Chinese Cinderella

Author: Adeline Yen Mah

Genre: Memoir

Rating: 4 out of 5

Pages: 242

Date Started: 8 December 2022

Date Finished: 14 December 2022

I stumbled upon this book while browsing the library, and as a fan of memoirs and autobiographies, I decided to give it a chance. "Chinese Cinderella" is a heart-wrenching memoir that chronicles the painful coming-of-age journey of Adeline Yen Mah within a wealthy Chinese family during the 1940s. Born into a family that considers her bad luck following her mother's death during childbirth, Adeline's life takes a further distressing turn when her father remarries. Her stepmother's disdain and mistreatment of Adeline and her siblings contrast starkly with the indulgence shown to her stepbrother and stepsister. Despite her academic achievements, Adeline yearns for the love and acceptance of her family, a longing that forms the emotional core of this memoir. Her story evokes a deep sense of empathy as she endures not only her family's cruelty but also the gender biases of the time, where boys were preferred over girls. The narrative also touches upon universal themes of resilience, determination, and the enduring human spirit. Adeline's story includes heartbreaking scenes that had me in tears, such as the cruel incident involving the duck. Yet, amidst the pain, it is heartening to witness her unwavering determination and her eventual triumph through her excellence in writing. Her ability to use her passion for writing as an escape from her harrowing circumstances offers inspiration and hope. While she was initially pushed into studying medicine, it's uplifting to see how she found her calling in the field and excelled. In sum, "Chinese Cinderella" is a profoundly moving memoir that shines a light on the strength of the human spirit and the enduring power of one's passions. It's a powerful narrative that resonates deeply, despite the time and culture it depicts.
Favorite lines from the book:

• Though many Chinese parents still prefer sons, daughters are not so much despised.

• Although Chinese Cinderella was written when I was in my late fifties, inside I am still the same little five-year-old yearning for the love of my parents.

• Mother Teresa once said, “Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted are the greatest poverty.” To this I will add: Please believe that one single positive dream is more important than a thousand negative realities.

• If you had not been born, Mama would still be alive. She died because of you. You are bad luck.

• My classmates made me feel as if I “belonged.” Unlike my siblings, nobody looked down on me.

• On my way back to my seat, I couldn’t help noticing that of all the prizewinners, I was the only one unaccompanied by anyone from my family. Nobody was there to pat my head or congratulate me, not even my Aunt Baba. As for Big Sister, she had refused to go to school that day. She’d said she had a stomachache.

• Now they knew the pathetic truth! Unwanted and unloved by my own parents! How long did it take for a person to die of shame?

• Though life has to be lived forward, it can only be understood backward.

• you can vanquish the demons only when you yourself are convinced of your own worth.