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China Duology #2
Vlieg, wilde zwanen: Mijn moeder, China en ik
Wilde zwanen was een boek dat een generatie definieerde – het verhaal van ‘drie dochters van China’: Jung, haar moeder en haar grootmoeder, en hun levens tijdens een eeuw van revolutie. Vlieg, wilde zwanen vertelt wat er daarna gebeurde.
Jung Chang arriveerde in 1978 op 26-jarige leeftijd in het Verenigd Koninkrijk, als onderdeel van een Chinees studiebeursprogramma. Ze bevond zich in het Londen van punk, politieke protesten en Ziggy Stardust en voelde zich alsof ze op de maan was geland. Toch zou zij zich hier uiteindelijk definitief vestigen. Zij en haar medestudenten waren allemaal opgegroeid in volledige isolatie van het Westen, en in angst voor wat er zou gebeuren als ze een van de strenge regels zouden overtreden die hun door hun regering waren opgelegd. Het was een unieke kans waardoor Jung Chang zich kon ontwikkelen tot de succesvolle academicus en schrijver die ze nu is, maar het had een langdurige scheiding van haar moeder en haar familie in China als gevolg.
Vlieg, wilde zwanen is in veel opzichten Jungs liefdesbrief aan haar moeder. Met levendige flashbacks naar de ervaringen van haar familie in communistisch China biedt Chang een buitengewoon verslag van haar onderzoek naar het genocidale regime van Mao Zedong, de vele verhalen die ze ontdekte en de politieke gevolgen van het publiceren van haar biografie. Tegen de achtergrond van de ontwikkeling van China, vanaf de relatieve vrijheden van de late jaren zeventig en het ongebreidelde kapitalisme van de jaren negentig tot het huidige autoritaire, onderdrukkende bewind van Xi Jinping, tekent ze een meeslepend, diep ontroerend en onvergetelijk verslag op van het leven in een communistische dictatuur en de bedreiging die het moderne China vormt voor de internationale wereldorde.
Wilde zwanen in de pers
‘Een waarachtig boek.’ de Volkskrant
‘Zo meeslepend, bizar en ongelooflijk dat je het in één ruk uitleest.’ HP/De Tijd
‘Ongemeen boeiend en aangrijpend.’ Elsevier
‘Dit boek is echt heel belangrijk.’ Vrij Nederland
‘Een blik in de hel, maar tegelijkertijd een grandioos boek en wie het gelezen heeft zal nooit meer hetzelfde zijn.’ NRC
Jung Chang arriveerde in 1978 op 26-jarige leeftijd in het Verenigd Koninkrijk, als onderdeel van een Chinees studiebeursprogramma. Ze bevond zich in het Londen van punk, politieke protesten en Ziggy Stardust en voelde zich alsof ze op de maan was geland. Toch zou zij zich hier uiteindelijk definitief vestigen. Zij en haar medestudenten waren allemaal opgegroeid in volledige isolatie van het Westen, en in angst voor wat er zou gebeuren als ze een van de strenge regels zouden overtreden die hun door hun regering waren opgelegd. Het was een unieke kans waardoor Jung Chang zich kon ontwikkelen tot de succesvolle academicus en schrijver die ze nu is, maar het had een langdurige scheiding van haar moeder en haar familie in China als gevolg.
Vlieg, wilde zwanen is in veel opzichten Jungs liefdesbrief aan haar moeder. Met levendige flashbacks naar de ervaringen van haar familie in communistisch China biedt Chang een buitengewoon verslag van haar onderzoek naar het genocidale regime van Mao Zedong, de vele verhalen die ze ontdekte en de politieke gevolgen van het publiceren van haar biografie. Tegen de achtergrond van de ontwikkeling van China, vanaf de relatieve vrijheden van de late jaren zeventig en het ongebreidelde kapitalisme van de jaren negentig tot het huidige autoritaire, onderdrukkende bewind van Xi Jinping, tekent ze een meeslepend, diep ontroerend en onvergetelijk verslag op van het leven in een communistische dictatuur en de bedreiging die het moderne China vormt voor de internationale wereldorde.
