Title: Falling Leaves
Author: Adeline Yen Mah
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Non-fiction, True stories
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Penguin books
Year: 1997
5th sentence, 74th page: Forget the Kung Fu masters and martial arts and all that foolishness.

Adeline Yen Mah’s childhood in China during the civil war was a time of fear, isolation and humiliation. The cause of this was not political upheaval but systematic emotional and physical abuse by her step-mother and sibling, and rejection by her father. Falling Leaves is the story of a ‘Fifth Younger Daughter’ and her determination to survive the pain of a lonely childhood.

It is honestly difficult to believe the depths of despair and tragedy which some people experience, and although it was an incredibly sobering experience reading of this in Falling Leaves, it was also a fantastic journey full of hope and strength. Not only did Falling Leaves remind me to never take anything for granted, but it was also a reminder that if you persevere, it is only you that can ultimately save or destroy your own future. Granted, some, like Adeline, definitely have all of the cards stacked against them – I can’t imagine the kind of life that she has led. But, in spite of all of this difficulty in her life, she managed to triumph and the woman who shines from the pages of this book is not only shrouded in her honesty and humility, but a light that can never possibly be dimmed.

There is something about true stories that bring out the most terrifying villain. The worst villains created in fantasy and fiction cannot hold a light to the characters that you know truly existed. Niang in Falling Leaves fits this bill perfectly. Her maliciousness and ability to manipulate others was somehow one of the more sinister things that I have read – the lasting imprint that she leaves on Adeline’s life and that of her family furthers the feeling of unease that lingered throughout my reading of this epic journey.

I’m not someone who knows much about history, especially the political history of most of the world. It isn’t something that has drawn my attention, so it was really nice to discover the upheavals of China in the recent past in a way that was both enlightening but also dramatically interesting. The use of Chinese proverbs and quotes throughout the text, and within the chapter headings helped to illuminate the world in which Adeline was raised.

<- Chinese Cinderella

I Am Malala ->

Image source: Book Douban

Title: Chinese Cinderella: The Secret Story of an Unwanted Daughter
Author: Adeline Yen Mah
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Non-fiction, True stories
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Puffin Books
Year: 1999
5th sentence, 74th page: Big Sister and our two older brothers knew her better than I did.

‘Tell me what my real mama looked like. I can’t picture her face.’
‘There are no photographs of her,’ said Aunt Baba… ‘Your father ordered all her photographs destroyed.’

When Adeline Yen Mah’s mother died giving birth to her, the family considered Adeline bad luck and she was made to feel unwanted all her life. Chinese Cinderella is the story of her struggle for acceptance and how she overcame the odds to prove her worth.

If you want a happy, cheerful biography that has some mild ups and downs, but in the end is a tale of happiness and love… this isn’t for you. Quite frankly, it’s depressing. But in this brutally honest, depressing tale, there is light, hope and strength. It is a stark reminder that regardless of the horrors of childhood, we can be true to ourselves. Regardless of what others want and expect from us. For some, it is impossible to break them, even though they are bent until they almost snap.

Although this story is horrifying in the abuse and mistreatment, the lack of love from Adeline’s father and step-mother is still offset by the love that her grandparents and aunt show her. The fact that eventually this is removed from her is another travesty in a life that is barely touched by light. However, at no point, is Adeline bitter or resentful, simply saddened. Her reflections of her childhood show a period of great loneliness and fear that plucks at every single heart string.

The story only ends when a brilliant young Adeline is finally able to attend University, and although the epilogue does reveal some of her eventual future, it leaves a lot of her later life open. Although you can feel the pain and isolation through her words, there is a need to know more about her adult life in England. Luckily, there is another book, Falling Leaves, that encompasses more of her life and tale.

<- The Autobiography of Malcolm X Review

Falling Leaves Review ->

Image source: Wikipedia