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Adeline Yen Mah
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Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter Paperback – April 6, 1999

by Adeline Yen Mah (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,773 ratings
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Falling Leaves
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The emotionally wrenching yet ultimately uplifting memoir of a Chinese woman struggling to win the love and acceptance of her family.

Born in 1937 in a port city a thousand miles north of Shanghai, Adeline Yen Mah was the youngest child of an affluent Chinese family who enjoyed rare privileges during a time of political and cultural upheaval. But wealth and position could not shield Adeline from a childhood of appalling emotional abuse at the hands of a cruel and manipulative stepmother. Determined to survive through her enduring faith in family unity, Adeline struggled for independence as she moved from Hong Kong to England and eventually to the United States to become a physician and writer.

A compelling, painful, and ultimately triumphant story of a girl's journey into adulthood, Adeline's story is a testament to the most basic of human needs: acceptance, love, and understanding. With a powerful voice that speaks of the harsh realities of growing up female in a family and society that kept girls in emotional chains, Falling Leaves is a work of heartfelt intimacy and a rare authentic portrait of twentieth-century China.

"Riveting. A marvel of memory. Poignant proof of the human will to endure." —Amy Tan
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  1. Print length
    278 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Crown
  4. Publication date
    April 6, 1999
  5. Dimensions
    5.14 x 0.81 x 7.93 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780767903578
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0767903578
  8. Lexile measure
    950L
  9. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
1,773 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book wonderful, mesmerizing, and powerful. They also find the insights fascinating, inspirational, and rich. Readers describe the story as compelling, touching, and incredible. They praise the writing quality as well-written, creative, and talented. Opinions are mixed on the heartbreaking story, with some finding it sad and poignant, while others say it's depressing.

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ReadabilityInsightStory qualityWriting qualityAge rangeHeartbreaking storyCharacter development
60 customers mention "Readability"60 positive0 negative

Customers find the book wonderful, mesmerizing, and emotional. They appreciate its literary value and historical background. Readers also say it provides a good layman's view of Chinese child-rearing.

"...I thought this book was fascinating and a terrific tale of the healing power of the human spirit...." Read more

"...This is a compelling read, though difficult. How good to know that Adeline found a kindred spirit in her husband, Bob. What kind of mother was she?..." Read more

"...I have given this book 4 stars because of its literary value and the historical background that comes alive and adds so much to the story of this..." Read more

"...Well worth reading" Read more

54 customers mention "Insight"54 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating, inspirational, and rich. They appreciate the blending of history with a true story of life for a Chinese girl. Readers say the historical references are enlightening and touch every nerve in the human spirit. They also mention it reveals the painful modern history of China through the eyes of a girl.

"...I thought this book was fascinating and a terrific tale of the healing power of the human spirit...." Read more

"...This book touches every nerve in the human spirit. I highly recommend it." Read more

"...These insights are valuable in that they do provide a point of view towards the modern history of China, from an upper class perspective, enclosed..." Read more

"...Yen's Falling Leaves book is a truly great book for Chinese History with more specific details...." Read more

36 customers mention "Story quality"36 positive0 negative

Customers find the story compelling, touching, and incredible. They also say it's fascinating, moving, and well-written. Readers mention the book is a moving story of family during a gripping time in China.

"...It’s a story of perseverance. Thus, I suggest you read this book if you’re looking for motivation within your own life...." Read more

"...and dreams that readers can understand after reading this well written biography...." Read more

"...value and the historical background that comes alive and adds so much to the story of this family...." Read more

"...Mah is a remarkable woman! The Memoir is equally incredible!!" Read more

36 customers mention "Writing quality"30 positive6 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book well-written, creative, and easy to read. They also say the author is talented and descriptive.

"...She has an ease of writing that very much feels as if she is having a conversation with the reader, and the book just flows...." Read more

"...Mah’s writing style is more simple than complex, as she narrated her story from her past perspectives...." Read more

"...AUTHOR, ADELINE YEN MAH, IS A BRILLIANT, DEEPLY COMPASSIONATE, AND SOULFUL WRITER. THIS GRIPPING BOOK IS HARD TO PUT DOWN...." Read more

"...The writing was smooth and readable, made interesting with Chinese chapter headings and expressions in the narrative...." Read more

6 customers mention "Age range"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book inspirational and great for anyone of any age. They love the determination of the little girl and admire her candor and courage.

"...But she writes so well, it is easy to imagine this child, who was treated so cruelly in her youth and young adulthood, and what such sad, lonely,..." Read more

"Love the determination of the little girl...." Read more

"...story of Adeline Yen Mah it is truly inspirational and a great book for anyone of any age...." Read more

"Good read for young girls who need guidance in life. I've had this book since I was about 12 and I read it every time I was sad and felt alone." Read more

35 customers mention "Heartbreaking story"22 positive13 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the heartbreaking story. Some mention it's sad and poignant, while others say it's depressing and hopeful.

