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Freedom Swimmer
Ming survived the famine that killed his parents during China's 'Great Leap Forward', and lives a hard but adequate life, working in the fields...When a group of city boys comes to the village as part of a Communist Party re-education program, Ming and his friends aren't sure what to make of the new arrivals. They're not used to hard labour and village life. But despite his reservations, Ming befriends a charming city boy called Li. The two couldn't be more different, but slowly they form a bond over evening swims and shared dreams...But as the bitterness of life under the Party begins to take its toll on both boys, they begin to imagine the impossible: freedom.
252 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2016
About the author
Wai Chim
9 books167 followersWai Chim grew up in New York City and now calls Sydney, Australia home. She is the author of several children and young adult titles. You can find her online at waichim.com or on twitter @onewpc.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 12, 2017
Note: review will discuss themes that may be distressing; tw's for death and poverty
Before I delve into my high praises for this book, I want you to go into this book review knowing one thing: Freedom Swimmer by Wai Chim was based on the author's father's life. I didn't know this when I read Freedom Swimmer; I only knew when I read the very end. So, knowing this, let me tell you how much I love Freedom Swimmer, and why you and everyone should read one of my top reads of 2017.
If you want to talk about memorable beginnings, let's talk about Freedom Swimmer. The prologue of this book is set during the time of the Great Leap Forward, and, later on, is set during the Cultural Revolution. Freedom Swimmer sets a somber tone within the first page by centering its perspective on a young and poor boy by the name of Ming, who is recently orphaned following the death of his mother. Though heartbreaking and horrible, this was the reality of many poor Chinese people during the Great Leap Forward; it was a horrific time that resulted in millions upon millions of deaths. However, a singular but significant gesture of kindness and compassion will change the lives of Ming and two others - forever.
Freedom Swimmer was a difficult book to read at times, but it is such an important and engaging story. It is told from the perspective of Ming, now a teenager and working on the fields, and Li, a Red Guard stationed in Ming's village. The pair strike an unlikely and unexpected friendship, especially when Ming begins to teach Li, a city boy through and through, how to swim. Though this book was short, the characters were brilliantly written and realized - I enjoyed seeing the nuances of their characterization, and also seeing the throes of boyhood and youth. Importantly, I connected to the characters seamlessly; despite their flaws, I found them instantly likable and their perspectives compelling.
What was most compelling, however, was the story's underlying themes. Through the eyes of Ming and Li, we see a perspective of the impact and trauma of the Great Leap Forward - how it catapulted the poorest parts of China to famine and poverty, where many lost their lives. It speaks of the coercion and terror imposed by the authoritarian regime and the authorities who perpetuated it, and how dishonor had a powerful ripple effect that destroyed families, lives, and futures. Indeed, Chim's fantastic storytelling transports us to a time where life was not only difficult but politically and ideologically dangerous. One of the most harrowing and heartbreaking scenes of the book was of an old villager who is plagued by the death of his children and the hopelessness he felt. I read this book and thought, yes, it's fiction, but this was a fact of so many people's lives, of their pain and hardship, as such that no word could ever give justice to what they had to face and endure. It is sobering scene; one that makes you reflect on the privileges of your life and how you take so much for granted.
Freedom Swimmer tackles hard-hitting subjects, but it is the friendship between Ming and Li that buoys this book and raises it to be the fantastic book that it is. There is something so poignant and wondrous about finding a light, in companionship, and unbreakable trust in a time where such things were fragile. In each other, they find the daring to dream, they find bravery, and they find the courage to hope, and with those things, they set off to swim from the shore of China all the way to Hong Kong - their promised land of freedom. What takes place in the freedom swim to Hong Kong left me crying my eyes out - and I'll leave it to you to pick this book up to find out what happened.
And so, when I think about how this is a true story, and how so many Chinese individuals risked their lives for the chance of freedom, with some failing and some succeeding, it truly amazes me and I'm left speechless. Freedom Swimmer is a story that might not have existed, but, against all odds and because of bravery, dreaming, and hope, it does. Listen: Freedom Swimmer is such a fantastic book; it is the kind that absolutely needs to be read and shared with others because it contains such an invisible and priceless piece of history. Thank you, Wai, for writing this book and for sharing your father's story with all of us. I'll carry his story and Freedom Swimmer with me forever.
Rating: 4.5 /5 (rounded to 5)
-
Is this book for you?
Premise in a sentence: Set in the Cultural Revolution, two teenagers become friends and begin to dream of freedom.
Perfect for: Readers who love historical fiction and want to learn more about China's history during the 1960's.
Genre: Young adult, historical fiction
Recommended? Absolutely, but be prepared for some heavy themes.
Trigger/content warnings: death of parent, torture, physical violence
-
This review can also be found on my book blog, Read, Think, Ponder!
Before I delve into my high praises for this book, I want you to go into this book review knowing one thing: Freedom Swimmer by Wai Chim was based on the author's father's life. I didn't know this when I read Freedom Swimmer; I only knew when I read the very end. So, knowing this, let me tell you how much I love Freedom Swimmer, and why you and everyone should read one of my top reads of 2017.
If you want to talk about memorable beginnings, let's talk about Freedom Swimmer. The prologue of this book is set during the time of the Great Leap Forward, and, later on, is set during the Cultural Revolution. Freedom Swimmer sets a somber tone within the first page by centering its perspective on a young and poor boy by the name of Ming, who is recently orphaned following the death of his mother. Though heartbreaking and horrible, this was the reality of many poor Chinese people during the Great Leap Forward; it was a horrific time that resulted in millions upon millions of deaths. However, a singular but significant gesture of kindness and compassion will change the lives of Ming and two others - forever.
The food was delicious; it had been months since I'd had any meat. I wondered whether the city boys ate like this every day and felt a pang of jealousy as I remembered Fei's tiny sweet potatoes.
Freedom Swimmer was a difficult book to read at times, but it is such an important and engaging story. It is told from the perspective of Ming, now a teenager and working on the fields, and Li, a Red Guard stationed in Ming's village. The pair strike an unlikely and unexpected friendship, especially when Ming begins to teach Li, a city boy through and through, how to swim. Though this book was short, the characters were brilliantly written and realized - I enjoyed seeing the nuances of their characterization, and also seeing the throes of boyhood and youth. Importantly, I connected to the characters seamlessly; despite their flaws, I found them instantly likable and their perspectives compelling.
What was most compelling, however, was the story's underlying themes. Through the eyes of Ming and Li, we see a perspective of the impact and trauma of the Great Leap Forward - how it catapulted the poorest parts of China to famine and poverty, where many lost their lives. It speaks of the coercion and terror imposed by the authoritarian regime and the authorities who perpetuated it, and how dishonor had a powerful ripple effect that destroyed families, lives, and futures. Indeed, Chim's fantastic storytelling transports us to a time where life was not only difficult but politically and ideologically dangerous. One of the most harrowing and heartbreaking scenes of the book was of an old villager who is plagued by the death of his children and the hopelessness he felt. I read this book and thought, yes, it's fiction, but this was a fact of so many people's lives, of their pain and hardship, as such that no word could ever give justice to what they had to face and endure. It is sobering scene; one that makes you reflect on the privileges of your life and how you take so much for granted.
We were one and the same. And I recalled the quote from my father. It doesn't matter where they're from, all desperate men are the same.
Freedom Swimmer tackles hard-hitting subjects, but it is the friendship between Ming and Li that buoys this book and raises it to be the fantastic book that it is. There is something so poignant and wondrous about finding a light, in companionship, and unbreakable trust in a time where such things were fragile. In each other, they find the daring to dream, they find bravery, and they find the courage to hope, and with those things, they set off to swim from the shore of China all the way to Hong Kong - their promised land of freedom. What takes place in the freedom swim to Hong Kong left me crying my eyes out - and I'll leave it to you to pick this book up to find out what happened.
And so, when I think about how this is a true story, and how so many Chinese individuals risked their lives for the chance of freedom, with some failing and some succeeding, it truly amazes me and I'm left speechless. Freedom Swimmer is a story that might not have existed, but, against all odds and because of bravery, dreaming, and hope, it does. Listen: Freedom Swimmer is such a fantastic book; it is the kind that absolutely needs to be read and shared with others because it contains such an invisible and priceless piece of history. Thank you, Wai, for writing this book and for sharing your father's story with all of us. I'll carry his story and Freedom Swimmer with me forever.
Rating: 4.5 /5 (rounded to 5)
-
Is this book for you?
Premise in a sentence: Set in the Cultural Revolution, two teenagers become friends and begin to dream of freedom.
Perfect for: Readers who love historical fiction and want to learn more about China's history during the 1960's.
Genre: Young adult, historical fiction
Recommended? Absolutely, but be prepared for some heavy themes.
Trigger/content warnings: death of parent, torture, physical violence
-
This review can also be found on my book blog, Read, Think, Ponder!
September 23, 2016
This review appears on Happy Indulgence! Check it out for more reviews.
Having parents who have immigrated from Asia in search of a better life – Freedom Swimmer is a story that holds true to my heart. It’s an eye-opening and humbling story about two brave boys with nothing but the courage in their heart and bravery in their souls – and I’m still reeling from feels after reading it.
It’s so easy to forget the luxuries that are afforded to us everyday while living in a first world country. Food, showers, education, freedom of speech – these are things that we should be thankful for everyday. Living in Communist China and being a part of Mao’s Red Guards, Li and Meng live a simple village life, where these luxuries aren’t easily accessible. Chairman Mao’s authorities control what they can do, how they can behave and what they can think (at least openly, anyway). It was disturbing seeing how easily the authorities could turn friends into enemies, or how they could so freely punish insubordination. Having that much power is never a great thing and this novel captures the impacts of his dictatorship on individual families.
Freedom Swimmer isn’t all doom and gloom however, it’s an honest, heart warming account of two friends – Meng, a village orphan whose father attempted to freedom swim to Hong Kong, and Li, a city boy who is a part of the Red Guards. Like any good male friendship, they make quick friends after rough housing and they soon become inseparable. As they divulge secrets to one another, re-educate the villagers with propaganda, and Meng teaches Li to swim, they develop a deep, honest friendship that felt really natural. We definitely need more books about friendship and I loved seeing how the two boys supported and encouraged each other in all their endeavours.
Meng was immediately relatable, as someone from humble beginnings who is willing to earn his keep. He is brave, smart enough to keep his head down but also pick up on social cues and keep his dreams of escaping to himself. It was absolutely adorable seeing him pine for his childhood sweetheart Fei, while navigating the village customs and Chinese traditions. I just wanted to reach out and mush them together!
Ambitious, dedicated and patriotic, Li is someone who is ingrained in his role as the Red Guards, until he gets cast out due to his family’s circumstances. Li goes through an internal struggle of questioning his beliefs and actions when it comes to upholding Mao’s values. I liked the easy way he could charm and relate to people and how he presented the softer side of the duo.
If there was anything I had to pick out, is that the last few chapters of the book seemed to be quite rushed over the course of a few years. I wanted to hear more about everyday life.
Written by an #ownvoices author, Freedom Swimmer really encapsulated the life of Communist China with a strong thread of hope, bravery and friendship. If you’ve been asking for more diversity, this book is perfect, with an authentic Chinese setting, charming characters and a tide of feels to boot.
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Having parents who have immigrated from Asia in search of a better life – Freedom Swimmer is a story that holds true to my heart. It’s an eye-opening and humbling story about two brave boys with nothing but the courage in their heart and bravery in their souls – and I’m still reeling from feels after reading it.
It’s so easy to forget the luxuries that are afforded to us everyday while living in a first world country. Food, showers, education, freedom of speech – these are things that we should be thankful for everyday. Living in Communist China and being a part of Mao’s Red Guards, Li and Meng live a simple village life, where these luxuries aren’t easily accessible. Chairman Mao’s authorities control what they can do, how they can behave and what they can think (at least openly, anyway). It was disturbing seeing how easily the authorities could turn friends into enemies, or how they could so freely punish insubordination. Having that much power is never a great thing and this novel captures the impacts of his dictatorship on individual families.
Freedom Swimmer isn’t all doom and gloom however, it’s an honest, heart warming account of two friends – Meng, a village orphan whose father attempted to freedom swim to Hong Kong, and Li, a city boy who is a part of the Red Guards. Like any good male friendship, they make quick friends after rough housing and they soon become inseparable. As they divulge secrets to one another, re-educate the villagers with propaganda, and Meng teaches Li to swim, they develop a deep, honest friendship that felt really natural. We definitely need more books about friendship and I loved seeing how the two boys supported and encouraged each other in all their endeavours.
Meng was immediately relatable, as someone from humble beginnings who is willing to earn his keep. He is brave, smart enough to keep his head down but also pick up on social cues and keep his dreams of escaping to himself. It was absolutely adorable seeing him pine for his childhood sweetheart Fei, while navigating the village customs and Chinese traditions. I just wanted to reach out and mush them together!
Ambitious, dedicated and patriotic, Li is someone who is ingrained in his role as the Red Guards, until he gets cast out due to his family’s circumstances. Li goes through an internal struggle of questioning his beliefs and actions when it comes to upholding Mao’s values. I liked the easy way he could charm and relate to people and how he presented the softer side of the duo.
If there was anything I had to pick out, is that the last few chapters of the book seemed to be quite rushed over the course of a few years. I wanted to hear more about everyday life.
Written by an #ownvoices author, Freedom Swimmer really encapsulated the life of Communist China with a strong thread of hope, bravery and friendship. If you’ve been asking for more diversity, this book is perfect, with an authentic Chinese setting, charming characters and a tide of feels to boot.
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2017
A few weeks ago I read a review for Freedom Swimmer on Happy Indulgence and was touched by Jeann's review. She spoke about how her family had migrated to Australia in which most families search for freedom and an environment to raise children, allowing them to prosper. It's a narrative echoed by so many Australian families, our neighbours, our friends and family members. Ming's story is passionate and breathtaking but most of all, it instills hope and a sense of understanding, learning not to take our freedom for granted.
Orphaned at the tender age of only eleven years old, Ming is a mere boy in a village where children sow the fields in communist China, not afforded an education unlike wealthy families living within the city, Ming is an outcast since his father attempted the treacherous swim to Hong Kong.
Titled Freedom Swimming by the media, an overwhelming number of young men and women made the journey to freedom, escaping Maoist guards with dozens of barely adult bodies washing up on the Hong Kong shoreline. Famine swept throughout China and for many citizens, escape was their only means of survival. Wai Chim was inspired by her own father's story, he too was a Freedom Swimmer in the early seventies and now lives a peaceful life in New York. An inspiration.
Freedom Swimmer is told in duel narratives from both Ming and Li, both young men are wonderfully written and will appeal to the wider audience with the characters conversing in modern English. Readers experience China's Cultural Revolution through the eyes of two young men, wanting justice for the treatment of so many and hopeful for their freedom. Freedom Swimming was an incredibly treacherous era, with many media reports believing it was a significant precursor to cultural change.
Australia is a multicultural country not without fault. Asylum seekers from war ravaged countries are modern day Freedom Swimmers, seeking refuge and safe passage for their families only to be placed in detention. Unless you identify as an Indigenous Australian who remain our traditional land owners, we are all migrants seeking the same freedom and prosperity and Freedom Swimmer further highlights their plight.
Inspirational, poignant and quietly beautiful, Freedom Swimmer is a journey of bravery and the strength we draw from solidarity and compassion.
Orphaned at the tender age of only eleven years old, Ming is a mere boy in a village where children sow the fields in communist China, not afforded an education unlike wealthy families living within the city, Ming is an outcast since his father attempted the treacherous swim to Hong Kong.
Titled Freedom Swimming by the media, an overwhelming number of young men and women made the journey to freedom, escaping Maoist guards with dozens of barely adult bodies washing up on the Hong Kong shoreline. Famine swept throughout China and for many citizens, escape was their only means of survival. Wai Chim was inspired by her own father's story, he too was a Freedom Swimmer in the early seventies and now lives a peaceful life in New York. An inspiration.
Freedom Swimmer is told in duel narratives from both Ming and Li, both young men are wonderfully written and will appeal to the wider audience with the characters conversing in modern English. Readers experience China's Cultural Revolution through the eyes of two young men, wanting justice for the treatment of so many and hopeful for their freedom. Freedom Swimming was an incredibly treacherous era, with many media reports believing it was a significant precursor to cultural change.
Australia is a multicultural country not without fault. Asylum seekers from war ravaged countries are modern day Freedom Swimmers, seeking refuge and safe passage for their families only to be placed in detention. Unless you identify as an Indigenous Australian who remain our traditional land owners, we are all migrants seeking the same freedom and prosperity and Freedom Swimmer further highlights their plight.
Inspirational, poignant and quietly beautiful, Freedom Swimmer is a journey of bravery and the strength we draw from solidarity and compassion.
October 18, 2016
3.5 stars.
Honestly, I think this would have had much more of an impact on me if I hadn't read The Four Books earlier this year, which deals with The Great Leap Forward in extensive detail. So going from that to a young adult version that deals with the deal and the famine in a...somewhat sanitised fashion? Eeeeeeeeh.
That said, it's probably just the right level of brutal for a young adult audience. And it's definitely a powerful story about two teenage boys struggling for survival in 1960s China. And I had no idea that SWIMMING THROUGH SHARK INFESTED WATERS was seen as a good way out of 1960s China.
So it's a powerful story. But it could have been MORE powerful. And the characters felt...younger than they were supposed to be a lot of the time. Still, I'm glad I read it.
Honestly, I think this would have had much more of an impact on me if I hadn't read The Four Books earlier this year, which deals with The Great Leap Forward in extensive detail. So going from that to a young adult version that deals with the deal and the famine in a...somewhat sanitised fashion? Eeeeeeeeh.
That said, it's probably just the right level of brutal for a young adult audience. And it's definitely a powerful story about two teenage boys struggling for survival in 1960s China. And I had no idea that SWIMMING THROUGH SHARK INFESTED WATERS was seen as a good way out of 1960s China.
So it's a powerful story. But it could have been MORE powerful. And the characters felt...younger than they were supposed to be a lot of the time. Still, I'm glad I read it.
July 12, 2020
This is a really interesting story set in Communist China during the 1960s. The two main characters (who form a strong friendship) are Ming, a village boy whose father has been caught trying to swim to freedom, and Li, a young city boy and youth member of the Communist party, who has been sent with other boys to Ming's village to help the villagers. I think young people will really enjoy to story of Ming, Li, and life in China during this time. The amazing thing about this book is that it is the story of the author's father, and it's a great story.
March 15, 2017
"[m]aybe there's more to the end of the day than just darkness. Maybe in the nightfall, we will find the true light."
A heart-rending story set in real-life dystopian history of China's cultural revolution. A story of friendship, hope and freedom.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Freedom Swimmer, I was attracted to this book initially because there isn't many literature written in English on the cultural revolution in China. During the revolution period of 1962-1976 people living in China had to use ration tickets in exchange for food, clothing and furniture. This was a period where family members turned against each other, teachers and business owners publically whipped and shamed for being bourgeois, and young students recruited to join the communist Red Guard to spread the words of Mao Zedong (Chairman Mao) who brainwashed and manipulated a whole generation of men and women, putting them through unimaginable suffering and "re-education" of their ideals; robbing people of their freedom to choose and think for themselves.
Freedom Swimmer is the first Young Adult (YA) novel I have come across that explores such a complex period in China's history through the eyes of two 17-year-old boys (Li and Ming). Ming and Li questioned the suffering that they were made to witness and endure, coming to terms with the impact of the cultural revolution and famine on their family and friends. For a better life, they've decided to swim for freedom through shark-infested waters to Hong Kong. Ming and Li's story was written with so much heart and soul; at times gut-wrenchingly so. There were some truly heartbreaking moments that you just have to read for yourself. The themes of friendship, coming-of-age, love and hope contrast wonderfully against this real-life dystopian backdrop which made the characters highly relatable despite the story setting in a different time and culture. Freedom Swimmer was also inspired by the author's father's experience and his real-life freedom swim from China to Hong Kong. This is truly a notable and unique read if you're after a book with depth and insight, or is interested in reading about a real dystopian period in history. This book is highly relevant today given the issues concerning the plight of refugees/asylum seekers, as Ming's father said to him in Freedom Swimmer -"it doesn't matter where they're from, all desperate men are the same." I highly recommend this book!
A heart-rending story set in real-life dystopian history of China's cultural revolution. A story of friendship, hope and freedom.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Freedom Swimmer, I was attracted to this book initially because there isn't many literature written in English on the cultural revolution in China. During the revolution period of 1962-1976 people living in China had to use ration tickets in exchange for food, clothing and furniture. This was a period where family members turned against each other, teachers and business owners publically whipped and shamed for being bourgeois, and young students recruited to join the communist Red Guard to spread the words of Mao Zedong (Chairman Mao) who brainwashed and manipulated a whole generation of men and women, putting them through unimaginable suffering and "re-education" of their ideals; robbing people of their freedom to choose and think for themselves.
Freedom Swimmer is the first Young Adult (YA) novel I have come across that explores such a complex period in China's history through the eyes of two 17-year-old boys (Li and Ming). Ming and Li questioned the suffering that they were made to witness and endure, coming to terms with the impact of the cultural revolution and famine on their family and friends. For a better life, they've decided to swim for freedom through shark-infested waters to Hong Kong. Ming and Li's story was written with so much heart and soul; at times gut-wrenchingly so. There were some truly heartbreaking moments that you just have to read for yourself. The themes of friendship, coming-of-age, love and hope contrast wonderfully against this real-life dystopian backdrop which made the characters highly relatable despite the story setting in a different time and culture. Freedom Swimmer was also inspired by the author's father's experience and his real-life freedom swim from China to Hong Kong. This is truly a notable and unique read if you're after a book with depth and insight, or is interested in reading about a real dystopian period in history. This book is highly relevant today given the issues concerning the plight of refugees/asylum seekers, as Ming's father said to him in Freedom Swimmer -"it doesn't matter where they're from, all desperate men are the same." I highly recommend this book!
March 4, 2017
4.5 stars.
March 5, 2019
A second read and that ending still gets to me.
I don't particularly remember my thoughts from my first read and evidently, I was too lazy to type it up. However, this time around, I was struck by:
*just how very dystopian this book sounds,
*the sweetly subtle romance,
*the powerful bond of friendship, of 'brotherhood'.
Freedom Swimmer is imbued with heartache and it was quite uncomfortable to read (even if I didn't know the ending), you just know that something was wrong and something worse may come yet. The strength & courage of these boys were something to be admired.
Freedom Swimmer is a story of friendship, of brotherhood, of finding hope and life where you expect none. It's a tale filled with weary suffering yet of unflagging strength and courage. It's a story that need to be told & read and retold and reread.
I am looking forward to another reread in the future :)
I don't particularly remember my thoughts from my first read and evidently, I was too lazy to type it up. However, this time around, I was struck by:
*just how very dystopian this book sounds,
*the sweetly subtle romance,
*the powerful bond of friendship, of 'brotherhood'.
Freedom Swimmer is imbued with heartache and it was quite uncomfortable to read (even if I didn't know the ending), you just know that something was wrong and something worse may come yet. The strength & courage of these boys were something to be admired.
Freedom Swimmer is a story of friendship, of brotherhood, of finding hope and life where you expect none. It's a tale filled with weary suffering yet of unflagging strength and courage. It's a story that need to be told & read and retold and reread.
I am looking forward to another reread in the future :)
October 28, 2018
“A heart-rending story set in real-life dystopian history of China’s cultural revolution. A story of friendship, hope, and freedom… I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Freedom Swimmer, I was attracted to this book initially because there weren’t many books written in English on the cultural revolution in China. During the revolution period of 1962-1976 people living in China had to use ration tickets in exchange for food, clothing and furniture. This was a period where family members turned against each other, teachers and business owners publically whipped and shamed for being “exploitative”, and young students recruited to the Red Guard to spread the words of Mao Zedong (Chairman Mao). Mao Zedong’s words and ideology brainwashed and manipulated a generation of young men and women, putting them through unimaginable suffering, separating them from their families and “re-educating” their ideals; in short, robbing people of their freedom to choose
and think for themselves.”
- NJ
and think for themselves.”
- NJ
May 17, 2017
I ALMOST CRIED AT THE END IM BUYING A COPY
September 1, 2022
This is a super moving story of one boy's swim to freedom from mainland China to the British colony of Hong Kong during Mao's regime.
The story is told in alternating POVs, between field orphan and outcast Ming, who loses both his parents and lives with the stigma of his father's shame for betraying Mao and trying to swim to freedom, and the scorn and arrogance of Li, a city-born-and-raised boy who comes to the fields as part of Mao's Down to the Countryside movement.
They strike up an unexpected friendship swimming in the nearby lagoon to escape the summer heat. Ming is impressed by Li's ability to read, if jealous of Li's gregarious, easy-nature with the girl who holds Ming's heart in her eyes. Li is later grateful for Ming's friendship when his parents are exposed as "capitalist conspirators" for mailing a letter and Li's beaten and left for dead.
When neither boy has anything left to live for, they swim.
I won't reveal what happens, just know, there's several twists I didn't see coming. The ending had me bawling.
Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog, The Fabric of Words, for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
The story is told in alternating POVs, between field orphan and outcast Ming, who loses both his parents and lives with the stigma of his father's shame for betraying Mao and trying to swim to freedom, and the scorn and arrogance of Li, a city-born-and-raised boy who comes to the fields as part of Mao's Down to the Countryside movement.
They strike up an unexpected friendship swimming in the nearby lagoon to escape the summer heat. Ming is impressed by Li's ability to read, if jealous of Li's gregarious, easy-nature with the girl who holds Ming's heart in her eyes. Li is later grateful for Ming's friendship when his parents are exposed as "capitalist conspirators" for mailing a letter and Li's beaten and left for dead.
When neither boy has anything left to live for, they swim.
I won't reveal what happens, just know, there's several twists I didn't see coming. The ending had me bawling.
Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog, The Fabric of Words, for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
September 2, 2017
I found this book rather frightening, although it deals with historically accurate events. There is a great deal of pathos in the characters, and the situation of 1970s China is tellingly rendered. Very worthwhile read, and well-structured.
April 3, 2022
This is an excellent historical fiction highlighting a key aspect of history that should be a warning to every one of the horrors of tyranny. As well as an inspiration to those striving for freedom. This is a powerful, compelling story and definitely one worth reading.
October 15, 2022
This book is one of my all-time favorites! It’s about a boy living in communist China, and he would rather live in Hong Kong. I am a swimmer, but this book would suite anyone in need of a good read! He isn’t a competitive swimmer, but this book is AMAZING! I hope you guys like it as much as I did (and still do!)
October 13, 2020
Really great reading for 14-17 year olds!
It explores a really important period of history and the bonds of friendship it explores are heart-breaking.
It explores a really important period of history and the bonds of friendship it explores are heart-breaking.
July 23, 2017
Emotional and hard-hitting with a leeeeeetle bit of sweetness thrown in for good measure.
November 19, 2020
Wai Chim’s Freedom Swimmer (Allen & Unwin 2016) is one of six titles shortlisted for the inaugural Readings Young Adult Book Prize, which celebrates emerging voices in Australian youth literature. It was also one of the highly recommended titles for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2017 – Writing for Young Adults.
I am drawn to this book, having recently helped a Chinese-Canadian author publish his historical fiction that is also set during China’s Great Leap Forward political movement (1958-1962). As the protagonist of Freedom Swimmer, Ming, is a peasant boy orphaned as a result of this campaign. I am keen to observe how the book depicts this historical event from a young person’s perspective.
Here is how I describe the Great Leap Forward campaign as a blurb for the aforementioned Chinese-Canadian author’s book:
"Under the leadership of Chairman Mao Zedong, whose ambition was for China to 'surpass Britain and America' and for himself to become the 'saviour of all mankind', the Communist Party launched the Great Leap Forward campaign to promote industrialisation and collectivisation. All private farming was prohibited, and all the farming tools and cooking utensils made of metal were confiscated in an attempt to produce steel using the so-called 'backyard furnaces'. A number of crop experiments were widely conducted, with disastrous results. Worse, in fear of being condemned as lacking the 'revolutionary spirit', party cadres (who doubled as local leaders) falsely reported ever-higher grain production figures to the government while communal kitchens across the nation increasingly ran out of food.
"In the resulting Great Famine – which the Chinese Government conveniently described and continues to insist as a by-product of Three Years of Natural Disasters – it is estimated that between 20 and 43 million people perished, either having starved to death or were prosecuted as 'counter-revolutionaries' at the hands of party cadres and their faithful followers, a great portion of whom consisted of local thugs. Again under the leadership of Chairman Mao, who sought to maintain face as a great leader of not only China but also the Third World, the Chinese Government refused foreign aid while continuing to contribute millions of tons of food to Cuba and various countries in Eastern Europe and Africa. Meanwhile, cases of cannibalism occurred across China…"
In Freedom Swimmer, Chim does not linger over details of the campaign, but focuses on its long-term impact on a young mind that is weary of suffering yet struggles to remain hopeful for a better future. Chim also chooses not to cover the rise of the Red Guards, hundreds of thousands of high school and college students encouraged by Mao to denounce, humiliate and interrogate their teachers as “class enemies” as he ordered the closure of all schools in China in the beginning of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Young people were allowed to travel for free as they roamed across the nation and attacked everyone and everything that they deemed to represent the “Four Olds” (old customs, old cultures, old habits and old ideas).
By 1968, the Red Guards had done their fair share in destroying the nation. In an attempt to re-distribute excessive urban population and to re-gain control of the overzealous, rebellious young minds, Mao declared all privileged urban youth would be sent to rural and frontier regions to be “re-educated” by the workers and peasants. As a result, approximately 17 million youth were forced to re-settle “up to the mountains and down to the countryside”. The second protagonist Li and his peers in Freedom Swimmer would be part of them.
Knowing this history, I pay particular attention to Li’s transformation from a model young Communist Party Cadre to someone desiring liberty so much that he is willing to risk dying for it. In Freedom Swimmer, Li is distinguished from other urban youths as one who is kind and resourceful and takes pride in overcoming personal shortcomings in order to serve the greater good. He is portrayed as an idealist, a true believer of the Communist Party who remains within the system even after it denounces him as a result of his family’s fall from prestige. In this sense, Li is perhaps more of a victim of his time and circumstances than Ming is, as the former never challenges or gives up his faith in Communism. What happens to Li at the end of the book is therefore no surprise, when compared to Ming who has always been an outsider to the system.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party’s efforts to manipulate the Chinese national psyche through sweeping political campaigns is addressed, and the constant citations from Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong and some of the sub-plots help to illustrate the profound impact of such manipulation on people of all socio-economic classes. Yet the focus of Freedom Swimmer remains on the complex and ever-evolving relations among a small group of young people under unusual political and social circumstances, so from time to time it feels like the China of the late 1960s to mid-1970s depicted in the book can be replaced by any other human society that is under totalitarian rule.
Perhaps that is the challenge faced by writers of historical fiction: How do you make a distant time and place relevant to today’s readers? How do you re-construct yesterday’s events and actions in order to best illustrate their impact on todays and even tomorrow’s decision-making process? In the same way that memories can be reformatted so that many in China today believe the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre never happened, major historical events such as the Great Famine and the Cultural Revolution can and have been lightly treated as results of natural disasters or mistakes of only a handful of individuals. Hopefully, beyond Freedom Swimmer and the personal adventures of its characters, Wai Chim can further explore how generations of seemingly ordinary people can be affected by extraordinary political and social events in China and elsewhere.
This review was originally published on "Voices under the Sun" blog (https://christinesunflower.com/2017/0...).
I am drawn to this book, having recently helped a Chinese-Canadian author publish his historical fiction that is also set during China’s Great Leap Forward political movement (1958-1962). As the protagonist of Freedom Swimmer, Ming, is a peasant boy orphaned as a result of this campaign. I am keen to observe how the book depicts this historical event from a young person’s perspective.
Here is how I describe the Great Leap Forward campaign as a blurb for the aforementioned Chinese-Canadian author’s book:
"Under the leadership of Chairman Mao Zedong, whose ambition was for China to 'surpass Britain and America' and for himself to become the 'saviour of all mankind', the Communist Party launched the Great Leap Forward campaign to promote industrialisation and collectivisation. All private farming was prohibited, and all the farming tools and cooking utensils made of metal were confiscated in an attempt to produce steel using the so-called 'backyard furnaces'. A number of crop experiments were widely conducted, with disastrous results. Worse, in fear of being condemned as lacking the 'revolutionary spirit', party cadres (who doubled as local leaders) falsely reported ever-higher grain production figures to the government while communal kitchens across the nation increasingly ran out of food.
"In the resulting Great Famine – which the Chinese Government conveniently described and continues to insist as a by-product of Three Years of Natural Disasters – it is estimated that between 20 and 43 million people perished, either having starved to death or were prosecuted as 'counter-revolutionaries' at the hands of party cadres and their faithful followers, a great portion of whom consisted of local thugs. Again under the leadership of Chairman Mao, who sought to maintain face as a great leader of not only China but also the Third World, the Chinese Government refused foreign aid while continuing to contribute millions of tons of food to Cuba and various countries in Eastern Europe and Africa. Meanwhile, cases of cannibalism occurred across China…"
In Freedom Swimmer, Chim does not linger over details of the campaign, but focuses on its long-term impact on a young mind that is weary of suffering yet struggles to remain hopeful for a better future. Chim also chooses not to cover the rise of the Red Guards, hundreds of thousands of high school and college students encouraged by Mao to denounce, humiliate and interrogate their teachers as “class enemies” as he ordered the closure of all schools in China in the beginning of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Young people were allowed to travel for free as they roamed across the nation and attacked everyone and everything that they deemed to represent the “Four Olds” (old customs, old cultures, old habits and old ideas).
By 1968, the Red Guards had done their fair share in destroying the nation. In an attempt to re-distribute excessive urban population and to re-gain control of the overzealous, rebellious young minds, Mao declared all privileged urban youth would be sent to rural and frontier regions to be “re-educated” by the workers and peasants. As a result, approximately 17 million youth were forced to re-settle “up to the mountains and down to the countryside”. The second protagonist Li and his peers in Freedom Swimmer would be part of them.
Knowing this history, I pay particular attention to Li’s transformation from a model young Communist Party Cadre to someone desiring liberty so much that he is willing to risk dying for it. In Freedom Swimmer, Li is distinguished from other urban youths as one who is kind and resourceful and takes pride in overcoming personal shortcomings in order to serve the greater good. He is portrayed as an idealist, a true believer of the Communist Party who remains within the system even after it denounces him as a result of his family’s fall from prestige. In this sense, Li is perhaps more of a victim of his time and circumstances than Ming is, as the former never challenges or gives up his faith in Communism. What happens to Li at the end of the book is therefore no surprise, when compared to Ming who has always been an outsider to the system.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party’s efforts to manipulate the Chinese national psyche through sweeping political campaigns is addressed, and the constant citations from Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong and some of the sub-plots help to illustrate the profound impact of such manipulation on people of all socio-economic classes. Yet the focus of Freedom Swimmer remains on the complex and ever-evolving relations among a small group of young people under unusual political and social circumstances, so from time to time it feels like the China of the late 1960s to mid-1970s depicted in the book can be replaced by any other human society that is under totalitarian rule.
Perhaps that is the challenge faced by writers of historical fiction: How do you make a distant time and place relevant to today’s readers? How do you re-construct yesterday’s events and actions in order to best illustrate their impact on todays and even tomorrow’s decision-making process? In the same way that memories can be reformatted so that many in China today believe the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre never happened, major historical events such as the Great Famine and the Cultural Revolution can and have been lightly treated as results of natural disasters or mistakes of only a handful of individuals. Hopefully, beyond Freedom Swimmer and the personal adventures of its characters, Wai Chim can further explore how generations of seemingly ordinary people can be affected by extraordinary political and social events in China and elsewhere.
This review was originally published on "Voices under the Sun" blog (https://christinesunflower.com/2017/0...).
January 23, 2020
A brilliant story about the Cultural Revolution in China, based on the author’s father’s story. Told from alternating perspectives, this story is a fast paced adventure about bravery, loyalty, hope and freedom.
April 24, 2017
Review on the blog: https://paperwanderer.wordpress.com/2...
April 6, 2021
This book is really really good, and I couldn’t put it down by the end of it!! It has a really good meaning to the story, and although it was a bit sad I loved it!
August 18, 2021
This was an impactful, at times devastating, and hopeful book inspired by the author's father. At first we meet Ming in 1962, when his parents both die during The Great Leap Forward. Then we meet Li and things really get started. Freedom Swimmer tells the story, in dual perspective, of Ming and Li who meet as teenagers in 1968 during the Cultural Revolution in China. They've had two very different experiences and interactions with the ruling Communist party: Li has come from the city and has been fairly well indoctrinated into the good that the party does and the wisdom of Mao, and Ming is from the small poor village where the party's impact has been famine, death, and destruction. When Li's set of the party is sent to Ming's small village to work and "educate," they strike up an unlikely friendship. Freedom Swimmer explores the dichotomy of their different beginnings, and how they get to a point of convergence. It thinks a lot about breaking away from cult-like brainwashing, about how solid ideas can be twisted for the sake of power, of thinking independently, of struggle, and friendship, and the things that we risk for a chance at freedom. The flow of the story was super well constructed, and while I'm not normally a fan of jumps in time, this execution really worked for me. Ditto not usually loving epilogues, but just a beautiful use of one that made me cry a little bit.
I also have a history degree, and I don't believe I've ever heard of freedom swimmers, thousands of young people who, between 195o and 1972, took a chance in the open ocean to attempt to reach British-controlled Hong Kong. I'm grateful to this book for the introduction, but as always intensely disappointed in the cruelty of humans.
CW: death of a parent, drowning, famine/hunger, domestic abuse of a child
A big thanks to Scholastic for the ARC.
I also have a history degree, and I don't believe I've ever heard of freedom swimmers, thousands of young people who, between 195o and 1972, took a chance in the open ocean to attempt to reach British-controlled Hong Kong. I'm grateful to this book for the introduction, but as always intensely disappointed in the cruelty of humans.
CW: death of a parent, drowning, famine/hunger, domestic abuse of a child
A big thanks to Scholastic for the ARC.
November 16, 2021
Inspired by her own father's story, the author carefully brings together the lives of two young men, Ming and Li, in China in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Ming has seen all the members of his family die in Guangdong during famine and the Three Years of Natural Disasters. He remembers his father's stories and how he spoke of the men who tried to swim to Hong Kong and freedom, and he experiences the stigma attached to the family of anyone who has done so. His days are filled with hard work in the fields and some companionship with other villagers at night, but life is hard. When Li, a former Red Guard arrives from the city, he is completely enthralled by the words of Chairman Mao and the Cultural Revolution, and completely unsuited for the hard physical labor that he will need to perform each day. On their own, both young men begin to question the party line, and slowly, yearn for freedom. Li helps Ming reconnect with Fei, a girl he met years ago, and the couple share tender moments while Fei is being educated about Mao's policies. Li and Ming also enjoy swimming at night. When Li comes under suspicion of the authorities because of his father's actions, enduring cruel beatings and self-criticism and Fei is lost to Ming, and with nothing else left to lose, the two friends decide to try to swim their way to freedom even though to do so is risky. This riveting story of heroism and awakening to the imperfections of one's governmental leaders and policies sheds insight into China during that particular period as well as highlighting the importance of friendship and allies and the universal impulse toward freedom. Readers will feel as though they are in the water with Ming as he strokes toward a different, surely better, life. Since the story is told through alternating points of view, readers gain insight into two perspectives on events.
January 9, 2022
It got all the way to the end and realized in the notes that this was the author of The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling which I liked as well, so it all fell into place that I loved this historical fiction. I see what the fuss is about. It's brevity is actually one of the elements that makes it powerful, like a series of vignettes although it's not written like that to build up to the moment where a freedom swim ensues and whether he survives or not is part of the suspenseful mystery because it's been building throughout the story.
Ming is the village boy whose hard life working in the fields with dead parents has taken its toll. Li is a revolutionary city boy brought with a group of other boys to the village to spread the word of Chairman Mao and to contribute in the fields (which they're not cut out to do). There's also Fei, a girl who mysteriously showed up in Ming's home after the death of his parents only to sleep for a night and having been hunted back down from her aunt just as mysteriously leaves.
It's a layered, emotionally deep story that is based on Chim's father's story as a freedom swimmer which is understood in the story and then explained in a little more detail in the author's note. It's the kind of story that needs more air time in the way that Ruta Sepetys finds the hidden histories to share with the world. But this one is raw and quiet. Phenomenally plotted and told.
"We lay in silence. I thought she had fallen asleep, but then she spoke again. 'Your house is nice, so close to the ocean.' Her words slurred with drowsiness. 'Maybe tomorrow, we can both turn into fish and swim away.'"
Ming is the village boy whose hard life working in the fields with dead parents has taken its toll. Li is a revolutionary city boy brought with a group of other boys to the village to spread the word of Chairman Mao and to contribute in the fields (which they're not cut out to do). There's also Fei, a girl who mysteriously showed up in Ming's home after the death of his parents only to sleep for a night and having been hunted back down from her aunt just as mysteriously leaves.
It's a layered, emotionally deep story that is based on Chim's father's story as a freedom swimmer which is understood in the story and then explained in a little more detail in the author's note. It's the kind of story that needs more air time in the way that Ruta Sepetys finds the hidden histories to share with the world. But this one is raw and quiet. Phenomenally plotted and told.
"We lay in silence. I thought she had fallen asleep, but then she spoke again. 'Your house is nice, so close to the ocean.' Her words slurred with drowsiness. 'Maybe tomorrow, we can both turn into fish and swim away.'"
March 23, 2022
The author's voice is fresh and authentic and resonates with Li Cunxin's 'Young Mao's Last Dancer'. Based on true events, Wai Chim’s 'Freedom Swimmer' is a powerful, poignant and chilling story of repression and the redeeming power of friendship and survival.
It's 1962 and 11 year old Ming Hong's now-deceased mother has joined his late father, as death by disease and famine sweeps through rural China. Ming tries to stay strong, but Communist repression and suspicion made the Hong family a group of loners well before the official 'Three Years of Natural Disasters' had wreaked havoc on the village and surrounds.
Ming ends up living with other orphan boys, with Tian being his best friend and like an older brother, with all still toiling and starving for the Revolution. His isolated, repressed village is called upon to be 'teachers of the Revolution, embodying the very soul of the Communist Party.' These city dwellers end up being urban teen Red Guard zealots, some of whom board with Ming, Tian and the others. Ostensibly they are in the village to work, learn and spread their zeal – through Mao’s Little Red Book. However, Li is different and he and Ming become friends and allies. When a tragedy befalls Li’s own family – his beloved father is arrested as a counter-revolutionary and the whole family disgraced – Li is immediately victimized by his Red Guard peers and overseers. His life is thrown into turmoil and torment. But the friendship between him and Ming cannot be destroyed.
It's 1962 and 11 year old Ming Hong's now-deceased mother has joined his late father, as death by disease and famine sweeps through rural China. Ming tries to stay strong, but Communist repression and suspicion made the Hong family a group of loners well before the official 'Three Years of Natural Disasters' had wreaked havoc on the village and surrounds.
Ming ends up living with other orphan boys, with Tian being his best friend and like an older brother, with all still toiling and starving for the Revolution. His isolated, repressed village is called upon to be 'teachers of the Revolution, embodying the very soul of the Communist Party.' These city dwellers end up being urban teen Red Guard zealots, some of whom board with Ming, Tian and the others. Ostensibly they are in the village to work, learn and spread their zeal – through Mao’s Little Red Book. However, Li is different and he and Ming become friends and allies. When a tragedy befalls Li’s own family – his beloved father is arrested as a counter-revolutionary and the whole family disgraced – Li is immediately victimized by his Red Guard peers and overseers. His life is thrown into turmoil and torment. But the friendship between him and Ming cannot be destroyed.
February 26, 2019
"The things that scare us the most turn out to just be how we perceive them..."
One of the most moving, heartfelt and harrowing books I have read in a long time, a book that made me smile then cry, smile again then cry some more and I believe everyone needs to read this! With the emotional reaction I had to this book, I am very glad I was able to share this reading experience with a lovely friend who read this book with me. This story was incredibly insightful. I learnt so much about freedom swimmers and the cultural revolution in China during the 60's and into the 70's. The detailed descriptions of life in the village was very interesting - reminded me a lot of kampung Indonesia (villages in Indonesia). I really loved both characters who we follow in this book. Ming and Li came from different backgrounds yet their stories came together in the most unpredictable manner and I believe their voices really came out of the pages very well. Tian was another character I also found quite interesting!! I am so touched by this story and I believe this is such an eye-opener to many who, like me, have been blessed to have never had to experience oppression or the need to flee their own homes or the life we once knew in the fight for freedom and a better life. From beginning to end I really could not put this book down. I felt my heart beating rapidly in some parts of the story - especially towards the end and yes the ending made me cry. 10/10 for this amazing book please read this as soon as you can!!!
One of the most moving, heartfelt and harrowing books I have read in a long time, a book that made me smile then cry, smile again then cry some more and I believe everyone needs to read this! With the emotional reaction I had to this book, I am very glad I was able to share this reading experience with a lovely friend who read this book with me. This story was incredibly insightful. I learnt so much about freedom swimmers and the cultural revolution in China during the 60's and into the 70's. The detailed descriptions of life in the village was very interesting - reminded me a lot of kampung Indonesia (villages in Indonesia). I really loved both characters who we follow in this book. Ming and Li came from different backgrounds yet their stories came together in the most unpredictable manner and I believe their voices really came out of the pages very well. Tian was another character I also found quite interesting!! I am so touched by this story and I believe this is such an eye-opener to many who, like me, have been blessed to have never had to experience oppression or the need to flee their own homes or the life we once knew in the fight for freedom and a better life. From beginning to end I really could not put this book down. I felt my heart beating rapidly in some parts of the story - especially towards the end and yes the ending made me cry. 10/10 for this amazing book please read this as soon as you can!!!
