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The Immortal Woman
By turns wry and lyrical, a generational story of identity and freedom that reveals a rarely seen insider’s view of China’s contemporary history.
Lemei, a student Red Guard leader in 1960s Shanghai, leads a life of deception after her father dies a political prisoner. She is assigned to a journalism position at the state newspaper and forced to churn out propaganda. During the Tiananmen Square protests, she is involved in a brutal act of violence. Losing all hope for China, she sees America as the only way out for her daughter, Lin.
Ten years later, Lin escapes to an American university with a mission to become a true Westerner. She tirelessly erases her birth identity, abandons her Chinese suitor, and pursues a white love interest. However, her painful upbringing haunts her at every turn.
At Lin’s graduation, Lemei realizes the America dream was only an illusion. Following China’s meteoric rise, she is slowly dragged into a nationalistic perspective that stuns Lin, leading to a grave conflict between mother and daughter. Their final confrontation comes with tragic consequences, but nonetheless shines a light of hope for the future.
Lemei, a student Red Guard leader in 1960s Shanghai, leads a life of deception after her father dies a political prisoner. She is assigned to a journalism position at the state newspaper and forced to churn out propaganda. During the Tiananmen Square protests, she is involved in a brutal act of violence. Losing all hope for China, she sees America as the only way out for her daughter, Lin.
Ten years later, Lin escapes to an American university with a mission to become a true Westerner. She tirelessly erases her birth identity, abandons her Chinese suitor, and pursues a white love interest. However, her painful upbringing haunts her at every turn.
At Lin’s graduation, Lemei realizes the America dream was only an illusion. Following China’s meteoric rise, she is slowly dragged into a nationalistic perspective that stuns Lin, leading to a grave conflict between mother and daughter. Their final confrontation comes with tragic consequences, but nonetheless shines a light of hope for the future.
384 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2025
28 people are currently reading
4915 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
February 24, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and House of Anansi Press Inc. for access to this title. I am auto-approved by the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
Dear fellow readers, have you ever experienced conflicting feelings over a book?
Of course, you have!
I have had more than my share of books that " I want to like this, but I feel burdened by it. On the other hand, it was a great plot point or characterization. Then again, I'm relieved it's over."
The Immortal Woman finds me in quite the conundorum. The novel follows a mother-daughter through different decades in China, the U.S., and Canada. It explores
self-identity and belonging alongside historical moments of the 20th and 21st centuries. Through Lemei, we see China in the 1960's and her role as a Red Guard leader, and later, as a state journalist witnessing the brutal violence at the Tiananmen Square protests. In between these sections, we are with her daughter, Lin, now studying at an American university struggling with the clash of cultures between the world she came into and the new one she wishes to claim. Such important topics and characters were introduced, as I travelled through the years with these two women.
.
The writing flowed nicely but I did find that there were chapters I had to go back and read as there was always this cloud that I was missing something. Perhaps it was how the book was spliced up into several parts and we were flipping between the women's different experiences and points of view. It was truly a challenge.
I find myself wondering too " Is it because even though the author, who is Chinese-Canadian is trying hard to make a Canadian reader with a completely different set of ancestral stories understand the experience her characters are living, there are just some things that I am not going to be able to understand?'
Perhaps.
As interesting as the women characters were, the male character depictions were dark with not a lot of redeeming qualities. Lemei's brother and Lin's friend, Dali made me shudder and cringe every time they had space on the page.
Overall, I don't feel that I picked up on all the nuances that Su Chang needed me to pick up on. If I hesitate to recommend the title, it is only because it sounds silly to then ask another reader, "Could you please explain ________ so that I understand ______________." But in this case, I think it best to be 100% with all other readers, that it is, a "me" thing.
So, take my 2 stars as I am going to give it a try! Because I would still be interested in reading more of Su Chang's work.
I look forward to everyone's thoughts and discussions about the book.
#TheImmortalWoman #NetGalley.
Expected Publication 04/03/25
Goodreads Review 24/02/25
Dear fellow readers, have you ever experienced conflicting feelings over a book?
Of course, you have!
I have had more than my share of books that " I want to like this, but I feel burdened by it. On the other hand, it was a great plot point or characterization. Then again, I'm relieved it's over."
The Immortal Woman finds me in quite the conundorum. The novel follows a mother-daughter through different decades in China, the U.S., and Canada. It explores
self-identity and belonging alongside historical moments of the 20th and 21st centuries. Through Lemei, we see China in the 1960's and her role as a Red Guard leader, and later, as a state journalist witnessing the brutal violence at the Tiananmen Square protests. In between these sections, we are with her daughter, Lin, now studying at an American university struggling with the clash of cultures between the world she came into and the new one she wishes to claim. Such important topics and characters were introduced, as I travelled through the years with these two women.
.
The writing flowed nicely but I did find that there were chapters I had to go back and read as there was always this cloud that I was missing something. Perhaps it was how the book was spliced up into several parts and we were flipping between the women's different experiences and points of view. It was truly a challenge.
I find myself wondering too " Is it because even though the author, who is Chinese-Canadian is trying hard to make a Canadian reader with a completely different set of ancestral stories understand the experience her characters are living, there are just some things that I am not going to be able to understand?'
Perhaps.
As interesting as the women characters were, the male character depictions were dark with not a lot of redeeming qualities. Lemei's brother and Lin's friend, Dali made me shudder and cringe every time they had space on the page.
Overall, I don't feel that I picked up on all the nuances that Su Chang needed me to pick up on. If I hesitate to recommend the title, it is only because it sounds silly to then ask another reader, "Could you please explain ________ so that I understand ______________." But in this case, I think it best to be 100% with all other readers, that it is, a "me" thing.
So, take my 2 stars as I am going to give it a try! Because I would still be interested in reading more of Su Chang's work.
I look forward to everyone's thoughts and discussions about the book.
#TheImmortalWoman #NetGalley.
Expected Publication 04/03/25
Goodreads Review 24/02/25
June 30, 2025
Sad book. Not much I want to say about it. While the characters go through a lot, I had a hard time liking any of them.
I find I usually need to like at least one character to like the book a little. I was excited to read this one because Tiananmen Square was such memorable event in my teens. There are a handful of events that have that kind of real estate in my mind. It was the first time I saw a protest have an impact on a government, the first time I could see China as something other than another North Korea. It was one of the reasons why one of my majors was Asian studies and why I took Chinese history classes in college - the realization that as much as my environment tried to tell me my Asian peoples were a monolith, that we really, really aren't, that we are as diverse as the European continent. I grew up in two camps: with my family, it was pride in being Korean, caution about Japanese, and everyone else being unimportant; with everyone outside my family, it was that Asians weren't welcome, that industries needed to free themselves from Taiwan, Japan, and Korea where everything was being made back then, and that to them, we were all the same. So for the Chinese government to massacre its own people because it was provoked by their voices, it was a wakeup call to me too: it was time for me to understand my origins better.
In this book, the immigrant experience is unrecognizable to me. It's nothing like my own. So that was another reason I had trouble connecting with the characters. The only part I could connect with was Lin's headstrong pursuit to define her own terms on how she is going to live life. I've certainly bucked expectations often enough to know what that feels like.
Though I didn't really like the story itself, or even the characters, overall, it was still a book I'm glad to have read. I can't explain it, but that's where I ended up.
I find I usually need to like at least one character to like the book a little. I was excited to read this one because Tiananmen Square was such memorable event in my teens. There are a handful of events that have that kind of real estate in my mind. It was the first time I saw a protest have an impact on a government, the first time I could see China as something other than another North Korea. It was one of the reasons why one of my majors was Asian studies and why I took Chinese history classes in college - the realization that as much as my environment tried to tell me my Asian peoples were a monolith, that we really, really aren't, that we are as diverse as the European continent. I grew up in two camps: with my family, it was pride in being Korean, caution about Japanese, and everyone else being unimportant; with everyone outside my family, it was that Asians weren't welcome, that industries needed to free themselves from Taiwan, Japan, and Korea where everything was being made back then, and that to them, we were all the same. So for the Chinese government to massacre its own people because it was provoked by their voices, it was a wakeup call to me too: it was time for me to understand my origins better.
In this book, the immigrant experience is unrecognizable to me. It's nothing like my own. So that was another reason I had trouble connecting with the characters. The only part I could connect with was Lin's headstrong pursuit to define her own terms on how she is going to live life. I've certainly bucked expectations often enough to know what that feels like.
Though I didn't really like the story itself, or even the characters, overall, it was still a book I'm glad to have read. I can't explain it, but that's where I ended up.
March 10, 2025
This was a moving multigenerational debut story about one family of Chinese women fighting for their country, their identities and their places in societies that don't always want them.
Beginning in 1960s Shanghai and ending in present day Canada, we follow Lemei, a journalist during the Tiananmen Square protests who becomes disillusioned and works hard to provide her daughter Lin the opportunity to study abroad in America.
Lin's time as a student in America though is far from perfect, she has to deal with anti-Asian hate from both outsiders and fellow Asian immigrants who judge her for not embracing her culture enough. She also tries to resist Dali, a rival student from her hometown who also won a scholarship and is intent on becoming Lin's boyfriend.
After graduating Lin eventually moves to Toronto where she pursues a passion in theatre, marries a white man and struggles with postpartum depression after the birth of her own daughter.
In turns heartbreaking and eye-opening, this Chinese immigrant story is a must read and highly recommended for fans of authors like Amy Tan or Lisa See.
Beginning in 1960s Shanghai and ending in present day Canada, we follow Lemei, a journalist during the Tiananmen Square protests who becomes disillusioned and works hard to provide her daughter Lin the opportunity to study abroad in America.
Lin's time as a student in America though is far from perfect, she has to deal with anti-Asian hate from both outsiders and fellow Asian immigrants who judge her for not embracing her culture enough. She also tries to resist Dali, a rival student from her hometown who also won a scholarship and is intent on becoming Lin's boyfriend.
After graduating Lin eventually moves to Toronto where she pursues a passion in theatre, marries a white man and struggles with postpartum depression after the birth of her own daughter.
In turns heartbreaking and eye-opening, this Chinese immigrant story is a must read and highly recommended for fans of authors like Amy Tan or Lisa See.
Read
May 29, 2025The multiple timelines and parallel coming-of-age stories were too difficult to keep track of...and I lacked the patience to try.
I logged onto the Zoom book club hoping for some clarity and encouragement to continue...but left the meeting early as I was just as confused!!!!
I logged onto the Zoom book club hoping for some clarity and encouragement to continue...but left the meeting early as I was just as confused!!!!
July 6, 2025
Reading The Immortal Woman felt like stepping into the raw pulse of history—its wounds, its beauty, and its complicated legacy. Su Chang has written a novel that doesn’t just tell a story—it carves it into your memory. This isn’t just a mother-daughter saga; it’s a reckoning with identity, loss, cultural dislocation, and the cost of survival.
Lemei is one of the most unforgettable characters I’ve encountered in recent fiction. As a former Red Guard turned disillusioned journalist, her inner conflict is both intimate and epic, echoing the turmoil of modern China itself. Her daughter Lin, equally compelling, breaks herself apart trying to reinvent who she is in America—only to discover that the past is never that easily erased.
Chang’s prose is quietly stunning—by turns sharp, mournful, defiant, and tender. She navigates the generational rift between Lemei and Lin with piercing clarity and grace. I found myself aching for both women, even as their choices took them down painful, opposing paths. And when they collide—worldviews, wounds, secrets—the result is as explosive as it is deeply human.
What makes The Immortal Woman exceptional is how it captures the collision of the personal and political. It forces us to ask: What do we owe our families? Our nations? Ourselves?
This is a novel of haunting contradictions—how love and trauma can be inherited, how freedom can look like betrayal, and how nationalism and assimilation can be equally soul-erasing. But through it all, Su Chang leaves us with something vital: the fragile hope that redemption, even if incomplete, is still possible.
A deeply affecting, elegantly wrought novel. I’ll be thinking about Lemei and Lin for a long, long time.
Lemei is one of the most unforgettable characters I’ve encountered in recent fiction. As a former Red Guard turned disillusioned journalist, her inner conflict is both intimate and epic, echoing the turmoil of modern China itself. Her daughter Lin, equally compelling, breaks herself apart trying to reinvent who she is in America—only to discover that the past is never that easily erased.
Chang’s prose is quietly stunning—by turns sharp, mournful, defiant, and tender. She navigates the generational rift between Lemei and Lin with piercing clarity and grace. I found myself aching for both women, even as their choices took them down painful, opposing paths. And when they collide—worldviews, wounds, secrets—the result is as explosive as it is deeply human.
What makes The Immortal Woman exceptional is how it captures the collision of the personal and political. It forces us to ask: What do we owe our families? Our nations? Ourselves?
This is a novel of haunting contradictions—how love and trauma can be inherited, how freedom can look like betrayal, and how nationalism and assimilation can be equally soul-erasing. But through it all, Su Chang leaves us with something vital: the fragile hope that redemption, even if incomplete, is still possible.
A deeply affecting, elegantly wrought novel. I’ll be thinking about Lemei and Lin for a long, long time.
February 27, 2025
The Immortal Woman by Su Chang is set from the 1960s to the 1990s. In this intergeneration historical fiction novel, our main characters Lemei and Lin as they move from China the US and Canada during this time period, and provides some great historical context along the way.
This book touches on some difficult themes such as sexual assault, political violence, racism, colorism and first generation immigrant/migrant experience and associated diaspora.
It was a challenging read, not only because of the topics covered, but also because the writing was as inconsistent in pacing and style. Most of the male characters are just deplorable. Given that this debut novel was a good read, providing some historical context I was not aware of and was a good exploration China for me.
Thank you House of Anansi Press Inc. | House of Anansi Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and read this book. All Opinions are my own.
Rating: 3 Stars
Print Pub Date Mar 04 2025
Tags:
@ houseofanansi
@suchangwrites
#theimmortalwoman
#netgalley
This book touches on some difficult themes such as sexual assault, political violence, racism, colorism and first generation immigrant/migrant experience and associated diaspora.
It was a challenging read, not only because of the topics covered, but also because the writing was as inconsistent in pacing and style. Most of the male characters are just deplorable. Given that this debut novel was a good read, providing some historical context I was not aware of and was a good exploration China for me.
Thank you House of Anansi Press Inc. | House of Anansi Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and read this book. All Opinions are my own.
Rating: 3 Stars
Print Pub Date Mar 04 2025
Tags:
@ houseofanansi
@suchangwrites
#theimmortalwoman
#netgalley
March 18, 2025
Told from interconnected perspectives, The Immortal Woman by Su Chang is a book full trauma and tough topics.
Lin and Lemei's story spans from the 1960s until the 1990s and takes these characters from China to America to Canada.
Though not all readers will fully connect to the cultural assimilation plotline, all can connect to feeling like an outsider just struggling to fit in. I found myself especially relating to the challenges Lin faced as new parent; although the outcome for her was horrific, I found my own experiences mirroring hers.
Chang's writing is mesmerizing, but I often found myself in a trance; many times rereading sections to make sure I hadn't missed anything, confirming I understood the progression of the story. The addition of occasional straightforward explanations would help punctuate certain moments, making them stand out by contrast.
A multi-generational story, showing perseverance through countless hardships and devastating times - both Lin and Lemei were very deserving of the restful ending they received!
Please note this book touches on many triggering topics.