Wilde zwanen in de pers
‘Een waarachtig boek.’ de Volkskrant
‘Zo meeslepend, bizar en ongelooflijk dat je het in één ruk uitleest.’ HP/De Tijd
‘Ongemeen boeiend en aangrijpend.’ Elsevier
‘Dit boek is echt heel belangrijk.’ Vrij Nederland
‘Een blik in de hel, maar tegelijkertijd een grandioos boek en wie het gelezen heeft zal nooit meer hetzelfde zijn.’ NRC
433 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 16, 2025
547 people are currently reading
6961 people want to read
About the author
Jung Chang
20 books2,025 followersJung Chang (Chinese: 張戎) is a Chinese-British writer now living in London, best known for her family autobiography Wild Swans, selling over 10 million copies worldwide but banned in the People's Republic of China.
Her 832-page biography of Mao Zedong, Mao: The Unknown Story, written with her husband, the Irish historian Jon Halliday, was published in June 2005.
Her 832-page biography of Mao Zedong, Mao: The Unknown Story, written with her husband, the Irish historian Jon Halliday, was published in June 2005.
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January 1, 2026Wild Swans was amazing! Excited to see where the author goes from there!
September 30, 2025
Fly, Wild Swans is the sequel to Wild Swans, which I loved. Unfortunately, this follow-up didn’t land as strongly for me.
The book backtracks a fair bit, with the opening chapters essentially retelling ground already covered in Wild Swans. For those who read the first book, that feels redundant, and I couldn’t help but think the recap could have been handled with more elegance. Beyond that, the narrative itself lacks the same storytelling power of the original: too many people and places flicker in and out of view without leaving much of an impression, making it difficult to keep track of them. I took off a star for that.
Another section that didn’t work for me was her defense of the Mao biography. I didn’t read that book because Wild Swans alone convinced me that Jung Chang wasn’t writing it to fill a specific gap in research but rather to present a particular skeptical perspective. To me, that’s also why scholars never took the Mao biography seriously — and that’s fine. But Chang is not a trained historian, and it shows here as well. Lines such as: “… during the writing of the biography of Mao, […] I was conscious that I was writing about true evil.” (pp. 241–242) illustrate this tension. That sort of tone works in memoir, but it feels jarring when she’s simultaneously arguing to be treated as a bona fide scholar. Another star off.
Finally, I struggled with her relentlessly glowing, even adoring, descriptions of her mother. Having read Wild Swans, I don’t doubt for a second that her mother was a remarkable, courageous, and loving woman. But every mother-daughter relationship has its shadows — the frictions, the hurts, the disappointments — and it’s in the delicate balance between pain and love that the most powerful autobiographies live. That nuance is absent here, leaving the portrait one-dimensional. And for me, that cost the book another star.
In the end, what made Wild Swans unforgettable was the sheer richness of the story itself — and that just isn’t here.
The book backtracks a fair bit, with the opening chapters essentially retelling ground already covered in Wild Swans. For those who read the first book, that feels redundant, and I couldn’t help but think the recap could have been handled with more elegance. Beyond that, the narrative itself lacks the same storytelling power of the original: too many people and places flicker in and out of view without leaving much of an impression, making it difficult to keep track of them. I took off a star for that.
Another section that didn’t work for me was her defense of the Mao biography. I didn’t read that book because Wild Swans alone convinced me that Jung Chang wasn’t writing it to fill a specific gap in research but rather to present a particular skeptical perspective. To me, that’s also why scholars never took the Mao biography seriously — and that’s fine. But Chang is not a trained historian, and it shows here as well. Lines such as: “… during the writing of the biography of Mao, […] I was conscious that I was writing about true evil.” (pp. 241–242) illustrate this tension. That sort of tone works in memoir, but it feels jarring when she’s simultaneously arguing to be treated as a bona fide scholar. Another star off.
Finally, I struggled with her relentlessly glowing, even adoring, descriptions of her mother. Having read Wild Swans, I don’t doubt for a second that her mother was a remarkable, courageous, and loving woman. But every mother-daughter relationship has its shadows — the frictions, the hurts, the disappointments — and it’s in the delicate balance between pain and love that the most powerful autobiographies live. That nuance is absent here, leaving the portrait one-dimensional. And for me, that cost the book another star.
In the end, what made Wild Swans unforgettable was the sheer richness of the story itself — and that just isn’t here.
