Family Reunion
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Summary
Mrs. Gao is the supreme, unquestioned authority of the Gao household. To outsiders she poses as liberal and progressive; behind closed doors she is a stubborn, autocratic old woman. Within the vast Gao compound, conflicts breed everywhere. Under an arranged marriage, the eldest daughter, Angela, is widowed at a young age, and Mrs. Gao forces her to remain chaste for life and forbids her to speak of love again. The second daughter, Anne, long unable to conceive, is misdiagnosed by a nurse as barren and endures every kind of cold treatment from her in-laws. The youngest, Anna, falls in love with a mixed-race man and becomes pregnant before marriage, infuriating Mrs. Gao, who in a rage drives her out of the house. One household. Three utterly different fates, and the storm has only just begun...
Editor's review
Set in the Gao family compound, Cen Kailun paints a mother who is open-minded to the outside world but tyrannical at home, evoking both resentment and pity. The novel's real power lies not in accusation but in showing how old-style parental authority seeps into marriage, childbirth, and the body: the widowed eldest daughter is expected to remain chaste for life, the second daughter judged unable to bear children is cold-shouldered by her in-laws, and the youngest, pregnant before marriage, is driven from the house. These three fates mirror one another, revealing the many faces of a single set of beliefs. The narrative moves briskly with dense conflict, suited to readers who want to observe family power and women's predicaments through popular fiction. Watch for the gap between Mrs. Gao's spoken open-mindedness and her actual conduct—that is the book's most intriguing fissure. Best read in one go on a commute or over a weekend, then discussed with family or fellow readers about generational differences in values.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers of popular fiction who enjoy family-ethics themes and generational conflict.
- Students and working readers who want to observe old-style parental authority and women's predicaments through story.
- Readers who prefer tight plots, concentrated character relationships, and a book finishable in a short time.
- Nostalgic readers interested in mid-century family narratives and views on marriage.
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting pure sweet romance or light comedy and unwilling to read family conflict.
- Readers strongly uncomfortable with plotlines of chastity, forced marriage, and fertility discrimination.
- Readers who prefer strong mystery or grand historical narrative and find domestic matters trivial.
Reading tips
- First sort out the predicaments of the three Gao sisters, then compare them with Mrs. Gao's attitudes by drawing a character-relationship chart.
- When reading the eldest, second, and youngest daughters' threads, compare them in turn and note how one set of beliefs varies across different people.
- After each conflict passage, pause and write one sentence evaluating Mrs. Gao; revisit these after finishing the book.
- If reading with elders, use the childbirth and chastity passages as entry points to discuss generational differences in values.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第一章 安妮与佑才
- 第二章 安娜的下落
- 第三章 为安娜争吵
- 第四章 白莲思女
- 第五章 艾莉的秘密
- 第六章 安妮入门
- 第七章 佑才护安妮
- 第八章 白莲与利文
- 第九章 白莲备婚
- 第十章 高家风波
FAQ
What is this book mainly about, and is the plot complicated?
It tells of the three daughters in the Gao family compound under Mrs. Gao's rule, each encountering troubles over marriage, childbirth, and romance. The cast is concentrated and the threads clear, driven by family conflict; it reads easily and suits readers who want to get into a story quickly.
Is Mrs. Gao simply a villain?
Not entirely. She poses as open-minded outwardly but is tyrannical and stubborn at home; the contrast creates the character's tension. The novel shows how beliefs and status shape a person rather than simply labeling her, so watch for the gap between her words and deeds.
The book involves chastity and fertility discrimination—is it depressing to read?
The conflicts are indeed dense, but it does not rely on dramatizing suffering; the pace is popular and brisk. If sensitive to such themes, read in segments and talk with friends afterward—more comfortable than reading it all at once.
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About the author
Cen Kailun
Author · Hong Kong, China
Cen Kailun was a Hong Kong romance novelist active from the 1970s to the 1990s. Along with Yi Shu and Yan Qin, she is regarded as one of the representative writers of Hong Kong romance fiction of that era, and her works were largely published by Universal Publishing. Her writing centers on modern romance, while also touching on youth literature and time-travel fantasy. Her representative works include August Cherry, Prince Charming, Butterfly Dream, The Mischievous Matchmaker, Two-Faced Eve, Tales of a Grand Family, The Swan Girl, The Golden-Crowned Angel, and Chengzhuang. The library holds 19 of her works. She kept a low profile, and her true identity and life have long been disputed; public information is limited, and readers mostly come to know her through her works themselves.