"...It’s an emotional read that provokes empathy over the sadness of Mah’s story but also inspires confidence because of her determination to succeed in..." Read more

"...Her childhood is pathetic and sympathetic in the extreme. Poor little Adeline = angel. Evil stepmother Niang = the devil...." Read more

"This was an incredibly sad story of psychological abuse, insidious greed, jealousy and hate...." Read more

""Falling Leaves" is a heartbreaking, revealing story of a family in emotional breakdown mode...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"3 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development. Some mention it's wonderful, while others say the characters lack personality.

"An easy read with family lies, love and disfunction. Good characters. A picture of family dynamics that will floor you." Read more

"...Throughout this book I find that the characters have no real peace, although they follow religious rituals...." Read more

"...The story is wonderful, full, with wonderful character development...." Read more

"...There is no development of any of the characters. Her chronological story telling is all over the place and very choppy...." Read more

Clearly secondhand
2 out of 5 stars
Clearly secondhand
The book was marketed as a new copy but was clearly secondhand. There were underlined words and folded pages, and the edge showed obvious discolouration despite it being plastic wrapped. The book itself is obviously amazing but the integrity of this bookseller not so much.
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Top reviews from the United States

M. Galindo
5.0 out of 5 stars The Plight Of An Unloved Child
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2007
Verified Purchase
Although this book was difficult at times to read, the author did keep me fascinated with her story. She has an ease of writing that very much feels as if she is having a conversation with the reader, and the book just flows.

The story is one that is ageless: a man marries a woman and they have several children (in this case 5). When the youngest is born, the woman dies from complications, and the man in his loneliness quickly finds another woman to marry. He concerns himself more with outward appearances than with character, and ends up with wife #2 who is controlling, domineering, and wishes she had been wife #1 instead of wife #2. She really doesn't care for the fact that her husband has 5 children from wife #1, but no matter. Since her husband is weak and does as she wishes, she can treat them as she likes. Which isn't pleasant.

Adeline is the youngest of the 5 siblings and therefore the recipient of not only her stepmother's wrath, but most often her 4 siblings as well. Unlike some children, Adeline never seems to truly stand up for herself, and that might be her personality or it might be cultural. Whatever it is, it defines her.

Some reviewers here think Adeline is "whiny", especially after she reaches adulthood. Perhaps. However, if anyone knows somebody who was treated as though they were unwanted and/or unloved as a child - and my mother was such a one - then they might very well see the same behavior Adeline portrays as an adult.

I thought this book was fascinating and a terrific tale of the healing power of the human spirit. At times I just wished I could have reached through the pages of this book and snatched Adeline away to a safe place where she could be nutured and feel safe.
14 people found this helpful
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Hafiz Ahmed
4.0 out of 5 stars and killing your mother in childbirth meant you were bad luck. These conditions already gave her bad relations ...
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2018
Verified Purchase
Mainly set in 1940-50’s China, Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter is a personal account a women’s lifelong hardships stemming from an unloving family and traditional Chinese thinking. It’s an emotional read that provokes empathy over the sadness of Mah’s story but also inspires confidence because of her determination to succeed in life.

