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book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
I don’t remember why I put this on my TBR list, though I suspect it was a recommendation from my local indie bookseller back in 2004. Having finally read it, I wonder why I kept it on the list for so long.
The basic story line is that a two-year-old child, Ursula Wong, falls into an abandoned mine while on a holiday with her parents in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. While her parents wait for the rescue teams to organize and arrive at the remote location, and for the painstaking preparations they need to make to shore up the mine before attempting to go after the child, the author goes back in time to give us Ursula’s ancestry. The story line moves back and forth in time from the drama unfolding in Michigan to the 3rd century BC where we meet a Chinese alchemist, to 17th-century Europe, to Ursula’s great-grandfather who died in a mine collapse. Some of these stories were fascinating, others failed to capture my attention.
Hill does have some strikingly original and beautifully written passages in the book. And those fed my love of literary fiction and kept me turning pages, hoping for more of this. But, it was a slog to get through. It took me over a month to finish it, because I kept putting it aside for other books that required less brain power to enjoy. (I did have a number of other things on my plate which kept me from doing much reading, so it’s not entirely the book’s fault.)
So, while I appreciate the message that each of us owes much to our varied ancestry, the novel seemed bogged down by the complex structure and timeframe Hill chose for delivering her message.
The basic story line is that a two-year-old child, Ursula Wong, falls into an abandoned mine while on a holiday with her parents in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. While her parents wait for the rescue teams to organize and arrive at the remote location, and for the painstaking preparations they need to make to shore up the mine before attempting to go after the child, the author goes back in time to give us Ursula’s ancestry. The story line moves back and forth in time from the drama unfolding in Michigan to the 3rd century BC where we meet a Chinese alchemist, to 17th-century Europe, to Ursula’s great-grandfather who died in a mine collapse. Some of these stories were fascinating, others failed to capture my attention.
Hill does have some strikingly original and beautifully written passages in the book. And those fed my love of literary fiction and kept me turning pages, hoping for more of this. But, it was a slog to get through. It took me over a month to finish it, because I kept putting it aside for other books that required less brain power to enjoy. (I did have a number of other things on my plate which kept me from doing much reading, so it’s not entirely the book’s fault.)
So, while I appreciate the message that each of us owes much to our varied ancestry, the novel seemed bogged down by the complex structure and timeframe Hill chose for delivering her message.
jgintrovertedreader's review against another edition
5.0
This book is really the story of a little girl who falls into an abandoned mineshaft. But then the author goes into telling stories of the girl's ancestors. The whole thing combines to make you feel like you're lucky to be who you are. What if your grandmother had never met your grandfather? That kind of thing. But it's really a big, wonderful book that sort of makes you appreciate life.
amlane16's review against another edition
3.0
One of the most unique books I've read this year. I liked the structure tracing multiple ancestors and connecting their stories to the main plot/character. Pretty graphic at times and it took me a while to get into it. Worth the read though!
aliciagriggs's review against another edition
2.0
I was so disappointed with this book. It sounded like the sort of thing I would really enjoy, but I really didn't enjoy the style of it. I usually enjoy a story that tells past things but this seemed messy and confusing. There were small parts, a paragraph here and there that were good and made me stop and read properly but I skimmed most of it after the first 100 pages.
Ended up skipping to end to finish it.
Ended up skipping to end to finish it.
barbaraskalberg's review against another edition
3.0
I probably would have enjoyed this more if the library hadn't shelved it under "non fiction." I spent the entire book annoyed that it was trying to pass itself off as a true story when there was no way it could be. If I had read the author's note on the title page where it clearly states the book was a work of fiction to start instead of after I was finished, I would have had a better attitude about it. *sigh* Interesting concept to give little vignettes about her family tree to make the reader care more about the fate of this little girl. I don't love little vignettes though b/c I want more information.
sheridacon's review against another edition
4.0
I haven't written a review on Goodreads in a long time, but this book warrants it. This is a behemoth of a book. . . okay, not really. It's 476 pages. But it's so very intricately woven with random threads going off this way and that, it takes a great deal of energy to stay focused while reading it. It doesn't move quickly and is definitely not plot-driven.
However, this is a beautiful novel, if a bit too wordy at times. I got bogged down in ancient China and nearly gave up. I'm glad I didn't.
