Along the River: A Chinese Cinderella Novel
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Bestselling Chinese American author Adeline Yen Mah weaves her authentic accounts of life in China into an absorbing novel about a Chinese girl and her vision of a previous life. After a fall, CC is whisked away to a hospital. As she drifts in and out of consciousness, she is haunted by vivid dreams that seem strange—yet somehow familiar. Thus begins CC’s emotional journey back to a privileged life lived eight hundred years ago during the Song dynasty.CC is the daughter of a wealthy and influential man, but she finds herself drawn to a poor orphan boy with a startling ability to capture the beauty of the natural world. As the relationship between these two young people deepens, the transforming power of art and romantic love comes into conflict with the immovable rules of Chinese society.This stunning fantasy adventure novel, inspired by China’s most famous painting, Along the River at the Qing Ming Festival, tells the story of a friendship both tender and bold. CC’s remarkable journey reminds readers that though time moves on, art and love endure.Publishers WeeklyMah (Chinese Cinderella) connects two eras of Chinese history in this emotionally charged tale of two young women, originally published in Australia. Fearful that she's being pursued, 12-year-old CC escapes to a rooftop and falls, landing in a coma. When she awakens in a hospital, it is as though her mind has been transported back 800 years. Under hypnosis, she recalls vibrant details of another life as Mei Lan, the privileged daughter of a kindly father and cruel stepmother. Mei Lan's only friends are her ambitious older brother, Gege, and Ah Zhao, a servant boy whose artistic talent has won the notice of the emperor. Mei Lan and Ah Zhao become confidantes and fall in love, but fate tears them apart. Based on the Chinese painting Along the River at Qing Ming, this painstakingly researched novel brings to life the sights and sounds of ancient China, providing a clear interpretation of the era's rigid social structures. Characters often speak with a formality that may feel overly stiff, but vivid imagery enlivens the gripping premise; readers will be captivated by the exploration into a possible past life. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)