February 27, 2026
This book is a sequel to Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China which I read several years ago. The author’s first book was superb. I did not enjoy this as much. This is because the author's first book was an emotional saga about the lives of ordinary people. This book examines the Chinese political landscape. What I have said expresses my reading preferences, not, a criticism of this author. I enjoyed this book and the author’s extraordinary talent shines through. I learned a lot. This book will appeal to anyone interested in modern Chinese politics
November 2, 2025
Superb. Jung Chang shows her incredible talent once again, bringing her, her mother's, and China's story up to date from her earlier work, Wild Swans.
I'd recommend the audiobook.
I'd recommend the audiobook.
June 17, 2025
Devoured in one sitting. Full review to come, but worth the wait. Couldn’t put Fly, Wild Swans down - as good as Wild Swans. Powerful and emotive. A very strong read.
March 25, 2026
A través de la vida de su abuela, su madre y la propia autora, se construye un relato profundamente humano sobre resistencia, pérdida, resiliencia y transformación.
Lo que más impacta es la manera en que la Historia —la caída del imperio, la invasión japonesa, la guerra civil y el régimen de Mao Zedong— no aparece como una lección política distante, sino como algo que irrumpe en la vida cotidiana: en los matrimonios forzados, en las purgas ideológicas, en la vigilancia constante y en el miedo que se instala incluso dentro del hogar.
La estructura generacional es uno de los mayores aciertos del libro.
La abuela representa una China feudal, marcada por tradiciones rígidas; la madre encarna la esperanza revolucionaria que termina traicionada por el sistema; y ofrece la mirada de quien creció creyendo en una ideología que después la despojó de certezas.
El estilo es sobrio y directo, muy interesante, porque te demuestra que no necesita exageraciones: los hechos hablan por sí solos.
Y quizá ahí radica su fuerza.
No es un libro que busca conmover con artificios, sino con la verdad cruda de la experiencia vivida.
Más allá del contexto chino, es un libro sobre la memoria, la identidad y la valentía de contar lo que muchos prefieren callar. Terminas la lectura con la sensación de haber recorrido no solo el país, las visitas y la vida de una familia, sino la anatomía del poder y sus consecuencias en lo más íntimo del ser humano.
Una autora clave en la memoria crítica de la China comunista, pero también una voz controvertida dentro del debate historiográfico.
Un testimonio imprescindible, y arriesgado.
100 % recomendado
Lo que más impacta es la manera en que la Historia —la caída del imperio, la invasión japonesa, la guerra civil y el régimen de Mao Zedong— no aparece como una lección política distante, sino como algo que irrumpe en la vida cotidiana: en los matrimonios forzados, en las purgas ideológicas, en la vigilancia constante y en el miedo que se instala incluso dentro del hogar.
La estructura generacional es uno de los mayores aciertos del libro.
La abuela representa una China feudal, marcada por tradiciones rígidas; la madre encarna la esperanza revolucionaria que termina traicionada por el sistema; y ofrece la mirada de quien creció creyendo en una ideología que después la despojó de certezas.
El estilo es sobrio y directo, muy interesante, porque te demuestra que no necesita exageraciones: los hechos hablan por sí solos.
Y quizá ahí radica su fuerza.
No es un libro que busca conmover con artificios, sino con la verdad cruda de la experiencia vivida.
Más allá del contexto chino, es un libro sobre la memoria, la identidad y la valentía de contar lo que muchos prefieren callar. Terminas la lectura con la sensación de haber recorrido no solo el país, las visitas y la vida de una familia, sino la anatomía del poder y sus consecuencias en lo más íntimo del ser humano.
Una autora clave en la memoria crítica de la China comunista, pero también una voz controvertida dentro del debate historiográfico.
Un testimonio imprescindible, y arriesgado.
100 % recomendado
November 10, 2025
Fly, Wild Swans: My Mother, Myself and China is essentially a sequel to Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, covering Jung Chang's life since its publication and how her family has been impacted by political changes in China. I did not find it as raw and visceral as Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, a book that I read and was obsessed with at the age of 16. Nonetheless it has a strong emotional centre, as the subtitle suggests. This is the bond between Jung Chang and her mother, still strong despite the Chinese government not allowing them to meet in person. Jung Chang cannot get a visa and her elderly mother is too frail to leave the hospital. She writes in a moving and vivid manner about this upsetting separation. Her family have remained united and supportive of each other in the face of sustained political pressure.
