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Falling Leaves: the True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter - Buffy The Vampire Slayer Book Review

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"Falling Leaves: the True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter"
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Review Summary
Against the background of Chinese history, Adeline Yen Mah tells the story of her own, more personal struggle - her grim, gruesome childhood. Born to a wealthy family in pre-revolution China, Adeline was the unwanted daughter, the child that "killed her mother" (in reality, poor post-natal hygiene killed her mother). Her situation became intolerably worse when her father married a second time, to the beautiful, cruel Niang, whose primary interest in life appears to have been manipulation and emotional abuse. Although the story is depressing in parts, infuriating in others, it ends well - with a happy marriage and a new life in America for Adeline. And that's its saving grace - the book isn't just the story of a wretched childhood, its the story of overcoming one.
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Detailed literary breakdown of Falling Leaves: the True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Ethnic/Relig. of subject (inside) - Chinese
Gender/Class story? - woman's story
Family, hate Yes
Struggle with: - Step Parent(s)
The difficult family member - disapproves of life choices
Ethnic/regional/gender Yes
Period of greatest activity? - 1950+

Subject of Biography
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - doctor
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
Ethnicity - Chinese
Nationality - Chinese
How sensitive is this person? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other people
Physique - average physique

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 3 (some)
United States Yes
The US: - California
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK
Asia/Pacific Yes
Asian country: - China

Style
Person - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Commentary on society? Yes
Commentary on - decency
Story of entire life, or part? - story of nearly entire life
Autobiography? Yes
How much dialogue in bio? - little dialog
How much is philosophy rather than life story? - 0-25% of book
Most similar books to Falling Leaves: the True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter
Falling Leaves: the True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah
Aliens in America by Sandra Tsing Loh
Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah
Wild Swans by Jung Chang
Chasing Hepburn: A Memoir of Shanghai, Hollywood, and a Chinese Family's Fight for Freedom by Gus Lee




Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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