trying to survive is particularly poignant. I also really enjoyed the last several chapters as the protagonist managed to make her own way in the world and find a way to empower her own daughter to achieve great things despite the system of patriarchy that she grew up in. What a strong debut!

**Many thanks to Berkley and Eve J. Chung for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**

"There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a third power stronger than both, that of women." - Malala Yousefzai

While some may be overjoyed at the birth of ANY child, in 1940s China, having "just another daughter" is nothing short of a curse. Amidst the poverty of the rural community of Shandong, the wealthy Ang family are desperate for a son to carry on the family name and the family wealth, leaving Hai and her sisters feeling like less of a blessing and more of a burden. With the Communist revolution knocking at their doorstep (quite literally) the girls try to keep their heads down and hope to remain out of the fray...but the rest of the family flees when soldiers arrive. Hai, as the eldest girl, is chosen to be representative for her family and must bear the brunt of the soldiers cruelty...and feels lucky to make it out alive.

Hai and her sisters know now is the time to make their escape, and with practically nothing but the burlap sacks they fashion as clothing (and flour they hide inside) to take with them as they are forced out...they have NO Idea if they will even make it to their destination alive. Their travels take them from Qingdao to Hong Kong to Taiwan, relying on the kindness of few along the way, with Hai keeping headstrong sister Di on the right path and hoping to lean on her intelligence to land a teaching job, the girls scrap, scrimp, and struggle their way across the countryside, determined to face the men who wronged them and forge a new path for themselves - one that doesn't revolve around producing yet another faceless male heir who will demand their subservience. As they finally reach family in Taiwan, will all of Hai's struggles and the arduous journey she has faced so far be worth the pain in the end as she is able to make a TRUE stand against injustice? Or will the firm grasp of the patriarchy keep these women "in their place" and stifle ANY chance for REAL independence?

With historical fiction, it's sometimes easier to get swept away by the text if you're very familiar with the place, era, and the events taking place...and in this case, I had little familiarity coming into this book about all three of those elements. I have to admit I spent a lot more of this read getting acclimated to what was going on at any given time, keeping track of where we were geographically, and keeping track of the characters and their activities than I would have liked, and this did take me out of the 'flow' a bit while reading. Chung is a very talented writer, but I felt like this read a bit more like a text rather than fiction at times, where there was a great deal of focus on the plot, where we were heading next, etc. so this style of HF reads a bit dry to me in comparison to others that have a more balanced approach. However, I also DO feel if I had the historical background coming INTO the book, this probably wouldn't have been noticeable or bothered me in the slightest, so it was one of those instances where I wish I'd taken a few minutes to do a little preemptive research before reading (and perhaps next time I will!)

What I honestly wished there was more of in this book was character development - because every glimpse we DID get into these fascinating women left me wanting more. At the beginning, I thought the harsh words from the girls' grandmother about how useless they were for not being born male etc. were going to play a bigger part in the overall goings on...but I felt like despite Chung's best efforts, there was so much plot content to get through, that I didn't get as thorough of a glimpse inside the minds of Hai, Di, and the others as I would have liked. I understood their struggles through the action, sure; but with such dynamic and intelligent personalities, it would have been even more impactful to get a firm sense of their INNER selves. I'm not saying this book could have necessarily functioned as a series of diary entries or the like, but I think utilizing that sort of device would have given an extra layer of realism and emotional connectivity that I personally look for in some of my favorite historical fiction reads.

What DID elevate the overall experience for me, however, was the detailed and fascinating author's note Chung includes at the end of this one, where she reveals that this book was in fact based on her OWN family's personal history. Her attention to detail and careful consideration while telling her family's story alone was enough to get me to bump up my rating. This is one of those author's notes that makes you want to read an entire BOOK (or maybe watch a documentary?) about the writing process because there is simply too much detail to fit inside an addendum. I know it probably isn't feasible, but since this is only Chung's debut, perhaps in the future she could delve into what happens next for our beloved women of Shandong.

