Customer Reviews

When Huai Flowers Bloom: Stories of the Cultural Revolution

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I initially was interested in this because it was non-fiction about the Cultural Revolution. I had recently seen a photograph art exhibit about the Cultural Revolution and realized I hadn't read anything about China, let alone this dark time of Mao. So I was looking for information and experiences that could help clue me in. Perhaps that was why I didn't find all that I was looking for in this book.

It is more a collection of stories about her family and tradition and magic from childhood that happens to be set in the Cultural Revolution when the author was growing up. Chronologically it jumps around so you meet family members at different times and then they get re-described in later stories. You see them die in one story and then they are alive again in the next one. It is a bit confusing. The author does nicely describe the scene for you though, for me, perhaps a bit too much language was used on this and not enough in giving the reader real, useful information. I am still looking for other non-fiction on Cultural Revolution to give me a better picture, but this one did teach me some things and gave me a bit of perspective.

This book is autobiographical...it is a series of stories about the author as she was growing up in China during the cultural revolution. It is beautifully written and transcends any cultural differences. You will be filled with both joy and sorrow as you read her wonderful tales.