The book begins by briefly summarising the events of Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, then covers Jung Chang's subsequent life outside China in more detail. I was fascinated to learn about how she came to write her books. On Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China:
Jung Chang initially thought that Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China might be published in China and even secured a publisher, but it was never officially released. Her subsequent books weren't either, although pirated editions have circulated. Apparently the Chinese government have also prevented Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China from being adapted into a TV series or movie, even if filmed outside China. Nonetheless, in the 1990s Jung Chang and her husband were able to research their biography of Mao. During this decade, Chinese and Russian archives were more accessible than before or since. The couple interviewed many people who had been close to Mao and their close relatives:
She expresses disappointment about the reception of her biography of Mao among some Western historians, who apart from anything else did not have access to the sources she did:
I hadn't realised that Xi Jinping is the first of the post-Mao rulers who grew up under Mao as the child of a top Party official, a 'Princeling'. Jung Chang herself technically also counts as a Princeling, as her father was a senior Party official before being persecuted during the Cultural Revolution. She mentions that several people have made this point to her, appealing to a Party loyalty that she lost as a teenager while watching her parents get denounced and tortured. This book is in a sense an appeal for compassion, to allow Jung Chang to visit her sick and elderly mother. Although it is certainly powerful, I doubt that it will move the Chinese government. I found it an involving and thought-provoking read.
The book begins by briefly summarising the events of Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, then covers Jung Chang's subsequent life outside China in more detail. I was fascinated to learn about how she came to write her books. On Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China:
I wrote to my mother every few days, and she supplied more information fulsomely and promptly. She gave me one crucial piece of advice: to keep to personal stories and not attempt to write a history book. She told me that my knowledge of the history of modern China had been heavily influenced by indoctrination, citing as an example one of my questions to her in which I had used the phrase 'the three-year Natural Calamity'. Meaning bad weather, this was the Party's standard euphemism for the Great Famine of 1958-61, in which tens of millions of people died. Although I already had some understanding that the cause of the famine was not bad weather, my understanding was woolly, and I was still using the regime's term out of habit. My mother, who knew more about the truth than I did at the time, was afraid my book might be marred by propaganda. [...]
Later, after I had spent more than a decade researching a biography of Mao, with Jon, and had revised my previous conceptions drastically, for a moment I got into a panic thinking I might have to revise Wild Swans. I reread the book, and was hugely relieved that it was truly a book of personal stories, and comments about the general background were few and far between, none of which needed rewriting - although a few expressions could have been rephrased.
Jung Chang initially thought that Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China might be published in China and even secured a publisher, but it was never officially released. Her subsequent books weren't either, although pirated editions have circulated. Apparently the Chinese government have also prevented Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China from being adapted into a TV series or movie, even if filmed outside China. Nonetheless, in the 1990s Jung Chang and her husband were able to research their biography of Mao. During this decade, Chinese and Russian archives were more accessible than before or since. The couple interviewed many people who had been close to Mao and their close relatives:
I was a little taken aback that Mao's grandson worked as a servant in a hotel and that people were reluctant to do his family favours. It seemed to me that this reflected how the regime really felt about Mao at the time: it was only propping up Mao's godlike status out of political calculation, rather than genuine devotion. It may help to explain why nobody seemed to be making serious efforts to stop me from carrying out my research.
She expresses disappointment about the reception of her biography of Mao among some Western historians, who apart from anything else did not have access to the sources she did:
I felt - and I feel - saddened by the choice of those Westerners to stick with Mao. Because they were supposed to be 'China experts', their standing by Mao has meant that even in the West, Mao has not been put firmly and squarely in the place he belongs: in the company of Hitler and Stalin. As a result, the Chinese regime has had too easy a job dismissing the atrocities documented by us and others, denying Mao's responsibility, and brainwashing China's younger generations who have not lived under Mao and do not know what life was like then. His portrait remains on Tiananmen Gate, its status more secure today than at any time since his death, as its true successor, Chairman Xi Jinping, is engaged in an unprecedented revival of Mao, with whom he identifies.
I hadn't realised that Xi Jinping is the first of the post-Mao rulers who grew up under Mao as the child of a top Party official, a 'Princeling'. Jung Chang herself technically also counts as a Princeling, as her father was a senior Party official before being persecuted during the Cultural Revolution. She mentions that several people have made this point to her, appealing to a Party loyalty that she lost as a teenager while watching her parents get denounced and tortured. This book is in a sense an appeal for compassion, to allow Jung Chang to visit her sick and elderly mother. Although it is certainly powerful, I doubt that it will move the Chinese government. I found it an involving and thought-provoking read.
