This book is one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. It really shows that you can do anything you set your mind to. It's a true story of the author's childhood where she was hated and despised by her family because she is believed to be the cause of her mothers death. Despite this she is an extremely intelligent girl trying exceedingly hard at school, desperate to prove her worth.

She goes through a series of highs and lows; from being abandoned to being deeply congratulated by her aunt, but somehow she overcomes the odds and later publishes this book of her childhood which is now a Puffin classic.

At the end of the book I felt so moved by her courage and determination I was almost in tears! I well and truly hated her stepmother for the hardship she forced upon Adeline and her father for not caring.

I also learnt a lot about Chinese culture - I never knew children could be treated this way or that a child could be hated and unloved by her parents for almost no reason at all. I felt as though I was really there beside Adeline experiencing the terrible thrashes of her stepmother or the sneering remarks from her brothers.

If you do read this book prepare for a terrible childhood where there is little hope and a lot of courage, a girl who was determined to prove her worth and the cruelest stepmother you have ever known. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone over the age of nine.

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