Discussion date: March 14, 2005

What we thought:
This was not the most enjoyable of reading experiences, even for people who felt the novel was ultimately worthwhile. Madame Mao as presented here was such a completely self-centered, sociopathic character that it was hard to stay engaged with the book, even though most of us felt it did have value for what we learned of Chinese history and social movements. Still, for strictly educational purposes, we could have gotten a better overview from another source. (Marcia B. recommended The New Emperors by Harrison Salisbury.)

No one liked Anchee Min's writing style, especially the erratic shifting back and forth between first and third persons. The discussion eventually ranged into thoughts about other revolutionary movements, relating Chinese history to that of France, Russia, Cuba, and the US. Ratings ranged from 1.5 to 4, with most at 3 stars.