Mystery of the Song Dynasty Painting

by Adeline Yen Mah

Following a fall in the Shanghai market, Chinese Cinderella is whisked away to Grandma Wu's house to recover. As she lapses in and out of consciousness, she is haunted by vivid dreams that seem strange - yet somehow familiar - to her. A tale of slavery and friendship, wealth, poverty and an arranged marriage begins, as Chinese Cinderella recalls a life lived centuries before.

But is it real, or all in her imagination . . .

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens, China, Historical, Fantasy

228 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2009

About the author

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

Reviews

[Gracie La · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like the ending but it is still an Awesome book!!!!!!!!

[Ayunda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought in Singapore.

I first thought it's a not too interesting book (because I've never read a book about China), but it's actually fun.
A great idea and topic for a book, and I really like the story, it's very interesting. I really want to know what happened to Mei Lan! Great book!

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

i started to read this book because i had read two of the other books that Adelind Yen Mah has written and i loved them so much so i thought i might try another one.
the category i put this book in was that this book teaches you about another culture because this book tells you the things about how life was like in the anceint chinese days.
the things i found interesting in this book was that it related the Friendship , Family and Life and how she had woken up one day and reflashed about her past and how she was a talented girl and had friends with a orphans and how she was in the middle of different things in the future as it then related to Slavery, Friendship, Wealth, Poverty and Arranged Marriages because of the wording had climaxed from being a talented young girl to then being forced into marriage and then having to mix with slavery and poverty.
the things i disliked about this book was that it had a real slow start because it got abit boring atimes in how the wording was so simple and suttle.
i would recommend this book to people who like slow endings and then a big climax and a ending that seems to still keep you questioning about the book because this was mostly the three main structures of the book.

[Sian Moriarty]

i started to read this book because i had read two of the other books that Adelind Yen Mah has written and i loved them so much so i thought i might try another one.
the category i put this book in was that this book teaches you about another culture because this book tells you the things about how life was like in the anceint chinese days.
the things i found interesting in this book was that it related the Friendship , Family and Life and how she had woken up one day and reflashed about her past and how she was a talented girl and had friends with a orphans and how she was in the middle of different things in the future as it then related to Slavery, Friendship, Wealth, Poverty and Arranged Marriages because of the wording had climaxed from being a talented young girl to then being forced into marriage and then having to mix with slavery and poverty.
the things i disliked about this book was that it had a real slow start because it got abit boring atimes in how the wording was so simple and suttle.
i would recommend this book to people who like slow endings and then a big climax and a ending that seems to still keep you questioning about the book because this was mostly the three main structures of the book.

[Angela Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am thoroughly impressed.

I sooo love the plot of the story!

Set in the 1940s...

This book follows the story of a twelve-year-old girl named CC who ran away from home and joined the Secret Dragon Society.

She was instructed by Grandma Wu, head of the Secret Dragon Society, to buy food in the river town of Feng Jie.

She sensed someone following her so she ran. And ran and ran. Until she fell from a roof then fell into a coma.

On awakening, she underwent hypnosis and recalled the life she led 800 years ago as a thirteen-year-old girl named Mei Lan, during the Song Dynasty.

This is seriously a gripping tale of friendship and loyalty.

The book makes you feel like you're living through each scene of the story, as if you're the one who's undergoing the life back in the 1090s!!

It also gave me a new insight of life and art... it actually is a beautiful, honest piece of work on a silk/paper consisting of feelings.

I strongly suggest you guys to read it! :)

[Cin Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since I read the book Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah, I had started to read other books that were written by her. The book Chinese Cinderella the Mystery of the Song Dynasty Painting was indeed a fantastic book written by her which did not disappoint me. I was totally attracted by this book once I started reading it. This book has an interesting story about friendship and family. It was well written with detailed descriptions and has an excellent plot. The everyday life of the Song Dynasty is described so vividly that I can picture it out in my mind when I was reading it. What attracts me the most is the unique storyline, when CC recalls a life lived centuries before when she had a serious fall and became Zhang Mei Lan, starting her friendship with an orphan boy. It makes readers continue reading to find out whether it is a dream or is it real. I strongly recommend this book to all readers.