Thank you Tandem Collective Global and House Of Anansi Press for the complimentary copy to read and review.
Lin and Lemei's story spans from the 1960s until the 1990s and takes these characters from China to America to Canada.
Though not all readers will fully connect to the cultural assimilation plotline, all can connect to feeling like an outsider just struggling to fit in. I found myself especially relating to the challenges Lin faced as new parent; although the outcome for her was horrific, I found my own experiences mirroring hers.
Chang's writing is mesmerizing, but I often found myself in a trance; many times rereading sections to make sure I hadn't missed anything, confirming I understood the progression of the story. The addition of occasional straightforward explanations would help punctuate certain moments, making them stand out by contrast.
A multi-generational story, showing perseverance through countless hardships and devastating times - both Lin and Lemei were very deserving of the restful ending they received!
Please note this book touches on many triggering topics.
Thank you Tandem Collective Global and House Of Anansi Press for the complimentary copy to read and review.
April 3, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
If you are looking for a beautifully written and a deeply emotional read, I highly recommend The Immortal Woman. One of my favorite things about Tandem Readalongs is that it often helps me discover hidden literary gems. Despite my vertigo messing up my (reading) life, I’m so grateful to Tandem Collective Global & House of Anansi for introducing me to this book.
The Immortal Woman explores really deep themes - cultural identity, relationships between mothers & daughters, oppressive systems. Yes this story deals with some pretty heavy stuff and yes I shed a few tears but it also explores a really interesting and intense period in Chinese history, 1960s Shanghai, which I found really interesting. I empathized with Lemai’s desire for a better life for her daughter. And with Lin’s desire to find a way to belong.
As someone who moved to Canada at 16, I understood that struggle of belonging to two cultures and challenges of finding a way to fit in. Reality is that it was still easier for me because I’m white. I also appreciated the focus on female experience - men in this story leave a lot to be desired with their actions. And finally, I urge you to check trigger warnings for this one!
If you are looking for a beautifully written and a deeply emotional read, I highly recommend The Immortal Woman. One of my favorite things about Tandem Readalongs is that it often helps me discover hidden literary gems. Despite my vertigo messing up my (reading) life, I’m so grateful to Tandem Collective Global & House of Anansi for introducing me to this book.
The Immortal Woman explores really deep themes - cultural identity, relationships between mothers & daughters, oppressive systems. Yes this story deals with some pretty heavy stuff and yes I shed a few tears but it also explores a really interesting and intense period in Chinese history, 1960s Shanghai, which I found really interesting. I empathized with Lemai’s desire for a better life for her daughter. And with Lin’s desire to find a way to belong.
As someone who moved to Canada at 16, I understood that struggle of belonging to two cultures and challenges of finding a way to fit in. Reality is that it was still easier for me because I’m white. I also appreciated the focus on female experience - men in this story leave a lot to be desired with their actions. And finally, I urge you to check trigger warnings for this one!
April 25, 2025
Rating: 3.5 stars rounded up
Huge thank you to @tandemcollectiveglobal and @houseofanansi for the #gifted copy!
THE IMMORTAL WOMAN is a generational story of identity and freedom that reveals a rarely seen insider's view of China's contemporary history. It follows Lemei and her daughter Lin through multiple timelines as they navigate the Communist Revolution and it's lasting effects on their lives.
I won't lie, this was a difficult read for me. Not because I didn't enjoy the content, but because the whole story is just full of raw emotions. It tackles heavy themes such as generational trauma, political upheaval, racism, and lingering scars of the past. Although fictional, the story is rooted in experiences that were all too real for many. I highly recommend checking the trigger warnings before reading this, as there are many.
This one is going to stick with me for a while.
𝐀𝐝𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐁𝐑 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞..
🪷Historical fiction
🗺️"The American Dream"
🪷Intergenerational stories
🗺️Heavy hitters
Please remember, reading is subjective, it's okay to have a different opinion🖤
Huge thank you to @tandemcollectiveglobal and @houseofanansi for the #gifted copy!
THE IMMORTAL WOMAN is a generational story of identity and freedom that reveals a rarely seen insider's view of China's contemporary history. It follows Lemei and her daughter Lin through multiple timelines as they navigate the Communist Revolution and it's lasting effects on their lives.
I won't lie, this was a difficult read for me. Not because I didn't enjoy the content, but because the whole story is just full of raw emotions. It tackles heavy themes such as generational trauma, political upheaval, racism, and lingering scars of the past. Although fictional, the story is rooted in experiences that were all too real for many. I highly recommend checking the trigger warnings before reading this, as there are many.
This one is going to stick with me for a while.
𝐀𝐝𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐁𝐑 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞..
🪷Historical fiction
🗺️"The American Dream"
🪷Intergenerational stories
🗺️Heavy hitters
Please remember, reading is subjective, it's okay to have a different opinion🖤
April 27, 2025
2.5 / 2.75. interesting, not my style of writing but good story. Occasionally hard to follow, but that may just be me.
May 25, 2025
The multi-generational approach from grandmother to mother to daughter was great. Unfortunately, I was often confused about what was really going on. I’m not sure whether it’s because I didn’t know much about Chinese history at all, because of how the author approaches the characters, or something else. I do understand that there’s some kind of multi-general trauma and dysfunctional relationships going on.
One thing that also threw me off was when the setting switches to Southern California. I have been in and around university settings, including international students from China for a long time and have never noticed some of the things that she describes in these settings. It’s a problem either way, whether the author is making things up that are not really happening or are very rare (without making that clear) or whether people/students are not reporting these kinds of discriminations and abuses so those around them (who are not being in danger of being deported etc.) can support them.
It was a bit irritating, too, that the characters attributed some things to racism that clearly weren’t, e.g. I remember the required sponsors for student visas, these were required no matter where the international students came from. This not unusual, though.
For my taste, some scenes, including the sexual scenes, were unnecessarily specific, not really adding to the story. I wish the author had spent more effort on explaining the historical background and its influence instead.
While I usually like stories where everything is resolved, I didn’t mind that that didn’t happen in this book because it was in a way just a (long) slice of a family’s history, mostly concentrating on the women.
One thing that also threw me off was when the setting switches to Southern California. I have been in and around university settings, including international students from China for a long time and have never noticed some of the things that she describes in these settings. It’s a problem either way, whether the author is making things up that are not really happening or are very rare (without making that clear) or whether people/students are not reporting these kinds of discriminations and abuses so those around them (who are not being in danger of being deported etc.) can support them.
It was a bit irritating, too, that the characters attributed some things to racism that clearly weren’t, e.g. I remember the required sponsors for student visas, these were required no matter where the international students came from. This not unusual, though.
For my taste, some scenes, including the sexual scenes, were unnecessarily specific, not really adding to the story. I wish the author had spent more effort on explaining the historical background and its influence instead.
While I usually like stories where everything is resolved, I didn’t mind that that didn’t happen in this book because it was in a way just a (long) slice of a family’s history, mostly concentrating on the women.
March 19, 2025
2.5 ⭐️ rounded up.
34/125📚
Thank you @tandemcollectiveglobal and @houseofanansi for my copy of The Immortal Woman.
I had such a great time as usual reading with a great group of girls! We had some pretty good discussions regarding this book.
One thing I love about historical fiction is that I almost always learn something and that is always a win for me. This was a great debut novel by the author and I found the writing flowed pretty good, however, there were some moments where I had to go back and reread because I thought maybe I missed something.
There are some triggering topics in this book and in particular some animal abuse which should have been listed but wasn't (I actually would not have read this book knowing this), unfortunately this really affected me and of course can't stop thinking of it now.
Overall, a good intergenerational story showing the different hardships that must be overcome.
34/125📚
Thank you @tandemcollectiveglobal and @houseofanansi for my copy of The Immortal Woman.