September 19, 2024
Freedom Swimmer tells the story of an unlikely friendship between Ming and Li. Taking place in Communist China, this dual perspective shows their bond forming when they are placed together in the village. Working in the fields and going into the nearby town, they are shaped by the experiences and lessons around them. Ming, a village boy, and Li, a city Communist boy grow closer as unexpected trauma begins to shake their own foundations and they question everything they thought they knew. The sound of freedom becomes increasingly enticing, and suddenly they find themselves risking everything in hope of a better future.
I found myself enthralled by this book. I wanted to keep reading and keep hoping as the pages went on. I became emotionally attached to Ming and his story - the friendship between Ming and Li, the brotherhood of Ming and Tian, and the aching between Ming and Fei. As the years go on, Ming slowly begins to come out of his shell, and with the help of Li he makes decisions that alter the course of his life. Moreso, the formation of Li's self identity was essential to the plot. There is growth and heartache, but above all there is an undeniable truth this story brings. Intertwined with politics, family (both familial and chosen), right versus wrong, and fear, Freedom Swimmer helps you believe in a better tomorrow.
I found myself enthralled by this book. I wanted to keep reading and keep hoping as the pages went on. I became emotionally attached to Ming and his story - the friendship between Ming and Li, the brotherhood of Ming and Tian, and the aching between Ming and Fei. As the years go on, Ming slowly begins to come out of his shell, and with the help of Li he makes decisions that alter the course of his life. Moreso, the formation of Li's self identity was essential to the plot. There is growth and heartache, but above all there is an undeniable truth this story brings. Intertwined with politics, family (both familial and chosen), right versus wrong, and fear, Freedom Swimmer helps you believe in a better tomorrow.
March 5, 2018
I met the wonderful Wai Chim last year, and have been so excited to read this book ever since!
Freedom Swimmer was an emotional, and informative historical text, that was infused with real history (both personal and world wide).
I loved the little snippets of romance between Ming and Fei, even though it was very clear early on that their hopeful romance would not become fruitful. I also adored the friendship that was built between Ming and Li throughout the book. It was amazing to see true comradery take place, even in such tough times. As such, the ending unsurprisingly shattered my heart a little. Although it definitely felt as if there was some sort of chemistry between Li and Fei during the novel, I never thought that a romance would actually take place, especially with the grief of Ming's perceived death.
Admittedly, I found this book to be a bit slow to begin with, as I was anxiously waiting the time when Ming set out to freedom swim, but by the end, I was only so glad to have waited it out.
Freedom Swimmer was an emotional, and informative historical text, that was infused with real history (both personal and world wide).
I loved the little snippets of romance between Ming and Fei, even though it was very clear early on that their hopeful romance would not become fruitful. I also adored the friendship that was built between Ming and Li throughout the book. It was amazing to see true comradery take place, even in such tough times. As such, the ending unsurprisingly shattered my heart a little. Although it definitely felt as if there was some sort of chemistry between Li and Fei during the novel, I never thought that a romance would actually take place, especially with the grief of Ming's perceived death.
Admittedly, I found this book to be a bit slow to begin with, as I was anxiously waiting the time when Ming set out to freedom swim, but by the end, I was only so glad to have waited it out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2020
Orphaned during China's Great Leap Forward, Ming is an outcast in his village because of the legacy of his father - who died attempting to escape the oppression and poverty by swimming to Hong Kong.
As former the Red Guards from the city are sent to Ming's village during the Cultural Revolution, he forms a special bond with Li, who he teaches to swim in the evenings after their gruelling days in the field.
The harsh life and the contradictions have both boys examining the teachings of Mao from different perspectives but reaching similar conclusions. They dare to think about Ming's father's plan, for freedom and a different life.
The opening scene is unforgettable and filled with grief, and so many moments are so vivid throughout. These are times in China I know very little about, so this read was such an intriguing window into these hardships and plight of refugees of that time.
To read that this book was inspired by Wai's father's story and his freedom swim, makes it all the more incredible.
As former the Red Guards from the city are sent to Ming's village during the Cultural Revolution, he forms a special bond with Li, who he teaches to swim in the evenings after their gruelling days in the field.
The harsh life and the contradictions have both boys examining the teachings of Mao from different perspectives but reaching similar conclusions. They dare to think about Ming's father's plan, for freedom and a different life.
The opening scene is unforgettable and filled with grief, and so many moments are so vivid throughout. These are times in China I know very little about, so this read was such an intriguing window into these hardships and plight of refugees of that time.
To read that this book was inspired by Wai's father's story and his freedom swim, makes it all the more incredible.
September 10, 2021
I have a friend whose parents were intellectuals in Mao's China and among the many moved to the country. I don't know whether they talked about it with my friend and her sister, but certainly my friend chose only to be very matter-of-fact and succinct with me when the subject once (and only once) arose. However, I've read a lot - both by dissidents and by those toeing the party line.
This book for children (I'd say ages 10 to 14) is based on the author's father's experience and thus is nested in historical reality. It has some tough scenes, with starvation and death at the very beginning. It also shows the worst side of human nature, with bullying, prejudice, and downright vicious behaviour towards others. On the other hand, it has a great focus on friendship, and on rising above degradation.
I really liked the two lads - Ming from the village, and Li from the city - who each had a turn to voice the story. And the whole story had me completely involved in the people and the plot.
This book for children (I'd say ages 10 to 14) is based on the author's father's experience and thus is nested in historical reality. It has some tough scenes, with starvation and death at the very beginning. It also shows the worst side of human nature, with bullying, prejudice, and downright vicious behaviour towards others. On the other hand, it has a great focus on friendship, and on rising above degradation.
I really liked the two lads - Ming from the village, and Li from the city - who each had a turn to voice the story. And the whole story had me completely involved in the people and the plot.
September 26, 2022
Historical fiction novel based on the author's father's true story of living in Communist China and escaping by swimming to Hong Kong. Intense, detailed depiction of life during famine (which the government dubbed "The Years of Natural Disasters" to disguise the true cause) and Communist indoctrination, memorizing Maoist sayings, the hardships faced by untrained city youth working on a communal farm in the countryside. Two boys become friends, one city, one country, when they work and room together, and after years of disappointment and personal tragedies, they decide this is their only option. Unlike the other book about swimming away from Communism that I read this year, Beyond the Blue Border, this book deals mostly with life in China. The escape doesn't occur until three quarters of the way into the book. An eye-opening book for teens who may not know anything at all about Maoist Chinese life. (Book set in the late 1960s.)
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