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Startling Moon
When six-year-old Taotao is sent by her mother to live with her grandparents, her whole world seems to have fallen apart. Only in later years does she learn of her mother's secret pain—her own father's fall from grace in the Cultural Revolution—and come to understand the sacrifice she has made for her daughter. Startling Moon looks back to a past of rich but suppressed tradition, and forward to a very different China. Above all, it is the story of Taotao's quest to know her own heart, and of the blossoming of a passion which will lead her to risk all that she holds dear.
311 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
76 people want to read
About the author
Liu Hong
209 books16 followersLiu Hong was born in 1965 and grew up in Liaoning, near the Chinese-North Korean border. She studied English, before going to Beijing, to work as a teacher and translator. She came to Britain in 1989, and took an MA in social anthropology at London. Since then she has worked as a Chinese teacher, and as a translator.
Liu Hong now lives in Wiltshire with her husband and their young daughter.
Liu Hong now lives in Wiltshire with her husband and their young daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 4, 2012
Reserved for one of the participants of the 2012 Birthday RABCK group. It is on her wishlist...
This book left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand I liked it a lot, especially the part when Taotao is with her grandparents. For me that part of the book gave a good description of life in China (as far as I can judge that, of course!).
The secretiveness: not being told what is going on and why. Not only parent to child, but also governement to its citizens.
The way that the gatherings for criticizing are more or less matter of factly written down: Taotao has no idea what they mean or why people are criticized (when she's little). As a result of that, she has written critics about a teacher, unaware of the consequences it has. Okay, she hesitates to write, but since she doesn't know the result of her actions, she finally does. And, like other children, is sad that the teacher eventually is sent away to a camp.
The split 'personalities' where the people (especially the older generation) still lives with its gods, their superstitions, where on the other end the governement says that is all rubbish and God in whatever form, does not exist.
I liked the story about the young girl that is growing toward puberty, till she's about 12 or 13.
What I also did like was the description, in the sidelines, of the ending of the (student) protests at Tien an Min Square. It was told in a way, that made it clear that for many Chinese (even in Beijing) the end of these protests must have been not more than what thestate television showed: the red army restoring order. And what others saw, participants, journalists, the world, was completely strange to them. They just didn't know.
That gave me a different pointof view on things.
When she gets back to her parent's house, the story gets less interesting for me. I'm not quite sure why. Maybe it is because she's a totally different student than the ones I have met here? Maybe it is because she's so totally unaware of falling in love, being in love, and, later when she's working in Mongolia and Beijing, how to act accordingly.
I got annoyed by her: the other students / roommates / coworkers described behaved differently. Felt the urge of shouting "grow up"! And when she finally did, I did not understand her actions: going back to Robert, staying in his room untill he gets back and wave at the camera? So the end was unsatisfactory to me.
Did she give in to love, stay with Robert and leave with him? Did she not care anymore about her reputation (it was ruined anyway) and stayed with him untill he had to leave? What about the rest of her life? In Beijing, abroad, husband, lover, children, no children?
This book left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand I liked it a lot, especially the part when Taotao is with her grandparents. For me that part of the book gave a good description of life in China (as far as I can judge that, of course!).
The secretiveness: not being told what is going on and why. Not only parent to child, but also governement to its citizens.
The way that the gatherings for criticizing are more or less matter of factly written down: Taotao has no idea what they mean or why people are criticized (when she's little). As a result of that, she has written critics about a teacher, unaware of the consequences it has. Okay, she hesitates to write, but since she doesn't know the result of her actions, she finally does. And, like other children, is sad that the teacher eventually is sent away to a camp.
The split 'personalities' where the people (especially the older generation) still lives with its gods, their superstitions, where on the other end the governement says that is all rubbish and God in whatever form, does not exist.
I liked the story about the young girl that is growing toward puberty, till she's about 12 or 13.
What I also did like was the description, in the sidelines, of the ending of the (student) protests at Tien an Min Square. It was told in a way, that made it clear that for many Chinese (even in Beijing) the end of these protests must have been not more than what thestate television showed: the red army restoring order. And what others saw, participants, journalists, the world, was completely strange to them. They just didn't know.
