Official Review: Five Knocks by Donna Vincent Roa

[Camille Turner]

This is clearly a very powerful and interesting book. Thank you for taking the time to review it in depth! I can really feel how passionately you feel towards this book and it makes me want to read it immediately.

It was certainly such a unique and moving read. Thank you very much for reading my review, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I hope you find the book as interesting as I do if you read it.

[Camille Turner]

Great review. This book sounds incredible. I’ve heard some about the one child policy and it was horrifying with just a bit of information. Also the hints at mystery such as the meaning of the book’s title really got me. My interest is totally peaked and this is going to the top of my TBR. Congrats to the author on a spectacular review! Thanks so much for sharing.

Thank you! Yes, it's truly horrifying, and this book really did a nice job of making it real for those of us who haven't experienced the direct consequences of such a policy. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!

[Camille Turner]

The review is very intriguing, with enough teasers that make the book lovers to get a hold of this book and experience the drama enfolding between the pages. Happy reading to us!

Thanks for reading my review. The book is certainly worth a read, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

[Camille Turner]

I am impressed by your thorough and moving review. I anticipate it to be an emotionally-charged read, dealing with such a thorny issue in all due honesty and grace. Five Knocks by Donna Vincent Roa is a book to remember. Thanks for your insight.

Thank you for your kind words! I am glad you enjoyed my review. The book was certainly an emotional read and I loved it all the more for taking a serious issue and making me feel all the reality of it. I hope you get a chance to read it!

[Camille Turner]

With our freedom in America to have as many children as we want, I think we forget that this policy in China exists limiting their families and leaving baby girls abandoned or killed. Such a very sad subject, but it sounds like the author did a great job constructing this novel to expose the truth of this political nightmare that hurts so many people. I cannot imagine living in that environment. Great job on this. I’m still pondering reading it as I have so many to read right now, but it sounds worth my time.

I couldn't agree more with you. Issues such as these seem so very far away that sometimes we forget they exist, or at least we don't feel the pain of them directly. Reading this book really changed my perspective, as I was much closer to the issue and couldn't ignore the consequences of such a policy. Thanks for taking the time to read my review, and I hope you enjoy the book if you find the time to read it—I understand having a long "to read" list!

[Camille Turner]

Books that have any form of sexism portrayed in them generally put me off. However, I think the story line is captivating and that your review is very well written.

The story was certainly a very unique and interesting one. Thank you for reading my review and leaving your thoughts!

[Camille Turner]

I do love reading biographies and non-fictional stories very much and so I think I will it a try.

Thanks for commenting! The book is actually historical fiction, but very worth the read.

[Camille Turner]

Being in a third world country, I have heard many stories of returned children who were given away by their birth parents, just because of poverty and inability to look after the baby. So, this story will feel really close to me. Due to the good and descriptive review excluding spoilers, I decided to give a try for this. Congratulations on being BOTD

I am sure you will enjoy this moving book, and I hope to hear your thoughts on it when you finish reading. Thank you for reading my review!

[Camille Turner]

Very nice review from reviewer. It's so sad to miss ones family.

Thank you!

[Camille Turner]

Wow! Today's BOTD sounds like an emotional, touching, and eye-opening story. I'm looking forward to reading it! Thank you to the author for making this free to readers everywhere! I'm anxious to learn the significance of the title! Great review...thank you!

Thank you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did—and the title...so brilliant!

[Camille Turner]

Thank you for this excellent review. This novel sounds like a very emotive and heartbreaking read, but with a compelling protagonist at its centre.

I recall reading a similar story called Chinese Cinderella and this already comes across as being all the more intriguing.

The theme of children being separated from their parents, whether by choice or not, is always a painful subject for me, so I would be quite reluctant to pick up such a story by choice, but the description of Sya's journey to find her parents, as well as the tradition of male child preference in China, has convinced me to give this novel a try one day as part of my reading list.

Thank you for your kind comment! I am glad you enjoyed my review. The book certainly was emotional and such a fantastic and unique journey to follow. Thank you so much for mentioning Chinese Cinderella as I've just looked it up and am adding it to my reading list!

[Camille Turner]

I can't wait to read this book Five Knocks about this uncouth situation whereby girls have to be killed or given away. Kudos for your great review.

The policy is simply awful, and the book does a great job of bringing attention to this! Thanks for your comment.

[Camille Turner]

Mine is a 4 out of 4 star.

There is nothing traumatises, than a journey of truth discovery. It makes me develop some calthaltic effect on the character SYA, as portrayed by Donna Vincent Roa. To be given up for dead, or rather to be abandoned makes an honey tast bitterly. Its not a walk at the pack.

A book worth to be read on one sitting.

Agreed in that it's definitely one that can be read in one sitting! Thanks for commenting.

[Camille Turner]

I am sold to the tittle . As the reviewer said that it was shocking to read why 'Five Knocks' is chosen for the title, I so much want to know. The subject is excellent because it is relatable to girls. Male favorism is a problem which persists,
while the girl child is aborted. This book will bring forward the ugly side of china through the character Sya.
I am so looking forward to read it.

Ah, you will just love the story behind the title—I think it's brilliant! I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did. Thanks for commenting!

[Camille Turner]

Five Knocks is a story that needs to be read, if not for the pleasure of a phenomenal story, at least for its historical significance and truth. I always appreciate a book that approaches a difficult topic without fear of revealing the truth, and this novel does just that. Furthermore, the characters’ emotions are relatable and I’m sure any reader will be especially moved by the daughters and mothers in the story. I highly recommend the book, as it is a unique and touching story that will open your eyes to the horror of China’s one-child policy and the destruction of lives it has caused in its wake.

I really enjoyed your review. And the point I quote above resonated with me very much. There are so many subjects that are hard to talk about (or read about) but that we need to know and reflect on. Sexism and all the things involved in China´s one-child policy are one of those topics.
Furthermore, the book seems literary outstanding.
This goes to my to-read shelf.
Thanks for an awesome review.

Thank you so much! I'm very glad you liked the review, and (as you know) completely agree that we need to broach these difficult subjects rather than shying away from them. Only then can we address what needs to be changed. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!