When Stones Bloom – English

Set in the backdrop of China’s opening to the West, When Stones Bloom tells a rare story of a young Chinese woman and her mother who must overcome obstacles at once unimaginable and forbidden in their pursuit of normalcy, dignity, and reconciliation. The novel begins with the sudden appearance of a young American man in the northern city of China who is to be Amei’s English teacher, which instantly agonizes her mother. After Amei and Luke fall in love, their journey will unravel her true identity and heritage. She comes to the shocking realization, nearly too late, that Luke is not what he seems to be, much less that his is entangled with her mother’s mysterious past! Amei has to fight many battles with both her mother and Luke in order to triumph in her individuality and her love.

One surprise after another, the novel lures you into a never-before-seen world that simultaneously “stabs” and enthralls you, a world you don’t want to leave when you’ve reached the end. While the novel has an interesting reference to Jane Eyre, it is colorful with Chinese culture, such as calligraphy, traditional medicine, and folklore.

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Notable Reviews:

“A novel of great sweep and intimacy, Chen Henderson opens the world at China’s opening to the West that is both deeply personal and political. Her eye for the telling detail and the incongruities of culture is unfailing.”       -Cristina Garcia, author of King of Cuba and Here in Berlin.

“When Stones Bloom immerses us in a spellbinding story of mothers and daughters, of history and heritage, of passions and taboos. Vivid and haunting, JJ Chen Henderson’s novel reminds us that the lies we tell for love create powerful legacies of their own.”  -Anne Sanow, author of Triple Time