Wild Swans tells the story of three generations in China, starting when the country was still an empire, then being occupied by Russians and Japanese, and the battle between the communists and the Kuomintang, and ultimately the communist era and the chaos caused by Mao. The pace slows down massively as the book progresses, to fast forward again in the epilogue and afterword. Almost half of the book is about the ten year Cultural Revolution, told in impeccable detail. As a whole, Wild Swans is a stellar piece of history-made-personal, through the eyes of three strong women. Chang’s writing is fast and flowing, making this book is like a warm bed; a place to return to over and over to find comfort. Because even though the misfortune told in this book was real and horrible, a whole world is made when you read it, and that world is a hugely interesting place to be.