Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of Anunwanted Daughter

by Adeline Yen Mah

Adeline Yen Mah returns to her roots to tell the story of her painful childhood and her ultimate triumph and courage in the face of despair.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, China, School, Autobiography, Historical

205 pages, Library Binding

First published August 2, 1999

About the author

Adeline Yen Mah is a Chinese-American author and physician. She grew up in Tianjin, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and is known for her autobiography Falling Leaves.

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chinese Cinderella proves that you don't need to write like Virginia Woolf or produce the next "Great American Novel" to create a work of art. In this simple yet beautifully-narrated memoir, Adeline Yen Mah shares how she grew up as an unwanted child in a cruel and wealthy family. Her story, while similar to ones we've all heard before, reveals the resilience of humankind in the face of tremendous struggle. Yen Mah crafts her tale in a way that makes it unique yet relatable all at once, maintaining her Chinese culture while connecting readers to her journey. Here's a paragraph that stuck out to me about her love for writing:

To me, writing was pure pleasure. It thrilled me to be able to escape the horrors of my daily life in such a simple way. When I wrote, I forgot that I was an unwanted daughter who had caused her mother's death. Instead, I could be anybody I wished to be. In my narratives, I poured out everything that I dared not say out loud. I was friends with the beautiful princesses and dashing knights who lived in my imagination. I was no longer the lonely little girl bullied by her siblings.

If you're reading this review, you've probably used reading and/or writing as an escape in some way in your life. Yen Mah's memoir is easy to identify with: not just for those who have suffered domestic abuse, but for those who love reading and writing, for those who have ever felt out of place, and for those who have grown up split between two cultures. There's a moving passage near the end of the book in which her grandfather tells her about the importance of learning Chinese, showing that Chinese Cinderella is more than just a see-through fairytale retelling.

I'll end this review with a passage from the preface of Chinese Cinderella, one that made me love the book right from the start:

For those who were neglected and unloved as children, I have a particular message. In spite of what your abusers would have had you believe, please be convinced that each of you has within you something precious and unique. Chinese Cinderella is dedicated to you with the fervent wish that you will persist in trying to do your best in the face of hopelessness; to have faith in the end your spirit will prevail; to transcend your abuse and transform it into a source of courage, creativity and compassion.

And that's exactly what Adeline Yen Mah has done.

[꧁ ༺Minne༻ ꧂ (Back :)) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously



This book is beautiful beyond words, but also incredibly heartbreaking. It reads almost like fiction, which makes it even harder to process that it’s actually a memoir. Knowing that these events truly happened makes the story even more shocking.

The kind of awful treatment Adeline endured, not only from her stepmother but also from her own father, is so nauseating. From the moment she was born she was blamed for her mother’s death and treated like a curse within her own family. Her father had 3 children with her mother, and 2 with her stepmother, making them a family of 7. Her stepmother made it painfully clear that Adeline was unwanted. While the other children received affection, gifts, and attention, Adeline was ignored or deliberately excluded. She was often left behind when the family went out together and made to feel like an outsider in her own home. They never took her to school or gave her money to take the train. She waited for hours for someone to pick her up from school, only to realise no one was coming and walked miles, trying to find the way home. Even when she achieved something remarkable, like winning prizes and excelling in school, instead of receiving praise she was met with indifference or anger because her success embarrassed her stepmother. She was slapped or beaten for daring to be visible. What hurts the most is her own father’s treatment of her. I’ll never understand it. I genuinely don’t know how to process it. Why have children if you won’t even bother to learn their names or remember their ages? The level of neglect and cruelty she experienced was devastating to read about.

Up until now, the evil stepmother was just a villain that existed in fairy tales. To be confronted with the reality of it in someone’s real life is so unsettling and humbling. I found myself constantly wondering how a child could survive emotionally in such an environment. To be repeatedly abused by the people who are supposed to protect you in a place that should be your safe haven...I’m really trying here, but honestly I’m a bit speechless.

Fortunately, the beauty of darkness is it creates opportunities for light to come in. Despite the horrors she endured, there are also moments of warmth in the book. The love and tenderness between Adeline and her grandmother, as well as her aunt, offer brief but meaningful glimpses of kindness in an otherwise painful childhood.

The book also offers interesting cultural insights into life in China during that period (1940s-1950s), particularly regarding family hierarchy, expectations, education, and tradition. I really love this aspect of it. It adds another layer to the story and helps explain some of the dynamics within her family, even if it doesn’t excuse the cruelty she experienced.

This memoir is both painful and powerful. I'm so sorry it took me so long to read it, but I highly recommend it.


Updates while reading ༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･

I've had this since I was a teen and I remember being excited to read it. I loved the blurb, but a close friend on Goodreads also recommended it to me at the time. It's so sad that she's no longer here because I want to say "I'm 11 years late, but look, I'm reading it now!' haha

[kwesi 章英狮 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every country and every people that resides have different culture and have different story to tell. From the most depressing experience of their lives from most unforgettable moments they felt in their childhood. But how can they manage to express and treasure those experiences forever? Some people write them on their journals or diaries, some record it through tapes and CDs, some tell their past lives from their grandsons and few write and compile their stories into a book.

