Book: Adeline Yeh Ma's Falling Leave

Someone asked me whether I have read Adeline Yeh Ma’s Falling Leave: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter. Yes I did. Do I like this book? Yes I like it. It is not because I am impressed by Adeline’s unfortunate childhood but the colorful and lively description of the customs, history and social upheaval of China from roughly the late 1800's until the 1970's.

I have to point out that Meh’s childhood is not a typical Chinese childhood. As I flipped over the pages, unfortunately I only sensed Adeline’s “nonstop” complaints. I am NOT impressed by the stories she depicted. After all it is only “one-side” story. From this book we learned from Adeline that her stepmother was cruel and manipulative; and how she treated her and her siblings unfairly compared to her own two children. But were the incidents in the book truly happened? We do not know. Considering Adeline’s mother died giving birth to her, she surely had some degree of resentment and guilt. She probably resented that her stepmother took over the mother role in the household. There’s always two-side story when dealing with family life. Did we hear her stepmother’s side story? No. Did we really know what her father’s role was? No.

I have to say that I felt less and less sorry for Adeline as I read towards the end of the book. And, please don’t think it is a typical Chinese family story.