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George Fillis

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A Heart To Survive: first Novel in the Collingwood Series Kindle Edition

by George Fillis (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.4 712 ratings

Book 1 of 4: Collingwood Series

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“The Collingwood Series is Canadian historical fiction at its best…Readers are in for an extraordinary read that blends a coming-of-age experience with a window into Canadian culture, race relations of the 1950s, romance, and a young immigrant's ability to persevere against all odds.” - Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review

During the 1950s, 14-year-old Tao Wen Shun, the trustworthy son of an educated Chinese family, flees China, leaving his home and family behind — but what awaits him in Canada?

Nothing could prepare Wen Shun for the unexpected challenges he experiences in this compelling novel inspired by actual events. Book one in a series that takes readers on an epic journey into the historical past of two nations divided by culture and continents.

Fans of Celeste Ng’s Our Missing Hearts, Lisa See’s Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, and Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables will enjoy this riveting saga of history, suspense, and love.

What readers are saying…

"This book is beautifully written. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy mysteries, adventure stories, and a contrast between cultures.” Goodreads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“It’s an exciting read that is based on actual events and will have the reader eagerly anticipating the next novel in the series.” Goodreads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“An extremely intriguing story. I did not want to put this book down and I did not want it to end. The author brought all his amazing characters to life.” Goodreads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This was an eye opener from the beginning. I loved the story from the first chapter, a page turner.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This book opened my eyes to the plight of human trafficking victims from China in the 1950’s and I was as equally captivated by the cast of memorable characters as I was by the historical context.” Goodreads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“The book themes are still remarkably familiar in today's world - racism, discrimination, trafficking and made for a wonderful book club discussion. A great read.” Goodreads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I just couldn't put these books down. I had to tell you how deeply this story has touched me. So many themes that resonate for people like me, who came to the US and had to fight harder than anyone else just to be 'equal' to everyone else. Thank you for bringing these stories to us and for making them so alive, genuine, and beautifully put together. I laughed and cried. You touched my heart.”

Author’s Note: the Collingwood Series should be read in chronological order and not as individual stand-alone titles because of the background of events, characters, and storylines in A Heart to Survive.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Haunting, poignant, compelling...
With the civil war in full swing and Mao Zedong's ruthless control of the nation, fourteen-year-old Tao Wen Shun, the upstanding son of an educated family, is sent aboard a sailing ship to live as the paper-son to a Chinese family in Canada. After a harrowing sea voyage, Wen Shun finds himself in the clutches of a human trafficking gang, and escape doesn't seem like an option. The world Fillis creates, be it the disquiet of a Chinese town of Hangzhou or the searing discrimination of a Canadian city, is both complex and authentic. The warm, grounded romance toward the end comes out as a pleasant surprise. Although the novel tackles various complex themes, including human trafficking, racial discrimination, young love, and a teenager's coming of age story, Fillis's expert execution of the plot and sharp cultural observations make it a gratifying read. - THE PRAIRIES BOOK REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's the peak of the civil war in China. With Mao Zedong's rebel forces gaining momentum, fourteen-year-old Tao Wen Shun is forced to board a ship to Canada by his family to escape the terrors of Mao's regime. But instead of a Chinese family awaiting him on the other side, he finds himself trapped in the clutches of a human trafficking ring. Wen Shun is gutsy, resourceful, and keen to help others, and his journey to freedom is inspiring as he remains standing tall in the face of the relentless difficulties life throw his way. Crisp prose, the affecting first-person narrative, and tension-filled, tight plotting keep the readers turning pages nonstop. Paired with the atmospheric setting, the exploration of the themes of human trafficking, racial discrimination, and individual struggles makes for a thoroughly engrossing sharp-edged historical drama. - BookView Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Historical fiction readers, particularly those interested in Canadian backdrops, are in for a treat. All the elements are here for an extraordinary read that blends a coming-of-age experience with a window into Canadian culture, race relations of the 1950s, romance, and a young immigrant's ability to persevere against all odds. A Heart To Survive chronicles the kinds of choices that lead into danger and opportunity alike, adding a dash of thriller and mystery elements into the mix to create a multifaceted story that is engaging, engrossing, and hard to put down. - Donovan's Literary Services

The Collingwood Series is Canadian historical fiction at its best. - Midwest Book Review

From the Author

In the Collingwood Series, discover the incredible story of a Chinese immigrant who overcame immense odds to pursue a better life in Canada. Winson, the protagonist of the series, is a "Paper Son," one of thousands of young men who immigrated through fraudulent paperwork, assuming the false identity of a Chinese worker's son who was entitled to immigrate.