Adeline Yen Mah's short biography, exploring her childhood experiences, meant to be read and inspired other readers. She wrote this book for teens and young kids to express her desire and sadness in the past while living with her stepmother, living without desire, loosing hopes and dreams and losing her rights as a child of his father.

She was born rich and born bad luck because of her mother's death, nobody desires to enter her life even her siblings except her aunt. Adeline struggles to grow when the days past. They are awfully sad and very painful for the readers. She was not welcome to the household as she carries bad luck, she find friends and a place where she belong, a place where only happiness can be found, the school.

Her lives possessed with desires to achieve the top just to be recognized by her father. Her father, who only believed to fiction stories that her 2nd wife told, not believing that he already forgotten her first wife's children. As Adeline struggle to the top and gaining freedom in the end, she manages to show her success by education and share her success through books.

She graduated in London Hospital Medical School in Europe with the help of a miracle, a winning piece that change her life forever. After a very long journey she practiced her course in California and become a teacher and author, and helping children in China to go to school and to make their wishes come true.

This thin book is very emotionally uncontrollable; she wrote most of her depressing stories from the first chapter until the end and few not-quite-happy memories. This biography is not suitable for those people who have heart and eye problems; I suggest that you have to skip reading this book not to mention that this had a serious problem to childhood experiences.

I live with a group of Chinese kids when I was young and agree that Chinese parents, teachers and other professionals are very strict with their children that I can't believe that Adeline have this gap and heart breaking experience with her parents. Although this is normal for a child, but this change my perspective towards other traditions and beliefs of Chinese people.

This book is not as good as any biography book I read, but this book is very inspiring and consider that she implement education as a tool to succeed in life and trying to emphasize that expectation is not only give negative results but also positive. One thing that I observe from the book is that, she needed more attention to her parents and siblings. I'm not a psychologist but I think a child must grow needed high attention of the parents. At least, she succeeds in the end.

I recommend this to all half Chinese kids, teens and adults who have the same experience with Adeline or readers that are curious to Chinese tradition. This black book is full of sad memories, so fragile that every reader wanted to keep it forever even the sadness keep on pouring inside the book. Adeline, you are a true beauty of success and you make Cinderella go gaga.

most complicated fairy tail ever written was Cinderella, nobody had the idea who the hell first wrote it. Is it the Egyptians, Russians or Chinese? Anyway, at least the gore picture tells the other side of Cinderella, why she have small feet that only the glass slippers (originally a fur) fits to her.

Review posted on Old-Fashioned Reader .

Rating: Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah, 4 Sweets

Challenges:
Book #216 for 2011
Book #127 for Off the Shelf!

[Abby · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a whiny book!
At that time in china or hong kong or whatever she was lucky to be able to
1. Go to school
2. Have food daily
3. Have a proper home. My, even a big house!
4. Have a bed
5. Have a fucking DRIVER?!
6. have clothes
7. Knew English (?)

My mother never had that yet she is living like any other who suffered from lack of necessities. Never in my life had she complained to me even once about her past. Well she have, but only ever about her stepfather beating her until she bled. She and her other 7 sisters and brothers worked in a factory before they even became teenagers, fought daily for food (if there were any, and even if there were, it usually consisted of bread crusts), hardly went to school (never attended university) and never had enough clothes and blankets to make it through winter. The same applies to many other Chinese families.

I am not racist but western people fail to understand the nature of chinese parents back in the day, especially the fathers. Nearly all worse than Yen
Mah's. Itwas like... Yelling synonymous to speaking and beating synonymous to teaching. I hope that made sense. I am not good at writing.

What I'm saying is if many Chinese people around Yen Mah's age knew English wel,l there would certainly be hundreds of books like this. Myabe even crueler. They would all be able to have the attention and sympathy which they longed for, just like Yen Mah. (and make lots of money...)

Sorry if I offended in any way but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
I very very very dislike this book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is really shocking about this book is to read about the abuse of a child (the author) at the hands of her truly wicked stepmother and sadistic father (well, the stepmother is sadistic, too, so they're a perfect pair), and then to get to the middle of the book and actually see photos of these horrible people. It made my blood boil. Adeline Yen Mah's story, however, is about a child's attempts to navigate an abusive household situated in China during and after World War II. As she matures, we see some healing occurring within her and we are able to watch her make her own life for herself despite intense pain and neglect. Her grandfather (her Ye-Ye) and her Aunt Baba are the heroic adults who love Adeline unconditionally and have good hearts. This is an easy read for an adult, but it's a great book to use in school both for the story, the linguistic, and the historical aspects. There's a really beautiful passage towards the end where Adeline's grandfather realizes that she devalues her Chinese identity and he explains to her the depth of meaning beautifully held by the various Chinese characters.

[Zitong Ren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t like, read autobiographies/biographies and the only reason I read this is that I didn’t realise it was one until I actually started the book. Because who actually reads the synopsis am I right? (just as a note, I normally do read synopses of books, this is just quarantine me continuing to be, I suppose, mega dumb). I suppose the reason as to why I have like read maybe one autobiography about 4 years ago, is that I generally read as a way of escapism because the real world is pretty damn miserable, which naturally means I need to read about world’s where things are even worse. Either way though, I didn’t mind this book and despite it being pretty short and almost sort of choppy, with the prose being pretty basic, I had a decent time.

It is told from Adeline Yen Mah’s perspective in first person and it tells the story of her childhood from I think 5 to 14. It was written way later and I do wonder as to how accurate this is, especially on the finer details and dialogue and what bits had to be filled in slightly. What I did like was that as a reader, you sort of are in her head and going through what Adeline was going through at the time with all of the trauma and I personally really felt for her. It is a pretty tragic novel and there lots of scenes that are traumatic and mentally damaging. I’m not that knowledgeable on trigger warnings, but some of them are family abuse, neglectful parents, child abuse, arranged/forced marriage, and animal abuse. The novel can become almost dark at times, and as it is set both during World War 2, the subsequent civil war and the early days of the Maoist regime, it does also touch base lightly on some of those topics. As it is told from a child’s perspective, it is not something that was really a focus of the novel and rather passed in the background.

Speaking on another topic for a brief moment, I’ve seen reviews, and in fact one of the top reviews on this novel on Goodreads is that they found the character to be whiny and was much better off compared to many people in China during those times. To those people, where is your empathy? Can you not feel sorry for Adeline telling her story through the lens of when she was a child? Is being abused and sidelined in her family not a serious matter? The lack of empathy seriously drives me insane. It’s also interesting seeing lots of people complaining tell at how their parents or grandparents at it worse, so that means, you had it just fine, so why would be it right for you to judge the experiences of a child going through so much abuse and trauma? I understand the sentiment that from certain aspects, she was better off, her parents had enough money and were wealthy enough to send her to school and that she didn’t have to fight others for food for the most part. If all you can get out of a novel that tells the story young girl whose tale can be compared to that of Cinderella and your sole reaction is that she’s whiny because she wasn’t continuously starving, honestly, get a grip. Can you imagine with that mindset going into every novel? Oh look, Sansa Stark was a lady and had food to eat so who cares at the way she was treated, or that Katniss Everdeen was so lucky because she didn’t die and wasn’t brutally murdered.

Ok, look, one can acknowledge the fact that in some ways, such as receiving an education and having food to eat, she was better off than hundreds of millions of Chinese people during that era. However, one can also acknowledge and learn from this book about a young girl who went through her entire childhood knowing nothing but neglect from her parents, leading her into depression alongside other mental issues. The point of the book was just for Adeline to tell her story for goodness sake, not for her to complain about her life. It wasn’t written that way and it didn’t feel that way as I was reading it and I think that if some people can be more empathetic and kind towards other people, regardless of monetary status, or background and understand that this is their story, whether you like it or not is another matter in its entirety.

Anyway, moving on that rant. I, for the most part, while I didn’t love it, I still managed to find it interesting and there were some fairly interesting moments. I would note that I do think some parts of the story could probably have been told better instead of being glossed over, especially as they clearly were important for Adeline. Her writing style is ok, I suppose would be the best way to put it. It’s not bad, but I didn’t find it to be amazing.

Don’t really know how to review autobiographies to be honest, I don’t think I’ve actually written a review for an autobiography before, but I would imagine just going down the track, I will read more autobiographies for sure, though they probably will be spaced far apart and I can’t say if I’ll be reading any soon. 6.5/10

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time being too sympathetic for Adeline because, although treated like an unwanted daughter, she still had it SO much better than the majority of the populace of China during that very turbulent time. She still received a 1st class education, she was not sold off as a slave or given away as a third or fourth wife to some old man, she never had to go hungry or without the basics of life. Her story could be that of a number of people from many different cultures. She comes off as whiney. I do have to admire that she took advantage of her education and made a good life for herself as an adult.

[Catterson Patterson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Firstly, I have to say that I haven't read this book since I was fourteen or fifteen, so I may be altogether mistaken, though I doubt it since it left such a huge impression on me.

Secondly, I would say I am stupidly masochistic with my reading choices. I love depressing books, and I expected to love this one. This author, however, has done a fantastic job of taking a potentially interesting story and sucking any sense of perspective or dimension from it, along with any sort of maturity with which she could've handled such a delicate issue.

I loathed this book, every self-pitying, sympathy pandering, vilifying, passively ugly word. I understand that the story is from the naive viewpoint of a child, but it's hard to keep reading the novel through such a lens while characters are passively depicted as soul-sucking monsters whose life revolves around tormenting the most beatific child to ever grace this wretched earth.

Her experiences may have been dictated by the black-white morality that children adopt. I just would've thought that child-abuse would get a more attentive approach, but I've already made myself clear enough on that so bleh. It does try very, very hard, so that I can appreciate. In terms of technique, the novel lends itself to a smooth reading well enough, and I think I can understand why people enjoyed it, but I won't go on because that would be condescending on my part and offensive from yours what is grammar ugh. But for me, personally, the treatment of its characters, both the main and supporting cast, even made me doubt the integrity of the book's purpose, which makes me unreasonably angry.