October 3, 2025
I remember buying the original Wild Swans in its first week of publication in the UK back in 1991. I didn’t know anything about it, I just saw it in Books etc and it looked interesting.
I read it in days. I couldn’t put it down. I have read it twice more and count it as my favourite book. I’ve then gone on to read everything else by Jung Chang, who has written some brilliant histories.
Sadly, this is the first time I’ve felt let down by a Jung Chang book. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad book, but it fails to reach the heights of her previous work. There are interesting insights, particularly into the evolution of modern China from the post Mao years until today. But, in contrast to Chang’s other work, it is very easy to put down and hard to pick up again.
The inclusion of familiar stories from Wild Swans suggests that Chang knew that this new work wasn’t compelling enough on its own. But the reminiscences in the first few chapters didn’t work for me, I wondered why we were revisiting so much old ground.
Perhaps the lack of drama in Chang’s later life always meant this book would fail to live up to its predecessors. It’s disappointing nonetheless.
I read it in days. I couldn’t put it down. I have read it twice more and count it as my favourite book. I’ve then gone on to read everything else by Jung Chang, who has written some brilliant histories.
Sadly, this is the first time I’ve felt let down by a Jung Chang book. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad book, but it fails to reach the heights of her previous work. There are interesting insights, particularly into the evolution of modern China from the post Mao years until today. But, in contrast to Chang’s other work, it is very easy to put down and hard to pick up again.
The inclusion of familiar stories from Wild Swans suggests that Chang knew that this new work wasn’t compelling enough on its own. But the reminiscences in the first few chapters didn’t work for me, I wondered why we were revisiting so much old ground.
Perhaps the lack of drama in Chang’s later life always meant this book would fail to live up to its predecessors. It’s disappointing nonetheless.
May 5, 2026
No ano passado li "Cisnes Selvagens" e fiquei fascinada com a capacidade de Jung Chang misturar a história de vida da família com a história da China. Este livro é um excelente complemento e acho que ainda gostei mais deste do que do primeiro 😍
Enquanto "Cisnes Selvagens" se foca mais na vida da avó e da mãe da autora, este livro é mais centrado na vida de Jung Chang, sobretudo no que aconteceu depois da publicação de "Cisnes Selvagens". Depois de ir estudar para Inglaterra, a autora assume o país como a sua nova casa, mas vai voltando à China para visitar a mãe e fazer pesquisas para os seus livros.
Jung Chang conta também neste livro todo o processo de escrita da biografia de Mao (que demorou 12 anos a escrever juntamente com o marido), das irmãs Soong e da Imperatriz Cixi.
Este livro é igualmente duro, com cenas difíceis de ler, e é uma bonita homenagem à mãe de Jung Chang. Foi a mãe de Jung Chang que lhe deu um conselho crucial para "Cisnes Selvagens": cingir-se às histórias pessoais e não tentar escrever um livro de História.
A escrita de Jung Chang é muito envolvente, através de uma escrita simples e directa, entramos no mundo da autora, entendemos o que ela e a família sofreram depois de terem sido publicados os livros (tanto "Cisnes Selvagens" como "Mao").
Diria que este é um livro ainda mais pessoal do que o primeiro, Jung Chang escreve as suas memórias, partilha acontecimentos da vida pessoal e eu adoro ler memoirs 👌🏻
Se, como eu, leram e adoraram "Cisnes Selvagens", diria que é obrigatório lerem este "Voai, cisnes selvagens". Ah, e fiquei cheia de vontade de ler a biografia do Mao e outros livros da autora 🤓
Enquanto "Cisnes Selvagens" se foca mais na vida da avó e da mãe da autora, este livro é mais centrado na vida de Jung Chang, sobretudo no que aconteceu depois da publicação de "Cisnes Selvagens". Depois de ir estudar para Inglaterra, a autora assume o país como a sua nova casa, mas vai voltando à China para visitar a mãe e fazer pesquisas para os seus livros.
Jung Chang conta também neste livro todo o processo de escrita da biografia de Mao (que demorou 12 anos a escrever juntamente com o marido), das irmãs Soong e da Imperatriz Cixi.