My interest in writing the story was inspired by meeting an Irish Canadian woman who shared her story of falling in love and marrying such a Chinese "Paper Son." And from meeting four Chinese immigrants in their twenties who shared their personal histories of human trafficking through a crime ring known as the Snakeheads, which continues to operate in North America and is a multi-billion dollar industry. The series is a captivating story of character and resilience, and not only explores the depth of human passions but drives home the bitter realities of racism in 1950s Canada and takes readers on an epic journey into the historical past of two nations divided by culture and continents.

The Collingwood Series should be read in chronological order and not as individual stand-alone titles because of the background of events, characters, and storylines.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08NFQ674Z
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bluerock7 LLC (November 20, 2020)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 20, 2020
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2395 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 310 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #380,896 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #54 in Canadian Literature
- #93 in Emigration & Immigration
- #103 in Historical Chinese Fiction

Customer Reviews:
4.4 712 ratings

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George Fillis

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George Fillis is the internationally published author of the Collingwood Series. A graduate of Trinity University, he lives in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife, Karen. He discovered his passion for writing after careers in securities, real estate, and biotech. Inspired by travels to China and Canada, he heard a remarkable love story about a ‘paper son,’ which was the seed for the Collingwood Series.

The Collingwood Series is a captivating story of character, resilience, and passion. It not only explores the depth of human passions but drives home the bitter realities of racism in 1950s Canada and takes readers on an epic journey into the historical past of two nations divided by culture and continents.

It is recommended that these books be read in chronological order. For announcements on upcoming book releases, please click on 'Follow the Author' or follow me on my website at: GeorgeFillisNovels.com

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

712 global ratings

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Kim

A story of courage, perseverance, companionship, and love exposing the little known history

Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2021

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The story of Tao Wen Shun (Winson) unveils the harsh reality of Mao's rise to power in China and how it affected it's people. Fillis does an amazing job of taking a history that spans volumes, capturing it in the first book of a historical fiction series. Tao Wen Shun's story exposes the fact that throughout history escaping one evil does not mean escaping other evils that take on different forms across the globe.

At times this story is heartbreaking while also heartwarming as humanity is shown the capacity for both. It is suspenseful and insightful showing how experiences build us into the people of character that we become. Hatred, malice, prejudice, and envy are shown as antagonists through the shapes of people, but through Tao Wen Shun we see how fear and pain forge us into people of love and perseverance.

Every story in history is a story about humanity. It reveals the good, the bad, and the ugly. Unfortunately, all three categories exist continually. Fillis does an amazing job of showing the building blocks of character and humanity through the fires of oppression.

If you want to be entertained, read this book. If you want to gain insight into humanity, read this book. If you want to gain knowledge of history, read this book. If you want to read a good book, well....read this book.

3 people found this helpful

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Paula Warren

Exposing prejudice

Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2021

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This book exposes experiences that I had never heard of.
Growing up in Texas, I was slightly aware of the plight of black Americans, and even some of the discrimination against Mexicans, but this book is a real education about prejudices worldwide.
I have never understood why discrimination occurs. Having friends of many ethnic and religious backgrounds I never thought about what they or their families may have had to endure. This book gives me a deeper understanding of the trials of injustice. Thank you for sharing their stories.

