Their Divine Fires - Book Review

Their Divine Fires by Wendy Chen
Publication: May 7, 2024
Pages: 288 pages
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars ☆☆☆
Sweet Spark: Coping looks so different for everyone. 

This multi-generational story of the women in a Chinese family was so interesting. Starting in 1917, it gives a young girl's perception of her life before and then during the Chinese Revolution. Yunhong is living her life as she planned and largely trying not to pay attention to revolutionaries, until all her plans are destroyed on her wedding night. 

Yunhong's daughter never knows her father, and as far as readers know, she isn't even told much of her own backstory. Her feelings about this are passed on to her own twin daughters, who grow up in China with much of their paths dictated to them. As they reach adulthood, the twins go their separate ways, largely as a result of their traumatic childhood.

The last section of the book is mostly about Yonghung, the twin who has moved to America, married and is raising a daughter, Emily. Her mother also moves there to be with her, while the other twin remains in China.

The bad breaks never really end for the family, but they seldom discuss the past which has brought them each to where they are. Without a background of much Chinese history, the telling of the stories from mostly children's perspectives conveyed a lot of feeling, but without an adult understanding of what was actually happening.

The book was enlightening and emotional, and earned 3 out of 5 stars. Those who enjoy family dramas and Chinese stories would like this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the electronic copy of this book. Receiving the book for free did not influence my review.