Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. ChungDaughters of Shandong by Eve J Chung was a book club pick. It is historical fiction set during the Communist uprising in China. The book is difficult to read due to the violence and dire circumstances that Hai, her mother, and her sister must endure.
Description
When the Ang family gets word that the Communist army will soon be in Zucheng and that it will not be safe for land owners, Hai’s father leaves with her grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins, with only Hai, her mother, and her two younger sisters staying in the house. When Hai’s mother asks her husband and his family to take the girls and leave her behind, the mother in law refuses, saying that they would only be a burden to slow them down. With this one callous choice, the mother and girls are set on a terrifying journey where safety and caring for basic needs are always in question.
Perhaps the greatest trauma is when Hai is made to suffer the consequences of the Ang family’s long history of owning land and working the villagers too hard and with too little income. The irony of the situation is not lost on Hai, who has no rights and would not inheritance because she is a female. In fact, she has been left behind because she, as a girl, is of no practical use to her family.
As Hai moves with her mother and sisters through China, mostly on foot, and with no reliable sustenance or place to live, she learns to survive in whatever way that she can–eating from the garbage, helping her mother make match boxes, and trying to build her own business ventures. The message from her family is very clear: women are less than second class citizens, they are possessions that mean little beyond domestic work and birthing boys. Though, painfully, Hai sees other fathers who care deeply for their wives and daughters, and will take any risk to get back to them.
As Hai and her closest sister, Di, both struggle to live, Hai stays close to her mother, loyal and supporting her and her sisters. Di looks out for herself first, keeping her earnings and findings largely to herself. She does not feel the same pull of filial piety that guides Hai, who supports her mother even when she does not agree or is angry with her.
Amidst the extreme difficulties of life on their own, Hai finds some comfort in her ability to make choices instead of being ruled over by her grandmother. She cannot help but feel heartbroken over being left behind by her father, but she is also not eager to return to his home.
Perhaps the greatest trauma is when Hai is made to suffer the consequences of the Ang family’s long history of owning land and working the villagers too hard and with too little income. The irony of the situation is not lost on Hai, who has no rights and would not inheritance because she is a female. In fact, she has been left behind because she, as a girl, is of no practical use to her family.
As Hai moves with her mother and sisters through China, mostly on foot, and with no reliable sustenance or place to live, she learns to survive in whatever way that she can–eating from the garbage, helping her mother make match boxes, and trying to build her own business ventures. The message from her family is very clear: women are less than second class citizens, they are possessions that mean little beyond domestic work and birthing boys. Though, painfully, Hai sees other fathers who care deeply for their wives and daughters, and will take any risk to get back to them.
As Hai and her closest sister, Di, both struggle to live, Hai stays close to her mother, loyal and supporting her and her sisters. Di looks out for herself first, keeping her earnings and findings largely to herself. She does not feel the same pull of filial piety that guides Hai, who supports her mother even when she does not agree or is angry with her.
Amidst the extreme difficulties of life on their own, Hai finds some comfort in her ability to make choices instead of being ruled over by her grandmother. She cannot help but feel heartbroken over being left behind by her father, but she is also not eager to return to his home.
Would I teach this book?
The Daughters of Shandong seems to be well-researched and describes a path that many Chinese people travelled during that time period. Hai is a strong character who is likeable and seems able to overcome an overwhelming helplessness that pervades her life. The prose itself does not sparkle, but the story almost makes up for what it lacks in the narration. For these reasons, it seems like a book that I would consider teaching.
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