I had such a great time as usual reading with a great group of girls! We had some pretty good discussions regarding this book.
One thing I love about historical fiction is that I almost always learn something and that is always a win for me. This was a great debut novel by the author and I found the writing flowed pretty good, however, there were some moments where I had to go back and reread because I thought maybe I missed something.
There are some triggering topics in this book and in particular some animal abuse which should have been listed but wasn't (I actually would not have read this book knowing this), unfortunately this really affected me and of course can't stop thinking of it now.
Overall, a good intergenerational story showing the different hardships that must be overcome.
October 16, 2025
A historical fiction covering generations of female family members from 1960s China to Present. Unfamiliar topics for me, so really enjoyed the commentary & story. Very well written - Chang did an excellent job capturing the political challenges and emotional turmoil of the characters.
Read
November 16, 2024DNF. This reads like a translation maybe where some things just aren't clear? Could be just me, but I'm not digging it.
Read
July 17, 2025A bit of a struggle. I had trouble with timelines and even in which place what took part.
April 30, 2025
✨TANDEM READALONG REVIEW✨
Thank you @tandemcollectiveglobal @houseofanansi and @suchangwrites for my #gifted copy.
I was 18 when the events at Tiananmen Square occurred. It was in my peripheral memory and I remember being curious about what was happening as I was a newly minted voter and wondered what would happen if things like that were to happen here. 35 years later and the current political climate is eerily similar.
I enjoyed this book. It was dual narrative between a mother and daughter and the changing political situation in their home of Shanghai and later as an immigrant in Canada. This was not an easy read. It was heartbreaking but so informative, exactly what good historical fiction is about. This is the debut from Chang but I’ll be looking out for more from her.
As always, thank you Tandem for the wonderful readalong.
Thank you @tandemcollectiveglobal @houseofanansi and @suchangwrites for my #gifted copy.
I was 18 when the events at Tiananmen Square occurred. It was in my peripheral memory and I remember being curious about what was happening as I was a newly minted voter and wondered what would happen if things like that were to happen here. 35 years later and the current political climate is eerily similar.
I enjoyed this book. It was dual narrative between a mother and daughter and the changing political situation in their home of Shanghai and later as an immigrant in Canada. This was not an easy read. It was heartbreaking but so informative, exactly what good historical fiction is about. This is the debut from Chang but I’ll be looking out for more from her.
As always, thank you Tandem for the wonderful readalong.
February 21, 2025
Before I begin, I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for sending me the advance copy of the book!
The Immortal Woman, a book about the generational struggles of a mother (Lemei) who lived through a politically volatile and traumatizing time in 1960-90s China, and daughter (Lin) who inherited the mother’s dream of America. But once in the US, Lin struggled to find her place and instead of finding a balance between her culture and that of her surroundings, throws it all away in a struggle to whiteness.
This story, in theory, sounds promising in its impact on the reader. Chang does a fantastic job describing the traumas Lemei experiences as a child and young adult and laying out the horrors of 1960s-80s China. Unfortunately the writing loses itself from there when shifting to the daughter’s life. From receiving unnecessary points of view of gross men, to long sets of static dialogue about politics, to weird descriptions of food, the book, like Lin, lost itself when it shifted to America.
I wish the author had expanded on some parts of Lin’s experience such as her slow learned appreciation for her culture, and focused less on her suitors politics and gross views on Lin. We miss the most important parts of Lin’s journey because we focus entirely on the wrong things and suddenly jump into entirely new scenes and developments, such as the ending that was unfortunately not worth struggling through the book. On top of this, the author tries so hard to make certain sentences poetic that it’s hard to understand what exactly is happening. Multiple times I’ve had to go back and reread items because we missed details or because it was hard to understand if there was a double entendre or just really uncomfortable and confusing description of food. This book had so much potential, especially with how personal and vivid some of the historical points read, but unfortunately wasn’t executed to let the readers feel that too.
The Immortal Woman, a book about the generational struggles of a mother (Lemei) who lived through a politically volatile and traumatizing time in 1960-90s China, and daughter (Lin) who inherited the mother’s dream of America. But once in the US, Lin struggled to find her place and instead of finding a balance between her culture and that of her surroundings, throws it all away in a struggle to whiteness.
This story, in theory, sounds promising in its impact on the reader. Chang does a fantastic job describing the traumas Lemei experiences as a child and young adult and laying out the horrors of 1960s-80s China. Unfortunately the writing loses itself from there when shifting to the daughter’s life. From receiving unnecessary points of view of gross men, to long sets of static dialogue about politics, to weird descriptions of food, the book, like Lin, lost itself when it shifted to America.
I wish the author had expanded on some parts of Lin’s experience such as her slow learned appreciation for her culture, and focused less on her suitors politics and gross views on Lin. We miss the most important parts of Lin’s journey because we focus entirely on the wrong things and suddenly jump into entirely new scenes and developments, such as the ending that was unfortunately not worth struggling through the book. On top of this, the author tries so hard to make certain sentences poetic that it’s hard to understand what exactly is happening. Multiple times I’ve had to go back and reread items because we missed details or because it was hard to understand if there was a double entendre or just really uncomfortable and confusing description of food. This book had so much potential, especially with how personal and vivid some of the historical points read, but unfortunately wasn’t executed to let the readers feel that too.
February 20, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. The writing in this novel was really crisp and beautiful. I struggled a bit with the quick moving timelines and found myself confused about where the story was at more than once. The pov abruptly changes about 20% in and that was also confusing and a little frustrating because of the character, I wished that scene was told through Lemei’s perspective. I loved reading a story set in 60s/70s China though
March 3, 2025
This multi-generational story weaves the personal stories of women with historical events and emphasizes the power of “the ghosts of the past.”
In 1960s Shanghai, Lemai reluctantly becomes a student Red Guard leader and eventually a journalist with a state newspaper. Events during the Tiananmen Square protests cause her to lose faith in her country so she raises her daughter Lin to aim for a life in the West. Years later, Lin arrives in North America but struggles with identity and finding her place in the world.
Mother-daughter relationships are a focus. The one between Lemai and Lin is certainly complicated. Because Lemai’s experiences as a young woman are detailed, we understand her motivations, especially in raising Lin to aspire for a life in the West. Because Lin’s experiences in the West are detailed, we understand her struggles: she wants to fulfill her mother’s dream but she has her own ambitions. What is impressive is that the author manages to elicit in the reader both sympathy for and frustration with both women.
It is Lin’s experiences with which I most identified. She identifies herself as “the executor of Ma’s Grand Plan” and “thanks to [her mother’s] years of gospel-like teaching,” Lin “spent her entire formative years admiring, romanticizing, worshipping those [white] faces.” In the West, however, she ends up unhappy and suffering from the equivalent of a colonial mentality with “a bruising inferiority complex, a decimated self.”
Lemai imagines a perfect life for her daughter, like the one she imagines for her friend Wei who left for the West years earlier: “She had imagined her lifestyle: lunches with American co-workers, shopping sprees at luxury brands, vacations on white-sand beaches by the undulating sea. . . . Lemai was sure her friend could switch between cultures effortlessly, like slipping in and out of different outfits.” Lemai believes the propagandizing about “the Melting Pot in action; ah, the harmonious coexistence; ah, the nation unparalleled in its embrace of immigrants.” Lin discovers the falsity of the American dream: because her appearance differentiates her, she cannot totally assimilate into Western society and encounters both overt and subtle racism.
I appreciated the balanced portrayal of both China and the West. We see the extreme nationalism in China where the government controls the media as a propaganda weapon, and closely monitors and oppresses its people. Though Lemai thinks of the West as a paradise, she is ill-informed. Wei’s life proves to be nothing like what Lemai imagined. A classmate of Lin’s comments, “’You turn on the TV every morning and see the clowns talking, the cults and fake gods, the obscene rich and abject poor, the school carnage . . . this is supposed to be the pinnacle of human civilization?’”
