Rounded up to 4*
This book was so fascinating and introduced me to a whole new set of ideas and beliefs! About several generations of Chinese women, Jamie Ford explores epigenetics- how are trauma and love and memories passed through generations? How do they change the way we see the world and interact with people? Ford considers science, spirituality, culture, and religion to understand this. This book was devastating, as were the characters, but that's what made it, and them, so beautiful. Through stories of immigration and womanhood, Ford writes an original novel that will take your breath away and challenge you to see the world differently.

Ford did, however, make this book weirdly more confusing than it needed to be. In an effort to talk about 5 generations in less than 400 pages, I felt like I never truly got to know each other women. So much happened and, therefore, almost nothing happened in this book. I love the way it all came together in the end, but my dislike for some of the characters overshadowed my love for and interest in some of the characters. A cool concept, but could've been executed a little better.