Review of Kay Bratt's 'The Palest Ink'

#ThePalestInk

Kay's novel ‘The Palest Ink’ is a marvelous read for anyone, and a must read if you have any ties at all to China. Kay was able to perfectly introduce us to the main character, Benfu, in the prologue of the first novel in her series, Tales of the Scavenger’s Daughters. Now Kay gives us a much better understanding of Benfu’s life during China’s Cultural Revolution in this book, 'The Palest Ink.’

This is the story of Benfu and his best friend Pony Boy. These two boys come from two very different walks of life, but both must make equally gut wrenching life choices in a time of utter chaos during the Cultural Revolution in China. As you walk with Benfu through this story, you will see how these choices help form him into the beloved husband and father he becomes in Kay’s best-selling series, Tales of the Scavenger’s Daughters.

‘The Palest Ink’ gave me a much better understanding of this tumultuous time in China’s history. I have always been interested in the history of China, but now that I am a mom of four lovely children from China it has even more meaning to me, to learn all I can about their country of birth. For me this was a bit of an emotional book, quite poignant at times, but was so tastefully written, and in a way that was so interestingly educational.

If you’ve read any of Kay’s Tales of the Scavenger’s Daughters series you must read this book. And after reading ‘The Palest Ink’ you will want to read all the books that follow in the Tales of the Scavenger’s Daughters. They are all that good!

Thank you Kay Bratt for another wonderful book, another one that I had a hard time putting down when I started reading.

* I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Shamian Island (The Statues)

We've done so much walking since we arrived in Guangzhou. I love being on this island. It is so peaceful and beautiful.  We walk up to the shop area at least twice each day and walk all over. There are many, many statues all over the island.  Here are only a few of the most famous and favorites of all.

 I think this one is the most famous or favorite of all.  

Hmmm...What is this lady doing?

 I get a kick out of this one.  

Behind you can see Lucy's - very popular restaurant that serves American food.

In the 4 times I've stayed here I've only eaten here once.  

Another very popular place for pictures.

More on Shamian in another post.

Medical Appointment

On Saturday we went to the International Travel Healthcare Center for Bennett’s medical appointment.  They checked him, as they do all kids being adopted into the United States, to make sure he is healthy and can travel into the U.S. 

One funny thing.  When we got back from the medical appointment and got to our room, the alarm clock was ringing. I thought Bennett must have changed the time on the clock. No, he hadn't.  It was still set for 6:00, it just hadn't gone off then.  So much for using that alarm.

The rest of Saturday was free.  We went and walked around Shamian Island, where we are staying. So much fun to see all the things I'm so familiar with.  It feels a bit like home. I love this island.  It was very busy because it was the weekend. 

Wednesday Continued and Thursday through Saturday

On our way back from the orphanage we went to JunJun’s finding place.  For some reason his birth family was not able to care for him and this is where he was placed by someone to be found. This was a very busy and public place so that someone could find him quickly.  I did take pictures here, but will not post them.

When we got back to the hotel we were all tired so I thought we would take a nap. Bennett wanted nothing to do with that and got really upset and cried and cried.  He did let me pick him up and cuddle him. I held him and rocked him and he finally fell asleep in my arms. He napped for about an hour or so in my arms.  It felt so good to be holding him close.  I just couldn’t put him down. 

That evening we did a walk half way around the lake and back. It’s a beautiful walk. 

 Our hotel above.

 Trees outside our hotel.

In the lobby of Lakeside Hotel

Loves to push buttons - all kinds of buttons. :)

On Thursday we did not really do anything.  We went out to the lake a couple of times again and walked just to walk. 

Friday is the day we left for Guangzhou.  We got up and ate our last breakfast in Fuzhou.

 Going in to breakfast

Many mornings we had something like this, plus fruit.

One of our favorite sections. 

But we also saw things like this and chicken feet.

(Click on the picture)

We then worked on packing and not a whole lot more.  All four families that we were with in Fuzhou left for the airport at about the same time as we were all on the same flight.  When we got to the airport, we found out that our flight was delayed 2 ½ or 3 hours. So we ate McDonald's and sat and walked and sat and walked and walked some more.  It was finally time to fly! The flight went well until it was time to tighten the belt for landing.  OH MY! Someone did not like that!! Bennett was one mad boy. He screamed for about 15-20 minutes. Wow!

 First McDonald's?

Brynlee's first McDonald's in China.  She said it tasted pretty much the same.

 Probably his first flight.

We landed and picked up our luggage and finally made it to our hotel about 1:00 a.m.  When I tucked Bennett under the covers he woke up and gave me the biggest grin and just curled up under the covers. 

We had to be in the lobby by 8:30 on Saturday morning to leave for Bennett’s medical appointment so I set my phone alarm and the alarm in the room for 6:00.  Well I woke up and thought I better look at my phone just to see what time it is. It was 7:45! My phone had died and the other alarm had not gone off.  Lucky I had showered before I went to bed and had all of our clothes ready.  I’ve never gotten ready so fast! We were down having breakfast less than 15 minutes later. 

Orphanage Visit

On Wednesday we visited the orphanage where my precious guy spent most of the first three years of his life.  We left at 9:30 along with the whole group of 4 families. It was not a long ride and when we arrived one Ayi (nanny) who cares for the children ran to me and took JunJun out of my arms.  She was so excited to see him.  She had another child with her.  This was a 9 year old boy who is being adopted by another American family and was one of the three children they had a going away party for several weeks ago.  I recognized him right away. She was very excited to introduce me to Max.  She was so excited to tell me all about the family that is coming for him.

Right as we walked in there was a play area off to the left and my little guy soon wiggled out of Ayi’s arms and ran to the play area.  I realized later this was the place where the first pictures I ever saw of my precious little guy were taken. Here were the steps that he was sitting on in the picture that stole my heart.