The novel focuses on women’s experiences. Men in both parts of the world do not emerge as admirable characters. Men in both China and the West abandon their wives and children. And they enjoy wielding power over women, some physically but many psychologically. Men are either cowardly or manipulative while women may be quieter but are definitely stronger.
Parts of the novel are dense with politics. My lack of knowledge about Chinese history meant that some sections were tedious and I struggled to understand. Fortunately, there is sufficient explanation that I didn’t get totally lost. There are also cultural references which I had to research: I was not familiar with terms like hukou, baijiu, iron rice bowl, and hanfu. On the other hand, I completely understood the commentary about American society, comments which I found particularly relevant because of current events.
This is a worthwhile read although readers should be forewarned about the novel’s serious tone. There are few light-hearted moments, though the ending, with its emphasis on proudly embracing one’s heritage, is satisfying. Su Chang is definitely a Canadian writer to follow.
Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) or substack (https://doreenyakabuski.substack.com/) for over 1,100 of my book reviews.
In 1960s Shanghai, Lemai reluctantly becomes a student Red Guard leader and eventually a journalist with a state newspaper. Events during the Tiananmen Square protests cause her to lose faith in her country so she raises her daughter Lin to aim for a life in the West. Years later, Lin arrives in North America but struggles with identity and finding her place in the world.
Mother-daughter relationships are a focus. The one between Lemai and Lin is certainly complicated. Because Lemai’s experiences as a young woman are detailed, we understand her motivations, especially in raising Lin to aspire for a life in the West. Because Lin’s experiences in the West are detailed, we understand her struggles: she wants to fulfill her mother’s dream but she has her own ambitions. What is impressive is that the author manages to elicit in the reader both sympathy for and frustration with both women.
It is Lin’s experiences with which I most identified. She identifies herself as “the executor of Ma’s Grand Plan” and “thanks to [her mother’s] years of gospel-like teaching,” Lin “spent her entire formative years admiring, romanticizing, worshipping those [white] faces.” In the West, however, she ends up unhappy and suffering from the equivalent of a colonial mentality with “a bruising inferiority complex, a decimated self.”
Lemai imagines a perfect life for her daughter, like the one she imagines for her friend Wei who left for the West years earlier: “She had imagined her lifestyle: lunches with American co-workers, shopping sprees at luxury brands, vacations on white-sand beaches by the undulating sea. . . . Lemai was sure her friend could switch between cultures effortlessly, like slipping in and out of different outfits.” Lemai believes the propagandizing about “the Melting Pot in action; ah, the harmonious coexistence; ah, the nation unparalleled in its embrace of immigrants.” Lin discovers the falsity of the American dream: because her appearance differentiates her, she cannot totally assimilate into Western society and encounters both overt and subtle racism.
I appreciated the balanced portrayal of both China and the West. We see the extreme nationalism in China where the government controls the media as a propaganda weapon, and closely monitors and oppresses its people. Though Lemai thinks of the West as a paradise, she is ill-informed. Wei’s life proves to be nothing like what Lemai imagined. A classmate of Lin’s comments, “’You turn on the TV every morning and see the clowns talking, the cults and fake gods, the obscene rich and abject poor, the school carnage . . . this is supposed to be the pinnacle of human civilization?’”
The novel focuses on women’s experiences. Men in both parts of the world do not emerge as admirable characters. Men in both China and the West abandon their wives and children. And they enjoy wielding power over women, some physically but many psychologically. Men are either cowardly or manipulative while women may be quieter but are definitely stronger.
Parts of the novel are dense with politics. My lack of knowledge about Chinese history meant that some sections were tedious and I struggled to understand. Fortunately, there is sufficient explanation that I didn’t get totally lost. There are also cultural references which I had to research: I was not familiar with terms like hukou, baijiu, iron rice bowl, and hanfu. On the other hand, I completely understood the commentary about American society, comments which I found particularly relevant because of current events.
This is a worthwhile read although readers should be forewarned about the novel’s serious tone. There are few light-hearted moments, though the ending, with its emphasis on proudly embracing one’s heritage, is satisfying. Su Chang is definitely a Canadian writer to follow.
Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) or substack (https://doreenyakabuski.substack.com/) for over 1,100 of my book reviews.
March 27, 2025
honestly the depiction of growing up through intergenerational trauma is honest and transparent. i am not asian myself, but i could understand how trauma was shown through both lemei and lin. lemei grew up during chairman mao’s reign and how she wanted to express her freedom of thoughts and opinion by being a journalist. it costed everything, and unfortunately she couldn’t become the person she wishes to be. not only did she lose her job, but she was raped and assaulted by the person who was obsessed with her since she was in secondary school. lemei had to be in a mental hospital and was constantly in and out of the hospital for her mental illness. her mother had to raise lin whenever lemei couldn’t. lemei romanticized the freedom and expression through the american dream by making lin learn english and know the american culture. lin eventually was able to go to california and pursued in mathematics despite the struggle of fitting in. her mother, enforced her to live the american dream but lin didn’t knew what to pursue as mathematics became increasingly difficult. she developed an eating disorder and relies on food for comfort to hide all the emotions and vexation she has against her mother.
we get bits and pieces of lin’s home life in china, and while she dotes on her grandmother, she harbors a love and hate towards lemei. one specific piece i remember reading is the part where her mother tore all of the books that lemei kept for so many years, some were banned from the government. one of the books was the tale of the immortal woman. the tragedy of both mother and daughter is bittersweet, as lemei didn’t talk to lin after lin announced to her mother that she is moving to toronto to become a screen writer and took on a paid apprenticeship for an acting company. lin experienced the same traumas and didn’t knew how to seek out help, as she ended up being with a guy. what is sad is that lin’s childhood friend was obsessed with lin and had the idea of wanting to settle and be together, he hated the idea of lin marrying someone outside of their culture. lin romanticized the american dream: becoming successful eventually, settled with a white european man, and having a half chinese and half european baby. she experienced postpartum depression that negatively impacted her marriage, and ended up in the psych ward. both her mother and herself, act as foils for how they cope with the trauma of their socio economic upbringing.
in the end, they had a bittersweet reunion, they stayed in the small town of where lin’s maternal grandmother grew up before moving to beijing. lin ended up becoming a teacher for the kids, while her mother became a viral sensation on weibo for cooking and giving the food for the community.
overall i really recommend it as it explores the aspects of both mother and daughter and how they learn to accept themselves and overcome two generations of trauma.
we get bits and pieces of lin’s home life in china, and while she dotes on her grandmother, she harbors a love and hate towards lemei. one specific piece i remember reading is the part where her mother tore all of the books that lemei kept for so many years, some were banned from the government. one of the books was the tale of the immortal woman. the tragedy of both mother and daughter is bittersweet, as lemei didn’t talk to lin after lin announced to her mother that she is moving to toronto to become a screen writer and took on a paid apprenticeship for an acting company. lin experienced the same traumas and didn’t knew how to seek out help, as she ended up being with a guy. what is sad is that lin’s childhood friend was obsessed with lin and had the idea of wanting to settle and be together, he hated the idea of lin marrying someone outside of their culture. lin romanticized the american dream: becoming successful eventually, settled with a white european man, and having a half chinese and half european baby. she experienced postpartum depression that negatively impacted her marriage, and ended up in the psych ward. both her mother and herself, act as foils for how they cope with the trauma of their socio economic upbringing.
in the end, they had a bittersweet reunion, they stayed in the small town of where lin’s maternal grandmother grew up before moving to beijing. lin ended up becoming a teacher for the kids, while her mother became a viral sensation on weibo for cooking and giving the food for the community.
overall i really recommend it as it explores the aspects of both mother and daughter and how they learn to accept themselves and overcome two generations of trauma.
