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Peony
Peony: A Novel of China | Pearl S. Bück
10 posts | 9 read | 9 to read
A young Chinese woman falls in love with a Jewish man in nineteenth-century China in this evocative novel by the Nobel Prize–winning author of The Good Earth. In 1850s China, a young girl, Peony, is sold to work as a bondmaid for a rich Jewish family in Kaifeng. Jews have lived for centuries in this region of the country, but by the mid-nineteenth century, assimilation has begun taking its toll on their small enclave. When Peony and the family’s son, David, grow up and fall in love with one another, they face strong opposition from every side. Tradition forbids the marriage, and the family already has a rabbi’s daughter in mind for David. Long celebrated for its subtle and even-handed treatment of colliding traditions, Peony is an engaging coming-of-age story about love, identity, and the tragedy and beauty found at the intersection of two disparate cultures. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Pearl S. Buck including rare images from the author’s estate.
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review
hissingpotatoes
Peony: A Novel of China | Pearl S. Bück
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Mehso-so

3/5â­ The description implies it's a love story, but it's really not. This book takes place during the decline/assimilation of Jewish culture in Kaifeng, China in the 1800s & the tensions that result. The afterword about the historical context is helpful. There's a common theme throughout of sadness vs happiness that I found thoughtful. The midpoint takes a wild turn that I didn't think fit with the tone of what came before or after. #buzzwordathon

14 likes1 comment
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RedCurly
Peony: A Novel of China | Pearl S. Bück
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Mehso-so

By this far this is my least favourite Pearl S. Buck novel I have read. I didn't really feel the deepness of the story and the love. However, I did not know anything about the Jewish community in Chine, so I am glad I read it.

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Cinfhen
Peony: A Novel of China | Pearl S. Bück
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Mehso-so

I‘m befuddled, this was written by Pearl S. Buck,but parts felt like it was penned by a lovesick 12 year old.
What I liked:
1.Learning about the history of Jews in China
2.Chinese customs and how the wealthy families lived in the early 1800s
What I disliked:
1. oversimplified characterizations !!!!
2. Cheesy romance
3. Good vs Evil trope - one dimensional look at religion East v West

Disappointing ğŸ˜
#SetInChina #Booked2022

Bookzombie I just watched your Book-Sized Book Chat! You were great! It was so lovely to see you “live.†💕💕 3y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Sounds like some legit concerns … 3y
Cinfhen Shawn is GREAT but I felt like an idiot @Bookzombie so you will not be seeing a second appearance 😜 3y
TrishB Oh I‘ll have to have a watch! I haven‘t watched mine as couldn‘t look at myself! 3y
Cinfhen Yours was GREAT @TrishB not so much mine. 3y
77 likes5 comments
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Cinfhen
Peony: A Novel of China | Pearl S. Bück
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This book should be a knockout home run for me but…. the first half has been pretty awful. The writing feels like it‘s coming from a lovesick 12 year old, not a Pulitzer Prize author & the story which is ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING reads like bad stereotypes. I‘m hoping the book redeems itself in the last half. #Booked2022 #SetInChina

TrishB I‘d have definitely given up! 3y
Cinfhen Ugh, it‘s so frustrating @TrishB I can‘t believe this was written by Pearl S. Buck!!! 🤯 3y
85 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Cinfhen
Peony: A Novel of China | Pearl S. Bück
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Forgot to share my #BookShopFind - will work for #Booked2022 #SetInChina and it sounds FABULOUS
not to discredit the GORGEOUS cover #CoverCrush

kspenmoll What a joyful burst of color to wake up to this Monday morning!!!! Thank you! 3y
alisiakae What a gorgeous photo! 😠3y
Cinfhen Thanks @kspenmoll @4thhouseontheleft 🥰💠3y
See All 15 Comments
Chelsea.Poole Your flowers 😠3y
AmyG Oooo all the beautiful colors. â¤ï¸ 3y
Crazeedi You've outdone yourself with this pic Cindy!! Gorgeous 🥀🌺🌼⚘🌷 3y
DivineDiana Beautiful flowers and book! â¤ï¸ 3y
TheBookHippie Wow!! 3y
JamieArc I had planned on reading a different Pearl S Buck book for this prompt, but I may just have to go with this one! 3y
Cinfhen Thanks so much friends â£ï¸â£ï¸â£ï¸This bouquet is EXTRA colorful and it‘s a small little bunch of wildflowers but they make a HUGE impact @DivineDiana @Crazeedi @AmyG @Chelsea.Poole and I‘m happy to send u the book @JamieArc after I read it!!! It sounds super fascinating and something I wasn‘t aware of. Jewish families living in 1800 China (edited) 3y
LeahBergen Gorgeous photo! And these editions of Buck‘s novels all have amazing covers. 😠3y
Cinfhen I didn‘t realize it‘s part of a special edition @LeahBergen it‘s really gorgeous and even the paper quality & font is lovely. 3y
Centique I am always always in love with your flowers. It‘s so hot and humid here at the moment - I was given lilies for Christmas but they curled up as soon as they opened. (I‘m sure you get hotter than us though - we‘re just not used to it being over 80 fahrenheit) 3y
Cinfhen It does get VERY HOT here @Centique but I use a florist that doesn‘t import any flowers, only uses local growers so in theory I‘m getting flowers that are able to withstand the climate. And I like that I‘m supporting local farmers/growers 💜🧡💜 3y
Centique @Cinfhen that‘s a great way of doing it. I think these were local but greenhouse ones, couldn‘t take the outside heat. 3y
85 likes1 stack add15 comments
review
MarieReverie
Peony: A Novel of China | Pearl S. Bück
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Pickpick

This is my second book into my Peal S. Buck adventure and I‘m really happy about it. Peony is a Chinese girl in a Jewish household in China. She is a bondmaid which is basically a nicer word for indentured servant or even slave because she was bought and is owned by her “familyâ€. I really felt that I could understand her thoughts and feelings very well in this book. I would recommend.

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Purple610
Peony: A Novel of China | Pearl S. Bück
Pickpick

My second Pearl S. Buck novel, another strong 5 stars. Her prose is so lovely the story rich with culture and humanity it is so refreshing. The layers of emotion and internal struggle for the charactes make you feel like they are speaking directly to you. Plus, I love stories about these lost details in history - very engaging and highly recommended book.

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Purple610
Peony: A Novel of China | Pearl S. Bück
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Purple610
Peony: A Novel of China | Pearl S. Bück
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I love bits of poetry thrown into novels...how lovely it is when you learn your protagonist is a closet-poet â¤

review
Jill
Peony: A Novel of China | Pearl S. Bück
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Pickpick

I loved this historical fiction that looked at the conflict between assimilation and maintaining a cultural heritage when an immigrant population is treated kindly instead of being marginalized. Fascinating imagining of the last days of a Jewish community in 19th century China.

5 likes1 stack add