Factory Girls: From Village To City In A Changing China (2008) - Plot & Excerpts
I had really high hopes for this book. Being Chinese-American, I was searching for a well-researched nonfiction book that would provide cultural insight into my heritage. I thought that learning about a segment of the population in today's China was a good place to start. Chang brings 6 years of research with this book, mainly by following 2 women ("factory girls") through their journey from the village to Dougguan, a manufacturing hub in China. However, she also adds in stories from her own journey of ancestral discovery, excerpts from lives of other factory girls, and a random chapter about prostitution. The book was very difficult to follow, and I failed to connect with any of the characters because the flow was so disorganized. The content was extremely superficial. Chang recites conversations verbatim but is unable to diagnose the day-to-day with any overarching theme and/or connection to the superpower that China has become. Although I appreciated her own self-discovery journey, it just seemed very out-of-place. Oftentimes I felt like I was reading 4 different books, pasted together in one. I appreciate the amount of research that goes into any piece so I'm grateful to have had this intimate insight into the lives of those she interviewed. The factories always get bad publicity for horrible working conditions and long hours. It was refreshing to read about it from the other side, learning that the women are just as opportunistic and resourceful, and in no way feel tied to a bad job. Overall probably 2.5 starsI enjoyed the unique perspective of factory life and migrants in China. However I felt the book carried on a bit much in certain areas and the format was hard to follow at times. Also it made a lot of assumptions about the reader's prior knowledge of China, of which I was found lacking. The sections on Chang's own family history were interesting to an extent, however I feel those were dragged out a bit beyond at least my interest as an unrelated reader. I would recommend it to those interested in migrant life in China or perhaps as they look into their own Chinese heritage.
What do You think about Factory Girls: From Village To City In A Changing China (2008)?
Interesting but a little on the long side.
—geebee