August 24, 2025
I’m awarding The Immortal Woman five stars for its lyrical prose, unflinching depiction of historical upheaval, and the way it stitches mother and daughter’s stories into a single, unforgettable tapestry. Su Chang navigates decades and continents with a sure hand, revealing how personal and political identities can collide and sometimes fracture under the weight of history. Introduced as an ardent Red Guard leader in 1960s Shanghai, Lemei’s journey is a study in quiet resilience. When her father dies a political prisoner, she trades forbidden books for propaganda assignments, grappling with complicity and regret every step of the way. A decade later, Lemei’s daughter Lin lands at an American university determined to erase her past. Her relentless pursuit of “whiteness” and the freedom it promises masks deep-seated grief and guilt making her desperate enough to abandon loved ones and second-guess every choice. The novel alternates between Lemei’s life under Mao’s Cultural Revolution and Lin’s assimilation struggles in North America. Early chapters immerse you in Shanghai’s fervor secret shrines, banned literature, and Red Guard fervency before shifting to Lin’s late 90s campus life, where mother’s ghosts lurk behind every locker and lecture hall. As China’s meteoric rise clashes with Lin’s American dream, the narrative races toward a collision of loyalties that neither woman can fully escape. A brutal act during Tiananmen protests reframes Lemei’s beliefs and strains her ties to both country and daughter. Lin’s carefully constructed identity unravels when a chance reunion forces her to confront the legacy she’s tried so hard to bury. Their final confrontation sparked by nationalistic zeal and intergenerational pain lands with heartbreaking inevitability yet pierces the darkness with a glimmer of hope. The Immortal Woman isn’t an easy read it’s violent, political, and unafraid of moral ambiguity, but its emotional truth haunts long after you close the book. Fans of multigenerational sagas and character-driven historical fiction will find themselves swept along by its fierce empathy and sharp insights into what it means to belong.
January 25, 2025
This mother-daughter tale crosses generations and oceans to deliver a very nuanced and well-researched look at 20th century Chinese politics, what it means to be an immigrant, and how nationalism serves to reduce other societies to their barest parts, both positive and negative.
Lemei is the golden child of the Communist Party in high school, and while she doesn't feel that way inside, she needs to agree to take on a leadership role to protect her family following the death of her father for anti-party activities. This results in a horrific event for Lemei, but it also sets the stage for her daughter, Lin, to become her big hope. Maybe Lin can make it out of China and go to the USA, the wonderful and flawless land of freedom that Lemei has spent years dreaming of.
Years later, Lin does indeed make it to the USA for school, and eventually finds her way to Canada, but she quickly realizes it is not the paradise her mother thought it was. Lemei, meanwhile, slowly starts to see that Chinese society has changed with the embrace of a market economy, and that her views of the West were perhaps just a little simplistic.
I was really impressed by the amount of nuance and research that Chang was able to add into this book, despite it being a character-driven story of a mother and daughter. I learned a lot about the reality of China over the past several decades, beyond the broad strokes I thought I knew. I also found it interesting how trauma expressed itself for our two female protagonists. Western society continuously others them, but politically, they feel adrift when in China, especially considering the familial trauma they experienced under the CCP.
Overall, I really recommend this book. It's a fascinating and well executed look at mothers and daughters, and what it means to feel at home.
Lemei is the golden child of the Communist Party in high school, and while she doesn't feel that way inside, she needs to agree to take on a leadership role to protect her family following the death of her father for anti-party activities. This results in a horrific event for Lemei, but it also sets the stage for her daughter, Lin, to become her big hope. Maybe Lin can make it out of China and go to the USA, the wonderful and flawless land of freedom that Lemei has spent years dreaming of.
Years later, Lin does indeed make it to the USA for school, and eventually finds her way to Canada, but she quickly realizes it is not the paradise her mother thought it was. Lemei, meanwhile, slowly starts to see that Chinese society has changed with the embrace of a market economy, and that her views of the West were perhaps just a little simplistic.
I was really impressed by the amount of nuance and research that Chang was able to add into this book, despite it being a character-driven story of a mother and daughter. I learned a lot about the reality of China over the past several decades, beyond the broad strokes I thought I knew. I also found it interesting how trauma expressed itself for our two female protagonists. Western society continuously others them, but politically, they feel adrift when in China, especially considering the familial trauma they experienced under the CCP.
Overall, I really recommend this book. It's a fascinating and well executed look at mothers and daughters, and what it means to feel at home.
March 29, 2025
Chang's debut was a courageous feat.
With interchanging timelines, we follow Lemei and Lin's stories through their survival of the Cultural Revolution and its aftermath. The prose was absolutely gorgeous. It gave the air of old Chinese songs and poems: breathtakingly melancholic and sometimes delicately devastating. This book isn't one to shy away from tackling difficult themes, and broaches even controversial and politically sensitive topics, but maintains a good balance that doesn't feel propagandistic. It's an incredibly courageous feat to achieve that and to weave everything into a story that spams multigeneration and across the globe, and one that I have also learned a lot from, whether it's the history or the politics of China.
At times, the story can be unflinchingly harsh and unrelenting in having brutal situations happen to our protagonists. I highly recommend checking for trigger warnings before jumping in, and I myself had had to take several breaks before continuing. I did find myself struggling to jump back, and I think part of it is that there was little relationship development between our protagonists nor do we see details of the internal work that they had to go through. It became a bit too emotionally draining for me, and I wished we got more glimpse into the moments between the life-changing events, because that's where I think the resilience and hope would have shown through more, and made the story more well-rounded.
Regardless, I did enjoy The Immortal Woman, and I think it is an incredible story, weaved by beautiful and lyrical prose, of female perseverance and strength in the face of adversity.
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With interchanging timelines, we follow Lemei and Lin's stories through their survival of the Cultural Revolution and its aftermath. The prose was absolutely gorgeous. It gave the air of old Chinese songs and poems: breathtakingly melancholic and sometimes delicately devastating. This book isn't one to shy away from tackling difficult themes, and broaches even controversial and politically sensitive topics, but maintains a good balance that doesn't feel propagandistic. It's an incredibly courageous feat to achieve that and to weave everything into a story that spams multigeneration and across the globe, and one that I have also learned a lot from, whether it's the history or the politics of China.
At times, the story can be unflinchingly harsh and unrelenting in having brutal situations happen to our protagonists. I highly recommend checking for trigger warnings before jumping in, and I myself had had to take several breaks before continuing. I did find myself struggling to jump back, and I think part of it is that there was little relationship development between our protagonists nor do we see details of the internal work that they had to go through. It became a bit too emotionally draining for me, and I wished we got more glimpse into the moments between the life-changing events, because that's where I think the resilience and hope would have shown through more, and made the story more well-rounded.
Regardless, I did enjoy The Immortal Woman, and I think it is an incredible story, weaved by beautiful and lyrical prose, of female perseverance and strength in the face of adversity.
AD-PR PRODUCT provided by Tandem Collective Global and House of Anansi
July 17, 2025
I have been carrying The Immortal Woman with me for a month and have been forced to lend it out, bookmark pages or put it away for days, and the moments I didn’t get to read about Lemei, Lin, Laolao, Changshen, Dali and Feng, I thought about them all. I thought about how Su Chang created a narrative world where the reader doesn’t judge where each one of the characters stands, where we have some sympathy for the worst of them, and deep love for the best of them, but it is a world where I can understand why there are who they are. I feel both sad that I’ve finished this incredible novel and happy about where Lin and Lemei land at the end.