This was not gripping. This was not a talented, insightful work. This at its core is a memoir from one rigid, uninteresting viewpoint, and I learnt nothing, except that I would've loved to have seen the perspectives of the other characters to understand what kind of point the author was making. Since I feel such a demonstration of her responsible outlook on life is long coming, I have no interest in ever picking up this book or any book related to these characters ever again.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure if enjoy is the right word to describe this book, but I am glad I read it.

Because the author,Yen-Junling, is blamed for killing her mother during childbirth, her father and siblings neglect and ignore her unless is it to treat her as a servant. While Yen-Junling thinks of herself as worthless and strives for her father's attention and love, she gets positive attention and love from her Ye-Ye (grandfather) and her Aunt Baba and her school friends.

This book was on the one hand heart-breaking to read but also inspiring in the fact that the author was able to overcome her neglectful childhood. I do want to read Falling Leaves by the author, which goes deeper into her adult years.

[Jeanette]

I'm not going to rate this because I just reached exactly half way through and I have no desire to finish it. It's not only the whining but the style of the writing. She's too preachy-teachy for me to listen to her "poor me" for that many more chapters. Family dysfunction and cultural clash happens to 100,000's every day who need to emigrate or for economic reasons. It's sad that she is so negative in response to the circumstances of her myriad misfortunes. But I have no desire to seep myself down in her well. It's pitiful that at 50 something she remembers every negative. My Mother-in-law's Mom died when she was born and she was given away to a neighbor and taken to work on a fruit truck every day while still in diapers. No one ever watched her beyond the age of 7 or 8 and then it was just one uncle who died of drink when she was 13. She worked for her own clothing for high school. I worked in a store from the time I was six or seven. A lot. Lots of immigrants have to grow themselves. That doesn't make this acceptable at all. Just that I'm not the audience for the blame and the "poor me" attitude that she has carried so late into her life. It's poison for her own soul.

[nini ♥︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

☆﹒ 𝟑.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
—

♥︎ I read this as a summer reading book as a sophomore and boy oh boy did I eat this shit up. I feel like this was the first book I’ve read where I really got “stuck” into the story. This was also the book that made me realize that I loved historical “fiction” (in quote bc this is somewhat fiction somewhat non-fiction). But it didn’t really stay memorable for me. I guess I just found things that were better.

[Nadin Doughem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting, heartbreaking, devastating tale of a little Chinese girl, Adeline.

It is a story through the Chinese history through a child's eye.
It is a story of the traditions that would change people's life and fate!
It is the story of Adeline Yen Mah ..


Adeline

An autobiography of the little Adeline growing up in her family whom are unwilling to raise her and unwelcoming her presence. I can't imagine the magnificent intensity of both rudeness and love enclosed in the lines of this masterpiece. Adeline was capable, with simple words, to describe her world through her eyes and how each and every action felt and sensed. Not to mention her ability to transmit all these emotions into the readers mindset leaving him/her with shattered heart and watery eyes.

I can say no more but, I am blessed, AlhamdliAllah!



Can't wait to read the rest of her publications.
So proud I got to know you, Adeline. I really need to keep on this relationship/friendship with you/your books!

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is the children’s version of the author’s autobiography, Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter. It’s pretty short and focuses on the author’s childhood as an unwanted child.

She was the youngest of five children; her mother died giving birth to her, and then her father married a very young wife. This stepmother took over the house, and I really wish I could strangle this woman.



The family was wealthy but never spent money on Adeline if they could help it. She suffered emotional abuse and neglect and occasional physical abuse. School was her escape; she could be normal there with normal people.

The book is gripping; a serious page turner. It comes with the chapters translated into Chinese. One part describes Chinese writing, which I found fascinating as a linguistics student.

If you tried Falling Leaves and found it too disturbing, this may be a good alternative.

Clean language | No sexual content | Descriptions of abuse, mostly emotional
Harm to animals? A dog kills a pet duckling.

[CatReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adeline Yen Mah (b. 1937) was born in Tianjin, China, the fifth child of a wealthy family. Unfortunately, Adeline's mother died two weeks after Adeline's birth from what was likely a postpartum infection, which in Chinese culture made the family shun Adeline as bad luck for the rest of her childhood. Adeline's father remarried a young, half-French woman and greatly favored the two youngest children derived from their union, with both their father and step-mother treating Adeline and her four older siblings poorly for the rest of their childhoods (though the older children were still fed, housed in some capacity, enrolled in private schools, and, with the exception of Adeline's older sister who was married off at 17, funded to go to England to pursue higher education). Chinese Cinderella is Adeline's childhood memoir, which appears to be largely drawn from her more comprehensive memoir, Falling Leaves.