Soon we raced off up to the 5^th floor, where Bennett ‘lived’. As soon as we walked in there was a little boy who begged me to pick him up.  He was so sad and so wanted my attention.  I gave him some hugs, but we didn’t have much time. Ayi showed us the different rooms where JunJun spent his days and nights. We saw where he ate his meals and they showed me how he shares his food with the other kids. He does share!  Every time he gets food he shares first with mama and Brynlee and then he has some himself. 

Sharing his food. There's the little love on the left that was just begging for hugs. 

Brynlee and Max in the background.

They showed his bedroom and his bed that he slept on. They asked him to get on so I could take a picture. His response was NO!  He has a gesture that he does when he doesn’t want something. He shakes his head and he shakes his hand back and forth and makes it very clear that he does not want that. He did not want anything to do with going on that bed. 

This is as close as he would get to his bed.

Then we went in to the school room. There was a woman there that they said is a volunteer who comes in every Wednesday and works with the kids. When we went in they were working on art projects.  There was a girl there who was working on a drawing.  She was a phenomenal artist.  Her drawings were very good.  They asked me if I got the photo book and told me that that was the very first time they had done something like that.  It is a photo book of pictures of the kids that were on the same floor as he, pictures of him with the nannies on that floor and various other pictures.  They also wrote on the pages.  At the end they wrote a long letter. I now have to get it translated. Each page is very touching even without seeing the translations. As we were walking another Ayi came and tried to take JunJun and ‘our’ Ayi said ‘no’. Ayi turned and kept him in her arms. She only had a short time with him and wanted to keep him. 

 Photo Book

 First page above. Makes me tear up.

 On the outside of the bag the photo book came in.

I know some people will not allow their children to be taken from their arms while back for an orphanage visit and I can so respect that. Each child is different and the parent knows their child and each have their own feelings on this.  I knew that bringing him there it could confuse him or be hard for him, especially if he is held by or spends time with his Ayis. But I also feel strongly that I should give them this time with this child if I am given a chance.  They have cared for him for over 3 years and from the teary eyes of the two Ayis, I know loved him.  He is leaving them, maybe to never be seen by them again. I was given a gift of the rest of his life with me.  I want to give them this tiny bit of time with him. They were all so excited to see him, including all the children in his group of about 15 or so.  The kids all called out to him and said his name so excitedly when we were there.  They all wanted to be by him and hug him.  I know it was right for me to let them have this time.

I will not share a lot of photos inside the orphanage because usually it is not allowed at all to take pictures inside.  They gave me permission to take pictures and they also took some.  I am so thankful that they allowed this and that I have these for when Bennett is older.

Too soon we were done with our tour of the 5^th floor area where Bennett spent his days and we raced off to a QQ session (like Skype) for Max with his American mom, Olivia, who is on her way right now to adopt him. I’ve gotten to know Olivia over the last few months as we have both been working towards bringing home our sons from the same place. It was very fun and a bit surreal to see her there on the screen and know that we are here now and soon she will be too.  

As we were there Ayi told me he only knows 2 words, Baba (Daddy) and Mama.  I don’t know why they are saying that, because as we were there he said different words. We went outside and he started taking off his jacket and said something that sounded like ‘Loh’. And the Ayi said, “Oh, he’s hot. He’s saying he’s hot.” He sure mimics lots of words we say and has already learned several new words-car, thank you, Nin’Nee (Brynlee), peek-a-boo, etc. So not sure what it is, but we’ll figure it out. He’s a very smart little guy. He watches once and does it. A cute story – when the cleaners come in he races to one garbage and takes it apart, pulls out the bag and races to the cleaning lady and then runs to the bathroom and pulls out the garbage from there. They get a big kick out of him – say he’s clever boy. J

While we waited for the others to come back to the vans we played in the outdoor playground.  When we were out there the Ayi told me that they try really hard to take good care of the kids and do the best they can for them, but they are happy that some kids can go home to forever families. She said she’s happy he can go to American and have a good life.  I told her that I can tell that they take good care of the children. And they do.  I know that someone has cared for this little guy.

When the others came out we went to the front of the building and took family pictures and I took some of JunJun with his Ayi there.  We were then all leaving and JunJun was looking at me so sad holding Ayi’s hand still. Then he was waving to me and saying bye bye mama, bye bye. It was so heartbreakingly sad! It was so sad because he thought that now I am bringing him back and will leave him there again. It is so sad in an entirely different way, because I was leaving a visibly upset Ayi there at the orphanage and taking a precious little boy who it was obvious that she really loved. 

I wish I would have had more time there, but I am so thankful that I got to make a visit. It gives me a better understanding of my precious son and some parts of the beginning of his life.

Tuesday

Tuesday was a free day.  We didn’t do much in the morning. It’s very expensive to have laundry done in the hotels so I washed a bit of laundry. Then in the afternoon another family that is here asked us if we want to walk with them to an area of Fuzhou called Three Lanes and Seven Alleys. This is located in the center of Fuzhou and is an architectural complex preserved from the Ming and Qing Dynasty. It is a famous ancient block and is an important symbol to show the long history of Fuzhou city. It’s about a mile to walk there from the hotel. I carried Bennett at first, but he got heavy so he walked or a bit then I picked him up again. But he decided he wanted to walk, so he walked the rest of the way there (which was most of the way), walked the whole time we were there, and walked the whole way back. He is a walker!  He loves to walk.

Entrance to the walking street. (This is actually the back side of it when we were leaving.)

Below are pictures from down one of the historic alleys.

Can you tell which one is the male and which one is the female?

 Can you tell what this is? Fire hydrant. 

P.S. The lion with the baby under its paw is female and the lion with the ball under it's paw is the male.