Told from different perspectives (which is essential given the conflicting viewpoints on the Cultural Revolution in China, the Tiananmen Square protests, democracy, nationalism and the veneration of western society), Su Chang has written a story about a mother and daughter, both incredibly intelligent, creative and thoughtful women, both trapped by the myths and dreams of a better life that they believe surely must exist outside their own lives. As Lin tries to fulfill her mother’s dreams (of becoming American and marrying a white man), she withers and wilts inside the distortion, and through another timeline we see Lemei reconstruct her own life and begin to imagine a different happily-ever-after for herself and her daughter. All the while the Immortal Woman – or the Immortal Maiden – one of eight immortals, and the only woman – lingers with her fairies and a promise of happiness for the virtuous (she leads one character to a tragic end). The Immortal Woman is a superbly constructed and masterfully written novel that educates and illuminates, offering not only a glimpse into life in China during a tumultuous time, but a beautiful story of love between a mother and daughter – and the ancestors who hold their hearts and spirits.
Told from different perspectives (which is essential given the conflicting viewpoints on the Cultural Revolution in China, the Tiananmen Square protests, democracy, nationalism and the veneration of western society), Su Chang has written a story about a mother and daughter, both incredibly intelligent, creative and thoughtful women, both trapped by the myths and dreams of a better life that they believe surely must exist outside their own lives. As Lin tries to fulfill her mother’s dreams (of becoming American and marrying a white man), she withers and wilts inside the distortion, and through another timeline we see Lemei reconstruct her own life and begin to imagine a different happily-ever-after for herself and her daughter. All the while the Immortal Woman – or the Immortal Maiden – one of eight immortals, and the only woman – lingers with her fairies and a promise of happiness for the virtuous (she leads one character to a tragic end). The Immortal Woman is a superbly constructed and masterfully written novel that educates and illuminates, offering not only a glimpse into life in China during a tumultuous time, but a beautiful story of love between a mother and daughter – and the ancestors who hold their hearts and spirits.
December 16, 2024
This novel examines the accumulation of history’s impact on Leimei and her daughter Lin, exploring how major Chinese historical events ripple through generations. It reminded me of Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien and the mother-daughter dynamics in Amy Tan’s The Bonesetter’s Daughter. Similarly, it weaves personal stories with accounts of major historical Chinese events over the past century, showing how these events shaped the present.
While I enjoyed the book overall, some sections felt a bit dry, particularly the political commentary woven into character dialogue. Additionally, the time and location jumps were occasionally jarring and confusing.
Leimei’s story, and even Wei’s side story, stood out as the most compelling. Their pasts clearly informed their behaviors and choices, creating layered and understandable characters. In contrast, Lin was harder to grasp; her motivations and issues often seemed disconnected from the context of the story, making her feel less developed.
The writing style was a highlight, with natural, engaging dialogue that felt authentic and grounded.
The book also explores themes of otherness and identity, particularly Chinese identity, in a nuanced way. It examines the shift in attitudes around cultural heritage—moving from assimilation as the perceived path to opportunity, to embracing one’s heritage as a point of pride. This evolution is captured thoughtfully, especially in the contrast between Lin and Dali’s experiences at university, where they face discrimination, and Lin’s later life, when cultural heritage becomes more celebrated. The author fleshes out this theme with clever examples throughout.
Overall, this is a well-written and thought-provoking book that skillfully blends history and identity.
While I enjoyed the book overall, some sections felt a bit dry, particularly the political commentary woven into character dialogue. Additionally, the time and location jumps were occasionally jarring and confusing.
Leimei’s story, and even Wei’s side story, stood out as the most compelling. Their pasts clearly informed their behaviors and choices, creating layered and understandable characters. In contrast, Lin was harder to grasp; her motivations and issues often seemed disconnected from the context of the story, making her feel less developed.
The writing style was a highlight, with natural, engaging dialogue that felt authentic and grounded.
The book also explores themes of otherness and identity, particularly Chinese identity, in a nuanced way. It examines the shift in attitudes around cultural heritage—moving from assimilation as the perceived path to opportunity, to embracing one’s heritage as a point of pride. This evolution is captured thoughtfully, especially in the contrast between Lin and Dali’s experiences at university, where they face discrimination, and Lin’s later life, when cultural heritage becomes more celebrated. The author fleshes out this theme with clever examples throughout.
Overall, this is a well-written and thought-provoking book that skillfully blends history and identity.
January 23, 2025
I finished this book in one sitting - which is a rare thing for me to do! This book is a generational saga spanning the rise of the Communist Party in China in the 60s and 70s, the people’s rebellion in Tiananmen Square and subsequent massacre, the rise of pro-West sentimentality in China, then the second wave of the CCP and anti-Western sentiment. This is a lot of Chinese history to cover, especially at a time when American-Chinese relations struggle to speak without hostilities and prejudice on both sides. However, this book does a good job of balancing the narration of political life with the characterization of these three generations of women.
This story touches on many things such as the need to erase one’s ethnic diversity to fit into America, America’s blatant racism towards the Chinese people, and the struggle of the diaspora who attempt to erase their heritage. This book speaks a lot to the generational trauma and cycle of poverty, abuse, mental illness, isolation, abandonment, and fractured relationships that can occur in these instances. I also found the male characters in this book to be completely repugnant and horrible, the author has taken great pains to show not only the resiliency of women, but also the atrocities of men and the power they wield over women. There are not a lot of objectively “happy” moments in this book and sometimes it becomes overwhelming. But this work is saved by the fact that the quality of writing is rich and powerful and draws you in and captivates you in the story.
My thanks to NetGalley, House of Ansani Press, and the author for an electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review! I look forward to publication day and am excited to purchase my own copy!
This story touches on many things such as the need to erase one’s ethnic diversity to fit into America, America’s blatant racism towards the Chinese people, and the struggle of the diaspora who attempt to erase their heritage. This book speaks a lot to the generational trauma and cycle of poverty, abuse, mental illness, isolation, abandonment, and fractured relationships that can occur in these instances. I also found the male characters in this book to be completely repugnant and horrible, the author has taken great pains to show not only the resiliency of women, but also the atrocities of men and the power they wield over women. There are not a lot of objectively “happy” moments in this book and sometimes it becomes overwhelming. But this work is saved by the fact that the quality of writing is rich and powerful and draws you in and captivates you in the story.
My thanks to NetGalley, House of Ansani Press, and the author for an electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review! I look forward to publication day and am excited to purchase my own copy!
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February 16, 2025A multi-timeline story about a mother and daughter and the painful realities of intergenerational trauma. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an Advanced Reader's Copy! I want to state that I did DNF this book at 73% after reaching Part Five.
Although I thought the plot and its historical setting were interesting, unfortunately the execution and writing was just not quite there for me. Immediately, I felt that the pacing of this book was erratic, which could be due to the mental state of both main POV characters, but took me out of the story. I was also often confused about what was happening and where we were, in part because the scenes would jump around so quickly with little to no transitions, but also because whenever there was dialogue there were no descriptive tags or action lines just lines and lines of dialogue. This made it very difficult to tell what was happening and to connect with the scene.
I was surprised by a few quite triggering events, and especially an SA scene that was written from the male POV. I think that the author was trying to incorporate nuance, but I personally did not think it was necessary to depict this from the man's POV. I was also quite uncomfortable with the use of the racial slur to refer to Japanese people. Although I understand that this was the type of language that was used in that time period, I think that for a book written now it was unnecessary to include this term so casually and with no acknowledgment that it is a slur.
While I had a lot of issues with the writing, I did find some of the passages quite beautiful, and although this one did not hit the mark for me I would definitely be willing to check out future works from the author.
Although I thought the plot and its historical setting were interesting, unfortunately the execution and writing was just not quite there for me. Immediately, I felt that the pacing of this book was erratic, which could be due to the mental state of both main POV characters, but took me out of the story. I was also often confused about what was happening and where we were, in part because the scenes would jump around so quickly with little to no transitions, but also because whenever there was dialogue there were no descriptive tags or action lines just lines and lines of dialogue. This made it very difficult to tell what was happening and to connect with the scene.
