Product Description

The story of an unwanted Chinese daughter growing up during the Communist Revolution, blamed for her mother's death, ignored by her millionaire father and unwanted by her Eurasian step mother. A story of greed, hatred and jealousy; a domestic dramais played against the extraordinary political events in China and Hong Kong. Written with the emotional force of a novel but with a vividness drawn from a personal and political background. FALLING LEAVES has become a surprise bestseller all over the world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #66833 in Books
• Published on: 1998-03-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

About the Author
Adeline Yen Mah took studied at London Univesity and now lives in the USA. ''My Chinese Cinderella. Her father's stunningly beautiful new young wife makes Snow White's wicked stepmother look like Mary Poppins. A compelling story.' - The Mail.

Customer Reviews

Great read
I was browsing the site and I came upon this book which I read about 2 years ago. As soon as I saw the title I felt that I really should write a review because it was such an emotional experience reading this book. The author takes us through the death of her mother soon after her birth (the child being deemed a token of bad luck in China), the effect this had on her family relations and also the effect her father's subsequent marriage had on the family. You will tear your hair out with frustration because you want Adeleine to seek revenge on the family that treated her so badly. But for me the most important message in this book lies in the fact that rather than seek revenge she instead channelled her energy into putting together this well written account of her life. This book is full of lessons and different people will extract different things from it. It is definitely worth a read though if only to get an insight into a wealthy, yet emotionally bereft family living in China in the latter half of the 20th century. I would also recommend "Watching the tree" by the same author which deals with a lot of the Chinese philosophies raised in this book.

Falling Leaves - Must Read for Hua Qiao (Overseas Chinese)
I've read both books 'Chinese Cinderella' and'Falling Leaves' by Adeline Yen Mah. Although I read Chinese history,especially from the period of the beginning of the Ching Dynasty until its vanquish at the hands of anti-Imperial forces with the coming into being of the Republic of China under Dr Sun Yat Sen,and then through to the period of the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s until the beginning of economic reforms in the 1970s,I am always captivated by autobiographical accounts of the lives of individuals,usually members of what one would call the Chinese diaspora, like that of Adeline Yen Mah.Reason:They usually tell you of their hardended views when expressing lives in China under the Communists in the early years, and their changed views(like that of Adeline ) of China today.

It has also proven that a changed environment - from a troubled China to Hong Kong and to UK and USA - has not changed,at least in attitude and thoughts, or much of them,anyway, in the Chineseness of a Chinese,wherever he or she may be.Forget the reason.Look at the number of trips she made back to China to see Aunt Baba and sister Lydia.

Of course, the author has made Falling Leaves even more interesting by talking about herself and family members,especially her stepmother.Even being Communist does not mean you are not interested in a lot of wealth.Having a lot of personal wealth doesn't mean you're not interested in some more. There is a trait in individuals that cannot change wherever you may be.

Most of all, Adeline's English is so good and she can really tell a story well so that when you pick up her book it is a page-turner to the end.Which was my own experience when I read after dinner till 3 in the morning!

S C Chan
Kuching,Sarawak
Malaysia

Parisa Diba's review on Falling Leaves
My god, what an amazing book! From chapter 4 onwards I struggled to hold back my tears and felt thousands of needles piercing my heart when I read about Adeline's Niang slapping her ferociously because her friends wanted to celebrate their success. What made terribly sad was the way her siblings excluded her and her father who constantly ignored her. This is amazing book by someone who suffered throughout her childhood and overcame all obstacles to emerge triumphant. Adeline Yen Mah is an inspiration to thousands who have step-mothers and the best advice I can give you is to not only read Falling Leaves, but all the books she has written.
By Parisa diba Age 14