Este livro é igualmente duro, com cenas difíceis de ler, e é uma bonita homenagem à mãe de Jung Chang. Foi a mãe de Jung Chang que lhe deu um conselho crucial para "Cisnes Selvagens": cingir-se às histórias pessoais e não tentar escrever um livro de História.
A escrita de Jung Chang é muito envolvente, através de uma escrita simples e directa, entramos no mundo da autora, entendemos o que ela e a família sofreram depois de terem sido publicados os livros (tanto "Cisnes Selvagens" como "Mao").
Diria que este é um livro ainda mais pessoal do que o primeiro, Jung Chang escreve as suas memórias, partilha acontecimentos da vida pessoal e eu adoro ler memoirs 👌🏻
Se, como eu, leram e adoraram "Cisnes Selvagens", diria que é obrigatório lerem este "Voai, cisnes selvagens". Ah, e fiquei cheia de vontade de ler a biografia do Mao e outros livros da autora 🤓
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November 25, 2025I listened to over half of this and found the narrator’s voice and the tone of the book quite grating. Chang is SO sanctimonious as well, I didn’t want to spend any more time listening to this! Not a bad book per se, I’ve just spent enough time with it to know that it’s now time to move along to something better.
January 9, 2026
Cinco estrelas. Amei. É um livro interessante, culturalmente bastante rico, emocionante e duro. Eu já tinha gostado do livro anterior, Cisnes Selvagens. Este é um complemento impecável. Acho que não precisam de ler o primeiro para apreciarem este, mas ganhavam em lê-lo. É um livro de memórias que vale a pena.
March 1, 2026
3.5! She atee with the first one, this was more of a light nibble
November 14, 2025
A disappointment.
I loved the first book and enjoyed its recap at this book’s start. However, it went downhill after that.. Her justification of her book on Mao felt overdone, as did all the logistical details of how the author and her husband visited so many people. So many names, too. I could have done with a who’s who of them all.
Thereafter, each chapter felt like a different episode with little to link them. I wasn’t particularly interested in her information gathering details too, nor all the people she met.
I loved the first book and enjoyed its recap at this book’s start. However, it went downhill after that.. Her justification of her book on Mao felt overdone, as did all the logistical details of how the author and her husband visited so many people. So many names, too. I could have done with a who’s who of them all.
Thereafter, each chapter felt like a different episode with little to link them. I wasn’t particularly interested in her information gathering details too, nor all the people she met.
January 24, 2026
not quite up to the standard of her other books but brings such fascinating insight into her process and what it was like to write her other novels which was rlly interesting for someone like me who grew up reading all of her previous books
November 17, 2025
Brilliant and well written
Another brilliant book by a fearless, perceptive and excellent author. A worthy follow-up to Wild Swans and a must-read for anyone wanting to understand China.
Another brilliant book by a fearless, perceptive and excellent author. A worthy follow-up to Wild Swans and a must-read for anyone wanting to understand China.
October 12, 2025
Dit boek is een vervolg op 'Wilde Zwanen - Drie Dochters van China', maar wel onafhankelijk leesbaar van dat eerste boek.
Omdat dit tweede deel in mijn #koboplus abonnement te beluisteren was heb ik het boek dus geluisterd. Je zou bijna denken dat dit boek daarvoor geschreven is want schrijfster Chang vertelt haar verhaal zoals je je relaas uit het verleden zou vertellen tegen een goede vriend. Naar het luisterboek luisteren was dus alsof Jung Chang rechtstreeks tegen me sprak. Het enige schoonheidsfoutje van de voorlezende dame was dat ze nog nooit van een politbureau heeft gehoord en dus consequent politIEbureau voorlas ;-)
Chang vertelt het verhaal in chronologische tijdvakken en start met -1952 tot 1966- : haar eigen kindertijd onder het regime van Mao.
De lezer wordt weer herinnerd aan en onderwezen over o.a. de opkomst van Mao,zijn Culturele Revolutie, de Hongersnood en de 40 miljoen Chinezen die door dat alles Mao en de zijnen op hun geweten hebben.
Chang neemt de lezer daarnaast mee op haar levenspad zodat we leren hoe zij China kon verlaten, ze studeerde in Groot-Brittannië en zich ontwikkelde tot de schrijver (en in mijn ogen een biograaf van het China van de laatste 150 jaar) die ze nu is.
