Yily Yu moves to Country of Daughters and starts a new job, promoting tourism in order to improve the living standard of the locals. She soon finds out that not everyone welcomes her. Dashi, the American anthropology student who’s obsessed with his research, thinks tourism destroys the indigenous culture and exhibits his animosity towards her before she even sets foot in the village. Xiao-xia, … her roommate thinks she’s a spoiled city girl and resents her presence. These oppositions only make Yily more determined to stay, but she has to figure out a way …
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This book was comprised of three short stories that are bound together by the same isolated spot in China. The story time settings were separated by different eras. Bride of the Mosuo Chief seemed to be from approximately mid century 1900’s but the other two had a contemporary feel.
The Algae Village region is remote but beautiful and has an unusual custom of marriage where the woman has more autonomy in choosing her husband and the responsibility of raising the children. This situation sets up interesting dynamics between the couples of the three stories.
With the flavor of Memoirs of a Geisha and Pearl S. Buck the stories were pleasant snapshots of the Chinese culture in this special community.
It felt fresh like sitting on your porch as a gentle spring rain falls in the garden.
Wow, this really is one of the most interesting books I have ever read. One of my ten things to do before I die is to walk along the great wall of China, in reality I don’t think I will ever do this… This book for me was magical because from the comfort of my sofa I was transported to the beauty of remote parts of China.
I had never heard of the Mosuo before and this story was fascinating, informative and beautifully descriptive.
The writer is obviously a born story-teller and she has done justice (I think) in describing the traditions and the transition of the Mosuo people.
Hats off, well done, great story.
Bijou Li wrote in chapter 11, “Chinese novels are like a light green tea that you must let linger in your mouth and immerse your tongue awhile before swallowing it.” And this is indeed something I love about novels like the Daughters Inn. It is beautifully written, providing vignettes of multiple characters and their lives in the remote Mosuo village, Lugu Lake, which submerge the reader in this unique environment and culture. A deliciously crafted literary piece that is evocative and absorbing in its simplicity, this is a story that will indeed ‘Linger in your mouth’ or rather, your mind. The reader is left juggling the morality of this modernization and westernization of a traditional and ancient culture and is left wondering like Dashi whether progress is poison or a necessity of survival of this unique community.
I’m in the spell of this author’s writing, she takes me to dreamy places, introduces me to local people with fascinating cultures and traditions and then the story is so enthralling that I find myself transferred to the center of it and I’m no longer an observant, I live it. This is the story of Yily Yu who goes to Country of Daughters despite her father’s objections to help the Mosuo by improving the tourism business. Then comes the challenges, as everything is not what it seems, Dashi a handsome anthropology student believes tourists destroy the environment and she is not welcomed by all the locals. You’ll learn fascinating concepts from walking marriage to what it means to be a lama; you’ll scorn the prejudices of the tourists while appreciating the simple life of being a Mosuo woman. The author makes you live every character here from Dashi to Zhima, from Yily to Binma and I love that style. I was also thrilled to find the characters from the Chief’s Runaway Bride showing up in here. A must read.