Daughters of Shandong

By: Eve J. Chung

Narrated by: Yu-Li Alice Shen

A propulsive, extraordinary novel about a mother and her daughters’ harrowing escape to Taiwan as the Communist revolution sweeps through China, by debut author Eve J. Chung, based on her family story

An Instant USA Today Bestseller, a Good Morning America Buzz Pick, and a People Book of the Week!

“Throw open the doors of your heart for the lionhearted girls of Chung’s gripping debut . . . they are heroines for the ages."—People

Daughters are the Ang family’s curse.

In 1948, civil war ravages the Chinese countryside, but in rural Shandong, the wealthy, landowning Angs are more concerned with their lack of an heir. Hai is the eldest of four girls and spends her days looking after her sisters. Headstrong Di, who is just a year younger, learns to hide in plain sight, and their mother—abused by the family for failing to birth a boy—finds her own small acts of rebellion in the kitchen. As the Communist army closes in on their town, the rest of the prosperous household flees, leaving behind the girls and their mother because they view them as useless mouths to feed.

Without an Ang male to punish, the land-seizing cadres choose Hai, as the eldest child, to stand trial for her family’s crimes. She barely survives their brutality. Realizing the worst is yet to come, the women plan their escape. Starving and penniless but resourceful, they forge travel permits and embark on a thousand-mile journey to confront the family that abandoned them.

From the countryside to the bustling city of Qingdao, and onward to British Hong Kong and eventually Taiwan, they witness the changing tide of a nation and the plight of multitudes caught in the wake of revolution. But with the loss of their home and the life they’ve known also comes new freedom—to take hold of their fate, to shake free of the bonds of their gender, and to claim their own story.

Told in assured, evocative prose, with impeccably drawn characters, Daughters of Shandong is a hopeful, powerful story about the resilience of women in war; the enduring love between mothers, daughters, and sisters; and the sacrifices made to lift up future generations.

©2024 Eve J. Chung (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Unforgettable . . . [a] story in the straightforward first-person style of a narrator who is not much given to cynicism or poetry but who can keep your attention with her wit, a knack for shrewd details and uncommon tenderness."—The New York Times

“Throw open the doors of your heart for the lionhearted girls of Chung’s gripping debut . . . they are heroines for the ages."—People

“Chung chronicles in her stirring debut the trials and tribulations of a family’s abandoned women during the Chinese Revolution . . . Chung portrays the characters’ stark circumstances in lyrical prose. Readers will be moved by this humanizing account of a turbulent period in China’s history.”—Publishers Weekly

Awesome Story

The story is a look into a different culture in a different time that will hold you captive! One of the best stories I have heard thus year! Well written and read.

Compelling writing, captivating story

Eve Chung’s Daughters of Shandong is a beautifully written narrative that intricately weaves personal and cultural elements to shed light on the pervasive inequities between men and women in Chinese society. The deeply personal nature of the story offers a nuanced understanding of the female experience within a patriarchal framework, making Daughters of Shandong both a specific cultural tale and a broader human story. This masterful work is as enlightening as it is moving, a testament to the strength of women and a critique of enduring societal inequalities.

Resilience

I appreciate the historical perspective and context of this period in China throughout this novel.

Family as Strength

Despite being a novel, I believe Chung gave us a true picture of the brutality endured and the cultural beliefs still influencing the people today. A beautiful story about a horrendous time.

Excellent

This book grabbed my attention from page one. The history of several generations was told in detail, as a mother and her daughters faced old traditions and the struggles of finding family who didn’t want to be found.. It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming as the story focuses on life in China from the mid 50s.

Beautiful

This tale is riveting, heartbreaking, and inspiring. I especially appreciated hearing the author's description of what prompted her to write this tale and the research she did to provide information about communist revolution.

Epic story

I loved every word in this book! Brilliant work, engaging and powerful. I could see the novel as clearly as if watching a film. I highly recommend "Daughters of Shandong."

good

Interesting history, Very sad that these people worked so hard to keep their land only to have it taken abruptly away, and how women were treated like second class citizens.

Daughters of Shandong

I was surprised at how well the story flowed. I know little about the history of China and Taiwan so I was concerned that I would get lost with the names of towns, names of the people and the history in the events that were covered in this book. But the focus was on the family and that made it easy to follow even with all of the historical events taking placearound them. The author did a great job of writing a tribute to her grandmother and her family for all of us to read. I highly recommend this book.

Wow! Such a captivating read

Thank you for writing this book and sharing the story of your family. i was not taught about the Chinese Revolution in school -well not enough to remember it or any of the details that you were able to share. I’m not versed in Chinese culture (although i would love to be) however reading this book had definitely shed light on Chinese history, culture, and beliefs. This book was very well written, Readers, expect for your emotions to be just up and down. The things that these women had to endure is a true testament of faith, love, and family.