The whole idea behind this novel seems to be based upon a well-loved passage from the New Testament in Hebrews 12:1 which says: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."
This novel is about all the characters, events, mishaps, twists of fate and misfortune that got Ursula to the point where she is today. And she is indeed a miracle. The book is about how the things that happen (or don't happen to us) are but a thread in the grand tapestry of life on this planet, and about how we are connected to each other in a million different ways.
I'm not sure how the author managed to pull this off, because I don't know that I've ever read a novel that was so exquisitely and painstakingly written with so much attention to detail.
Unfortunately, that's also why I'm giving it only 4 stars instead of 5. Sometimes the detail got to be excessive, which made sections of the book boring. Also, the chapters are EXTREMELY long. . . more difficult to divide up into shorter reading sessions. It took me 2 weeks to get through this one. . . too long in my opinion.
Some favorite quotes come from the Marjatta storyline, near the end of the book:
"She recalls focusing on the young woman's eyes as she intoned the verse: 'Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. . . ,' and the children repeated the verse, singsong, most of them parroting, few of them thinking about what they said.
'That day in Sunday school she had raised her hand. . . 'Teacher, what does this mean, 'He will make straight your paths'?'
'This means, everything you do, your actions, the thoughts you allow to possess you. . . '
'Does it mean that we shall not have trouble?' Marjatta asked.
'It means He shall make straight your paths, said the teacher with an insistent edge to her voice.
'Does it mean that if we live well, live by the Word--'
'It is time to back to the choir,' the young teacher said."
"Marjatta sighs and slams the book. This is not what she wanted to hear. She wanted to open her Bible and have it tell her that the little white house with the roses would come in the next post."
However, this is a beautiful novel, if a bit too wordy at times. I got bogged down in ancient China and nearly gave up. I'm glad I didn't.
The whole idea behind this novel seems to be based upon a well-loved passage from the New Testament in Hebrews 12:1 which says: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."
This novel is about all the characters, events, mishaps, twists of fate and misfortune that got Ursula to the point where she is today. And she is indeed a miracle. The book is about how the things that happen (or don't happen to us) are but a thread in the grand tapestry of life on this planet, and about how we are connected to each other in a million different ways.
I'm not sure how the author managed to pull this off, because I don't know that I've ever read a novel that was so exquisitely and painstakingly written with so much attention to detail.
Unfortunately, that's also why I'm giving it only 4 stars instead of 5. Sometimes the detail got to be excessive, which made sections of the book boring. Also, the chapters are EXTREMELY long. . . more difficult to divide up into shorter reading sessions. It took me 2 weeks to get through this one. . . too long in my opinion.
Some favorite quotes come from the Marjatta storyline, near the end of the book:
"She recalls focusing on the young woman's eyes as she intoned the verse: 'Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. . . ,' and the children repeated the verse, singsong, most of them parroting, few of them thinking about what they said.
'That day in Sunday school she had raised her hand. . . 'Teacher, what does this mean, 'He will make straight your paths'?'
'This means, everything you do, your actions, the thoughts you allow to possess you. . . '
'Does it mean that we shall not have trouble?' Marjatta asked.
'It means He shall make straight your paths, said the teacher with an insistent edge to her voice.
'Does it mean that if we live well, live by the Word--'
'It is time to back to the choir,' the young teacher said."
"Marjatta sighs and slams the book. This is not what she wanted to hear. She wanted to open her Bible and have it tell her that the little white house with the roses would come in the next post."
camilleisreading24's review against another edition
3.0
Oof. Kind of a slog.
If I had liked this book one percent less, I would not have finished it.
That being said, SOMETHING made me see this 500 page novel to the end. The book opens with two year old Ursula, half-Finnish and half Chinese (this is important) daughter of Annie and Justin, accidentally falling down an abandoned mine shaft. As the hours of her rescue tick by like days, the author delves into various historical epochs to introduce the reader to some of Ursula's ancestors. The issue was that some of these chapters were fascinating, while others were unbearably dull. Also, the chapters that dealt mainly with her parents were super boring. I was way more interested in Justin's mother, Mindy Ji, than in Justin and Annie's romance. From the ancient Chinese alchemist who finally begets a child in old age to the deaf Finnish maid who escapes the witchcraft of her neighbor to the Jesuit missionary whose donated seed flourishes in a virginal daughter of his Chinese convert to the foundling who grows up alongside the future queen of Sweden/Finland... the stories span decades and some are fascinating (I could read a whole book about that foundling) while others are ponderous (the alchemy was not engaging)... I am glad I finished this book, but I don't think I'd recommend it.
