I always enjoy books by Anchee Min. I have read all her books and enjoyed Pearl of China as much as the others. The character of Willow is interesting and thoughtful. Her friendship with Pearl is very powerful and we discover the depth of Pearl's love of China and Willow in the final chapters of the book. Reading this book has encouraged me to seek out books by Pearl S. Buck to learn more about China and it's people.
Ok, I was trying to get a good sense of how I felt reading this book. I read The Last Empress and I also read The Good Earth. Because I had a little insight of the author and her subject, I thought I would LOVE this book. I didn't. The Last Empress was full of color and life; this book wasn't. The Good Earth was deep and emotional; this book wasn't.
I have deep respect for both authors and it is very interesting to understand the life of an American with a Chinese heart in China in the early 1900's. I just didn't get a sense of passion in the writing. I think Min tried too hard. I feel like she was walking on a razor's edge, not to insult, not to idolize. I feel like she has so much emotion about the subject but couldn't give it to the story (for fear of offending???). There is a lot of history, but also speculation of the events. I felt some of it was contrived and wished upon the characters. One can get a sense of a character's heroism without the hero being perfect or wonderful. Too much good intention leads to a story without depth.
I think there was too much left unsaid - maybe Min didn't know? I wanted more about the exact condition of her daughter. I wanted more depth on her relationship with her husband, good or bad; or her lover. I felt like a distant observer. Maybe Min could have taken just a couple incidents from Buck's life and really dug deep. The most I got in emotion was fear and frustration and there wasn't really any resolution, good or bad.
I wanted to love this book, but I didn't. I wasn't even interested in finishing it. I wanted to be interested...
I have to give the book a couple stars because I respect Min's attempt on this work and her reasons for her desire to do it. I also have admiration for Pearl Buck, to write about the country that was her heart and do it with such passion.
I have deep respect for both authors and it is very interesting to understand the life of an American with a Chinese heart in China in the early 1900's. I just didn't get a sense of passion in the writing. I think Min tried too hard. I feel like she was walking on a razor's edge, not to insult, not to idolize. I feel like she has so much emotion about the subject but couldn't give it to the story (for fear of offending???). There is a lot of history, but also speculation of the events. I felt some of it was contrived and wished upon the characters. One can get a sense of a character's heroism without the hero being perfect or wonderful. Too much good intention leads to a story without depth.
I think there was too much left unsaid - maybe Min didn't know? I wanted more about the exact condition of her daughter. I wanted more depth on her relationship with her husband, good or bad; or her lover. I felt like a distant observer. Maybe Min could have taken just a couple incidents from Buck's life and really dug deep. The most I got in emotion was fear and frustration and there wasn't really any resolution, good or bad.
I wanted to love this book, but I didn't. I wasn't even interested in finishing it. I wanted to be interested...
I have to give the book a couple stars because I respect Min's attempt on this work and her reasons for her desire to do it. I also have admiration for Pearl Buck, to write about the country that was her heart and do it with such passion.
