Here are notes about two books: one a memoir by their niece about an accomplished pair of Chinese sisters and the other the Elizabeth George mystery I just finished reading. In addition, there are a few more recommended titles.
CHINESE FAMILY MEMOIR
Daughters of the Flower Fragrant Garden: Two Sisters Separated by China’s Civil War by Zhuqing Li
This is a heartfelt family saga of determination, dedication, and resilience. Sisters Jun and Hong, born into a formerly wealthy Chinese family, end up on opposite sides of the political divide and physically separated by the waters between mainland China and the island of Jinmen (now Quemoy). Their career ambitions (medicine and teaching) and their personal lives are impacted by the civil war and later, the hardships of the Cultural Revolution.
Through extensive family conversations and research, author Li has crafted a marvelous account of how these two very different women, her aunts, accommodated themselves to their respective political climates, raised children, and still managed to forge a path ahead.
Li’s perceptive rendering of their different approaches to life provides added depth. I was immersed in this book from the moment I began reading and give it a 5-star rating! I received an advance copy of this book from BookBrowse. Publication date is later in June.
COMPLEX MURDER MYSTERY
Something to Hide by Elizabeth George
Elizabeth George’s Lynley mysteries are character studies as much as they are mysteries which, for me, is a large part of their appeal. Something to Hide has a range of characters from the usual detectives Thomas Lynley, Barbara Havers, and Winston Nkata, to the family and friends of the murder victim and two Nigerian families.
George has taken on the delicate subject of genital cutting or infibulation which is still practiced in Nigeria and, in this novel, also in London. How the murder victim, herself a police officer, and one Nigerian family indirectly intersect makes for a complex mix of protest, race, class, and love.
Not only does the reader experience an abusive marriage in one Nigerian family, but Lynley grapples with the nuances of his love for Daidre and his expectations of her. Yes, it’s very long, but I found it a most satisfying read.
MORE RECOMMENDED TITLES
Here are a few titles recommended by my sister-in-law. I was pleased to see that two of these titles my book group will read this year.
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
French Braid by Anne Tyler
Memphis by Tara Stringfellow
Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare
The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
The Zhuqing Li sounds fascinating. I’m #1 on the holds list at Brooklyn Public. Thanks! Can’t wholeheartedly recommend Miss Aldridge Regrets after finishing the last bit of it. Great descriptions of 1930s jazz club scene in London and life & intrigue aboard the Queen Mary, but the ending fell flat for me.