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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

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.

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 �
#SetInChina #Booked2022

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

Forgot to share my #BookShopFind - will work for #Booked2022 #SetInChina and it sounds FABULOUS
not to discredit the GORGEOUS cover #CoverCrush

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.

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.

I love bits of poetry thrown into novels...how lovely it is when you learn your protagonist is a closet-poet �

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.