Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah is the story of an unwanted daughter. I had read about this book on a website (I think Oprah but I don’t remember) I became enthralled, so when I finally bought and opened the book I was relieved to find that it is a memorable and even enjoyable story.
When Yen Jun-ling is born her mother dies, and that is the misfortune of her entire existence. Her father remarries and proceeds to ignore her and her siblings causing her siblings to blame Jun-ling for being the cause of their father’s abandonment.
Chinese Cinderella is an autobiography. It is a story written by a mature woman about her own upbringing and is set against a backdrop of living in Japanese-occupied China and the war between the communists and nationalists which followed Japan's defeat at the end of the World War Two. There are some captivating insights of the old mode of life such as the binding of Grandmother Nai Nai's feet which had been the practice in China for over a thousand years. But this is largely an account of the unyielding abandonment and antipathy which was piled on Yen Jun-ling during her agonizing childhood, and the way she chose to deal with it. Her description is delivered with the insight of a mature woman.
This book is exceptionally unforgettable. It is an astonishing account of abuse and malevolence which will stay with you after you finish the book. My opinion is that the book is so well written that despite the content you will not be able to put it down.
Five Stars !!
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