Het is verbazingwekkend welke toegang zij had tot familie van alle kopstukken om al haar boeken te kunnen schrijven( ze schreef nl. ook een boek over Mao en over de laatste Keizerin (regentes) van China: Cixi).
Ik weet niet of ik net zo enthousiast over het boek was geweest als ik niet had beluisterd maar zelf gelezen had. Het is immers geen fictie dus bevat het geen plot maar meandert het door de heftige gebeurtenissen in het leven van o.a. haar oma, haar ouders, haar eigen leven.
Maar ik heb het boek wel in 2 dagen uitgeluisterd (11 uur) en dat zegt ook iets. Haar boek over Cixi las ik al, en nu wil ik ook haar 'Wilde Zwanen' en het boek over Mao lezen.
Dat maakt dat ik vind dat dit boek 4 sterren verdient.
Omdat dit tweede deel in mijn #koboplus abonnement te beluisteren was heb ik het boek dus geluisterd. Je zou bijna denken dat dit boek daarvoor geschreven is want schrijfster Chang vertelt haar verhaal zoals je je relaas uit het verleden zou vertellen tegen een goede vriend. Naar het luisterboek luisteren was dus alsof Jung Chang rechtstreeks tegen me sprak. Het enige schoonheidsfoutje van de voorlezende dame was dat ze nog nooit van een politbureau heeft gehoord en dus consequent politIEbureau voorlas ;-)
Chang vertelt het verhaal in chronologische tijdvakken en start met -1952 tot 1966- : haar eigen kindertijd onder het regime van Mao.
De lezer wordt weer herinnerd aan en onderwezen over o.a. de opkomst van Mao,zijn Culturele Revolutie, de Hongersnood en de 40 miljoen Chinezen die door dat alles Mao en de zijnen op hun geweten hebben.
Chang neemt de lezer daarnaast mee op haar levenspad zodat we leren hoe zij China kon verlaten, ze studeerde in Groot-Brittannië en zich ontwikkelde tot de schrijver (en in mijn ogen een biograaf van het China van de laatste 150 jaar) die ze nu is.
Het is verbazingwekkend welke toegang zij had tot familie van alle kopstukken om al haar boeken te kunnen schrijven( ze schreef nl. ook een boek over Mao en over de laatste Keizerin (regentes) van China: Cixi).
Ik weet niet of ik net zo enthousiast over het boek was geweest als ik niet had beluisterd maar zelf gelezen had. Het is immers geen fictie dus bevat het geen plot maar meandert het door de heftige gebeurtenissen in het leven van o.a. haar oma, haar ouders, haar eigen leven.
Maar ik heb het boek wel in 2 dagen uitgeluisterd (11 uur) en dat zegt ook iets. Haar boek over Cixi las ik al, en nu wil ik ook haar 'Wilde Zwanen' en het boek over Mao lezen.
Dat maakt dat ik vind dat dit boek 4 sterren verdient.
November 3, 2025
After loving „Wild Swans“, I had high hopes for „Fly, Wild Swans“, but I have to admit I struggled with this one.
This book was like an arm full of separate small tattoos - random bits and pieces that are all more or less nice and are somehow connected, but don’t tell a cohesive story with a clear thread running through it.
This is not to diminish Chang’s significance as a voice or the importance of her experiences. I admire her courage and the sacrifices she’s made.
But as a reader hoping for another journey as powerful as Wild Swans, I found myself somewhat adrift in this one. It felt fragmented, a collection of moments and memories, a chronicle of how her other books came to be—a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the research process rather than a fully realized story in its own right.
There were some interesting passages for sure, but it was not quite what I was hoping for.
This book was like an arm full of separate small tattoos - random bits and pieces that are all more or less nice and are somehow connected, but don’t tell a cohesive story with a clear thread running through it.
This is not to diminish Chang’s significance as a voice or the importance of her experiences. I admire her courage and the sacrifices she’s made.
But as a reader hoping for another journey as powerful as Wild Swans, I found myself somewhat adrift in this one. It felt fragmented, a collection of moments and memories, a chronicle of how her other books came to be—a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the research process rather than a fully realized story in its own right.
There were some interesting passages for sure, but it was not quite what I was hoping for.