That gave me a different pointof view on things.
When she gets back to her parent's house, the story gets less interesting for me. I'm not quite sure why. Maybe it is because she's a totally different student than the ones I have met here? Maybe it is because she's so totally unaware of falling in love, being in love, and, later when she's working in Mongolia and Beijing, how to act accordingly.
I got annoyed by her: the other students / roommates / coworkers described behaved differently. Felt the urge of shouting "grow up"! And when she finally did, I did not understand her actions: going back to Robert, staying in his room untill he gets back and wave at the camera? So the end was unsatisfactory to me.
Did she give in to love, stay with Robert and leave with him? Did she not care anymore about her reputation (it was ruined anyway) and stayed with him untill he had to leave? What about the rest of her life? In Beijing, abroad, husband, lover, children, no children?
December 9, 2020
A saga of Chinese girls starting to demand the world in the opening up generation.
August 3, 2011
Ultimately rather disappointing. The early part of the book is a fascinating insight into growing up in China in the 1970s amid the confused period that marked the end of Mao's Cultural Revolution. But it becomes a rather confused outpouring of the emotions of a young Chinese graduate and her early experiences of love. The backdrop of the events in Beijing in early 1989 provide the only interest but are only vaguely incidental to the writing.
October 5, 2012
Despite the mixed reviews this book received, I enjoyed it tremendously. Simply written it easily conveys the feelings and thoughts of the young girl who is the lead character. Life in China and the vast differences between the country, university life and a big city like Beijing.
January 15, 2018
“You should not honour men more than truth.” Plato
Overall I found this a somewhat frustrating book in that the early part I found beautifully written and quite compelling but as the central character Taotao ('Peaches') grows up it somehow loses that intensity.
At an early age Taotao, is sent, by her outwardly successful parents, to live with her paternal grandparents seemingly for no particular reason. Whilst living with her grandparents she becomes aware that her maternal grandfather, a man whom she loves dearly and teaches her poetry, was once considered an enemy of the state. Taotao is determined that this demise will not befall her yet as she grows older she realizes that sticking to the rules is not so easy as she once thought. Secrets, within families and between the people and the state become a dark shadow that is impossible to shake.
The initial portion of this book, dealing with Taotao's early childhood and in particularly her relationship with her maternal grandfather 'Smart Scholar' who recites T'ang poetry are beautifully written and seem to suggest an idyllic if unconventional childhood. However, her later denunciation of him is highly devastating.
The book provides a somewhat chilling depiction of what I would imagine life and in particular childhood in Communist China to be like. A life where everyone,young and old, are on the lookout for some ideological flaw in those around them and have a willingness to report their suspicions so that these perpetrators can be "re-educated".A country that is largely run on whispers and favours rather than truth and merit.
Taotao's early experiences are brought wonderfully to life. Likewise the university scenes are also good, giving a strong impression of how intelligent students can feel confined and limited by ideology and long for more freedom. However, IMHO the latter sections rather loses their way. The events in Tianamen Square lacks the impact that it deserved and the ending is unsatisfactory. Taotao appears to lose focus and only interested in herself.
Personally I didn't really like Taotao. I found her selfish, friends were simply dropped once they were out of sight and there seems a genuine ingratitude towards her parents even after she finds out the reasons why they did what they did. Whilst I can appreciate that the author is trying to make the point that brainwashed people lose some of their humanity I still found her overall attitude somewhat disquieting. Plus I couldn't quite work out why the author had decided that some Chinese characters should retain their Chinese names whilst other were given Anglicised versions. On top of which I was not totally convinced that her love interests were quite the catches that she imagined them to be. In the end I felt that it was worth a read, with some excellent portions but ultimately didn't quite live up to its early promise.
Then again maybe it was me and my own prejudices and expectations that were at fault. You decide.
Overall I found this a somewhat frustrating book in that the early part I found beautifully written and quite compelling but as the central character Taotao ('Peaches') grows up it somehow loses that intensity.
