Lisa See's latest endeavor, Peony in Love, is destined to be as successful as her previous novel, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. With too much intelligent history to be pegged a romance, Peony in Love is, indeed, romantic. It is a tale of love and death in 17th century China - a time of Cataclysm and a place where, pound for pound, salt was more valuable than women. Painting her words on a ghostly dreamscape, See once again explores themes of love, language and the strength of women amidst a revealing and sometimes disturbing history.
Already promised in marriage, young Peony Chen falls in love under the spell of her favorite opera, The Peony Pavillion. Fated to follow in the footsteps of the opera's heroine, Peony dies of lovesickness soon thereafter. It is only after she dies and her tortured soul waits to be dispersed in the proper way that she learns her beloved and her betrothed (Wu Ren) were one in the same. Now a hungry ghost, Peony hopes to be reconciled with Wu Ren just as her opera heroine was reunited with her own true love.
But Peony confronts many obstacles, the least of which is the unfinished state of her written critical commentary on The Peony Pavillion. Although abundant in number and talent, China's earliest female writers were often published posthumously and anonymously. Yet, working between the worlds of life and death, Peony manages to have her work published and, more important, her words recognized by Wu Ren.
What kind of reconciliation can Peony possibly expect when so many ancient rules were broken, so many rituals left unperformed? How can a ghost-wife love a husband who loves someone else? See's rich writing style will keep you turning pages for answers. Drawing from resources including Tang Xianzu's opera The Peony Pavillion (first published in 1598), Wu Wushan's Three Wives' Collaborative Commentary on The Peony Pavillion, Jingmei Chen's dissertation The Dream World of Love-Sick Maidens, a plethora of scholarly research and personal interviews, See weaves a haunting blend of history and love.
Peony in Love
Random House (June 26, 2007)
ISBN: 140006466X
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Comments: 34
is currently reading Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
and says she likes it very much.
Thanks for your most excellent review. Lisa See was able to set Peony in her own historical context, as part woman, part bigger-than-life opera heroine, and, most of all, an artist trying desperately to create from beyond death.
Your review was able to weave all of these elements together while never putting the revisionist politics front and center. You were able to capture how See is able to tell her story while always keeping the beauty of language and her craft first priority.
Thank you for this.
Kim K.
The main characters in this story are real people as are many of the events. Historical accuracy and vivid imagery truly set this novel apart. I found it to be written in a style and genre all its own.
Many thanks for commenting!
Your article made me want to read this book. I love the mix of history and culture with a little bit of fantasy. I have not read anything by this author but she sounds very good. Perhaps a good bookclub selection? TTYL
You're too kind! I won't write about the ones I don't like unless I specifically asked.
Have you read The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri- I enjoyed that exploration of the immigrant Indian experience. I also enjoyed The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, though I must admit that it's exploration of the darker side of Indian culture is beautifully depressing. I also am planning to read some of Gail Tsukiyama's novels this summer, which explore Japanese culture.
So many books, and time is so limited. *sigh*
I don't think I've been so excited to read a book in quite some time. I fell in love with Lisa See's work when I read On Gold Mountain years ago. You've written this with such enticing flair that I'm all but chomping at the bit to hit the book store this evening.
Well done!
Chris, I adored 'Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress' and have read many books about China's Cultural Revolution. I have not read Roy but found Tsukiyama to be a beatuiful writer. I enjoyed 'The Namesake' very much and had the great fortune to meet Jhumpa Lahiri when she was in Minneapolis promoting her wonderful story collection interpreter of maladies.
Elinor, I'd love to take a closer look at your children's book even though I don't have any little ones around right now.
Thank you.