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linzthebookworm's review against another edition
4.0
I found this book to be charming and delightful. It's a great read about determination and saving those you love and their home. It is a short read, but it feels so much longer (in a good way). Agnes is determined and wise beyond here years. Nei-Nei was probably my favorite character due to her sass. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction.
reading_giraffe's review against another edition
2.0
This book was in many ways just ok. The plot was fairly interesting and kept me reading further but but was not remarkable in any way. My biggest problem with this book was that it constantly felt like it was written from the perspective of a culture tourist. There were numerous instance of information dumps where the author used phrases like: this is how things were done here or this is how it was in Singaporean culture. These made the book feel forced as though some who had just returned from sightseeing in Singapore was trying to show me what they had learned. This subtracted from the believability of the narrator and made the story much less enjoyable.
emilyjb's review against another edition
3.0
An enjoyable story, but underdeveloped. I recommend it with one reservation: it is too short for the reader to appreciate the characters. It was, however, pleasant and well written.
mindyb33's review against another edition
4.0
good book
This was a good fiction book slow at first but entertaining satisfied reading could imagine the characters in the book
This was a good fiction book slow at first but entertaining satisfied reading could imagine the characters in the book
ananya343's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
lorimichelekelley's review against another edition
3.0
Audible edition: Interesting enough story, but never really engaged. I never really cared about the characters much, and it was really more of a telling rather than a showing, so it never created an atmosphere. Also, the narrator was straight up American, which is a rather lame choice for a British, Chinese, Indian-muslim Singaporean girl.
wubbarub's review against another edition
4.0
Coming of Age?
Agnes must find a way to save the ancestral home in which she grew up. Both of her parents and her brother, the last hope for a male heir, died in the palace. Agnes learns some of life’s hardest lessons along the way in this engaging story.
Agnes must find a way to save the ancestral home in which she grew up. Both of her parents and her brother, the last hope for a male heir, died in the palace. Agnes learns some of life’s hardest lessons along the way in this engaging story.
tikitami's review against another edition
2.0
Least favorite read this year. Just did not get involved with the characters. Had a few good moments.