[FOURTEINO.A · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives us a taste of adeline's childhood. Her cruel siblings never forgave her for causing the death of their long lost mother. They treated her like she wasn't part of their family. Her father had never favoured her which means that she was on her own throughout this battle with her cruel siblings. As she grew up she had looked back at her childhood and never wanted to go through that ever again,but she finally made it on her own. I hope there are no children out there who are treated like her .EVERY CHILD DESERVES TO BE SAFE AT HOME.
XX FOURTEENO XX

[Nan · Rating 4 out of 5]

CC has a serious fall at the river town of Fengjie. She recovers physically but she keeps dreaming of another life. CC recalls her previous life, as Mei Lan. Mei Lan is a young talented girl and she was friends with an orphan boy named Ah Zhao, who is an amazing painter. It a tale of friendship, family and life. Its a beautifully set story that shows you glimpses of what life was like in the ancient Chinese days.

[Alisha Huang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a great book (sequel to Chinese Cinderella, the story of a unwanted girl) the only thing I would say is it can be quiet confusing at times and only until the end I realized how the story went. Its about the great painting the song dynasty. CC falls of a roof and then she all of a sudden has a connection between Zhang Mei Lan and herself. Only to find that Zhang Mei Lan is actually her ancestor. Great book but pretty sad too...

[Angel]

I picked up this book because I enjoyed reading Chinese Cinderella written by the same author. This book is pretty cool. I know about this painting since very young. But I never really know about the story of the painting nor the contents, but now I learned many things about it from this book. And what China is like a long time ago (the time when she lived). And it is very interesting to learn peoples life at that time through a little girl's own experience.

[Lindee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally loved this book!!!! Even though I read this book and not even the slightest bit of the first one (didn't know it was a sequel ;) it was amazing.I think the way they told the story (w/ C.C. being under hypnosence, and talking as a pass recarnated life) is truelly a unique and interesting way to tell a story.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me feel like i was there right in the book. It is easily one of my favourite books. I first got it from my school library and loved all of them so much i bought them so now all I have to do is wait for my cousin to give them back!!

[Pamela S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is just another version of the original chinese cinderella, but this book has the fictional spices to differentiate the story from the original and the author has added a bit of a twist inside the book. Well written with good use of language, well done.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book! It makes me think how my life might have been if I lived then. I could have been a slave or had my feet bound-yeesh! :/ all in all, I love Mei Lan's (main character) ideas and her independence in a time when women were considered so dumb and useless.

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this when I was in year 5 and it was the first challenging book I had ever read. This book made me enjoy reading, I loved it so much. It kept me guessing and it was beautifully written.

[Emily Rawlings · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was honestly boringly dreadful. The two books before this were great but this book was really lacking in a good storyline. I rated this a two because the idea of the story was really great but it just didn't fold out well.

[bookadder]

a sad and breath taking true story.

[Liz]

I wonder what this one will be like.

[Debbie]

OMG! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! SHE WROTE ANOTHER ONE! YAYYY!!! :D
I LOVED THE PREVIOUS BOOKS SO MUCH! they were so touching! can't wait till it comes out in the library! :D

[Sarina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting mixture of history and fiction...

[Tashiii · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a good and interesting story and that it was worth read, but is it a book i'm willing to read again? No.

[Jesmine Aw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its actually quite a good book. But i do not really like it because it's talking about the past and there is not exactly a very nice climax.

[Payal · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a really sad story. but its really good
its just like cinderalla.
i felt sorry for the little girl

[Caoimhe Ní Mhaicín]

A great read. Very enjoyable and highly recommended!

[Emily Guest]

Adeline Yen Mah, an amazing writer!
the 3rd book of the series.
couldn't put it down!

[Deebah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a really nice stroy. Irecommend it to anyone who wants to read a nice & advantures story

[Grace K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring.

[Caitlin Boyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book recommend 100% it's the best book I've ever and that's saying something.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a gorgeous story. I loved it. I will definitely put it on my list of books to recommend to my daughter when she grows up.

[Kowthar Shimirty · Rating 5 out of 5]

REALLLLY EMOTIONAL

I RATE IT