55 pages • 1 hour read
Ruthanne Lum McCunnThousand Pieces of Gold
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1981A 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
Thousand Pieces of Gold by Ruthanne Lum McCunn is a biographical novel that follows Polly Bemis, a Chinese American pioneer in 19th-century Idaho, as she navigates a life marked by family betrayal, gender expectations, and the quest for personal agency, offering a critical exploration of the American Dream's deficiencies. The novel describes sexual enslavement, enslavement, sexual assault, death by suicide, anti-Asian racism, gun violence, and lynching.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Thousand Pieces of Gold by Ruthanne Lum McCunn is widely praised for its compelling narrative and strong historical context. Readers appreciate the depth of character development and cultural insights, though some criticize the pacing. Overall, it's a powerful and thought-provoking story that resonates with those interested in diverse historical experiences.
Who Should Read Thousand Pieces of Gold?
A reader who enjoys Thousand Pieces of Gold by Ruthanne Lum McCunn would appreciate historical novels with strong female protagonists, such as Lisa See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club. They find rich, culturally immersive narratives and themes of resilience and identity compelling.