Rating: 
Summary: Very moving, sad story
Review: I really enjoyed reading 'Thousand pieces of gold' by RuthAnne Lum McCunn. I personally don't like to read, but for the first time, I actually liked reading this book. Since English isn't my first language, I've always had trouble understanding a book. The reason why I chosed to read this book is, because I thought that it would be interesting to get to know about the Chinese culture. As I read along the book, I found out few interesting things, for example, Chinese females kept their feet as small as possible because they believed that it was one way to be pretty. What most interested me was that long time ago in China, all the daughters and wives had to do all the housework and thier value was less then men, also treated like a slaves. Females had no right to do anything, they had to obey to husband and father. I really dislike the fact that female has no power to do anything. The main character Lalu, a daughter of poor farmer who was sold to the bandits. Because they were too poor her father sold her for bags of seed and saved his wife and son. I was so shocked that her father actually gave up on her for bags of seed. The author described every emotions on the situations very strongly so that the reader could feel it vividly. I sympathized her the most of the time while I was reading. The story of Lalu's life was very tragic and sad, but also she had strong mind of hoping for freedom that gave her strength to get through the hardship. The author didn't use too many hard vocabulary, and the sentenses weren't too complicated, so It was easier for me to read and understand. Also, the author made each chapter short(4pages long), but each chapter proceed exciting stories, which draw me into book more and more. I recomend this book to those who prefer easy reading especially those who English isn't first language or having trouble understnading.
Rating: 
Summary: I LOVED THE INTENSITY OF THIS BOOK
Review: I THINK THIS IS A VERY NICE BOOK IT CAPUTERS THE TALE OF A YOUNG CHINESES AMERICAN GIRL AND IT SHOWS HER STRUGGLES AND HARDSHIPS AND HOW SHE GOT OUT OF THEM
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: I thought that this book was great. It truly depicts the trials and tribulations a Chinese immigrant went through in the days of old. In addition, it allows those of Chinese descent to recognized the efforts their ancestors made in order that they might appreciate their place in society today.
Rating:
Summary: Thousand Pieces of Gold
Review: If you're into Asian-American history, then this book is a wonderful book for you. It's a biographical novel about a chinese girl name Lalu, later name Polly Bemis, who her father called her his "thousand pieces of gold" ever since she was thirteen years old. However, Lalu was forced to be sold by her father when the bandits invaded their home town. They sold her to a brothel, and the owner of the brothel sold her to a slave merchant, who then shipped her to America where she was auctioned off to a chinese saloonkeeper in San Francisco, CA. Finally, Lalu was given to a nice young white man name Charlie, who she knew already, from a poker game when he bet all his gold in stake for her and won. From then, Lalu married Charlie and spent the rest of their lives together. Lalu gradually learned her English well, but still never got to achieve her goal of finding gold in the west. However, she achieved respect and dignity among the pioneer women during the late nineteenth century of the American West. This novel is a valuable book that gives Chinese Americans another true heroine. It's worth reading.
Rating: 
Summary: it definitely wasnt as inspiring as i hoped
Review: Im always the type to read those inspirational books that you sit in your room crying about...so when i read the summary of this book, i thought i was in for the waterworks. turns out the book isnt all that i hoped it would be. this book only tells you of the things that Lalu went through and although they were quite tragic, i dont think the author had quite the choice of words to express this story as emotionally and inspirationally as she could have. besides, some parts of the book i couldnt even understand because it was confusing. the author certainly did not think through her words well enough for a reader to fully feel the impact of this story.
Rating:
Summary: Thousand Pieces of Gold
Review: In the beginning of the book, I thought it was slow until I learned that what I was reading in the beginning I needed to know as I went through the book. Most books don't really give a person a personality or describe them as fully as the characters that were portrayed in this book. I really liked how people were described and given faces. In addition, the land was fully described; it was as if I was there with her. In the book, the author used all the five senses making it easier to draw in the reader. It showed a lot of drama and adventure that is what I was drawn to the most. The book really affected me by the stages that Lalu had to go through and her years growing into a woman. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Do you want to know about"Thousand Pieces of Gold"?
Review: It all starts in a little village in China. There is a girl named Lalu, who lives there with her family. they have been savings for years and years to buy land to farm and a cow. But they do not have enough money. So the father decides to make a risky attempt to plant winter wheat to make them rich. But the plan fails. To make matters worse, bandits come to her village. Since her family is to poor to offer them something. So they buy Lalu. From there she goes to many places and ends up in America, where she is a slave. A man who loves her wins her in a card game. She is free. Finally, she ends up loving him too. She goes through many things in her life there. She performed many miracles and saved her husband from death once. She lives happily until very old age. She was a very strong woman. But to find out how strong she really is, you have to read the book yourself. So go read it!
Rating:
Summary: Do you want to know about "Thousand Pieces of Gold"?
Review: It all starts in a little village in China. There is a girl named Lalu, who lives there with her family.They have been savings for years and years to buy a cow and some land to farm. But they do not have enough money. So the father decides to make a risky attempt to plant winter wheat to make them rich. But the plan fails. To make matters worse, bandits come to her village. Since her family is too poor to offer them something, they sell Lalu. From there she goes to many places and ends up in America, where she is a slave. A man who loves her wins her in a card game. She is free. Finally, she ends up loving him too. She goes through many things in her life there. She performed many miracles and saved her husband from death once. She lives happily until very old age. She was a very strong woman. But to find out how strong she really is, you have to read the book yourself. So go read it! Personally, I liked the book, but only a little bit. It is o.k. if you have nothing else to do and you want to entertain yourself. But it's not a I-can't-put-it-down kind of book. That is MY opinion. Read it and see what's yours.
Rating: 
Summary: Abysmal Writing, Abysmal Story
Review: Oh my goodness me where do I start? This book is one of the most poorly written books I have ever read. The writing level is comperable to that of a 7th grader. The story is very poorly told as well. The writer tries to make herself sound talented by using similies and metaphors at the most awful points in the story. The story could've been interesting if I was written nicely, and was more in depth of events. This book gets too much publicity than it's worth, and this is probobly only because of the subject matter. The book starts off with Lalu, poor Chinese immigrant who was sold multiple times in China, and was starving. Once she came to America she was fed plenty of food, but unfortunetly, she was a sex slave for an evil Chinese Saloon owner. This is where the story gets uninteresting and stupid. She's then sold off the Charlie, a good friend of the man who brought her to the town she resides in. Then it just tells us what happens to her life after all of this. Maybe I didn't like this book because of the subject (Immigrant books never really were my favorite), but the poor writing style sealed the deal for me. Your money is better spent on something else.
Rating:
Summary: Thousand Pieces of Gold
Review: Poorly written. Brutal content. Chinese portrayed as barbaric people with animalistic behavior. Lalu's father sells her to bandits knowing 50 men plan to gang rape her to death.Refers to how her dark skin lessens value. Lalu, 13, contemplates suicide as an honorable solution. The bandits draw lots to see who goes first. 43 is upset because she will be "mushy" by his turn. She is sold to a brothel, ends up in a saloon owned by Hong King,a cruel man who rapes and prostitutes her. Writing painfully too simple. After the first 100 pages, most of this book moves slowly like an amatuer biography written by a family member about grandma. A boring, brutal book written at a 1st grade level. Can be disturbing to those sensitive about children being raped.
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