One review I read said this book was intelligent yet unwieldy, and I think that sums it up perfectly. In the hands of another writer, this could have been my favorite book. However, it was just too ambitious for this particular author, as evidenced by some of the awkward phrasing and typos in my copy. I am still enamored of the cover and portions of this book will stay with me, but overall, I'm sorry to say that it's probably not worth the week it took me to get through it.
If I had liked this book one percent less, I would not have finished it.
That being said, SOMETHING made me see this 500 page novel to the end. The book opens with two year old Ursula, half-Finnish and half Chinese (this is important) daughter of Annie and Justin, accidentally falling down an abandoned mine shaft. As the hours of her rescue tick by like days, the author delves into various historical epochs to introduce the reader to some of Ursula's ancestors. The issue was that some of these chapters were fascinating, while others were unbearably dull. Also, the chapters that dealt mainly with her parents were super boring. I was way more interested in Justin's mother, Mindy Ji, than in Justin and Annie's romance. From the ancient Chinese alchemist who finally begets a child in old age to the deaf Finnish maid who escapes the witchcraft of her neighbor to the Jesuit missionary whose donated seed flourishes in a virginal daughter of his Chinese convert to the foundling who grows up alongside the future queen of Sweden/Finland... the stories span decades and some are fascinating (I could read a whole book about that foundling) while others are ponderous (the alchemy was not engaging)... I am glad I finished this book, but I don't think I'd recommend it.
One review I read said this book was intelligent yet unwieldy, and I think that sums it up perfectly. In the hands of another writer, this could have been my favorite book. However, it was just too ambitious for this particular author, as evidenced by some of the awkward phrasing and typos in my copy. I am still enamored of the cover and portions of this book will stay with me, but overall, I'm sorry to say that it's probably not worth the week it took me to get through it.
jenleah's review against another edition
4.0
So, so good! This is the story of Ursula, a little girl who falls down an abandoned mine shaft. From ancient China, Finland, across oceans, in missions and shacks, this story examines her rich history and lineage that allows her to even exist. I loved the complexity and layers to the story of Ursula's life, imagining what a miracle that any of us exist. I will admit that the first story of the Chinese alchemist was the hardest to get through as other reviews have mentioned, but it was still an enjoyable part of the book.
katiez624's review against another edition
5.0
After discovering the world of book podcasts, What Should I Read Next in particular, this book was the first recommendation that I added to my TBR. The exploration of ancestry, particularly from Asia, is one that is endlessly fascinating to me. After Ursula falls into a well and the rescue is underway, we learn about the ancestors that came before, going far back into history and spanning many generations. Each chapter had its own distinctive voice and provided a unique snapshot in a wide array of historical time periods and locations.
The omniscient perspective and alternate realities provided an interesting backdrop to the present-day rescue effort. We learn about the specific situations that took place to lead to the existence of Ursula and the interconnectedness of her ancestors from various walks of life, whether or not they were aware of these associations. The wide array of characters and settings was riveting and it provided a one-of-a-kind reading experience. There were moments in which the story dragged a bit; it didn't need to be quite as long as it is. But this little-known book packs a big punch, and it will stay with me for a long time.
The omniscient perspective and alternate realities provided an interesting backdrop to the present-day rescue effort. We learn about the specific situations that took place to lead to the existence of Ursula and the interconnectedness of her ancestors from various walks of life, whether or not they were aware of these associations. The wide array of characters and settings was riveting and it provided a one-of-a-kind reading experience. There were moments in which the story dragged a bit; it didn't need to be quite as long as it is. But this little-known book packs a big punch, and it will stay with me for a long time.
lize_lees's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Cross-generational novel spanning 2000 years culminating in little Chinese-American girl who falls down an old mine shaft.
Loved the idea, but novel has so much unnecessary detail that I scanned parts in dismay.