The Last Rose of Shanghai: A Novel

I don't really know where to start with this book. The Last Rose of Shanghai is definitely worth reading. It is both heartbreaking and heartfelt. As I was reading I felt myself pulled in several directions. I rooted for Aiyi, wanted her to get with Ernest. I was bothered by Cheng and then at one point for a brief moment I wanted her to end up with Cheng. I wanted her to marry a rich British bachelor but I also wanted her in Ernests arms. Somewhat further in the book I hated Ernest and then rooted for him and Aiyi to be together again. I predicted something would happen and then as I read it seemed unlikely. Many questions were left unanswered, the main question I cannot list here as it would be a spoiler for the end. Did Sinmay ever find Emily? Did they live? Die in the war? It was apparent that he neer returned to Peiyu which kind of sucks. Peiyu pulled the short straw and I felt bad for her. She seemed kind of heartless at times but with her situation and Chinese norms of the time, made it hard to blame Peiyu for being so seemingly cold.

Overall it was a good book, really eye opening for the struggles that the European Jews went through during Hitlers reign in Germany. Would I read it again? Probably not, but it was definitely worth reading.