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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
Historical violence in 1930s China; some deaths and dark historical events depicted
Language
Barely any
Mild language throughout
Sexual Content
Barely any
Mild romantic content for adult characters
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Strong psychological content: dementia and the grief of watching a mother's mind deteriorate; dark family secrets involving death and suicide; the difficulty of cultural translation across generations
What this book is about
Ruth Young is a successful ghostwriter helping her aging mother LuLing organize her memories when she discovers that LuLing's life in China holds secrets Ruth never knew — including the identity of LuLing's real mother, a woman known as the bonesetter's daughter. As LuLing's dementia progresses, Ruth races to understand a history that is disappearing. Amy Tan weaves between modern San Francisco and 1930s China with characteristic richness and emotional depth.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Dementia and the grief of watching a parent's cognitive decline
Dark family secrets involving suicide and murder
Historical violence in 1930s China
Reader Verification
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