Dreams of Joy

Dreams of Joy follows nineteen-year-old Joy, who flees to Communist China in 1957 after discovering family secrets that shatter her world. She leaves behind her mother Pearl and aunt May in Los Angeles Chinatown, determined to find her biological father and embrace the promise of Mao's New China. The narrative alternates between Joy and Pearl's perspectives as Joy settles into life at a rural commune while Pearl desperately searches for her across a rapidly transforming nation. Their parallel journeys unfold against the backdrop of the Great Leap Forward, as both women face increasingly challenging circumstances that test their resilience and beliefs. The novel is a sequel to Shanghai Girls, but can be read as a standalone story about mothers and daughters, idealism and disillusionment, and survival in times of political upheaval. The story spans several years during one of China's most turbulent historical periods. At its core, Dreams of Joy explores how political movements affect individual lives, and how love - between mothers and daughters, fathers and children, husbands and wives - can both wound and heal across generations and cultures.

Readers found Dreams of Joy to be an emotional continuation of Shanghai Girls, with deep research into China's Great Leap Forward period. Many appreciated See's portrayal of complex mother-daughter relationships and cultural identity. Liked: - Historical details and immersive depiction of 1950s China - Character development, especially Joy's growth - Educational value about the Great Leap Forward - Emotional depth of family relationships Disliked: - Slow pacing in the middle sections - Some found Joy's initial naivety frustrating - Several readers felt the ending wrapped up too neatly - A few noted historical exposition could feel heavy-handed Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (47,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (1,200+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.0/5 (300+ ratings) "The historical details were fascinating but never overtook the story," noted one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads user wrote: "Joy's character frustrated me at first but her transformation felt earned."

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See Following two women's friendship across class divides in nineteenth-century China, this novel shares themes of female bonds and Chinese cultural upheaval with Dreams of Joy.

The Rice Mother by Rani Manicka A multi-generational saga tracks a Malaysian-Chinese family through historical turmoil, mirroring the mother-daughter relationships and Asian historical context of Dreams of Joy.

Wild Swans by Jung Chang This true account of three generations of Chinese women living through the Cultural Revolution offers parallel insights into life during China's communist era.

Red Azalea by Anchee Min Set during China's Cultural Revolution, this memoir chronicles a young woman's experiences in a labor collective, echoing Joy's journey into Maoist China.

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck This classic narrative of a Chinese farming family before the Communist revolution provides context for the agrarian society that preceded the era depicted in Dreams of Joy.

★ Mao's Great Leap Forward (1958-1962), the backdrop for this novel, resulted in the largest famine in human history, causing an estimated 15-55 million deaths. ★ Author Lisa See drew inspiration from her own Chinese-American family history, including stories from her grandfather's village in China, to create authentic cultural details in the novel. ★ The book's portrayal of 1950s Shanghai captures a unique moment when the city transformed from a glamorous international hub to a strictly controlled Communist metropolis. ★ Members of Chinese-American communities, like Joy's character, really did return to China during the 1950s, believing in Mao's promise of a new socialist paradise. ★ The novel continues a multi-generational story that began in "Shanghai Girls" (2009), though this book has sold over 1.5 million copies as a standalone work.