I have mixed feelings about Chinese Cinderella. Memoirs, like all books, should be written an intention toward what readers will derive from the story, and it shouldn't be just for the readers to feel sorry for the author. Childhood trauma memoirs like this one are usually crafted in the narrative of "my childhood was terrible, but I grew up to be OK and be a better parent to my kids (if applicable) and be able to look back on things with an adult perspective, so have hope/perspective yourself." This one never leaves the "my childhood was terrible" phase (despite the fact that Adeline did grow up to have a better life, moving to the US, marrying happily, becoming an anesthesiologist and later fulfilling her childhood dream of being an author). Adeline's parents are written so flatly and coldly like fairytale villains, when one would hope that as an adult Adeline was able to regard them with more circumspection. Adeline also doesn't show much agency in the book, literally acting like a fairytale princess who is only ever capable of being acted on, rarely acting herself. This book was depressing to listen to and ended abruptly with Adeline's departure for England, with no reflection (but maybe that was in her earlier memoir, Fallen Leaves).

My statistics:
Book 15 for 2025
Book 1941 cumulatively

[Dulce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chinese Cinderella was a great book. It taught me many new things. I really liked this book because it wasn't like an ordinary Cinderella story. Their is not a prince in this story their is no magic, but it's about someone who is unwanted. Their were some parts in the story that I didn't like but their were only the parts were she got hit for doing nothing. Adeline was a girl who her father, brothers, and sister blamed her for her mothers death. Adeline was treated unfair by her family. Her father remarried a year after her mothers death. Adeline's step mother was unfair with her and her brothers and sisters. She was separated from her aunt who was the only one who believed that she was special. Her life was not a happy life she was treated with hatred and unfairness. Their would be times were she would win prizes but no one ever seemed to care. All she ever wanted was love and understanding of her family.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kendra Guo 904
12/22/08

Chinese Cinderella
The true story of an unwanted daughter
By Adeline Yen Mah
205pp. New York, New York
Dell Laurel-Leaf. $6.50 US
ISBN 00-440-22865-4

Adeline Yen Mah’s novel, Chinese Cinderella, tells a story about her as a young girl, Adeline struggles for the attention and affection from her father and family. The Chinese Cinderella was a really touching and interesting story. If you could relate you might cry. And this story is said to be a true story. Read this if you like touching and interesting autobiography.

In a way Adeline is like Cinderella is when she is a child she has a evil stepmother and siblings. he faces many challenges like when Cinderella gets her dress ripped up right before the ball. Adeline is like Cinderella at home when Adeline goes to school. When Adeline is with her stepmother it is like Cinderella with her stepmother. It is kind of like Cinderella so if you don’t mind a good story read this book.

I felt that the betrayal that Adeline felt coming from her family wasn’t right, when her stepmother, Niang came to live with them, she changed them all. One by one her family betrayed her over time. First it was her oldest sister who wanted Niang’s appreciation by listening to her to get a better life. She couldn’t resist getting a better life and had to obey and betray the rest of the family that was not yet following Niang’s orders. Niang would spoil her own kids and yet unless you listened to her you would have a very horrible life. The rest of the family eventually the whole family listened to the step mother and betrayed Adeline.

She had many more test to face on the path of learning. You get to know Adeline and you learn how she thinks/feels which makes you think what you would do if you were her. If you don’t like emotional stories this is not the book for you nut if you do this book is good.

Later through out the story Adeline tries to gain her father’s love especially at the beginning of the story. I felt that it was so unfair that her father only paid attention when Adeline got a award, I imagined what would have been going through my head if I was her. The story draws you in and gets you thinking. It makes you think of what I would do in her shoes. And to see what happens to her life which makes Chinese Cinderella a real page turner. Also it talks about the jealousy of the other siblings and it makes you feel like one of the family.

You would get a feeling that you would have had such a hard time and not have grown up to be such a successful person. I might have become a mean person by the time I grew up. You also learn about what could have happened to a lot of kids during the time in the book. The whole family treated her unfairly all the time.

You’ll get excitement, sadness, and angry feelings towards parts of the family while reading Chinese Cinderella. Adeline Yen Mah did a great job telling her life story. If you had questions during parts of the story, by the end, all would be answered so there is still mystery. But you can figure out the answer to questions you have during the story, in the end which is want any person would want. Chinese Cinderella has all the qualities of good writing so READ IT!!!!

[Hannah Rahman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chinese Cinderella is an amazing novel that is a true story about a girl who was looked down upon and isolated from the rest of her family. As a child she was looked after by her aunt. After her mother died giving birth to her she was considered bad luck by the rest of her family and when her dad remarries she is completely ignored. Although she wins many prizes and excels at school her family still doesn't give her the love and respect she deserves. Adeline Yen Mah goes through many hardships and difficulties in her lifetime in order to be recognised as a member of their family.

This novel covers the category "book that teaches you about another culture other than your own" i think this is a good category to have on the board because it is good to acquire knowledge about other cultures. Here in NZ and in many other countries we have a variety of different cultures and there are many things we can experience and learn from each.

As i read this novel i was shocked by the mistreatment to Adeline. She was looked down upon by not only her step family but her own family as well. She tried very hard to please her father by excelling at school and winning many awards but this could still not earn the respect she was after. In one part of the novel Adeline was whipped because she had some friends over and because she was receiving gifts from each of them. No child should have to be exposed to this kind of unfairness.

