Miss Chopsticks
XinranThe Li sisters don't have much education, but one thing has been drummed into them: their mother is a failure because she hasn't managed to produce a son, and they themselves only merit a number as a name. When circumstances lead the sisters to seek work in distant Nanjing, the shocking new urban environment opens their eyes. And when the money they earn, starts arriving back at the village, their father is forced to recognise that daughters are not so dispensable after all.
Comments from Groups
We generally enjoyed it but felt it was definitely a thinly veiled work of fiction. Auckland 292 Interesting discussion about arranged marriages [and] the alarming [fact] that it was less than 10 years ago...Also discussion about it being almost a documentary. Dunedin 062 ...well received and generated some good discussion. Although some felt the translation was a barrier, most enjoyed the novelty of the translation and simplistic writing style. Palmerston Nth 006 Bit fanciful, portrayed in a positive way from what we hear of China. Napier 024 A sweet easy read. The nicest book about Chinese women that we have read. Ashhurst 002 We'd read 'The Good Women of China' before and they sit well together as an insight of China. Auckland 211 Interesting picture of life in rural China compared to urban life for younger women. Simple, naive style of expression but thought it may be a direct translation. Christchurch 086
Pages
257
257
Year
2007
2007
Reviews
22-03-2023
A 5 star book. This book was a good read. It was educational, funny, and yet a thoughtful read.
03-10-2022
Interesting concept but story a bit lost in translation. Generated good discussion about China.
06-03-2019
Once again we all thoroughly enjoyed this read. It was beautifully written - full of imagery and quaint Chinese sayings. It gave us a great insight into Chinese thinking and their way of life.
06-03-2019
An interesting and illuminating read - women are still at 'the bottom of the heap' in China. Xinran chose three sisters who all were lucky when they went to the city to find work, and met kind employers who offered help and guidance - not all young women would be so lucky.
06-03-2019
All of us really enjoyed this book. It really 'brought home' the differences between life in the country versus life in the city in China. Three of our group have visited China and added much to the discussion by recounting their experiences. We enjoyed the way the author chose 3 sisters with different abilities/experiences.
06-03-2019
We all enjoyed this very informative book and have been inspired to read Xinran's other books. A very good discussion had about China.
06-03-2019
Everyone enjoyed the book. We found it an easy read, and it generated stimulating discussion.
06-03-2019
Most people finished the book. We didn't think it was especially memorable. The writing style was quite childlike - whether that was to do with the translation or not, we are not sure. One of our members had visited Nanjing during the time the book was set, and thought it a realistic portrayal of the setting and events at that time.
06-03-2019
Although we thought the book was readable, we felt the story didn't really go anywhere. Disappointing ending.