Book Review: All the Flowers in Shanghai
All the Flowers in Shanghai LP by Duncan Jepson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
In 1930s Shanghai, women didn’t have much control over their lives. When 18 year old Feng’s parents arrange for her to marry into the Sang family, it doesn’t even occur to her to object. She must do what is expected of her. Unfortunately, Feng is very naive and doesn’t have any idea what her wifely duties will entail. Being visited by her new husband night after night wears her down and turns her bitter. She comes up with a terrible plan to exact revenge on her husband and his family.
All the Flowers in Shanghai is definitely not a feel good book. Feng makes hard choices that I didn’t agree with and she really isn’t even all that likeable, especially in the middle of the book. I did enjoy Feng’s relationship with her handmaiden Yan. I would love it if the author wrote a follow-up about what Yan’s private life was like. In spite of my issues with the main character, I found the story interesting and engaging. I appreciated learning what life in China was like, especially for women, in the early 20th century. Learning about all the ritual and ceremony that was part of the culture then was fascinating.
I’m glad I read this book. I’d like to read more books about China to learn even more about the history and culture there.
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(I received this book courtesy of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.)
