Dreams of Joy: A Novel

They are amazing but you will love this book even better if you first listen to Shanghai Girls which is the book about this girls family and there entrance into the American culture and thier struggle in the United States. The author has an amazing insight into family relationships, especially the depth between sisters.

I was frustrated at the end of Shanghai Girls , and it's been a long wait for the sequel. Thankfully, it was worth the wait. I didn't stop listening until it was finished. To fully appreciate this book, you should really listen to Shanghai Girls first. The narration is wonderful in both books.

As with Shanghai Girls and Snowflower and the Secret Fan, Janet Song provided the perfect voice for this story. Each character was distinct, and she handled even the male voices well. I cannot imagine a better voice for Lisa See's stories.

Shanghai Girls had me completely captivated, and I eagerly jumped right into Dreams of Joy to continue the saga. While I found myself getting irritated and impatient with Joy for rejecting every piece of sound advice she was given knowing that she would have a rude awakening very soon, I admired Pearl for her courage, loyalty and steadfast commitment to save her daughter from herself. The historical setting was facinating, showing the madness of the Great Leap Forward - making disasterous policies in opposition to all conventional wisdom about agritulture and manufacturing. "Quantity over quality" and the criminal disregard for human life nearly destroyed one of the great cultures of history. While the ending may have been somewhat unrealistic, it did provide a very satisfactory ending to a great story.

After listening to Shanghai Girls, and feeling disappointed at the cliffhanger ending, I was excited to hear the sequel. The narrator's voice is perfect for both women and easy to listen to. The first third was frustrating -not from a listening perspective, but from a plot perspective - both women made such irrational decisions. But it all made sense as the story unfolded. I learned a lot about China during Mao's early regime, which was tragic and shocking at times. This book was a satisfying completion to the storyline. If you liked the first book, you'll like this one as well. Lisa See can write a good story.

I first read Shanghai Girls and then scrambled to find everything else Ms See wrote and found "Peony in Love" and "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" and let me tell you that they were all simply wonderful reads!

Dreams of Joy, even though were up against such high expectations (from me), did not disappoint. It brought me into the suffocating oppression of Red China in the age of the Great Leap Forward and gave me a terrifying glimpse of utter desperation, abuse of power, and the murder of a population of people. However, it also gave a view of the depth of love, compassion, and forgiveness.

The narration as always by Ms. Song was superb! She never sounds contrived and shows the author's voice through her own in the most sublime manner. I so love her!

I recommend this book highly! I will patiently await the next one. No pressure, Ms. See! You are amazing! Thank you!

A nearly perfect novel. Heartbreak, sublimation, humanity. Just gorgeous. See breathes palpable and true life into her story. I will be reading her other books.

Of the three books I've read of Lisa See's books, this was the most painful. I would say that the ending was the most enjoyable in terms of listening. However, I would have to say that overall, the character development that Lisa See uses is extraordinary. I felt that I knew Pearl and Joy very well, and felt very much connected to them. The relationship between mother and daughter was very well developed and evoked a very emotional response in myself as it unfolded.

That's a hard question to answer. Though I enjoyed Joy's character I would have to say hands down that Pearl was my favourite character. I found her a bit morose and whiney in Shanghai Girls but in this book, she was a triumphant character and a wonderful mother, if not biological.

Janet Song brings an intensity with her narration and I don't think the book would have been as powerful without her voice.

Many of the scenes from the commune in Dandelion #8 commune moved me to tears and made me feel almost physically ill. But in retrospect, I feel those scenes were integral to the telling of the story.

I had no idea what China was like in Maoist times. This book was a real eye opener and beyond the wonderful story, there was a lot of interesting historical perspective.

This is a sequel to Shanghai Girls. It is almost an essential read because Shanghai Girls leaves the story open.
Overall, this is very depressing. Communism taking over China and the abuse of the original idea.
But it is also heartwarming the depth of love, dedication and determination to strive for happiness.

I haven't read the print version but the story is excellent so I am sure the print version is also.

The history.

I listened to 'Shanghi Girls' first then this one.

Rose. She was able to tell most all sides of the story.

At times this story was emotionally draining because the story seemed so real.

No. I rarely listen to books again.

That joy and GZ were found at the beginning of the book. Suddenly it wasn't a book about finding them. . . So I was intrigued.

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