Name: Emily Choi
Book: Chinese Cinderella
Author: Adeline Yen Mah
Page: 227
Publisher: Penguin Group
Chinese Cinderella is a compelling autobiography by Adeline Yen Mah. First person narration is used to write in the book. This story happened in the period of Second World War and there were three main cities that they have been to. First in Tianjin, then in Shanghai lastly in Hong Kong. The main character of the book, Adeline is born in a wealthy family. However, she could not get happiness in her childhood. Her family marked her as ‘bad luck’, because her birth caused her mother’s death. She was being neglected by her parents and siblings, especially her father. Her father even forgot her name. Nevertheless, there were still her grandfather, grandmother and aunt that support and encourage her whenever she felt lonely and negative. Her father remarried a French woman who got two children. This wicked stepmother spoiled her two children but being caustic to the five stepchildren, especially Adeline, who never flatters her. Adeline was frustrated towards her life. She was frightened that her life will go similar with her big sister- forced into an arranged marriage. She thought her stepmother treated her as a leper because her stepmother forbade her daughter taught by her. During this frustrating period, her grandfather and her third brother encouraged her. Adeline was motivated by her grandfather and joined a play-writing contest. Unfortunately, her beloved grandfather passed away during the time. Anyway, she still needed to settle down and continue her long life. Till the day her father noticed Adeline won the international play-writing contest and granted her wish to study in England.
