Easy to read and follow but lacks the emotional story of Wild Swans. ( )

This covers the biographies of the Soon sisters, one of which married Sun Yat-sen, one who married Chiang Kai-shek, and the eldest who married one of the wealthiest men in China and who, through corruption, built that wealth into an even bigger fortune. The sisters all came from immense privilege, and remained remarkably loyal to each other despite vast differences in their political leanings.

This is a fascinating story of a family who remained at the center of power in China for almost a century. ( )

A very good book to read if needing an update on Chinese history. However the story of this family left me completely disinterested. Such horrible people,! Living a very privileged life with no regard for the welfare of their fellow countrymen. All they wanted was power and money. And to think we were taught that Chiang Kai-shek was such a hero...... ( )

This is a highly readable and entertaining book. Well researched and interpreted, the author shows restraint by presenting an unbiased version of a very complex period in China’s history. Reflecting the political climate, I expect the research material was more accessible for the two ‘western’ sisters. Red Sister was a little harder to get to grips with, and her motivations less understood, perhaps due to limitations with information sources.
Well worth reading. ( )

Fascinating, readable and highly accessible history of modern China and story of three womens' lives. I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading more from Jung Chang. ( )

Fascinating depiction of the history of China over the last 150 years through the lives of the 3 Soong sisters. Just the right level of detail to keep it engrossing but not overwhelming for the casual reader. ( )