My favourite character in this novel was Adelines aunt. She was the only family member who looked after her and treated her like any other human being. She looked after Adeline and she showed true kindness and affection to her. Aunt Baba was a courageous woman who stood up for Adeline in times of hardship and unfairness.

My favourite quote in this novel was "“Please believe that one single positive dream is more important than a thousand negative realities.” This quote was very inspiring to me and it should be to others as well. If things arent going well in life then you shouldnt give up because having a dream can help you get through life and it can also help you to strive for what you are after.

I learnt many different aspects from this novel but one thing that really stood out for me was to stand up for yourself and believe that although others are putting you down you can still get many good things out of life if you strive for the best and have a great sense of belief in yourself as well.

I would recommend this novel to anyone as it is definitely a heart gripping novel that can teach people many things as well.

[Hollie · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is pretty infrequent that I read a book an absoltely hate it...hate it bad enough that I cannot see past the bad taste to find any redeeming qualities in it. But this book - I hated it.

Once someone told me to be honest in my journal about things that happen in my life...but to also be cautious about how I speak negatively about others in my journal. That commentary about someone else is recorded forever. If it's negative, that may be all that is remembered about that person, even long after you forgave them and moved on from the incident.

That's how I feel about this book. The author paints a seethingly negative portrayl of her entire family. Ok, maybe this was true to some extent (though I have a VERY hard time believing that everyone in her life was THAT intentionally malicious). But I could not help but believe that if her other family members had the chance to speak and publish a book of their own, having both perspectives to the story would provide a much more accurate picutre.

The negativity and sense of entitiled victimization of this novel suffocates any value it provides.

[Litsplaining · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember it like it was yesterday when I picked up this book at my fourth grade book fair. I devoured this story all the way home and was finish with it by the time we pulled into the driveway with only the thought of how how hard Yen Mah's life must've been as a child.

Adeline Yen Mah's story was heartbreaking in the worst type of way. Upset that his wife died in childbirth, Yen Mah's father punishes her and places her into the custody of her Aunt to be looked after as a small child. As her memoir progresses, the readers see Yen Mah face trial after trial only to pull through showing the resilience of the human spirit.

I seriously loved this book so much that I bought the grown up version of the story, Falling Leaves. I'd definitely recommend this novel to anyone who wants to read a sentimental memoir that is also uplifting by the end.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

I also read Falling Leaves by the same author. It seems to be a retelling of the same story. The author recounts the cruelty she suffered as an outcast daughter who is blamed for her mother's death. She is treated like a second class citizen by her siblings, her father and her new step mother. I found the details about life during WWII interesting. While not quite as brutal as some other memoirs that come to mind, such as Bastard out of Carolina, it conveys what it feels like to be an unloved child.

[Emily Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know virtually nothing about Chinese history and so the setting of this memoir was incredibly fascinating to me. Adeline Yen Mah has this very straight forward way of writing about these incredibly emotional moments in her life that left me breathless at times with the brutality of it all. Following her as a small child as she grows up in the most toxic bonkers family environment is rough- but her tenacity is so endearing I just admired her so much while reading about each new obstacle she had to face.

It’s a lot of heartbreak but damn if this girl just doesn’t give up until she finally finds a way to get out and create the life she dreamed of for herself.

(I do wish we had more context or insights into her family. I would’ve really liked to know Adeline’s thoughts on what her family’s motivations or feelings were as she looks back on these stories now. A lot of this felt so incredible it was hard to make sense of it all)

[Angelica · Rating 2 out of 5]

(I read this because it's Zach's assigned reading for the summer.)

I had a hard time deciding what to rate this book.

My initial reaction was to give it less than 3 stars because I found the writing to be generally awkward. That is my main complaint about this book, similar to "Who Fears Death?" This was written as a children's book and is told from the point of view of the author as a child, so maybe the way she thought she should convey the story to her audience just didn't work for me. However that thought just made me think of something I recently read (possibly written by Patrick Rothfuss?) about how writing a book for children doesn't excuse poor writing.

Then I read through other low reviews and got very angry about how the main complaint is that she's a rich, whiny girl who doesn't know how good she had it. Did these people read the same book as I did? The author very obviously suffered emotional and physical abuse from her stepmother and father; what does it matter that she was still able to go to school, that she wasn't starving out on the streets? These facts do not invalidate what she suffered. One of these commenters did give some context for this scorn — that strict upbringing and corporal punishment were the norm and daughters were less desired in China, so really her story could have been told by countless other girls who didn't enjoy any of the privileges that she did. And to the commenters who can't believe how she so desperately wants affection and approval from her abusers, who say this makes her pathetic and an unbelievable character, I say be *very* thankful that you don't understand.

So that bit there made me feel like I should leave a higher rating, because clearly her story resonated with me in some way. That said, I think I'll stick with my 2 stars, because while it's important for stories like this to be told and heard, I'm sure it could be (and has been) done in a way that isn't so awkward for me to read.