And although I won't reveal whether or not grandmother Nai Nai has to eat her own words by the end of this harrowing tale...I WILL reference one other quote that sums up the power, the resilience, the determination, and the fortitude displayed by ALL of the Daughters of Shandong: "If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something DONE, ask a woman."

Perfectly stated, Margaret Thatcher.

4 stars, rounded up from 3.5

This powerful debut will keep you reading until the very last page. This novel tells the story of a mother and her daughters' escape to Taiwan at the time of the Communist Revolution in China. This was an eye opener for many reasons, and I enjoyed learning about this time and the culture especially around the women and daughters' dynamics in a family.

Quick and Dirty
-family saga historical fiction
-1940s China setting
-mother/daughter/sister drama
-culturally rich and heartfelt

What Worked
Anyone following me for a while knows that I love a strong female MC, and this debut novel has one of the best examples of perseverance, loyalty, and fearlessness I’ve read in a while. And did I mention she’s only 12? Getting swept away in this journey was easy. Chung’s rich historical detail and the story of Hai and her family made this immersive read fly by. The saga of the Ang sisters felt very real and raw, chiefly because of the author’s personal connection to the story (based on her family history). They faced EVERY hardship imaginable in their flight from the Communist regime, making this book more relevant than expected in our modern. It’s SO full of cultural and historical nuggets, leaving me satisfied that I was learning something I always enjoy (one of the main reasons I love reading histfic, TBH).

What Didn’t Work
Honestly, my only complaint about this powerful book is the number of times contemporary language and phrases were used. This happened a few times, primarily in the dialogue, and I found it momentarily distracting. Otherwise, this is a near-flawless debut that every historical fiction reader should consider!

Read This If
This book is perfect for folks looking to diversify their reading experience and learn something new about the Chinese Civil War!

Absolutely fantastic debut by Eve J. Chung. She weaves a stunning story of womanhood, family, perseverance and strength.

This is a historical fiction set in China during the Chinese Revolution. The wealthy Ang family flees their home when the revolutionaries seize it. However, the grandparents and the father leave the mother and her daughters behind. Since she hasn't produced a male heir, the grandmother looks down upon her daughter-in-law, and her granddaughters, deeming them less than worthy of her financial assistance. The mother and her daughters make a difficult journey across China, trying to reunite with the father. Sadly, the grandmother's hatred spews forth again and she tells her daughter-in-law not to come because her son will marry another.
I didn't know of the troubles that people had in China once the revolution took place. The internal politics and the cruelty among its citizens, especially females was heartbreaking. The kindness of a few good people restored my faith.
A very interesting story of hope and perseverance.

Compelling! A beautiful, bittersweet story of the strength and perseverance of one young Chinese refugee and her mother and sisters during the Chinese Communist Revolution. This book is the perfect blend of history, family saga, and coming-of-age.

Readers follow Hai, her mother and little sisters as they are abandoned by their patriarch and his parents at the onset of the Communist Revolution. They must not only survive, but try to find their way to Taiwan to reunite with the family who so willingly left them at the first sign of trouble. Of course, there are many obstacles and hardships along the way. We are filled in on Chinese culture and tradition, as well as shifts that occur with each generation, throughout the novel in the most authentic, least obtrusive way. The story is never interrupted to tell the reader these things, but we learn so much along the way, all while rooting for Hai and the women in her family.

Whether you’re a fan of historical fiction, feminist fiction, or just a great story, this one will hit the spot!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Thank you to @berkleypub for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

Daughters of Shandong is set in China in the late 1940s and 1950s as the Communist regime is overthrowing the Nationalist government. The story is told from the perspective of Hai, who is the eldest of four sisters. When her father and their grandparents, part of the land-owning Ang family, abandon Hai’s mother and her daughters, they must find a way to survive.

This story was really moving. It had so much empathy and emotion without crossing the line of being too heavy. I couldn’t get enough of the story, and I appreciate that it was told through the eyes of a young girl. It is heartbreaking to think of a mother and her young daughters being left behind because they were viewed as burdens, and I admire their resilience and how they never lost hope.