Despite growing up in a very powerful and wealthy family due to her Father’s export business, Mah didn’t have as enjoyable of a childhood as one would think. Right from birth, She was looked at negatively in the household as her mother died giving birth to her. Mah explains her position in the family blatantly when saying, “I knew that I was the least-loved child because I was a girl and because my mother had died giving birth to me.” Her family's perception of her characterizes the beliefs of 20th century China well: women were subordinate to men because they could not be able to provide for a family financially due to limited social mobility, and killing your mother in childbirth meant you were bad luck. These conditions already gave her bad relations with most of her family. Her father ignored her because her existence embodied the loss of his significant other, and her siblings tormented her because she was the youngest of the five.
After the death of her mother, Mah’s father decided to remarry to a half European, half Chinese women whom the kids would call Niang (mother). Due to European culture being valued as high class in Chinese society, Niang viewed herself as better than the rest of the family and was uncontested in dominating the household. In her attempt to unspoil and teach the children important values, Niang set very strict rules on the children and would verbally and physically abuse them as punishment. Adeline vividly describes an instance during her primary school days, where Niang vigorously slapped her until her face was “stained with a mixture of tears and bloody mucus” because a couple of friends came to her house as a surprise (Mah 69). Due to the manipulative character of Niang, there was no hope for Mah to have a normal childhood where she could enjoy being a kid and feel supported by her parents.
Even without the backbone of great parenting, Mah still managed to ignore discouragement and make something of her life primarily due to one person that did love her: her Aunt Baba. Aunt Baba provided her Adeline with comfort and made encouraged to take pride in her abilities and accomplishments. Because of her aunt’s protection and guidance, Adeline gained confidence in her academic ability and realized that education was a ticket to freedom away from her misery brought on by the rest of her family; Education was used as her motivation for a better life. As a result of her excellent academics, Adeline was eventually able to attend medical residency in the United States and establish an enjoyable life there.
Mah’s writing style is more simple than complex, as she narrated her story from her past perspectives. Her language truly conveyed the intensity of her emotions at the time of the events, which allowed me to visualize the scenes well and understand how she really felt. There were times in the novel where Niang’s cruel actions toward Adeline infuriated me so much, that I physically wanted to punch her square in the face.
Overall, this story is a reminder that if one has a strong will, they can overcome life’s challenges. It’s a story of perseverance. Thus, I suggest you read this book if you’re looking for motivation within your own life. After having read the circumstances Mah had to deal with, I realized not everyone has equal opportunity or privileges. Now, I am extremely grateful for certain aspects of life and freedoms I have, that Mah did not have. Everyone has problems with his or her own life; however, my problems seemed like minor issues in comparison to Mah’s ones. I feel that anyone that reads this book can a learn a lesson about adversity and feel inspired to accomplish their desires.
13 people found this helpful
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pam coon
5.0 out of 5 stars A Heart Wrenching Story
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2014
Verified Purchase
I was captivated by Adeline's life story and found it extremely painful to read about her childhood hardships. The unfairness of it all. It wasn't until I talked with a friend from another culture that I came to better understand that the child born to a mother who dies in childbirth is considered evil and consequently, certainly unwanted. Cruel to be sure, but the added cruelty was from a selfish, uncaring stepmother. Thank goodness for the kindness of her Auntie, who left Adeline with the courage, fortitude and wherewithal to make it through her difficult childhood. I kept thinking, "Adeline will grow up." That is what kept me reading on -- knowing that someday she would be an adult and free of the tyranny of her childhood. The compelling thing though, is that none of us, certainly not Adeline, is free from the forever hope of acceptance and approval. Even though one wonders why it is in the human nature to try so hard to gain that approval from someone so evil and mean spirited as her stepmother. It was gratifying to learn that the approval she so desperately needed was found in the end when reading her father's will.

This is a compelling read, though difficult. How good to know that Adeline found a kindred spirit in her husband, Bob. What kind of mother was she? That question isn't answered in this book. I think the wounds go deep and certainly must have affected her ability to love and nurture her boys.

This book touches every nerve in the human spirit. I highly recommend it.
16 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Helen Glassford
5.0 out of 5 stars True story
Reviewed in Australia on June 7, 2023
Verified Purchase
True story hard to believe that it still goes on in China a great autobiographyoover the years. Sad but true. enjoyed the read.
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Neerja N
5.0 out of 5 stars this is book is amazing.
Reviewed in India on November 22, 2016
Verified Purchase
A companion book to The Chinese Cinderella ,this is book is amazing for its emotional effects;this memoir is a shocking and disturbing childhood account of a Chinese lady.
Worth reading!!!
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アントニオ ライアン
5.0 out of 5 stars Tragic story with a heart warming ending.
Reviewed in Japan on March 15, 2020
Verified Purchase
This book is written so beautifully that my mind went back to a time when I wasn't even born. The author's writing technique immersed me in her thoughts and feelings. One of the books that I will never forget.
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E. Grunenwald
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
Reviewed in France on December 24, 2009
Verified Purchase
A very moving account of an unwanted Chinese daughter, an excellent book which gives an incredible insight into the Chinese family hierarchy. It's well written, never over-sentimental, the writer managing to remain objective even when narrating her painful experiences.
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JofusPocus
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 19, 2003
Verified Purchase
I was browsing the site and I came upon this book which I read about 2 years ago. As soon as I saw the title I felt that I really should write a review because it was such an emotional experience reading this book. The author takes us through the death of her mother soon after her birth (the child being deemed a token of bad luck in China), the effect this had on her family relations and also the effect her father's subsequent marriage had on the family. You will tear your hair out with frustration because you want Adeleine to seek revenge on the family that treated her so badly. But for me the most important message in this book lies in the fact that rather than seek revenge she instead channelled her energy into putting together this well written account of her life. This book is full of lessons and different people will extract different things from it. It is definitely worth a read though if only to get an insight into a wealthy, yet emotionally bereft family living in China in the latter half of the 20th century. I would also recommend "Watching the tree" by the same author which deals with a lot of the Chinese philosophies raised in this book.
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