Chinese Cinderella - an emotional journey of survival. This book was recommended to me by a fellow colleague teaching the same year group and planniing for next term's literacy unit ( Stories from other cultures)
I managed to buy this book Tuesday morning and was so engrossed by this little ... Read review
Adeline Yen Mah first told her story in the emotive, bestselling Falling Leaves, an adult ... more
autobiography which charted her passage from childhood through to womanhood. Here in Chinese Cinderella she relates her tale for younger readers, detailing her d...
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Adeline Yen Mah first told her story in the emotive, bestsellingFalling Leaves, an adult ... more
autobiography which charted her passage from childhood through to womanhood. Here inChinese Cinderellashe relates her tale for younger readers, detailing her diffi...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Jung-ling's family considers her bad luck because her mother died giving birth to her. ... more
They discriminate against her and make her feel unwanted yet she yearns and continuously strives for her parents' love. Her stepmother is vindictive and cruel and he...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
1-5 of 9 reviews of Chinese Cinderella - Adeline Yen Mah
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child abuse that was accepted as norm!
Advantages: beautifully written and factual Disadvantages: a chilling insight into cruel traditions
Chinese Cinderella - an emotional journey of survival. This book was recommended to me by a fellow colleague teaching the same year group and planniing for next term's literacy unit ( Stories from other cultures)
I managed to buy this book Tuesday morning and was so engrossed by this little girl's journey that didn't put it down until completed.
GENRE
Historical Fiction / Autoboigraphy. Although listed under children's ... ...book comes in a bright Chinese red cover with an endearing photograph of Adeline inset and beautiful flower designs around the corners. There is a sequel in a blue cover so don't be confused by the 2.
The issue I purchased was a Puffin, paperback priced at £5.99.
CONTENTS
There are many references to the history of Chinese politics/war. Especially good are the references to the style and art of Chinese writing,(chapter ... more
Chinese Cinderella - an emotional journey of survival. This book was recommended to me by a fellow colleague teaching the same year group and planniing for next term's literacy unit ( Stories from other cultures) I managed to buy this book Tuesday morning and was so engrossed by this little girl's journey that didn't put it down until completed.
GENRE
Historical Fiction / Autoboigraphy. Although listed under children's Fiction I would encourage all readers to put this up.
COVER
The book comes in a bright Chinese red cover with an endearing photograph of Adeline inset and beautiful flower designs around the corners. There is a sequel in a blue cover so don't be confused by the 2. The issue I purchased was a Puffin, paperback priced at £5.99.
CONTENTS
There are many references to the history of Chinese politics/war. Especially good are the references to the style and art of Chinese writing,(chapter 22 is the orginal story of YE XIAN ; The Chinese Cinderella, in chinese writing) The language can be taught to be read and written without knowing how to speak it. Unlike our phoenetic alphabet this is one of pictograph.
The author explains how Chinese names are created within a family and the hiearchy that each child takes. This although a little confusing if read quickly, it is important for the whole story as many references are made to the siblings using their family position.
THE AUTHOR Adeline Yen Mah was born Jun-ling so her Chinese name was Yen Jun-ling. She was the 5th child in her family so the older generation referred to her as Wu Mei. Jun-ling had 1 older sister and 3 brothers. She now lives in America with her husband Bob Mah and has 2 children. She came to have the name Adeline due to the remarried of her father, about 1 year after her mother had died. The step-mother was of French / Chinese orginal and very European in style and manner. She give her step-children European names.
THE STORY
Adeline's life began tragic, her mother died after giving birth to her and she was blamed for the death. She was born in November 1937 in Tianjin (close to Beijing). The only 2 members of her family that show any constant love and affection towards her are, her Grandfather (Ye Ye) and her Aunt Baba. As the story progresses her cruel step-mother (Niang) ensures she is separated from these two people, blaming them for making the child weak and spoilt.
The story is set in pre- second world war China and takes us through the death of her beloved grandmother Nai Nai and disappearance of her father, his first wife and their son, leaving her behind with her 4 biological siblings and half sister. She remembers this time as being good and not missing her father. Her Aunt Baba and YE YE look after the children.
When they are taken to the station one day the children, except the half sister aged 6 months, are reunited with their father and whisked away to Shanghai to live in the French part of the city.
The description of her step-mother gives the reader a good insight to how this little flower will be treated. The children are enrolled into schools a fair distance from the home. Adeline is in 1st grade. Not only is she not taken to school by anyone, until the cook sees her crying (she's been left behind) but no-one collects her after school. She ends up trying to walk home but gets lost in the busy market streets of Shangai. When she manages to find a phone and call home the reality of not being missed hits her (and the reader) hard.
She really is not wanted. However, her younger half -sister, is also treated badly to start with when, after 2 yrs she rejoins the family. Aunt Baba brought her up so she has no idea who her mother (Naing) is. When the toddler refuses to go to her, Naing slaps her continuously until only the brave little Adeline screams for her to stop. If this woman can treat her own child so viciously what will she do to her step daughter?
The divide between the children becomes more apparent during chapter 9 - chinese new year. The 5 step children are dressed in cheap traditional chinese dress whereas the 2 'new' children in expensive stylish western clothes.
The story progresses through Adeline's life introducing the reader to the mental and physical abuse she endures from pretty much everyone in her family. We do see small snippets of comradship between the siblings but these are usually interrupted and ruin by the step-mother.
At the age of 7 Adeline was being called a Genius. Her writing even then showed her thoughts reflecting the underlining strenghts of her character and beliefs in justice for all, regardless of gender or age. Like all great writers she used her work to escape from the hurt she experienced daily.
