Do not be fooled by the whimsical-looking cover and the “Children’s” genre. This book explores some very heavy themes: a girl’s place in society (that she is somehow “less” than a boy), betrayal, abuse, child labour, inhumane working conditions, and unscrupulous employers. It did not make me cry as I thought it would, but it still tugged at my emotions and made me feel for Si-Yan.After some rudimentary Googling, I came to the conclusion that the phrase “spilled water” means something like a “waste” or I suppose “worthless.” This phrase is brought up a few times in the book, from people who look down on Si-Yan because of her poverty and the fact that she is a girl. (Note: the full proverb is actually “spilled water never returns to the cup” which I concluded means something like “you can’t get back the time you waste.”)Si-Yan started off as a happy child living with her family in the countryside. They were poor, but they had what they need, they loved each other, and they were happy. Contrast this with Si-Yan’s Uncle Ba, who is rich, but is not happy. Also with the Chen family, a rich household with no love. It makes you think about how in the grand rat race of the world, some people are so focused with making money, thinking it is the guaranteed path to happiness, but they end up miserable or cold-hearted.The portrayal of abusive employers and inhumane working conditions may seem to be an exaggeration, but it is a stark and harsh reality. There are workers out there who are underpaid, ill-treated, and suffering conditions that you would never wish on anyone. Grindley shows this to us from the point of view of a young girl, not even a teenager, suddenly forced to work for some despicable people. Heart-wrenching, really.Aside from the good exploration of such themes, I also enjoyed the characters of this book. Si-Yan is shown to be this girl who tries her best to be strong, but is knocked down, and still needs a little help from her friends. She was able to take what the world threw at her, not just for her sake, but for her family’s. It was beautiful and even painful to watch her grow from this naive little girl to the person she was at the end of the book.I liked Si-Yan’s allies, but I also liked her adversaries. I liked that most of them weren’t just flat or stock antagonists who did things for the sake of being evil. We get to see their own inner pain, that they went through something that made them that way. It helps you understand them better, but you still can’t condone their actions. I like that in an antagonist, that they have more than one side to them, and they have a reason for being that way.The writing style was easy to follow, and although Grindley didn’t immerse me in the world like I thought she would, she was still able to paint a picture of Si-Yan’s life. She was able to contrast the idyllic and clean countryside with the bustling and polluted big city, letting us see the good and the bad.Overall: This book gets four stars from me meaning that I really liked it, and I recommend it. The book makes you think about those heavy themes that it laid out, but it doesn’t force you to. Either you can just be along for the ride and watch Si-Yan grow, or you can really get into the story, feel the things she feels, and grow along with her. I found it thought-provoking, and maybe even a bit inspiring, asking you to treat your fellow human being with the respect they deserve.
What I really hate in stories (and in real life) are retarded parents that become useless, snivelling wrecks when one of them dies or divorces. They sit around all misty-eyed, remembering the good old days and neglecting their children, who consequently suffer horribly. I'm not a motherly person, yet it makes my blood boil when I hear about such people. What's worse is when they try to act all picturesque and responsible while the going's good, but crumble into a pile of worthless dust as soon as something goes wrong and leave the poor kids to pick up the pieces. So annoying!For this reason, I hate Si-Yan's mother. In a way, she's worse than Uncle Ba because if she'd only got her act together maybe he wouldn't have been driven to... well; you can read the book and find out.
What do You think about Spilled Water (2005)?
Set in contemporary China, when Lu Si-yan’s father dies, Uncle sells her into domestic slavery. She escapes, has her $ stolen, works for peanuts in a toy factory, meets good and bad people, and is rescued by a repentant uncle in the end. it was pretty interesting. Uncle’s miraculous transformation was heart-warming, but...
—Cheryl
I read this in one hour and I simply adored it. It took me a while to bring myself to read it but once I discovered that it contained some Chinese Cinderella elements I whizzed though it like a bird.It certainly does give off the Chinese Cinderella Vibe and everything was beautifully written from start to finish even though I did think that some chapter were too short considering they were only Lu Si-Yan's memories from her childhood.Lu Si-Yan has such a passionate personality and is so determined to reunite with her parents. It shows how Lu Si-Yan is prepared to sacrifice everything for the sake of family.Overall it is a fantastic book that is based on true events of what Chinese children had to do at the time to provide for their family and survive. Beautifully written that it would seem we are actually on the journey of life with Lu.
—Salima Korri
When this was recently rediscovered during the post-Christmas clear out, I was overjoyed. This was one of my favourites as a child; it was a fascinating story about what was, for a ten year old, a completely different world. For me this story was more than a tragic tale of a Chinese girl sold practically into slavery. It was more of a story of human kindness and redemption; Lu Si-yan cannot find her family without the kindness of strangers. Such a beautifully written book; as it progress the writing style changes and develops and this portrays more than any words the harrowing impact the plot has on the protagonist. Excellent little book.
—Victoria Brown
