Historical Fiction: Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

Jenny Tinghui Zhang's Four Treasures of the Sky had already made it into my to-read pile before I realized the author was to speak at this year's San Antonio Book Festival. Being able to hear her talk about her process and research, as well as have her sign my copy of the book was a fun experience. The book promised to be a unique adventure, set in the 19th century, as it follows a young Chinese girl attempting to claim her own story.

The Situation: Daiyu has never liked her name all that much. She was named after a tragic heroine who dies after that man she loves marries someone else. It is 1882 when Daiyu experiences her own first tragedy, as her parents go missing from their home in China. At her grandmother's insistence, she takes her chances in the streets, dressed as a boy, hoping to find work somewhere that will keep her safe and her belly full. As Feng, the young male street urchin, Daiyu finds herself working at a calligraphy school. Although she cannot be one of the formal students, she treasures each lesson she is able to overhear Master Wang teach, drawing the characters in the ground outside, or even in the air. 

The Problem: Despite the tragedy Daiyu has already experienced in her short life, more follows when she is kidnapped by someone she believed to be a kind stranger and shipped off to America. After a long and almost maddening journey, Daiyu arrives in San Francisco only to be forced into life in a brothel. Once again renamed, this time as Peony, Daiyu fears the day when her 'training' is over and she must take her first customer. The tragic heroine that she was named after seems to continue to follow her, making her question what direction her life is meant to take, and whether it will always be tragic and out of her hands. But Daiyu must learn from each person she is forced to become as she makes each move, and is eventually able to tell her own story.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel set in the late 19th century, and takes place in both China and the United States. When Daiyu is first kidnapped, in happens out in the open as she goes willingly, believing the mysterious stranger to have saved her from a dangerous encounter. And this is not even the first terrible thing that young Daiyu has had to endure. Zhang's idea for the novel came from her father who returned from a work trip having seen a historical marker that intrigued him. After much research, the result is the story we are talking about now, and much of Daiyu's experiences in the U.S. comes after the very real Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

My Verdict: The book jacket promises an adventure across continents, cities, and several identities, and the book certainly delivers. It seems the more Daiyu attempts to escape the tragic life of her namesake, the more terrible things seem to follow her. Each identity and relocation brings with it both hope and fear, as Daiyu wants more than anything to be safe, but feels she cannot trust anyone with who she really is, not fully. The places Daiyu finds herself in are less than ideal, but Zhang makes them feel real - and yet also magical - allowing the upsetting reality of what is happening to not become too overwhelming or too hopeless. Zhang is gentle with the reader, but the situations are not for the faint at heart. Historical fiction fans will be pleased, but may also experience some heartbreak. 

Favorite Moment: *spoiler alert* With a little outside help, Daiyu is able to outsmart the manager of the brothel she is employed at and once again change her circumstances. 

Favorite Character: There are few good people that Daiyu encounters during the story, but her grandmother did what she could. Also, Master Wang at the calligraphy school is both gracious and kind, while still upholding his own standards.  

Recommended Reading: I recommend Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim.