Rated 3.5/5, rounded here to 4.

Overall, a good read. The story progresses through two timelines—as seen in many historical fiction—Yi-Ping's timeline that starts with 1959's Taichung (city in Taiwan) and Liv's—who's Yi-Ping's granddaughter, current day timeline in Manhattan. Liv decides to visit Taichung to help Yi-Ping in her search for a lost daughter.

The major point of dissatisfaction of the novel is that, it is highly predictable:

1. Liv's career trajectory is something seasoned readers would predict from the plot summary itself

2. The romance that comes with her meeting Simon is also predictable, I mostly skip read that part, reading only one sentence per paragraph. I liked how things pans out here for the two.

3. Even Yi-Ping's search for her daughter is also not something unheard of in historical dramas, and we had read a much better storyline for lost relatives in Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai.

So, why do I still call The Fourth Daughter a good read?

The hero of the story is the timeline that follows Yi-Ping's life in Taichung as a daughter-in-law in the powerful Wang household. The general atmosphere of political and female oppression comes through well, and here the stories feel real; I could see with my eyes the medicine store in the street, I could see Yi-Ping lost in her thoughts as she made dumplings, I could see Clare's fearful eyes and busy hands as she watched and helped her father prepare to flee the country. Yi-Ping's storyline in Taichung is the hero of the story, and not only it makes the book a good read but also helps to understand a bit of Taiwanese history.

I would like to compartmentalise my review into 4 parts when it comes to rating:

1. For Yi-Ping and Co.'s storyline in Taichung, I would rate 3.85/5. What more I wished here was some more definite political backdrop that could have given better structure to the historical part of the novel. Just a couple of lines here and there, stating a couple of major political events and their year of occurrence would have enhanced the novel a lot more.

2. For the storyline of Liv's journey as a chef, I would rate 3/5. This was so predictable. But still, done with honesty.. I loved the food she cooked with her grandmother, but this has been too done and dusted—especially with rising popularity of Japanese and Korean literature where food often holds a prime place. For this part to be enticing, something more has to be brought to the table. Am just happy that the author didn't complicate the plot too much with the production house angle.

3. This is miscellaneous, and here I rate 3.25/5. I would have hated it if the book takes us to Taiwan and doesn't walk us through a food Street. So points for that. But again, this has been too done and dusted, and in better ways by the first movers. Authors jumping into this bandwagon now will have to do more than describe how lively and bustling a food street is, or how delicious the food is. Certain coincidences like Liv meeting Simon was too convenient, but still done well. What I liked in Liv's storyline is her resistance to therapy and her gradual overcoming of it. One thing I didn't like is how one particular Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner was shown doling out poison in one instance; the situation could have been definitely handled better because the one who was killed with the poison was a threat to many. So a bit of light into the TCM man's reasoning could have been highlighted to justify his action, I worked out the justification in my mind, but overall TCM is an approach that already has its own share of prejudices to fight against, and then this kind of storyline doesn't help. Even in Jesse Q. Sutanto's aunty series, one of the aunts is seen to use psychoactive substance falsely in the name of TCM, and though hilarious, it doesn't help TCM. Overall authors have to be more refined in handling such subjects, otherwise this means digging a grave for a subject that comes with lots of traditional knowledge and wisdom.

4. This is for the overall reading experience, which was, despite all the cons I have pointed out, quite good, and here I rate 4/5. I enjoyed the characters of Liv, Yi-Ping, Zizi and Amy. Other characters are mostly functional in nature. I keep saying the storyline is predictable, and really it is, but the story seems to be written with a sincerity that comes across, and that makes it an engaged read. The writing is good and fast paced. Unnecessary dramas are avoided. I read some reviews where readers were disappointed because they expected a mystery. I don't know what's been the marketing pitch for this novel, but at no point I felt lured by any hint of mystery, and then left hanging.

All compartmentalised ratings taken together , the average rating of this book comes to 3.5/5

I usually don't go into such elaborate analysis of rating, but I wanted to explore the various ways the books impacted me and this rating analysis helped me achieve it, so here it is.

I would definitely check out more books by the author.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this novel. The opinions expressed here are unbiased and a reflection of my reading experience.

Q. Do I recommend The Fourth Daughter to my fellow readers?
A. Yes. ❤️

“Life isn’t perfect either. But if we have a chance at happiness, I want to grab for it. Everything else is just logistics that we’ll figure out as we go along.”

This is a perfect read for National Friendship Day!

If it weren’t for her best friend, Ziyi, Yi-ping Wang would not have survived the loss of her fourth daughter, Yili. Yi-ping learned to live without her daughter because of her best friend’s love and encouragement, even though the hole in her heart continued to ache with every day that passed.

It made me thankful for the wonderful women, my sidekicks, who love, encourage and support me … daily. You know who you are. I appreciate our friendship.

I read about two families who lived through the martial-law era of Taiwan and about the hardships they endured during the reign of Kuomintang (KMT). I was completely ignorant about the KMT and the long arm of its reach, the fight for Taiwan’s independence, the White Terror, Buxibans, and the barbaric practice of shim-pua. My highlighter worked overtime in this 5-star binge-read.

