Daughters of Shandong

By: Eve J. Chung

Narrated by: Yu-Li Alice Shen

A propulsive, extraordinary novel about a mother and her daughters’ harrowing escape to Taiwan as the Communist revolution sweeps through China, by debut author Eve J. Chung, based on her family story

An Instant USA Today Bestseller, a Good Morning America Buzz Pick, and a People Book of the Week!

“Throw open the doors of your heart for the lionhearted girls of Chung’s gripping debut . . . they are heroines for the ages."—People

Daughters are the Ang family’s curse.

In 1948, civil war ravages the Chinese countryside, but in rural Shandong, the wealthy, landowning Angs are more concerned with their lack of an heir. Hai is the eldest of four girls and spends her days looking after her sisters. Headstrong Di, who is just a year younger, learns to hide in plain sight, and their mother—abused by the family for failing to birth a boy—finds her own small acts of rebellion in the kitchen. As the Communist army closes in on their town, the rest of the prosperous household flees, leaving behind the girls and their mother because they view them as useless mouths to feed.

Without an Ang male to punish, the land-seizing cadres choose Hai, as the eldest child, to stand trial for her family’s crimes. She barely survives their brutality. Realizing the worst is yet to come, the women plan their escape. Starving and penniless but resourceful, they forge travel permits and embark on a thousand-mile journey to confront the family that abandoned them.

From the countryside to the bustling city of Qingdao, and onward to British Hong Kong and eventually Taiwan, they witness the changing tide of a nation and the plight of multitudes caught in the wake of revolution. But with the loss of their home and the life they’ve known also comes new freedom—to take hold of their fate, to shake free of the bonds of their gender, and to claim their own story.

Told in assured, evocative prose, with impeccably drawn characters, Daughters of Shandong is a hopeful, powerful story about the resilience of women in war; the enduring love between mothers, daughters, and sisters; and the sacrifices made to lift up future generations.

Moving story kept me on the edge of my seat

I learned so much about what could also be my own family’s past by listening to Daughters of Shandong. My grandma had a similar backstory and I never got to speak to her about it before she passed away. This book opened my eyes and my heart to what my grandma may have gone through. It explains why she was so tough and never spoke about this extremely scary and difficult time in life—way too traumatizing. The story flows very well and I enjoyed every minute. Thank you for writing and sharing this story!

Awesome Story

The story is a look into a different culture in a different time that will hold you captive! One of the best stories I have heard thus year! Well written and read.

Compelling writing, captivating story

Eve Chung’s Daughters of Shandong is a beautifully written narrative that intricately weaves personal and cultural elements to shed light on the pervasive inequities between men and women in Chinese society. The deeply personal nature of the story offers a nuanced understanding of the female experience within a patriarchal framework, making Daughters of Shandong both a specific cultural tale and a broader human story. This masterful work is as enlightening as it is moving, a testament to the strength of women and a critique of enduring societal inequalities.

Resilience

I appreciate the historical perspective and context of this period in China throughout this novel.

Family as Strength

Despite being a novel, I believe Chung gave us a true picture of the brutality endured and the cultural beliefs still influencing the people today. A beautiful story about a horrendous time.