Chinese Cinderella

The Secret Story of an Unwanted Daughter (Puffin Teenage Books S.)

By Adeline Yen Mah

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Average Rating: (See all 10 reviews) Format: Paperback, 256 pages, Abridged edition Edition Published In: United Kingdom, 02 September 1999 Quantity Available: 1 24 hour shipping Jung-ling's family considers her bad luck because her mother died giving birth to her. They discriminate against her and make her feel unwanted yet she yearns and continuously strives for her parents' love. Her stepmother is vindictive and cruel and her father dismissive. Jung-ling grows up to be an academic child, with a natural ability for writing. Only her aunt and grandfather offer her any love and kindness. The story is of survival in the light of the mental and physical cruelty of her stepmother and the disloyalty of her siblings. Jung-ling blossoms in spite of everything and the story ends as her father agrees to let her study in England. About the Author Adeline Yen Mah lives in California after growing up in Tianjin and Shanghai, in China, Hong Kong and England. She studied medicine but gave up her career as a physician to become a full-time writer. After the death of her stepmother, she felt compelled to write her story and the result, FALLING LEAVES, has become an international best-seller. Publisher: Puffin Books ISBN: 0141304871 EAN: 9780141304878 Dimensions: 19.0 x 129.0 x 2.0 centimeters

Adeline Yen-Mah writes about her true childhood in this story for children. as a young girlg rowing up without our mother, her only comfort was her aunt and grandfather. Growing she was bullied and abused by her parents, esp. her Niang (stepmother) and her fellow siblings. Adeline sought comfort in book and writing. She always strove to be th best in order to prove to her father that she was worthy of him. This is a compelling and heartbreaking story of a child's survival in the harsh reality of abuse from within the family.

If you haven't read Adeline Yen Mah's autobiography then there is something wrong with you. Facing struggles since day one, this real life cinderella is a wake up call to all future, present and post parents. It shows the damage caused by being an unwanted child even among one's own siblings. But what it also shows is how strong people can be and if you dream hard enough absolutely nothing can get in your way of success. I recommend that you also read Falling Leaves which has additional information about wills and Adeline's later life.

I don't often cry when reading books, however this one certainly brought out a whole smorgasboard of emotions. From humourous accounts of childhood memories to heart-breaking descriptions of neglect and isolation.
It does reveal the strength of the human spirit- even from the young age of a child. A powerful story with many lesson about life and what it means to chase your dreams.

Adeline Yen-Mah is a great story-teller is this has been one of my favourite books. Written for the younger readers, it is a real tear-jerker of a book. I originally bought this book for my daughter who was nearly 10 at that time. Out of curiosity, I decided to have a read and found that once I started, I couldn't put the book down until I've finished it. My daughter really enjoyed it and so does her younger brother. It is a book that every young person should read at least once. If your kids moan about reading thick books, you can be sure they'll be hooked once they start reading. It has indeed started a passion in reading non-fictional books for my children.

I beautifully written novel about and appaling struggle. A real eye opener for teens. It is shocking yet innocent, creating more sympathy from the reader. A wonderful read and very touching. Would strongly recommend for all - although her other book "Falling Leaves" follows the story further and repeats some of this one, the bits missed are what make "Cinderella" so beautiful that I recommend you read it anyway.

I love, love, love this book. I know it is awfully cliché but I did indeed laugh & cry when I read this book. It is a relatively hard read – I recommend it for people 12+, but they must be ready to be exposed to a more harsh lifestyle. This book = 9/10.

How could any parent treat a child in such a way? The title of this book could not be more true to life. A controlling stepmother that made the life of this child so miserable - the fairy tale story of Cinderella is but a mere shadow in the light of this book. A compelling read, hard to put down and one sure never to be forgotten.

This novel is very well written and with it's strong emotional connections, it was easy to read and enage with. I was very touched by the story of Adeline. She suffered so much in her childhood, yet her spirit speaks of strength, perseverance and resilience. I would recommend this book to anyone who feels they have had a challenging childhood. This true story put my own experiences into a clearer perspective. A definite read for those who have connections with a Chinese heritage.

An autobiographical story of a young girl who suffered from the misconceptions and superstitions of Chinese communities. It must have been hard for the authoress to recall all the thoughts, the memories, the chilling details of her childhood to complete this novel, but the result is a moving, compelling novel which is well worth reading. I have already bought several copies as gifts, and is a fairly easy, but emotionally compelling, read.

One of the best books that I have ever read. This story is unique and amazing. It stays with you for years and it's one of those books which you can read over and over again. While it is extremely sad in some parts, it leaves you feeling remarkably fulfilled. I would highly recommend it to anyone, even those who do not like true stories- in some parts what you read is so unbelievable that you forget that it actually happened!