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Title: The Painter of Shanghai
Author: Jennifer Cody Epstein
Genre: Cultural
Rating: 3/5
# pages: 417
Date read: August, 2012

Pan Yuliang was a girl with no dreams. Her parents were taken from her at a young age, then her uncle sold her into prostitution; it was enough for many years just to cope and survive. One day, fate places a kind gentleman in her path, and she begins to discover the city outside the brothel and the world beyond China's borders. As a larger canvas of life emerges, Pan realizes that she has something of value to say -- and a talent through which she can express herself. From Shanghai to Paris, Pan is challenged by the harsh realities in politics, art, and love, and must rely on her own strength to develop her talent. In so doing, she takes a relatively ordinary life and makes it extraordinary.

Interesting and allegedly true story about the Chinese painter, Pan Yuliang... inspired by a true story anyway. I can't quite make up my mind what I think of it. The first half was brilliant, difficult to put down and rather similar to "Memoirs of a Geisha" in atmosphere. The second half was still interesting, but the last 100 pages especially were more than a little depressing... and the worst thing is that I don't think they were supposed to be depressing, they just came across that way.

I'd probably have gotten more out of it if I had known more about the history of China from 1918-1957.
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