Couldn't put it down. Glad it was available after I finished Shanghai Girls. Great sequel. Highly recommend.

Lisa See brings The Great Leap Forward to life. I could feel myself being transported to the PRC and being with Joy & Pearl as they struggled to endure through the real meaning of love & family. A quick & enjoyable read!

Wonderful book...I lovedShanghai Girls and Dreams of Joy was so good!! I couldn't put it down ...... Read it!!

Dreams of Joy has been enlightening, joyous, heart breaking, and a pleasure to read. Lisa See gives her characters a depth that authors often lack, and I would recommend reading Dreams of Joy after Shanghai Girls to anyone.

If you like historical fiction with characters that are unforgettable, this is your book. It is dark in subject matter but intense in showing the love between a mother and daughter.

Not often are sequels equal to the previous book, but Lisa See definitely manages to make that happen with "Dreams of Joy". The character development is great, I miss them when the story is done. I have read "Snowflower and the Secret Fan" and will definitely read more of Lisa See's books.

This book is a must read. It has touched me in so many ways and made me reflect about several different issues. Love, betrayal, trust, forgiveness, family, friendship, the good and bad side of government are all things I pondered while reading this book. The book made me laugh, cry, feel anger and hope. In the end I was left with a satisfying feeling of culmination. You won't want to put this book down.

So powerful and vivid, I felt like I was experiencing the Peoples Republic of China for myself.

This book and the prequel has got to be one of the best I've read out there that feature Chinese history. I finished the book in two sitting (150 page per seating lol), which just proves that it's intense and you can't put it down. The characters portray true human characteristics such as emotions. I applaud Lisa See for writing such a great fast pace book that I've encountered in a while. A MUST READ!!!

Excellent read....history and fiction expertly combined.