[Anushree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is basically about Adeline, as a young girl, who is disliked by her whole family because they assume her birth was the cause of her mother's death. Adeline lives with her father, Aunt Baba, her grandparents, her older sister and her 3 brothers. When she is one year old, her father marries another woman (whom they call Niang) who is partial towards Adeline and her siblings. As Adeline grows up, she is neglected from the family, but is only accepted by her Aunt Baba and her grandparents. The book continues about how her life is full of sad moments and the small things that make her happy.

I feel that the book is well written with lots of adjectives and vivid descriptions. You can really feel for the author while reading this book and you can clearly understand what she is going through and how hard her life is. The story is chronological and has quite a bit of information about Chinese Culture in it. This book basically conveys to me that Adeline had a very rough childhood; full of sorrow. Her Niang treated her and her brothers and her sister in a very different way compared to her Niangs own children. I think the book is meant for young adults to adults, from the age of 10/11 and above.

[Sully (sully.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my book report back in high school. I treated this book not just a topic in a report but an inspirational novel that burst the tears out of me.
Adeline Yen Mah's Cinderella story is about a child's attempts to navigate an abusive household situated in China during and after World War II.

[Elizabeth S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different Struggles
How do you make it through a horrendous day? Some people wait it out, others try to make it better. Personally, I just go to bed and all of yesterday's problems will be gone when I wake up. But for some people that does not happen because they are stuck in glue. Yesterdays troubles are tomorrows troubles as well.
The story of Yen Mah is told through the book, Chinese CInderella the True Story of an Unwanted Daughter. This memoir is all about the struggles Yen Mah had to go through in her life that did not simply disappear because she wished them to. I enjoyed reading this book because it gave me an inside on someone else’s life and culture. Also the short, descriptive stories kept me reading and helped me picture her life which made for a robust read. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and/or memoirs.
Yen Mah’s struggles began when her mother had Yen Mah, after her four other siblings, she died giving birth to her. This was a lifelong struggle for Yen Mah, especially since her other siblings would say, “She died because of you. You are bad luck,” (3). The blame segregated her from the rest of the family. When her father remarried and had two other children, Yen Mah and her other siblings were treated as even lesser people than before and were not able to have the privileges the favored children had. They were not able to play, eat, or talk when they wanted to. They were forced to live on the top floor and could only come down when asked. But for Yen Mah this was an average every day. She was stuck in a well and there was no escaping it.
I can relate with Yen Mah and her siblings because of the way they heed around each other. I also come from a big family with many siblings who quarrel A LOT. Being part of a big family is hard and tiring and annoying at some times. When Yen Mah’s siblings tease and prank her, I can feel what she is feeling. I am Yen Mah as I look ”Through the mirror hanging on the wall, I could see them rolling on the floor with hysterical laughter,” (Yen Mah 69). This taunting was a big part of Yen Mah’s everyday problems. When her siblings fight together, rebell together, and struggle together I am able to put myself in her position and feel her emotions. This has helped me to understand the book on an even deeper level.
Yen Mah’s life at home was not pleasurable but she did not let it wound her like a hunted deer. Every time she left the house to go to school, she made the most of it. She engulfed herself in her studies and “has led the class again in every subject except art,” (66). The story of how she was neglected by her family did not reflect on who she became as a person. If I have learned anything from this book it was that you can not let the negatives pull you down.

[Mahima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chinese Cinderella
Adeline Yen Mah

I decided to read this book because it was lying on the shelf for ages and ages and also because i needed a book to read. I particularly liked this book because it was a true story about a young girl and it's very motivational.

This book fulfills the category of an autobiography on the bingo board. I choose this category because i quiet like true stories that have some time inspirational message. Chinese Cinderella shows how Adeline struggles to gain acceptance from her family and how she overcame the disparity and proves what she is worth.

My favorite quote from this book is “Please believe that one single positive dream is more important than a thousand negative realities.” I like this quote because i think its very deep and is very inspirational. This shows us how it is possible achieve our goals and dreams even if it seems impossible. Adeline was a very positive person and believed she could do anything despite the constant criticism by her step mother and siblings. I admire her strength and persistence to follow her dreams even though everyone told her she couldn't and that she wasn't worth anything.

Something i learn t from this book is persistence and believing in yourself. Adeline had been constantly told negative things but she still managed to look at the positive side of things and overcome her shyness and prove to her family that she could do anything. This ties into my favorite character question, which is Adeline. Adeline had a persistent attitude even though know one cared about her excellent progress, she had a goal to prove to her dad that she wasn't bad luck or worthless. Adeline was a very intelligent student and easily topped her class, but her very "busy" dad and her careless step mother failed to notice. Everyone in her family envied and hated her except Adeline's aunt Baba and Grandpa Yeye. They were the two people that encouraged her in all ways, without them she wouldn't have survived her tragic life. Her siblings negatively impacted on her decreasing her self esteem, but she still tried staying strong. The quote in the novel "I am nothing, less than nothing. A piece of garbage to be thrown out." This shows us how upset and depressed Adeline feels because of the lack of support from her family. Whenever Adeline had such thoughts aunt Baba always reminded of what a strong wonderful child she was. Adeline tried looking at the positive side of things and carried on.

