" A truly moving and stunning biographical work, Chang tells the three interconnected stories of her grandmother, mother and herself, together all of whom experienced the most tumultuous century in Chinese history. Her gift of writing not only brings the shocking events to life, but the reader feels for each character and is moved by their stories and hardships. This book is obviously deeply personal to Chang, and it reads so: like reading a collection of diaries. An important book to read to understand the personal impacts the last century has had on the Chinese. "
— James, 2/11/2014