5 people found this helpful

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Lew S

A good, well-written read

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2020

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The principal character in this novel is Winson, a 14-year-old boy torn from his loving home because of the Chinese Civil War in the 1940s. Winson finds himself at the lowest point in his life on board a freighter bound for Canada where he is forced to work shoveling coal to power the ship’s steam engines. The author has used the symbolism of a soul that has entered the depths of hell with the heat and stench and temptations to surrender to the baser instincts. There he must make a life-changing decision: either give in to the injustices he will inevitably encounter or find the character to prevail no matter the odds against him. Throughout the rest of the novel, Winson uses the lessons learned on board the ship to confront the hardships he faces whether from a human-trafficking gang or from the prejudices of the 1950s. It’s an exciting read that is based on actual events and will have the reader eagerly anticipating the next novel in the series.

12 people found this helpful

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Betty Love

Wonderful book!

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2021

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A Heart to Survive is an extremely intriguing story. I did not want to put this book down and I did not want it to end. I’m so thankful this was just the first book in a series. The author brought ALL his amazing characters to life. I felt as if I was there and could see the places in my mind’s eye. The author’s writing style really helps the reader sympathize with the hardships they had to endure. I loved how people’s unexpected kindness brought opportunities into Winson’s life and those of others. The story demonstrates that the spirit of goodness from these people was second nature, and that the blessing of giving and receiving goes hand-in-hand. I’m so looking forward to the next novel!

One person found this helpful

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Lucinda

very dark; misused homonyms

Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2022

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The book is readable and exciting. It also is very depressing. Throughout, Chinese and blacks are mistreated without any redress. The book ends with the hero separated from the woman he loves and no resolution is visible. Presumably, it will be (happily) resolved in the last volume. I don’t want to read such depressing things. Yes, they existed. Yes, the world is not that bad still. (But yes, there are many people who long for the “good old days” – good if you were a while, Christian male.) I have enough to deal with, reading about current politics. I don’t need my leisure reading to further depress me.

There also are many instances of confused homonyms and grammatical errors:
“Call me, Frank,” for “Call me Frank.” “Are you, Winson?” for “Are you Winson?”
you’re/your; waived/waved (twice); complimentary/complementary; tow/toe;
A family is called “the Foley’s.”

5 people found this helpful

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SharBear

Great read!

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2023

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When I first started reading this book I wasn’t so sure if I would like it or not. I kept reading it and really enjoyed it. Now I want to read the second one. I fell in love with some of the characters and loathed some of the characters! I do recommend this book! Very well written!

One person found this helpful

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danielmb

Excellent First Novel

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2021

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This is the first novel by George Fillis about a young Chinese boy whose parents, through foresight and courage, arrange to send their son (Winson) to Canada to escape the turmoil of the Chinese Communist Revolution. The story follows Winson through the harrowing voyage on a freighter bound for Canada, the hardship of indentured servitude after he arrives and the racism he encounters once he finally settles in Collingwood, Ontario. George has done an excellent job of developing the characters to the point that you feel you might someday encounter them walking down the street or run into them at the corner coffee shop. I truly enjoyed this novel and look forward to following the continued life journey of Winson in future novels.

2 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

eye opening history lesson

Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2023

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Here in the US, Canada is always portrayed as so tolerant. This is even recent history. Very informative told in good story form.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

cindy

An Immigrates Struggle

Reviewed in Canada on June 6, 2022

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The story takes place in a sad time for immigrates in their struggle to adapt to a new culture and face the prejudices of the time.

Kindle Customer

Recommend

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 19, 2022

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Fascinating book. I could not put down. Very real characters. Well researched historical facts. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read next in the series.

ron matsu

A fascinating journey!

Reviewed in Canada on June 26, 2021

Verified Purchase

I enjoyed learning about the historical trafficking of young Chinese men and the corruption in communities that either turned a blind eye or benefited from the situation. Racism in Canada should be always be exposed whether the events occurred a hundred years ago or now. I started to lose some interest when the romantic chapters became so detailed.

One person found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Excellent

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 10, 2022

Verified Purchase

Excellent story. Captivating. Well written, now into the next novel
To continue t he the story. Good read and more

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A Heart To Survive: first Novel in the Collingwood Series Kindle Edition

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