First published 2002
Adeline Yen Mah's "A Thousand Pieces of Gold" transports readers to 1920s China, where 14-year-old Adeline is sold by her family and forced into an arranged marriage. Determined to escape, she embarks on a treacherous odyssey, navigating poverty, exploitation, and the harsh realities of life as a vulnerable woman in a patriarchal society. Adeline's courage and resilience shine as she fights for her independence and the chance to forge her own destiny in a world that seeks to control her.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, china, biographical-fiction, asian-american
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, overcoming-adversity
Setting: China
Period: 1920s
272 pages · Hardcover · HarperOne
Content warnings: abuse