While reading Chinese Cinderella i experienced Adeline's worlds,she lived a very tragic and unfair life. This made me think about the wonderful life i have, with the support of friends, family and teachers. I very much admire Adeline's strength.
I this a very nice book and would certainly recommend it to others.

[Danyelle Leafty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adeline's birth led to her mother's death, something her family never let her forget. Her father ignored her, and her brothers and sisters tormented her in their own quest for their father's attention. Only in her aunt and grandfather did Adeline find love and peace. Adeline soon turned to scholastic achievement in order to find something of worth in herself. And for every golden star and award she received, her aunt not only praised her, but put them in a safe where she kept her special things. And best of all, her father acknowledged her and praised her. This was not without its consequences as her siblings grew angry with her recognition, but their anger was a shadow in the light of what she perceived as her father's love.

Then her father remarried and her life, while difficult before, became downright unbearable at times. Her step-mother hated her from the first moment of meeting, and her father continued to neglect his children in favor of his wife. Adeline's aunt and grandfather continued to love and nurture her where they could, but as they were dependent on Adeline's father for the necessities of life, they had little power and could do nothing to better her situation.

And somehow through it all, Adeline persevered to find a slice of her own happiness.


There are no warnings, except that this is an extrememly emotional book. It deals with child abuse--particularly emotional abuse. Adeline's childhood was not a happy one, and yet the book itself isn't depressing. Instead, it stands as a testament that one can overcome anything to achieve one's dreams. It does not happen without sweat, tears, and pain, but it is possible.

I loved Adeline's voice. I generally have a hard time reading these types of books because the "Story Voice" isn't there, but it is in Chinese Cinderella.

There really isn't anything I would change about this story. I loved it to pieces, even though it was a painful (emotional) read at times. The rest of her story can be found in: Falling Leaves.

[Sehrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favourite and the most memorable story of all time. Its a true story about a girl called Adeline (the author) who tells us the story of her bravery over the abuse she suffers by own father and stepmother. Adeline is born into wealthy and powerful family in China, but her life is a struggle from the moment she is born, as mother dies after her birth due to complications with the delivery. In Chinese culture this marks Adeline as cursed and bad luck, causing her to grow up with the guilt that she is the one who is to blmae for her mother's death. Adeline's father decides to remarry which makes things even worse as her step mother favours her own children and restricts Adeline and her natural siblings to one small area of the house.
Chinese Cinderella is a very sad and painfull story as the author shares all her down falls and up strengths throughout her childhood in her book. It actually brought tears to my eyes as by putting yourself in her shoes you could really imagine how it would feel to be her. Many children and adults who have had a difficult or abusive childhood can realte to this story; it will provide comfort and reassurance that they can still live the way the Chinese Cinderella did as this book outlines Adeline�s struggle to find a place where she feels she belongs, being neglected by her own family, she finds some suport in relationships with her grandfather Ye Ye, and her Aunt Baba, but even they taken from her as well. Adeline strives to achieve academic success whilst suffering a traumatic childhood. By writing this book the author has set an example to all those children who have had a difficult childhood by showing her courage and fight for success.
I think this book is suitable for key stage two (year 5 and 6) because of the use of challenging language and the sensitive issues discussed. This book can be used for a PSHE lesson in which children can discuss many issues we may come across in life and how to overcome them.

[Jinbin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Chinese Cinderella" happens to be a true story about the author's own childhood experience. During her childhood, which takes time in the 1930s to 1940s, she was viewed as an unwanted and unimportant person to her family. Her aunt and grandpa and third brother were the only ones that wanted to support her, but couldn't help much. She puts herself into her studies and earned lots of honors. Her family, mostly her stepmother, has given her an unbearable childhood in which she could never forget.

This book is really great because it gives me a sense of sympathy for the author. I don't really know hoe to describe my feeling toward this book, but i know i feel sorry for her. When i was reading this book, it made me cried because of all the unhappy things that happened to the author. It must be really hurtful for a child that is without her parents' love and care.

Another thing i really like this book was that i can learn my Chinese from it. I just realized that i have forgotten how to write most of my Chinese. After reading the book, i have the urge to "relearn" my Chinese. There are also some historical events that she put in and that we can learn from.

[#artdamnit Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah was an odd read. The story was very depressing and extremely one sided and very focused on the narrator (the author). The story follows Adeline’s life from 4 years old to 14, throughout the story she is emotionally abused and suffers because she is the least favored out of 7 children.

and yet

she’s smart, respected by her classmates and teachers, and in the end she gets sent to school in England, which at the time was a very rare privilege. (not to mention the fact that her father sends her there).

Throughout the entire book we only see her point of view, her side of the story and almost no context whatsoever. During a time of war and hardship for China and the rest of the world, she is only focused on herself and how horrible life seems for her, and just glosses over major events as if they were unimportant. Throughout the whole book she never looks on the brightside of things…in fact even victories are defeats! It gets very depressing and I would not recommend this book.

Happy (please!) Readings!

<3

The Book Worm