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_sequel_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Initially, the most jarring scene could have been any one of the cultural differences with how women were treated in this era in Peony’s country relative to my own, but the brutal physical mutilation required for foot binding was really jarring. I totally understand the value and cultural significance, but I was woefully underprepared for the lack of anesthesia for these young girls, or the length of the healing process as their feet are wrapped increasingly tighter.
All that behind us, the book was compelling but I was very frustrated by the end of Book One. How could Peony not look at her husband-to-be when her father presents him to the audience? How could she refuse to eat so long when it seems so predictable to the reader who he actually is? I should stop making predictions, clearly.
That being said, Book Two was frustrating in a different way, in that in the midst of this very cool introduction to the rules of the spiritual afterlife, Peony acts hyper-controlling and awful to her fiancee’s new wife in ways that are just plain gross. Of course we want the fiancee to be happy once he moves on from his grief over Peony, but she took it too far. Thank god in Book 3 she acknowledges that.
I’m convinced I 100% need to read more historical context about this book because from start to finish, the love story was interesting but the war and opera and regime that it was placed in and around was just absolutely riveting. Definitely helped make this book worth the read!
All that behind us, the book was compelling but I was very frustrated by the end of Book One. How could Peony not look at her husband-to-be when her father presents him to the audience? How could she refuse to eat so long when it seems so predictable to the reader who he actually is? I should stop making predictions, clearly.
That being said, Book Two was frustrating in a different way, in that in the midst of this very cool introduction to the rules of the spiritual afterlife, Peony acts hyper-controlling and awful to her fiancee’s new wife in ways that are just plain gross. Of course we want the fiancee to be happy once he moves on from his grief over Peony, but she took it too far. Thank god in Book 3 she acknowledges that.
I’m convinced I 100% need to read more historical context about this book because from start to finish, the love story was interesting but the war and opera and regime that it was placed in and around was just absolutely riveting. Definitely helped make this book worth the read!
samraetom's review
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
stephaniesteen73's review against another edition
3.0
I found this book extremely difficult to get into, and actually considered abandoning it near the end of Book One. This is definitely not my usual genre - magical realism? lovesick spirits? - but it sucked me in and I did enjoy the ending. Interesting historical details too - 1500s(?)era China, complete with Manchus, footbinding, ancestor worship, etc.
anjalisudarsan's review against another edition
4.0
Loved learning about Chinese customs and their afterlife, it was very new to me! The whole lovesickness theme was depressing, especially women starving to death while in love, but the pacing worked so well (Lisa see is a brilliant author). Had me engaged right up till the end.
daumari's review against another edition
3.0
Quick read. Wondering if some of the alluded-to verses are in my premodern Chinese lit books (though maybe not- is 1600s considered premodern?)A bit of a love story, a bit of a ghost story, with a root in historical fact.
egalindo's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
yellowhouselady's review against another edition
The writing was not great. I have enjoyed a couple other of Lisa See’s books. Maybe this was an early one?
jbridges99's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the 2nd half of the book better than the first half - no spoiler but the "after" part was better than the "before".
nizzlebee's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
eggjen's review against another edition
3.0
There were things I liked about this one and other things I didn't like. I felt like the plot on a whole was very interesting and unique but sometimes the main character seemed way too slow to pick up on really obvious things. I much prefered See's previous book, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan but it was still a good book for the most part.