Unrequited Love - Rated 
The heroine of this novel is Peony a teenage girl living in C17 China under the cultural restrictions of the era.
Using the plot of the ancient Chinese opera `The Peony Pavilion' as the framework for the story Lisa See has weaved historical fact with fiction to write of the emotional and ghostly bonds between three sister wives. Chen Tong (Peony), Tan Ze and Qian Yi were all real women and although it is known for a fact that Chen Tong's name was changed because it was the same as her future mother in laws, it is not know what name was chosen. Lisa See has kept to historical fact as far as possible and although it is thought that Peony never actually met Wu Ren it is true that he wanted his wives to be acknowledged and approved the publication of their work.
A tragic romance, Peony is actually only alive for the first part of the novel (95 pages) after which she is a `ghost' living in the afterlife. She died at sixteen, an innocent young girl, from love-sickness, by starving herself to death. As before her arranged wedding day she meets a young man and falls in love She learns far more about life and love after her death than she could have known after such a short life.
It was fascinating to read about the beliefs of the Chinese in the after life, very complicated!
This novel did not have the same impact on me as Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, but is nonetheless worth reading, especially if you are interested in learning more about the role of women in Chinese culture.
Rollercoaster Ride - Rated 
This book starts of wonderfully, superb detailed, imaginable description(which does continue throughout), wonderful scene setting, and it entices you with the excitement the young couple experience in their secret meetings and the curiosity of what the future will hold for them...
However after the first section of the book finishes and Peony's life as a ghost kicks in it becomes quite disappointing. Peony restricts herself to one room within the Wu household with the task of making Ze a good wife in the bedroom and also her puppet for her project. That feeling of restriction can be felt by the reader through the lack of real plot at this point within the book. Through Peony's use of Ze as puppet Lisa See goes beyond blurring the lines of historical & fantastical fiction. And with Chinese culture being a prominent theme within the text and their belief of demons & ghosts it brings an almost unbelievable or unrealistic aspect.
Once Ze passes on and Peony meets her mother and beings to repent the text does thankfully improve. The bond between a mother and daughter is brought to the forefront of the text bringing real, identifiable emotion which the book lacked in the second section.
Overall it was readable, i wouldn't read it again, but the description & detail the author puts into the text is exquisite, it cannot be faulted in that respect. Any book is always worth a read...
Love is of source unknown, yet it grows ever deeper - Rated
The old theme of star-crossed lovers takes an Oriental twist in this historical period drama about a love-struck young girl, an enamored poet, and the opera that not only brings them together but casts them apart.
This story is about Peony, a young woman and only child of a wealthy family. Set in seventeenth century China, when well brought up young women weren't allowed to be seen or heard, especially by strange men, Peony's father organizes a theatrical performance of the opera "The Peony Pavilion", and although her mother doesn't want her to see it, arrangements are made for a screen to be erected, behind which the women can get a glimpse of the epic opera. Peony is a big fan of "The Peony Pavilion", having collected many editions, reading and memorizing many of the popular segments, but even though seeing it live is a big thrill, she becomes more interested in observing a young man sitting in the audience.
Risking her reputation, she wanders off on her own, and as fate would have it, she encounters the young man in an isolated place, where they discover that they enjoy each other's company very much. Unfortunately, Peony is already betrothed by way of an arranged marriage, and as the big day approaches she spends her days dreaming of the young man and obsessively recording her thoughts in an edition of the great opera, refusing food and ignoring the advice of the doctors and other experts that come to see her. From this point her life takes a dramatic turn with a cruel twist, and the story and the opera fuse together in elaborate fashion, becoming a dark fantasy full of ghosts, superstition and tradition.
The author lingers over the historical details, the proud traditions, the poetry of the opera and the protocols of the afterlife, as well as other remarkable activities such as foot binding and embroidery, and although this is an extremely poignant and melancholy book, it is so rich in description that you won't want to put it down. A dramatic, absorbing and informative story that will remain with you for a long time after you've finished reading it.
Amanda Richards
Snowflower crossed with The Lovely Bones - Rated 
I loved Snowflower and the Secret Fan so much I didn't think Lisa See could equal it, but with Peony in Love she does. At first I thought it would be about Snowflower's daughter Peony from the first novel, but it's actually set even further back in time, in 17th century China. Foot-binding is still a major theme, though not described in such terrifying detail this time round.Chinese Renaissance opera and a woman's right to write are new themes. The novel, in a faintly satirical but wholly compelling way, also focuses on the complex rituals associated with the afterworld in Chinese mythology. Peony's first person narration and all the sumptuous detail of sights, sounds and smells keep the novel
fresh and modern.
|
