Rating: 
Summary: I had to put it down!
Review: This excellently written account of incredible family disloyalty and emotional abuse intrigued and horrified me. I did indeed have to put it down - just to calm myself down. The heroine has emerged victorious and I truly hope has found lasting happiness.
Rating:
Summary: Poignant; an excellent (and easy!) read.
Review: Falling Leaves was a truly wonderful book. There is nothing I can write that other on-line reviewers have not raved about. All I can do is agree that it is a touching and unfortunate story. I praise the integrity and strength of the author for not "getting back" at her family for their cruelty. I believe most people would love to have lashed back in some way! I would be interested to hear the other siblings' point of view. What would motivate them (especially "Lydia" who was so calculating)to treat another human being this way??
Rating:
Summary: Thought provoking and poignant
Review: BRILLIANT. I found it hard to put this book down. There are not many books that I would read twice, but this, along with Angela's Ashes would definately be in my "read again" pile.
Rating:
Summary: I cried when I read this book.
Review: Adeline's story has touched me in the way Frank McCourt's story has - how both people struggled with adversity, family turmoil and rejection only to emerge much stronger characters. Adeline's narrative is powerful without being vindictive, touching without being maudlin and sentimentalistic... To achieve that level of authorial objectivity, she must have been able to exorcise the ghosts of her past and look forward to the bright future - her children, her husband and possibly, a new writing career.
Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic Journey
Review: I finished reading Falling Leaves weeks ago, and the author's words still haunt me. My heart ached for the sufferings of Adeline as a little girl and yet hers is a story of hope and perseverance. (The book is also a good primer of 20th century Chinese history.) Kudos to the author for the strength it must have taken her to recall and "re-live" those painful years.
Rating:
Summary: a book with encouragement
Review: I love this book so much than I took 5 months to finished reading it. I wish to read it words by words, so as to feel how the author had gone throught so much hard ship. It's a good book,very goon till I wish to buy and keep it, read it again and again. Very interesting....... indeed.....
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read Book!
Review: Falling Leaves is a spectacular book and I would advise Adults and Young Adults to read this marvalous book! Adeline Yen Mah is a genious!
Rating: 
Summary: "ugly duckling" yearning for acceptance
Review: very easy reading and quite captivating. I read the book after I've seen an interview with Adeline Yen Mah on BBC worldwide that provoked my curiousity but also stirred first doubts if there wouldn't be another side to her story. This doubts have deepened after reading her admittedly highly moving story. I would be interested to know the story of her halfsister "Susan" who was in the end the only one truly standing up for herself although she never ever received any love or support. (Check out that Susan looks exactly the same on two pictures that are supposedly taken three years appart...) Actually it is less the story of a Chinese daughter than one of unfortunately quite common family cruelty. Mrs. Mah was actually much better of then most other Chinese children at that time. She grew up quite luxuriously, but not as badly spoiled as the family's favorite son, with the caring love of her aunt who suceeded in giving her self esteem and a thrive to learn. Even the (for China) posh places she got put away to provided her with the education she needed to get where she is today. A big hand for her achievement inspite of everything but she didn't have to start from zero.I enjoyed reading the book but it doesn't compare with Jung Chang's "Wild Swans", Nien Cheng's "Life and Death in Shanghai" or Pang-Mei Natasha Chang's Bound Feet & Western Dress".
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT READING!!!
Review: I couldn't put this book down for one second, actually finishing the book in twenty-four hours. Adeline Mah has written an excellent novel. Her story of sadness and change was deep-felt, and it seemed as though I was a member of the family, looking into the life she could not forget but at the same time wanting to end the pain. A very worth while portrait to read.
Rating:
Summary: A captivating read!
Review: I have just completed this wonderful book, having been barely able to put it down over the last few days. It seems astonishing that Adeline could endure such hardship and emotional abuse throughout her childhood and yet still rise above it all to achieve a successful career and marriage. It certainly brought home the privelige that most of us have in enjoying a happy childhood and supportive, caring parents. Now it looks as though Adeline may have a second career ahead of her as an author. This book is written with such honesty and emotion that one grows to feel close to the author, and devastated at the continual rejection by her family, right to the very end. It is a story of triumph in the face of hardship, and I for one wish Adeline well in what is sure to be a successful future for her. Please write some more!
| 