Yi-ping had her fourth daughter, Yili, stolen from her by her husband for a shim-pua adoption. For 63 years, she mourned the loss of her daughter. This book opens with the 86-year-old pleading with her granddaughter to return to Taiwan and help her look for Yili.

The emotional story captivated me and the vivid descriptions of food had me Googling the closest Taiwanese restaurant so I could taste Rou geng. I was in awe of the resilience of these people. I couldn’t imagine living in a time when a woman could do nothing about domestic abuse, knowing it was a common occurrence but that there was nothing she could do about it. I also couldn’t imagine living in a time when mental illness is seen as the ultimate form of shame, keeping individuals and families in torment without seeking help.

The granddaughter’s story gave good balance to an otherwise emotional narrative. Liv’s character explores what we do with our lives if the dream we always had is no longer something we want. Liv is supported by her boss and a man she meets during an anxiety attack at the airport. I wanted to give both men a big hug for understanding Liv.

“We were just two souls sharing a loss that reached across generations.”

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

The Fourth Daughter by Lyn Liao Butler.
A powerful and emotional read that shines a light on the injustices faced by women and girls in Taiwan's past.
The story of family, love, and resilience is beautifully woven, with vivid descriptions of Taiwanese culture and history.
While I appreciated the novel's emotional depth, the writing style felt a bit straightforward at times. I felt it lacked prose and imagery.
Nonetheless, the characters are relatable, making this a compelling and thought provoking read.
Overall, it's a nice short book for fans of historical fiction and family dramas.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this Advanced Release Copy

a book full of heart and emotional moments that have you truly feeling for the characters within. and also has you feeling for so many that outside of this fictional book has face similar in real life. i felt taken in and invested fully in to these woman and their stories and was needing to know where this one would take me. the bond and telling of this book through grandmother and grand daughter was also really special and added an honesty,depth and impact that wouldn't have been there without it being told via these two.
the culture and telling of somewhere i dont know anything about was also fascinating and mouth watering to say the least.
i cant imagine what this one woman had to go through. although sadly because of the brilliant writing here i can imagine some of it. it broke my heart to read it. so unfair, so unjust.
this book bring us to our grand daughter who is on the road to success. everything is falling into place until one day a incident at her the restaurant where she is chef leaves her broken, damaged and spiralling to the point she can no longer leave her apartment. so she doesn't.
then she gets a call from her grandmother. she has news, a secret to share. she thinks she saw her daughter. BUT what daughter as there isn't one that Livia knows about, whats her grandmother talking about? well, this daughter was taken to her all those years ago, and given to another family.
and so its up to Livia to leave her apartment and go to her grandmothers aid. shes on the search with her and for her. its her own aunt too after all.
and this may be the start of something far more than she thought it ever could and not just for her grandmother.
it was heartbreaking to hear of how woman were treated. sadly it rings so true not just for recent history but some of the undercurrents still in our world today and not just across oceans.
the addition of food obviously was a winner and it does after all bring us all in, connects us all. we all want more food, lol.
i really enjoyed this book. and was so relieved the ending wasn't going to devastate me.

I loved this book and thought the author smashed it.
The setting of Taiwan feels like a character itself, vibrant and full of heart, providing the perfect backdrop for Liv to get her groove back! I loved the relationships in this story and wish I could spend more time with the characters. Thank you so much for the ARC!

Lyn Liao Butler’s “The Fourth Daughter” is a beautifully woven family saga that tenderly explores the unbreakable bond between grandmother and granddaughter, set against the rich cultural tapestry of Taiwan. From the very first page, I adored Liv, a rising chef in Manhattan whose life is suddenly upended by trauma, and her beloved Ah-Ma, whose past holds a heartbreaking mystery spanning decades.

The novel effortlessly shifts between present-day and vivid memories of Ah-Ma’s life from the 1950s through the 1970s, immersing readers in Taiwan’s history and traditions during a turbulent time under martial law. This dual narrative enriches the story, adding layers of emotional depth and historical resonance that make the search for Ah-Ma’s lost fourth daughter both poignant and compelling.

What stands out most is the exquisite character development. Liv’s journey from emotional confinement to courageous healing is so authentic and moving that I cheered her on every step of the way. The special bond between Liv and Ah-Ma is palpable, filled with warmth, comfort, and a shared love that is as nourishing as the traditional Taiwanese food that threads through their story.

The setting of Taiwan feels like a character itself—vibrant, comforting, and full of promise—and it provides the perfect backdrop for Liv’s healing and unexpected romance. The discovery of a precious old cookbook and the unraveling of a family secret deliver gripping twists that challenge everything Liv thought she knew about her family, while ultimately giving her the strength to confront her past.

“The Fourth Daughter” is a heartfelt and inspiring novel about love, loss, resilience, and the power of family. It’s a deeply satisfying read that stays with you long after the last page. Highly recommended.