Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah is the memoir of an unwanted daughter. Born as the fith child into and affluent family. Her mother died shortly after her birth--leaving her with the title of 'bad luck' or 'cursed' (p.3). Adelines father quickly remarried a young womman who favors her own two childern significantly more than fathers other children. Denied love from her father and stepmother, she turnes to her grandfather--YeYe--for afection. He and her Aunt Baba are the only ones she looks up to, who inspire her.
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"And if I should be so lucky as to succeed one day, it’ll be because you believed in me."’ (p.208)Says Adeline to her YeYe.
Chinese Cinderella was writtlen shortly after Yen Mahs first book, Falling Leaves. Wich details Adelines life from 14 years old to adulthood as Chinese Cinderella focuses on her life before that. This inspiring memoir is organized in a collection if vignettes --in a cronological order--that each make you go 'wow'. Because of this, the author, jumps some parts on time--often the parts of her childhood that were less important than the others.
The memoirist—Adeline—came to realize about herself was even thought she loves education; it doesn’t give her any love back. She wants something more like a family who loves and supports her. She has a heart full of love, now she just needs someone to love her.
I think this book was hard to put down because the author wrote with so many fresh details and feelings, it felt like you were there with a real Chinese Cinderella the whole time. It feels like she doesnt mark the events in her life by dates but by feelings.
‘"Now they knew the pathetic truth! Unloved and unwanted by my own parents! How long did it take for a person to die of shame."’ (p.129)
‘"My whole being vibrated with all the joy in the world. I only had to stretch out my hand to reach the stars."’ (p.220)
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