Set in 1989 China during and after the Tiananmen Square massacre, when the one-child law was being strictly enforced, Yang Huang's LIVING TREASURES, has tremendous potential to be a powerful novel. Unfortunately, for me at least, it doesn't quite succeed. Her story of Bao, a young (18) university student studying law, who falls in love with a soldier, becomes pregnant and is spirited off to the country by her parents to have an abortion and live with her grandparents, where she becomes involved with a young family attempting to defy the one-child law - it all just doesn't quite ring true. Despite the fact that abortions and involuntary sterilizations - often botched by 'barefoot doctors' - are common, there is, overlaying it all, an air of 'niceness' and a kind of fairy tale, Nancy Drew-ishness that, in the end, makes Bao's story not very believable. And the awkwardly inserted Panda metaphor and her aborted baby she calls 'Soybean' just made me wince repeatedly, as did the "riding to the rescue" in a ridiculous disguise caper. And way too many descriptions of meals, food prep and the oft-repeated "Food is heaven." (What is that all about anyway?) And the tacked-on, too sweet, 'happily-ever-after' ending. I can't believe I actually read the whole thing. Recommended, I guess, for mature teenage girls and a YA audience.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER ( )

This is a very well written and very touching story, about a young lady named Gu Bao who is studying to be a lawyer so she can protect people against government abuse in China. Her life takes a turn during the student's demonstration against the government in Tiananmen Square in June 1989. She becomes involved with a soldier, and her story develops at a nice pace. Her struggle dealing with her parents over an abortion, her move to live with her grandparents for a while, and the development of a friendship with an expectant mother who is hiding in the mountains from one-child policy enforcers to safely deliver her baby, all these situations are richly described, exploiting all the psychological angles, showing the struggle in Bao's young mind to do the right thing.
This novel makes us wish that this was really just a work of fiction and nothing that is described here really did happen in China, but I believe that this is only a wish. When a government tries to repress the free will of its people, it loses legitimacy and from there on, does not represent the people's will anymore.
I recommend this book to the permanent library of all readers who enjoy a very well written work of fiction, on a very timely subject, that will keep them entertained for hours.
I received a copy of this book from the author through the publisher (thanks, Simone from Harvard Square Editions!) and I was not requested to write a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own. ( )

Living Treasures is a beautifully written story of Gu Bao, a succesful university student in China who finds herself in a situation that could ruin everything she, her parents, and Chinese society hold dear - she gets pregnant. Her transformation from a naive, quiet and reserved girl into a brave and determined young woman is truly wonderful to experience. Bao's determination to overcome her situation leads her to a meaningful and selfless decision; one that surprises everyone including Bao herself.

The story provides a whole new insight into China's politics and culture that is both disturbing and intriguing, and allows the reader to experience life from the perspective of the Chinese people. I look forward to reading more of Yuan Huang in the future.

Note: I received this book from Ms. Huang through Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. ( )

I was pleased to be asked to review this beautifully written book from www.librarything.com.

This is a story written in China’s turbulent times. Gu Bao is a law student in 1989 at the time of the Tiananmen Square protest commonly known as the June Fourth Incident or the 89 Democracy Movement in chinese. The world could only look on as this became the Tianamen square massacre.

Bao meets a student called Tong, but there is heartache as the romance has to remain a secret due to the system. circumstances occur that Bao is forced to make hard and what we wouls see as impossible choices, her life verus the state and her family -the latter wins. She is strong willed and inteligent and she can clearly see that the system is not right and what it is doing to the people.

This is a beautiful romantic story with the back drop of China , the system and political scene of 26 years ago. the characters are written well and the author effortlessly makes them so real. The author captures all of this giving the reader an insight into this world and a time that we looked on in horror and disbelief.

This book has to be up there in the top ten in 2015 ( )

*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

This book really surprised me. I was expecting something totally different when i read the Synopsis.

Heartbreaking and truly touching, the story is one of the most beautiful i've read. Rich in descriptions, transports you to the wonderful 1989's China, when students were against government and women had to deal with the one-child policy and everything all that this involves, being forced to abort in many occasions and being sterilized against their will.

The author did a great job at writing in this book. Highly recomended, worth every second spent. ( )