This book explored the emotional and psychological neglect Yen Mah experienced from her father and stepmother up to age 14. I think the most appalling part of this memoir was how her father seemed incapable of caring enough for his daughter to protect her from her stepmother. At some point he even forgot her birthday. He allowed his older children to be treated differently from the children from his second marriage. Her stepmother and father even abandoned her at a convent during the Communist Revolution in China where Adeline would be most at risk. Despite her emotional suffering, Yen Mah persisted in her studies and thankfully was able to attend college in England and move on with her life. It is quite sad that she never truly got what she wanted from her father and stepmother: their love. I hope to read her autobiography in the future to know more about how her childhood affected her transition into adulthood and how her relationships with her siblings continued to develop. An excellent memoir that I highly recommend. Definitely keeping a physical copy of this one!