At an early age Taotao, is sent, by her outwardly successful parents, to live with her paternal grandparents seemingly for no particular reason. Whilst living with her grandparents she becomes aware that her maternal grandfather, a man whom she loves dearly and teaches her poetry, was once considered an enemy of the state. Taotao is determined that this demise will not befall her yet as she grows older she realizes that sticking to the rules is not so easy as she once thought. Secrets, within families and between the people and the state become a dark shadow that is impossible to shake.
The initial portion of this book, dealing with Taotao's early childhood and in particularly her relationship with her maternal grandfather 'Smart Scholar' who recites T'ang poetry are beautifully written and seem to suggest an idyllic if unconventional childhood. However, her later denunciation of him is highly devastating.
The book provides a somewhat chilling depiction of what I would imagine life and in particular childhood in Communist China to be like. A life where everyone,young and old, are on the lookout for some ideological flaw in those around them and have a willingness to report their suspicions so that these perpetrators can be "re-educated".A country that is largely run on whispers and favours rather than truth and merit.
Taotao's early experiences are brought wonderfully to life. Likewise the university scenes are also good, giving a strong impression of how intelligent students can feel confined and limited by ideology and long for more freedom. However, IMHO the latter sections rather loses their way. The events in Tianamen Square lacks the impact that it deserved and the ending is unsatisfactory. Taotao appears to lose focus and only interested in herself.
Personally I didn't really like Taotao. I found her selfish, friends were simply dropped once they were out of sight and there seems a genuine ingratitude towards her parents even after she finds out the reasons why they did what they did. Whilst I can appreciate that the author is trying to make the point that brainwashed people lose some of their humanity I still found her overall attitude somewhat disquieting. Plus I couldn't quite work out why the author had decided that some Chinese characters should retain their Chinese names whilst other were given Anglicised versions. On top of which I was not totally convinced that her love interests were quite the catches that she imagined them to be. In the end I felt that it was worth a read, with some excellent portions but ultimately didn't quite live up to its early promise.
Then again maybe it was me and my own prejudices and expectations that were at fault. You decide.
September 1, 2022
This book following the life of a young Chinese girl, prior to the Beijing massacre on Tiananmen Square in 1989, is an interesting read.
Taotao, an only child, born in a small town, proves to be an intelligent child with a bright future. Sent to live with her grandparents, she attends the local school where she shines academically. On completing her school career, she passes the exams to study at university. She leaves her hometown to travel far south to follow her chosen tertiary courses, specialising in English language for which she has a flair. There she meets an intelligent young man, Steel, who, like her friend at home Lotus Blossom, dreams of freedom from oppression. He falls in love with Taotao, but she does not wish to be tied down romantically until she has explored her dreams.
She is offered a job with a film production company in Beijing, which allows her to travel to Mongolia. While working as a translator there, she meets several liberated Westerners, one man in particular, with whom she becomes infatuated.
On her return to Beijing, she is employed to translate for an American journalist, who is covering the anti-revolutionary, pro-democracy protests taking place in Tiananmen Square, and to a lesser extent throughout the country. She falls in love with this older man. Eventually this relationship propels her to cast aside the conventional, repressive cage of her youth and move forward towards more freedom.
The writing style of this book is simplistic, but the story unrolls like a Chinese calligraphy scroll, as Taotao moves from obedient child to liberated young woman.
Taotao, an only child, born in a small town, proves to be an intelligent child with a bright future. Sent to live with her grandparents, she attends the local school where she shines academically. On completing her school career, she passes the exams to study at university. She leaves her hometown to travel far south to follow her chosen tertiary courses, specialising in English language for which she has a flair. There she meets an intelligent young man, Steel, who, like her friend at home Lotus Blossom, dreams of freedom from oppression. He falls in love with Taotao, but she does not wish to be tied down romantically until she has explored her dreams.
She is offered a job with a film production company in Beijing, which allows her to travel to Mongolia. While working as a translator there, she meets several liberated Westerners, one man in particular, with whom she becomes infatuated.
On her return to Beijing, she is employed to translate for an American journalist, who is covering the anti-revolutionary, pro-democracy protests taking place in Tiananmen Square, and to a lesser extent throughout the country. She falls in love with this older man. Eventually this relationship propels her to cast aside the conventional, repressive cage of her youth and move forward towards more freedom.
