The Woman who breathed
two worlds by Selina Siak Chin Yok is a beautiful story about one woman’s
life in a changing world. Chye Hoon was born in 1878 of Malayan-Chinese descent
and raised with deep and meaningful family and cultural traditions. As a young
girl, she often rebelled against the role she was destined to play and as she
approaches marriageable age, it becomes clear that no one wants to marry her.
Until one day, when she was 20, a man does marry her and the story switches to
her life as a beloved wife and a mother of their seven children. The winds of
change are in the air and Chye Hoon and her husband, Wong Peng Choon, must
decide where they go in a changing world. The British began to take control of
the area and Chye Hoon fears her traditions are fading. Will she be able to
pass on the traditions to her children in the hopes they will still be passed
on to future generations? Will the life she has known no longer exist?
The Woman who breathed
two worlds is an amazing story with such details and depth that it is long;
however, extremely enjoyable. I enjoyed Chye Hoon as the fiery young girl, then
as the devoted wife and mother. The title has several meanings in the story which
I will not give away before their discovery as you read is a part of the story.
I loved the details in the descriptions of life in China and surrounding areas,
the complex history and the people who lived there. While the names were confusing
and took some time to get straight, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I loved
that the story is based on the author’s ancestor’s life from birth to death and
she does it so well. I highly recommend The
Woman who breathed two worlds. Take your time and soak in the story of this
wonderful and amazing woman.
The Woman who breathed Two Worlds
is available on
Amazon
in paperback and on
the Kindle
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