October 4, 2025
Wild Swans is a powerful book so I was keen to read this follow up. The first quarter or so recaps some of Wild Swans, and the rest feels disjointed and repetitive. It’s a shame because the author is a strong, resourceful woman with much to say. The 2 sections of photos were welcome, and her love for her family and concern for her country are the main themes. So, a little disappointing, though I have much respect for Jung Chang.
January 4, 2026
Vooral het laatste deel van het boek, waarin het meer over China sinds 2000 gaat, vond ik interessant. De stukken daarvoor zijn deels herhalingen en uitwerkingen van haar eerdere boeken. op zich geef ik het boek zelf wel 4 sterren. maar doordat uitgever Boekerij waarschijnlijk haast had met het op de markt brengen van het boek gaat er een punt af voor de vele tientallen fouten (missende woorden, dubbele woorden) die in het boek staan.
October 14, 2025
Felt that this book gives us a catch up on life since Wild Swans and Jung Chang’s controversial Mao biography while conveying the responses across the world in particular government restrictions in China. Read in one sitting - quite light in contrast to the depth in Wild Swans but interesting in terms of Chang’s experiences.
October 5, 2025
3,5/5
Na Wild Swans sprong dit boek er minder voor mij uit. Duidelijk erop voorzien dat niet iedereen het eerste boek had gelezen, of dat het al lang geleden was, werden er veel gebeurtenissen in herhaald.
Na Wild Swans sprong dit boek er minder voor mij uit. Duidelijk erop voorzien dat niet iedereen het eerste boek had gelezen, of dat het al lang geleden was, werden er veel gebeurtenissen in herhaald.
Review of advance copy
I was looking forward to reading this after enjoying Wild Swans but I was very disappointed and almost didn’t finish the book.
Very pedestrian and almost felt like a good chunk of the book was cut and paste from her other works.
Very pedestrian and almost felt like a good chunk of the book was cut and paste from her other works.
October 6, 2025
An interesting but slightly uneven book, dragging in the middle. It's no Wild Swans, but it catches us up to the present day so it's of interest to people who liked the original.
December 21, 2025
Not a patch on Wild Swans for me, unfortunately. This took me a long time to get through and I felt it lacked the elegant storytelling of Wild Swans.
October 22, 2025
På en og samme tid skræmmende og vigtig læsning.
Det er svært at forstå, at det er muligt at undertrykke og begrænse en hel befolkning på den måde, som det desværre sker og har sket i flere lande...
Vigtigheden i at Vi forstår og værner om vores ret til ytre os, at stemme og læse de bøger vi har lyst til.
At klæde os som individer og tænke selvstændigt.
At rejse og færdes frit.
Forfatteren har betalt den ultimative pris, ved at fortælle os denne beretning og det må forhåbentlig give stof til eftertanke.
Det er svært at forstå, at det er muligt at undertrykke og begrænse en hel befolkning på den måde, som det desværre sker og har sket i flere lande...
Vigtigheden i at Vi forstår og værner om vores ret til ytre os, at stemme og læse de bøger vi har lyst til.
At klæde os som individer og tænke selvstændigt.
At rejse og færdes frit.
Forfatteren har betalt den ultimative pris, ved at fortælle os denne beretning og det må forhåbentlig give stof til eftertanke.
December 25, 2025
the last chapter was definitely the most affecting, an interesting/insightful follow up to wild swans. while i agree the start slightly rehashed some of wild swans, at its core this had a beautiful focus on the mother-daughter relationship
January 23, 2026
As harrowing and emotional and moving as her last 🦢
January 30, 2026
Jung Chang é maravilhosa.
Cisnes Selvagens é o meu livro favorito e ler esta "continuação" dá muita vontade de conhecer as outras obras da autora e mais partes da história da China.
Cisnes Selvagens é o meu livro favorito e ler esta "continuação" dá muita vontade de conhecer as outras obras da autora e mais partes da história da China.
May 1, 2026
Jeg synes ikke den var lige så spændende og relevant som den sidste, men hold da op hun når bredt rundt og er virkelig en sej og modig kvinde!
April 23, 2026
Tenía muchas ganas a la "segunda parte" de Cisnes Salvajes que fue un libro que me fascinó y que he recomendado mucho. Jung Chang continúa donde se quedó con un relato muy interesante una vez más (la China comunista es fascinante y contradictoria a pesar de la propaganda). No es tan redondo como el primero, pero vale la pena.
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