Deanna Fei

I have looked forward to this book for a long time but I struggled to get through it. One reason was that my edition had tiny print and my eyesight is. Also, I felt that when the author switched time and place, I need more transition. Also, I was hoping for more character development. I did really like the character Sophie, the granddaughter who was struggling with bulima. Not fitting the stereotype of a thin, petite Chinese-American woman, she did not feel comfortable with her curves.

This book is focused on three generations, a grandmother, two daughters and one of their three granddaughters. The men in the book had marginal importance. All of the women had secrets that they did not reveal to any of their family. They take a tour of China together for two weeks in China. They really did not want to go, except for one the daughters, Nora. Nora wanted the trip bind their family together. Eventually, that goal did more forward in understanding but the secrets stood as barriers, it was extremely difficult to disclose them. The biggest secret of all was revealed not by the person who had it but by her husband.

I think the book could have been improved with editing and more deepth in the characters.

I hope that author does not get discouraged and continues to write further. The book is very ambitious but I hope that the auther takes one simpler themes.… (plus d'informations)

***I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

I found the introduction of this book to be particularly powerful. The writing is descriptive, and commanding. I found this to be raw, and blunt. Given that I was also a girl in a glass box, born two moths prematurely myself, I found the story easy to relate to.

The tone changes to what I would call more of a miracle story at about 60 percent through, so that's different, but I still enjoyed the book overall.

… (plus d'informations)

After having a perfectly normal first pregnancy and giving birth to a wonderfully healthy boy (whom I wouldn't be surprised grows up to be a psychopath after the weird praise and expectations both his parents put on him - but that's another story) she has a surprise pregnancy, which also seems perfectly healthy until, out of the blue, she goes into labor at 25 weeks and 3 days. Needless to say, this baby needs extreme attention and she spends months pumping breast milk every 2 to 3 hours. Months! I loved breastfeeding, just attached my babies to my breasts and went about any ol' business I wanted to. I can't imagine being attached to a breast pump every 2-3 hours for months. Then, when it seems everyone might be out of the woods, the boss of the company holds a press conference in which he says the reason he's stealing from everyone's retirement is that the company experienced a severe loss due to 2 "distressed" babies who had been born that year. This lead to what was a far more "likeable" part of the book in which Fei discusses health care, health insurance and whether or not some people should be ashamed for needing more health care than others. Really an excellent analysis of the situation of health care, corporate greed and insurance in the US.… (plus d'informations)