Peony in Love

A Novel

By: Lisa See

Narrated by: Janet Song

Length: 13 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

"I finally understand what the poets have written. In spring, moved to passion; in autumn only regret."

For young Peony, betrothed to a suitor she has never met, these lyrics from The Peony Pavilion mirror her own longings. In the garden of the Chen Family Villa, amid the scent of ginger, green tea, and jasmine, a small theatrical troupe is performing scenes from this epic opera, a live spectacle few females have ever seen. Like the heroine in the drama, Peony is the cloistered daughter of a wealthy family, trapped like a good-luck cricket in a bamboo-and-lacquer cage. Though raised to be obedient, Peony has dreams of her own.

Peony's mother is against her daughter's attending the production: "Unmarried girls should not be seen in public". But Peony's father assures his wife that proprieties will be maintained, and that the women will watch the opera from behind a screen. Yet through its cracks, Peony catches sight of an elegant, handsome man with hair as black as a cave and is immediately overcome with emotion.

So begins Peony's unforgettable journey of love and destiny, desire and sorrow as Lisa See's haunting novel, based on actual historical events, takes readers back to 17th-century China, after the Manchus seize power and the Ming dynasty is crushed.

Steeped in traditions and ritual, this story brings to life another time and place, and even the intricate realm of the afterworld, with its protocols, pathways, and stages of existence, a vividly imagined place where one's soul is divided into three, ancestors offer guidance, misdeeds are punished, and hungry ghosts wander the earth.

Immersed in the richness and magic of the Chinese vision of the afterlife, transcending even death, Peony in Love explores, beautifully, the many manifestations of love. Ultimately, Lisa See's new novel addresses universal themes: the bonds of friendship, the power of words, and the age-old desire of women to be heard.

©2007 Lisa See (P)2007 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

“A complex period tapestry inscribed with the age-old tragedy of love and death.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“Electrifying... a fascinating and often surprising story of women helping women, women hurting women and women misunderstanding each other.” (The Miami Herald)

“See mines an intriguing vein of Chinese history... weaving fact and fiction into a dense romantic tapestry of time and place as she meditates on the meaning of love, the necessity of self-expression and the influence of art.” (Los Angeles Times)

Not what I was expecting

This was an amazing story. What even makes it more interesting is the authors note at the end, so make sure you listen to it!

Well-written, beautifully read

Although tough to stick with at points, I'm glad I stayed through the end. This book is beautifully written and read perfectly, rich in detail and well-researched and constructed. So much of what I already knew of Chinese culture was put into context in a way that made it real for me. I wish I had heard the author's notes before I heard the book, however, because I know I would have appreciated it more had I realized as I was listening that it was a work of historical fiction that was actually based in fact, even though it would have given some of the story away. In any case, the characters have stayed with me - a sure sign of a good "read."

Gorgeous Cultural Story

Bringing a beautiful rendition of a love story set in the time of the Manchu Dynasty of seventeenth-century China, 'Peony in Love' is overflowing with culture, character, and poetry.

In the audiobook version, the reader brings a delicate balance between the dialog and internal monologue of the character telling the tale - Peony herself, who has fallen in love to a man she saw against all rules and tradition, even though she is bound to someone else. Peony's tale is full of woe and love, and told with a supernatural flair that reminded me of 'The Lovely Bones,' only set in another time and place, and had the depth of culture of 'Memoirs of a Geisha.'

The book is heavy with history, the pressure and oppression placed on women in the time period, and a truly selfless kind of love story that left me smiling, even amidst the seemingly endless despair.

The Author's Notes are very worthy as well - listen to them and you'll see just how much of See's book was based on historical evidence, and you'll likely gain new respect for the author, as I did, for the efforts she undertook.

All in all, an extremely worthwhile listening experience.

A long road to mediocre

This was a bookclub pick...so I had to stick with it. I'll start by saying that the narration was superb! The story was interesting enough...easy to predict some of the events, but I was really ambivalent about the main character. Can't say I was eager to keep listening. When I got to the end I was really underwhelmed. Would I recommend?...probably not. There is however, a pretty graphic foot-binding description. Curiosity got me to look up Chinese footbinding on Google Images... put it all in perspective.

haunting

This was a strange book; it did not follow the same type format that I expected. There were unexpected twists and turns, and I kept getting irritated with the main character for not doing what I considered to be obvious (in our culture, not in hers). I found I liked it more after I had finished it- it was one of those books that you keep thinking about.

Life Imitating Art

This book is a story of life imitating art.

Peony becomes obsessed with the opera, "The Peony Pavillion" and with a young man she meets when her father stages a production of the opera. While she longs for her young poet, she knows that she is betrothed to another man and that she will never have more than the three meetings with the man she loves. She becomes love sick, and dies before her wedding, just like the main character in the opera. Can her poet and their love bring her back to life, just like story line of "The Peony Pavillion"?

I really like the point of view of this story. For most of the novel, the narrator is Peony's ghost. The afterlife believed by the Chinese is wonderfully portrayed by this story. Love doesn't die with death. Love continues on in the spirit world.

Not only does love continue in the spirit world, but also the desire to be heard. It is that desire that drives Peony more than the desire for love. That desire is what fuels her obsession with the opera and her project of writing a commentary on it.

I'll be thinking of this story for a while.

I thought the narrator was a bit breathy and it took me a while to get into her style. However, I appreciated her far more after I listened to the sample of the abridged audiobook.

technical difficulties?

i rated the performance low, not because of the narrator but because it seemed words were cutoff at the beginning of sentences. maybe this was due to a technical issue and my player?

Haunting and moving

I love books like these that tell history in a way that’s easy to understand and makes you think

a lot of fun

this was a really fun listen; the narration is quite good and the story is a pleasure. a superb bit of light but interesting fiction.

peony in love

Very good. well written and well read. Tells the life a Chinese girl moving towards womanhood and includes customs of that period.