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The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane cover art

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

Written by: Lisa See
Narrated by: Ruthie Ann Miles, Kimiko Glenn, Alex Allwine, Gabra Zackman, Jeremy Bobb, Joy Osmanski, Emily Walton, Erin Wilhelmi
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Publisher's Summary

2018 Audie Award Finalist for Fiction and Multi-Voiced Performance

The thrilling new novel from number-one New York Times best-selling author Lisa See explores the lives of a Chinese mother and her daughter who has been abandoned and 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. In her biggest seller, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, See introduced the Yao people to her audience. Here she shares the customs of another Chinese ethnic minority, the Akha, whose world will soon change.

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.

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 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

What the critics say

"Through Ruthie Ann Miles's earnest narration, listeners are quickly drawn into a culturally complex and historically rich story...See's writing is evocative, with vivid imagery and a strong sense of place, and the cast serves to enhance her storytelling through spirited characterizations and a keen understanding of each person's relation to the overall work. Ideal for fans of historical fiction, coming-of-age tales, and tea." ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

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    3 out of 5 stars

Good story but a bit slow moving.

The story was fascinating to begin with and I learned a lot about the Chinese minority group. I found it dragged after a while and the ending was somewhat predictable. I didn’t like the various voices in the narration and would have preferred one narrator.

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Great book!

This is a wonderful story. Very captivating. I Love all the books by Lisa See.

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Another excellent book by Lisa See

The stoy is captivating from the beginning. I love the details and historical elements woven through this book. This is my first audio book, I have read several Lisa See books, but this way of hearing the story was very entertaining and brought a whole level to the imagination.

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Wonderful story

This is the first book I have read by Lisa See. I can’t wait for read the next.

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  • kt
  • 2023-01-17

Poetic, educational and hopeful

I listened to this with my 99 year old mom, across 3,000 miles via zoom. We both loved it and are now looking for pu’er tea!

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Thoroughly enjoyed!

I lovely layered story, with good narration. I finished the last chapter with a deeper understanding and appreciation for tea and its ancient history. Having been with the hilltribes of Thailand in the early 1990’s this story stirred memories and made my heart ache in a good way.

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Hidden Gem

This is a wonderful historical novel. Absolutely loved the story and the narrators. Would definitely listen to this book again.

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I loved this story!

This is such an incredibly beautifully written story. I loved everything about it and didn’t want it to end. It was enchanting, mesmerizing and exquisitely beautiful. I cannot wait to listen to more books by Lisa See.

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Beautiful and moving story

Loved the cultural and emotional depth of the story and character development, and detailed imagery.

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Will purchase another Lisa See book

I really enjoyed this book, it came highly recommended by my sister and mother. I think it was very well written and I enjoyed the narration. looking forward to trying another Lisa See book.

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