This is a fabulous debut, and I could see the love and care with which Eve treated the characters. The book is inspired by her personal family history and it shows.

This is a powerful, hopeful story that shows the resilience and enduring love of a mother and her daughters. I recommend it to any historical fiction fans!

I do not read much historical fiction, but I am so glad I picked this book up.

It was so heartbreaking to follow much of Hai's journey starting with being mistreated and overlooked as a young girl in her own family. She, her sisters, and mother endured so much as the Communist regime took over the county. Their journey was often harrowing but you also see the joy, friendship, and strength Hai finds as they try to make their way to Taiwan.

Eve Chung's writing was engaging and so descriptive and I can't stop thinking about this story. It is a fantastic first novel.

What a heartbreaking and beautifully written book about diaspora not across continents but within a single continent, about historical struggles with heartfelt personal connections that ring true and the emotions often overwhelming and raw. It is truly an honour and privilege that we are able to tell the stories of those who came before us, those whose lives made it so ours are not so bitter, so that us as descendants can enjoy the fruits of generational labour. The characters are imperfect, flawed, frustrating, sympathetic, stubborn, ambitious, resilient, and I cannot help but feel the weight of their growth but also the pains of their falls throughout this journey of a book that covered such an expansiveness.

I really enjoyed this novel.

I appreciated the female perspective of the aftermath of the communist revolution in China. It also brought to light for me the refugee experience in Hong Kong. While the end may have dragged a bit for me, I liked how it was meant to be a closed loop on the protagonists journey.

Reading the Author's note at the end also gave perspective to the history and the importance of the fictional story. I loved that this was the author's way to fill in the gaps of her grandma's experience by finding any possible archival research material that could shed more light.

A thoroughly researched and well-written novel, I recommend this book to those who are interested in historical fiction and women's rights.

This book was fascinating. On reflection, I’m sad that I didn’t know anything about the history of how China became a Communist country or about their civil war. I was glad to learn about these events through this book.

There’s a lot of hardship here but it’s ultimately an uplifting story. I just read “Lady Tan’s Circle of Women” with my book club. It is set in 1400s China and we were appalled at the treatment of women. This book is set 500 years later, and there is still a lot of misogyny, but there’s progress shown here that I wish I could have seen for Lady Tan.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This historical fiction book was a quick and engrossing read. I love when historical fiction tackles an era/location that is not typically seen and this one is definitely that. I will admit I didn’t know much and had not read about China as the communists took over from the Nationalists. The story is told by Hai, the oldest of three daughters. Hai’s mother is treated poorly by her in-laws especially after she keeps giving birth to girls. Hai, her mother, and her sisters are left behind when the communists are coming to guard the family home. Any thoughts of defending it are instantly forgotten when they see the crowds. Their journey to try to find the rest of their family is harrowing and full of hardship. I really liked Hai, she was a great character. It was very interesting to get a glimpse into another culture and a time period I didn’t know much about. This book was one of my favorite historical fiction books I’ve read in the last year and I will be keeping an eye out for more from Eve J. Chung.

It is a heartbreaking but inspiring novel. It's hard to believe this is a debut novel for Eve J. Chung. The writing was beautiful, as well as a masterfully written, powerful story. Reading these types of novels that explore the struggle of war, oppressive culture, and devastating poverty is hard to imagine what I would do if these were things I had to face and experience. Honestly, I don't know if I could have been as strong and resilient as Hai, her mother, and Hai's sisters were in their fight for survival. It's been a few weeks since I've read Daughters Of Shandong, and I still think about it. I highly recommend this novel to well.. everyone.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy.

This was such a standout historical fiction debut about family, survival, love and resistance. Set in 1950s China we follow one mother as she struggles to keep her daughters alive after being abandoned by her husband during the tumult of Mao's rule. Told from the perspective of her daughter, this book is heartbreaking and moving in equal parts and I couldn't put it down. HIGHLY recommended for fans of authors like Lisa See, Amy Tan and books like Wild swans by Jung Chang. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This is one not to miss!