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Fishbone Cinderella by
Elizabeth Lim
A bracelet. A curse. And golden fishbones to be returned
to the sea ...
Guangdong, 1940. When Ha Yut Ying narrowly escapes
Japanese soldiers by turning invisible, she knows her
new-found magic must be kept a secret. But her mother, whose
dreams foretell the future, suspects her daughter has
changed, and warns her of a curse upon their family. For her
protection, she gives her a gold bracelet whose links are
shaped like fishbones.
After the war, Ha Yut Ying is sent to live with her father
and his second wife, who have become wealthy factory owners
in Hong Kong. Her stepmother, jealous of her beauty, forces
her to work in the family's shoe factory.
But when Yut Ying collides with a boy on a bicycle on her
way to work, she loses her bracelet. The boy is Tommy Yeung,
scion of a local soymilk tycoon. And their encounter will
change both of their destinies forever...
I was blown away by Fishbone Cinderella by Elizabeth Lim(my first 5
star read in two months!) and I wasn't prepared to be this emotionally
invested in these characters! I've always been a fan of Elizabeth
Lim's YA books but I think she has truly hit it out of the park with
this adult debut of hers - probably my fave now! It was such a richly
layered historical fantasy with exceptional writing and lots of
emotional moments😭
The novel opens with Ha Yut Ying in the past as she tries to hide from
the invading Japanese soldiers who've entered her home in China and
she discovers her ability to turn invisible. She's elated at first
but, her mother - who's able to predict the future - warns of a curse
that plagues the women of their family. When she's sent away to Hong
Kong to live with her father and his second wife, her idealistic
dreams are slowly shattered. As we follow Yut Ying/Helen on her
journey we're also introduced to her daughter Marigold, in present-day
America, who has seen her mother vanish into nothing during her
childhood. When Helen's disappearances become increasingly frequent,
Marigold becomes determined to help her mother who has always been
distant and closed off from her.
It was hard for me to imagine that the fiery Yut Ying was the same as
the aloof Helen seen in Marigold's pov but as I kept reading,
everything started to come together. The shift between timelines and
povs felt so seamless and I found myself unable to put this down for
even a single moment. My heart hurt for Helen and everything that she
had to endure but at the same time I was in awe of her strength and
determination. We also get to see Marigold go from an isolated teen to
a young woman who has found someone worthy of her trust. I also loved
the exploration of mother-daughter bonds, generational trauma and self
discovery in this one!
I should stop gushing but I just can't 😭 If you're looking for a
stunning historical fantasy with characters that'll stay with you for
a long time, please please pick this one up! You won't regret it!❣️✨
You can also find this review on my bookstagram here
*I was provided with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest
review*
ELIZABETH LIM grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she was
raised on a hearty diet of fairy tales, myths, and songs. Before
becoming an author, Elizabeth was a professional film and video game
composer, and she still tends to come up with her best book ideas when
writing near a piano. An alumna of Harvard College and the Juilliard
School, she now lives in New York City with her husband and two
daughters. Elizabeth’s internationally bestselling novels include Spin
the Dawn, Unravel the Dusk, and Six Crimson Cranes. She is also a
contributor to Disney’s "A Twisted Tale" series.
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