Fallen Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah
During the twentieth century, China constantly underwent major political and cultural upheavals. Power constantly changed hands, from Manchurian Rule to Japanese Occupation, and eventually to the Communist Cultural Revolution. Politics and social hierarchy reigned supreme, and in Adeline Yen Mah’s home, it was no different. Despite being from a well-off family, Adeline still suffered from emotional and physical abuse from her stepmother and older siblings because she was viewed as unlucky for being the harbinger of the death of her biological mother. Adeline was often nothing more than an afterthought for her family as they constantly prioritized the whims of her stepmother and stepsiblings. Determined to find her way, Adeline constantly worked hard to persist through whatever challenge was thrown in her direction. Adeline details her painful struggle to find love and acceptance from herself and others.
Opening Line: “It would not be quite truthful to say that we were all together for the first time in nearly forty years. Each of us, severally and separately and sometimes stealthily, had gathered before but there had always been a common denominator of absence.”
Favorite Line: “We did not know it, but the carefree years of childhood were over.”
Why I Like It: I felt that this memoir was an incredibly raw and vulnerable account of what it was like to grow up in a time where societal norms were especially restricting for girls. Beyond that, this memoir also taught me a lot about this period of history that is often glossed over in history classes.
Read If You Like: Modern Chinese History, Complex Familial Dynamics, Memoirs