I was surprised by a few quite triggering events, and especially an SA scene that was written from the male POV. I think that the author was trying to incorporate nuance, but I personally did not think it was necessary to depict this from the man's POV. I was also quite uncomfortable with the use of the racial slur to refer to Japanese people. Although I understand that this was the type of language that was used in that time period, I think that for a book written now it was unnecessary to include this term so casually and with no acknowledgment that it is a slur.
While I had a lot of issues with the writing, I did find some of the passages quite beautiful, and although this one did not hit the mark for me I would definitely be willing to check out future works from the author.
March 4, 2025
The Immortal Woman by Su Chang follows the story of Lemei as she grows up in China during the Cultural Revolution, and then her daughter, Lin, who immigrates to Canada.
The first half of the story, focusing on Lemei was much stronger and more interesting. Struggling to make sense of the political upheaval and her family’s place in it, Lemei tries to keep terror and violence at bay. She is a well-developed character—subversive, brave, and caring—and has some depth. Because of her experiences growing up, then a dead end job as a journalist having to spread the lies of the State, Lemei raises her daughter to believe that the only way forward is moving to a western country. This leads to a damaged sense of self and less than optimal decision making for Lin. While it is easy to see her culture shock, it might have made for more compelling reading if any of the other characters were more than one note, and if both of the men in her life didn’t come across as such creeps.
Given the one-child policies in China in the 80’s along with a cultural dislike of unmarried parents (particularly women) at the time, it seems unlikely that Lemei would have kept a child at all, particularly given the circumstances. It seems strange that this wasn’t even mentioned as a difficulty.
There were important topics covered throughout: generational trauma, misogyny, sexual violence, cultural belonging, racism, power imbalance, but sometimes it just seemed a little melodramatic rather than moving. Still, I enjoyed the first half enough to consider other work by this author.
Thank you to Goodreads and House of Anansi Press for the ARC.
The first half of the story, focusing on Lemei was much stronger and more interesting. Struggling to make sense of the political upheaval and her family’s place in it, Lemei tries to keep terror and violence at bay. She is a well-developed character—subversive, brave, and caring—and has some depth. Because of her experiences growing up, then a dead end job as a journalist having to spread the lies of the State, Lemei raises her daughter to believe that the only way forward is moving to a western country. This leads to a damaged sense of self and less than optimal decision making for Lin. While it is easy to see her culture shock, it might have made for more compelling reading if any of the other characters were more than one note, and if both of the men in her life didn’t come across as such creeps.
Given the one-child policies in China in the 80’s along with a cultural dislike of unmarried parents (particularly women) at the time, it seems unlikely that Lemei would have kept a child at all, particularly given the circumstances. It seems strange that this wasn’t even mentioned as a difficulty.
There were important topics covered throughout: generational trauma, misogyny, sexual violence, cultural belonging, racism, power imbalance, but sometimes it just seemed a little melodramatic rather than moving. Still, I enjoyed the first half enough to consider other work by this author.
Thank you to Goodreads and House of Anansi Press for the ARC.
March 19, 2025
I don't usually pick books like this cause I read to escape reality and its horrors however, I am still super grateful for the opportunity given to me through #theimmortalwomanreadalong as I learned new things thus helping to open my mind about important historical events I don't usually think about. 🤔
This story follows multiple POVs and different timelines but the story focuses on Lemei and her daughter Lin. Some other character POVs are included as well.
I found that lots of themes here hit home for me as I am now in the process of immigrating to 🇨🇦.
I was also brought up in an Asian household where communication is lacking (for the most part) and being Filo 🇵🇭 we adore how the "white people" look. Our culture tells us to worship white skin, high noses, tall people, blondes, blue eyes, etc. We even regard those who can speak proper English very highly in our society.
I was relating A LOT to Lin's struggles while reading this book. 🥺
[Of course, these were stuff I used to do. I am grown now and have travelled so my views on things have changed but still, I was this closed-minded once and sort of ashamed of it. 😣]
The writing style makes the reader explore the characters better by being one with their mind in a lyrical kind of way. I felt every character's anger, pain, frustrations, desperation, shame, confusions, fear, and struggles with them.
There were just some words I didn't understand cause they were romanized Chinese, I needed to stop and search their meanings first.
There was also no Content Warnings page (we voiced this out during the readalong). 😊
So if you decide to read it, beware of:
⚠️ Animal cruelty & death, 🍇, racism & negative stereotyping, violence & brutality, immolation, abortion, depression, etc. ⚠️
Just prepare yourself beforehand, okay? 🙂
This story follows multiple POVs and different timelines but the story focuses on Lemei and her daughter Lin. Some other character POVs are included as well.
I found that lots of themes here hit home for me as I am now in the process of immigrating to 🇨🇦.
I was also brought up in an Asian household where communication is lacking (for the most part) and being Filo 🇵🇭 we adore how the "white people" look. Our culture tells us to worship white skin, high noses, tall people, blondes, blue eyes, etc. We even regard those who can speak proper English very highly in our society.
I was relating A LOT to Lin's struggles while reading this book. 🥺
[Of course, these were stuff I used to do. I am grown now and have travelled so my views on things have changed but still, I was this closed-minded once and sort of ashamed of it. 😣]
The writing style makes the reader explore the characters better by being one with their mind in a lyrical kind of way. I felt every character's anger, pain, frustrations, desperation, shame, confusions, fear, and struggles with them.
There were just some words I didn't understand cause they were romanized Chinese, I needed to stop and search their meanings first.
There was also no Content Warnings page (we voiced this out during the readalong). 😊
So if you decide to read it, beware of:
⚠️ Animal cruelty & death, 🍇, racism & negative stereotyping, violence & brutality, immolation, abortion, depression, etc. ⚠️
Just prepare yourself beforehand, okay? 🙂
May 29, 2025
The Immortal Woman tells the tale of a Chinese mother and daughter both wrestling with their pasts. Leimei the mother was forced to be apart of the Red Guard in 1960s Shanghai. Then in 1989 she was a journalist covering the Tiananmen Square massacre never knowing how traumatized she’d be. Leimei’s daughter Lin is at university in California trying to blend in with Americans & trying to build a new life while also trying to flee the scars of her own upbringing. A bad influence drags Leimei into being nationalistic which shocks Lin. Can the mother and daughter overcome their trauma and live a peaceful free life without giving up their identity?
Excellent Story, Writing & Characters
I did a Q&A with Su Chang back in March and I was so delighted when I received a copy of her book not long after. Su did an excellent job of using some of her own experiences to create The Immortal Woman. As I was reading the book it was easy for me to forget that this was Su’s first novel because she writes beautifully. I feel as though I were with Leimei & Lin throughout the story. Keep in mind this story is not for the faint of heart. Each woman grew throughout the novel but not without its trials & challenges. I can’t wait to read what Su writes next whether it’s a standalone novel with different characters and plots or even a direct sequel to The Immortal Woman. The Immortal Woman is available to read now wherever books are sold.
Excellent Story, Writing & Characters
I did a Q&A with Su Chang back in March and I was so delighted when I received a copy of her book not long after. Su did an excellent job of using some of her own experiences to create The Immortal Woman. As I was reading the book it was easy for me to forget that this was Su’s first novel because she writes beautifully. I feel as though I were with Leimei & Lin throughout the story. Keep in mind this story is not for the faint of heart. Each woman grew throughout the novel but not without its trials & challenges. I can’t wait to read what Su writes next whether it’s a standalone novel with different characters and plots or even a direct sequel to The Immortal Woman. The Immortal Woman is available to read now wherever books are sold.
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