The writing style of this book is simplistic, but the story unrolls like a Chinese calligraphy scroll, as Taotao moves from obedient child to liberated young woman.
January 20, 2021
The setting is China in the 1970s and 80s and the book follows Taotao as she progresses through childhood and adolescence before becoming a young woman and having to negotiate her way through the restrictions, the formalities and the oppression which influence all aspects of people's lives. It was a tough place to be. But there is hope for the future and some people are prepared to put their lives on the line to achieve it. Taotao discovers love, passion, beauty, joy and heartbreak as she leaves home and enters the big, wide world in which, to some extent she can make her own decisions. For the large part the book was fast-paced, beautifully written and well thought out. However, there were places where it seemed to lose its way and became a little sidetracked. Overall it is interesting, informative and very scary.
September 16, 2019
An interesting and moving story as seen from the perspective of a young Chinese girl as she grows into womanhood in the time of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. As she observes her family and her friends bowing to authority and the ways of traditional ideals without question, she finds herself searching for her own understanding and personal individuality that ultimately clash with her heritage. It is how she deals with her own life choices that is at the heart of her story, a story that is the antithesis of Western society and therefore can never be totally understood from that viewpoint. Highly recommended.
May 7, 2024
I liked it until the end. I was waiting for her to realise that she shouldn't be driven by infatuation. When she went to Mongolia, she got incredibly confused and her feelings took over. But instead the book ended with an encouragement towards letting your feelings take over? I understand the point being made- liberation, but I just didn't like it and I think it is because the way in which the author went about it conflicts with my values so much. But it was a book that shows the realistic life of another person, it helped me to understand others better. So I will give it 3 stars.
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February 27, 2023⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve given this book 3 stars based on what your learn about the Cultural revolution and Chinese culture. It’s not well written and is a little over poetically infused for my liking which can be a bit distracting from the realism in the story. The folk tales are interesting and the discipline in which poetry is recited and revered in China is commendable but also irritating in parts.
I’ve given this book 3 stars based on what your learn about the Cultural revolution and Chinese culture. It’s not well written and is a little over poetically infused for my liking which can be a bit distracting from the realism in the story. The folk tales are interesting and the discipline in which poetry is recited and revered in China is commendable but also irritating in parts.
February 8, 2020
Did not get past chapter 5. The writing was very disjointed with no natural flow to the story and very little background information. Seemed to be a bunch of random thoughts thrown together with a lot of questions un-answered. Did not enjoy.
April 4, 2020
An interesting account of life in China. Left me wanting to know more!
April 11, 2022
I read this twenty years ago. Loved it then, love it now.
June 5, 2016
Review may contain spoilers.It started out great and I loved the first part of the book when Taotao is living with her Grandmother but the plot becomes much more confusing when she comes back to live with her parents.
The novel had so many loopholes and I checked to see if the ending was really the ending or I had pages missing because it made no sense to me whatsoever.
1)Why does Taotao always fall for foreigners?
2)What was the whole point of a long & inconsequential romance with David when it didn't take the plot anywhere?
3)What was the actual ending?
4)What was the real story of Neinei?
The novel had so many loopholes and I checked to see if the ending was really the ending or I had pages missing because it made no sense to me whatsoever.
1)Why does Taotao always fall for foreigners?
2)What was the whole point of a long & inconsequential romance with David when it didn't take the plot anywhere?
3)What was the actual ending?
4)What was the real story of Neinei?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2008
It started off pretty intriguing, and to be honest, I was yearning to read something OUT of this country (hey if I can't physically leave, I can still let my brain go for an adventure!) but the ending was rather disappointing. I enjoyed the classical poetry, though, and think it could have been emphasized and explained more.
December 18, 2013
Uh....I didn't like it. At all, good story but abit of a drag. I hated her boyfriends and how their realtionships were. I really don't understand why she ended up with that awful guy robert who clearly(to me...) Didn't love her enough. Anyway bottomline is that this novel isn't for me.
November 20, 2011
Fascinating and good to read
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April 28, 2010Interesting book from the point of view of learning about other cultures
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews