The first 125 pages were so slow. I didn't find the characters likeable. Are people really as gullible as Gen? By the time the story picked up, somewhere close to the middle, I was tired of Gen's whining and no longer sympathetic. The whole thing was more far-fetched than thrilling.

I love stories from other cultures, especially ones that follow the life of a central character and are historical in nature. All the Flowers in Shanghai was all of that and more. The book follows the life of Feng "the second daughter". From the minute I picked it up, I couldn't put it down, I had to find out what was happening to Feng and how she would handle it. So well written, I was sorry to see it end.