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  • The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

  • By: Lisa See
  • Narrated by: full cast
  • Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (260 ratings)

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The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

By: Lisa See
Narrated by: full cast
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Summary

A thrilling new novel exploring the lives of a Chinese mother and her daughter who has been adopted by an American couple.

Li-yan and her family align their lives around the seasons and the farming of tea. There is ritual and routine, and it has been ever thus for generations. Then one day a jeep appears at the village gate - the first automobile any of them have seen - and a stranger arrives. In this remote Yunnan village, the stranger finds the rare tea he has been seeking and a reticent Akha people.

Li-yan, one of the few educated girls on her mountain, translates for the stranger and is among the first to reject the rules that have shaped her existence. When she has a baby outside of wedlock, rather than stand by tradition she wraps her daughter in a blanket, with a tea cake hidden in her swaddling, and abandons her in the nearest city. After mother and daughter have gone their separate ways, Li-yan slowly emerges from the security and insularity of her village to encounter modern life while Haley grows up a privileged and well-loved California girl. Despite Haley's happy home life, she wonders about her origins, and Li-yan longs for her lost daughter. They both search for and find answers in the tea that has shaped their family's destiny for generations.

In her biggest seller, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, See introduced the Yao people to her readers. Here she shares the customs of another Chinese ethnic minority, the Akha, whose world will soon change. A powerful story about a family separated by circumstances, culture, and distance, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane paints an unforgettable portrait of a little known region and its people and celebrates the bond that connects mothers and daughters.

©2017 Lisa See (P)2017 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd
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What listeners say about The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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When is the sequel?

I didn't take to this book at first , not sure why. I persevered and it soon became a book I had to listen to at every opportunity.
I both love and dislike the ending as I want more of the story.
This is an interesting, heartfelt, frustrating annoying but enjoyable book. It has left me wanting to research things she wrote about. I'm glad I finished it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Ethnic Chinese & tea

Such an interesting book about different Chinese cultures & their tea - for which I have a new found respect . I really enjoyed this book.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting

Interesting book, learned a lot about China and its Ethnic Arka people. However the 2nd half if the book was disappointingly unrealistic so let the story down.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved this. Didn’t want it to end

Fascinating story of a young girl in China through to her middle age. References many significant world events in that region. Very well narrated. And I learned a lot about tea!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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fantastic book

Apart from the fab story, you learn so much about history and culture. such vivid writing. Beautifully read. Lisa See is my new fave author

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Wonderful and surprising

Fascinating story of China we know little about. Great read that is hard to put away. Highly recommended for those who are interested in Chinese culture, traditions and realities.

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Loved it

It made me look into the Akha people online too. Fascinating and absorbing. If there has to be one tiny flaw it’s the voice of Hayley which I found hard to listen to but that’s probably just me and it didn’t deter from my enjoyment overall. As well as learning about Chinese history, I liked the insights into the thinking of young adopted girls and their parents. The world can be so cruel but this tale was uplifting and insightful at the same time. I shall look for more books by this author.

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Very interesting and enticing story

Both the story and the narrator's were very good! The book follows the physical and emotional journey of a girl born in a remote mountain village in China, her life in the village with ancient traditions and beliefs and, later on, her encounters with the rest of China and the western world. Meanwhile, the reader periodically follows the story of the illegitimate child the main character had to give away at a young age. The novel is emotional, thought provoking, and hard to out down.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Stunningly compelling

I loved this so much that I implore everyone to listen, I'm sure you won't regret it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Moving and inspiring

I have read several of Lisa See's books, all of which were amazing. But this was the first audio version I have tried and I really enjoyed it. It brought the characters to life and the story was incredibly moving. Definitely recommend this!

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