Synopses & Reviews
Mary and Ingrid are sisters who were born and brought up in China but now reside in the United States. Mary is the older of the two; seemingly a devoted wife, mother, and churchgoer. Yet she is tormented by adultery, a grudge toward her parents, and her despair at work. Her estranged sister Ingrid has never settled for anything; she prefers her bohemian friends’ culture to her own, and is haunted by her college boyfriend’s tragic death. When their widowed mother travels to the United States for the first time, they can’t avoid a family get-together. Amid all it stirs up, it becomes clear that the uneasy relationship between the sisters has roots deeper than either had ever acknowledged—and extends to their parents and their homeland.
Stretching from mid-century China to the United States at the turn of the millennium, Beautiful as Yesterday explores issues of identity, of family and friendship, love and loss. Written in beautifully crafted prose, this is a penetrating exploration of what it means to belong, and the impact of history and memories on one’s life.
Review
"Fan Wu tell tales of modern Chinese women without mythologizing or romanticizing their lives. Her stories are foreign and familiar all at once, her writing beautiful and spirited." -- Sandra Cisneros, bestselling author of House on Mango Street
Review
"A delicate and brilliant novel on the arguments, triumphs, loves and differences of a Chinese family in America." -- Xinran, author of China Witness and Good Women of China
Synopsis
The story of three Chinese women from the same family trying to reconcile the past with the present, while torn between two different cultures.
About the Author
Fan Wu grew up on a state-run farm in southern China, where her parents were exiled during the Cultural Revolution. Her debut novel, February Flowers