In chapter 12 we see her elder sister married off at the age of 17 to a family friend of 31. Another custom that unfortunity is still present.
FOOT BINDING From the outset of the book Adeline explains about her Grandmother not be able to walk properly due to the cruel tradition imposed on Chinese girl's from the age of 3 / 4 years old. I have looked on the internet and found some very distrubing pictures of this cruel tradition.
BACK TO THE STORY
Up until now (chpt 12) Adeline's abuse have mainly come from her step-mother. However, the heartless whipping and banishment to a Tianjin boarding school from her father shows that she is indeed an unwanted daughter. The school to which she is sent is during the communist invasion of Manchuria and Beijing. Most people were fleeing the province - was this hatred or indiffernce that he felt?
I feel I have told you more than enough about this emtional story of abuse and the struggle of survival of a young, innocent girl who just wanted to be accepted. A really powerful and humbling read.
~ About ~
Chinese Cinderella is the heartbreaking true story of Adeline Yen Mah from when she was a toddler up until 14 years of age. The book is written by Adeline Yen Mah herself.
Adeline Yen Mah's Chinese Cinderella is the childs version of the early chapters of her bestselling autobiography, falling leaves. After the death of her stepmother, she felt compelled to sell her story. The book is set in World War 2.
~ Storyline ~
Adeline Yen Mah's ... ...and Ye Ye (her grandfather). Chinese Cinderella is the story of how young Adeline struggles for her acceptance and to prove her worth.
~ Characters ~
In Chinese Cinderella, there are countless characters. It may grow confusing as the characters have Chinese names, so most people aren't used to them, and also because of the way the brothers and sisters are called. The main characters are;
~ Adeline Yen Mah (also known as Yen Jun-Ling in the book) ...
Julia95x 25.10.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Chinese Cinderella - Adeline Yen Mah
Advantages: It's a beutiful and tragic story, your constantly feeling sympathy towards her and feel lucky that you weren't brought up like that. Disadvantages: It's makes you feel really down although it is very interesting.
...fifth child to an affluent Chinese family her life begins tragically. Adeline’s mother died shortly after her birth due to complications bought on by the delivery, and in Chinese culture this marks her as cursed or ‘bad luck’. This situation is enforced on her so much that when her father’s new marriage took place to a lady who has little affection for her husband’s five children. She displayed overt antagonism and distrust towards all of the children, ... ...born soon after the marriage. The book outlines Adeline’s struggle to find a place where she feels she belongs.
She found a strong relationship with her grandfather as everyone else denighed her that love. Her Grandfather YeYe is what really gave her the strength to go on.
Also her Aunt Baba, a women who looked after her was the closest thing to a mother she ever got.
Some examples of the creulties faced by her, is when she was a little child, ...
moo_trendy_cow 15.07.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Chinese Cinderella - Adeline Yen Mah
...the story of a young chinese girl, and her time growing up in China and Hong Kong, during the 1940's and 1950's.. The story however, does not dwell on this fact, but more on the her own personal experiences, growing up being hated by even her family. This book is written similar to an autobiography, but in a way that you are actually placed there as the young girl. The author is Adeline Yen Meh. The reason as to what makes this book so special, is ... ...heart, as a young girl hated by her family. She was deemed bad luck because her mother died during her birth. Because of this, she was became the unwanted child throught her life. Her father had remarried after the death of her mother, but to a lady who hated her most. Adeline however, did have two companions whilst growing up, her Aunt and her Grandfather, both of whom cared for her dearly. This story tells that story. What its like to be born into ...
theenglishviet 06.08.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Chinese Cinderella - Adeline Yen Mah
Advantages: True story.Enjoyable read. Very interesting Disadvantages: Very emotional which can be a bit upsetting.
I recently read this book at part of a school project. I enjoyed it thoroughly and once I had started reading it was difficult to put down.
The book is a sad and emotional biography by Adeline Yen Mah. Adeline’s mother tragically died because of complication’s with Adeline’s birth. Her father blamed Adeline for the death and considered her to be bad luck. Her father then re-married and had 2 more children with his new wife, Niang. Niang treated ... ...but for Adeline and the rest of her siblings they could only eat at certain times and only had a few clothes and got last pick in everything. The only members of her family who she feels close to is her Grandfather, Ye-Ye and her Aunt Baba. Ye-Ye later dies and Adeline isn’t told about the death until she was on the way to his funeral. Adeline has a very tough life with her mother and grandfather’s death, the rejection from her father and stepmother. ...
lulu_111 20.03.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Chinese Cinderella - Adeline Yen Mah
Advantages: Very descriptive Disadvantages: Only goes up to when Adeline was fourteen - There is another book called 'Falling Leaves' about whan she became an adult.
I read Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah about a month ago and, as they say, it was one of those books that you just cannot bear to put down.
It is the story of Adeline's childhood. It is so descriptive you see everything as if you were remembering the whole book with Adeline - That you had known all of her friends and relatives. Her mother died when she was born and so her older brothers and sisters made out that she was bad luck and they made ... ...All through this wonderfully told book Adeline is rejected by practically everyone who knows her. Her father re - marries to a cruel but beautiful and rich woman who he has two children with. It is amazing how obvious they made it that these two children were more important to them than Adeline and her mother's children - They got much more expensive clothes, they got to have first choice of everyhing, they got to share a whole floor of their house ...
8078 13.02.2001 (08.02.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Chinese Cinderella - Adeline Yen Mah
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