Revolution is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine

I bought this book from a Scholastic Warehouse Sale, and I'm so glad I did. You may have noticed me talking about this book a lot on my blog, and I think it's time I finally write a review for it. So here it is! Enjoy!

Revolution is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine

Cover Courtesy of Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis: Nine-year-old Ling is very comfortable in her life; her parents are both dedicated surgeons in the best hospital in Wuhan. But when Comrade Li, one of Mao s political officers, moves into a room in their apartment, Ling begins to witness the gradual disintegration of her world. In an atmosphere of increasing mistrust, Ling fears for the safety of her neighbors and, soon, for herself and family. Over the course of four years, Ling manages to grow and blossom, even as she suffers more horrors than many people face in a lifetime.

My Review: I was, at first, pretty unsure if I should check this book out or not. Luckily, the synopsis and cover drew me in, or else I would have missed out. This book on the Cultural Revolution is awesome. Imagine experiencing this type of war as a nine-year old! Ling is incredibly brave.

Other characters are admirable, too, like her kind father and Mrs.Wong. Ling's father manages to keep his family in control for quite a while. The tale of Mrs.Wong and her family are just tragic, but I don't want to give everything away here. The characters that are not so admirable are basically everyone else (besides Ling's mother, who doesn't have much rapport with her daughter at first, but still loves her). This story was mainly about betrayal, war, and enemies as seen from a child's view, so I suppose it has to be as sad as it is.

The setting, events, and plot were all captivating and detailed. One event after another happens to Ling that really shapes her character. This book was also quite funny at moments, which shows one that they can find happy times no matter how much darkness.

Overall, this book is a must-read, and I give it 4 stars. I hope to read more by Ying Chang Compestine in the future!