57 pages • 1 hour read
Madeleine ThienDo Not Say We Have Nothing
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2016A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien spans generations, beginning with Big Mother Knife and her sister Swirl struggling to survive during the early years of China's Communist Revolution. Big Mother Knife's son Sparrow and Swirl's daughter Zhuli find solace in music amid the turmoil. As political tensions rise, Zhuli dies by suicide, while Sparrow's life is impacted by further events leading to his eventual death, pushing his daughter Ai-Ming into exile. Ai-Ming finds refuge with Marie, the daughter of a former friend of Sparrow, and relocates to America. The novel explores enduring themes of family, music, and resistance amid oppressive regimes. It includes traumatic events like political persecution, suicide, and the Tiananmen Square protests.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien intertwines Chinese history with personal narratives, earning praise for its rich storytelling and complex characters. Critics commend Thien's lyrical prose and intricate plot; however, some find the novel's pacing slow and its historical context challenging to grasp fully. Overall, a moving, albeit demanding, read.
Who Should Read Do Not Say We Have Nothing?
A reader who enjoys Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien likely appreciates multi-generational family sagas set against historical backdrops. Similar readers might also enjoy The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini or Wild Swans by Jung Chang for their rich narratives and deep cultural insights.