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)

Peony, a thoughtful encounter

When I started listening to this book, I wondered why I had selected it. I kept listening to it but about half-way through I nearly decided to give up on it and I wished I had selected the abridged version. It seemed senseless and boring. But just when I had given up hope of it ever becoming interesting, I began to understand what the book was really about.Part 2 was really the best part and I became completely involved in the story. Lisa See's addition to the end of the book was very interesting.

Great Book!

This book was definitely not what I was expecting and a little different than other books by the author but it was still a great and interesting book. I enjoyed the perspective, history, and culture. Really made me stop and think a lot.

4/5

Interesting and thought provoking, but slow at times. I prefer some of Lisa See’s other books.

Sad and pretty

Like most of Lisa See’s work, this one was complex, beautiful, and devastating all at once. It was slow at first to get into which was unlike her other books for me, but I grew attached to the main character even though she was not exactly likable. Overall would recommend. I hope she writes
more books… I’ve read most of them now and am panicking!

Saddened by story, fascinated by culture

Is there anything you would change about this book?

What was most disappointing about Lisa See’s story?

I recognize that this is a personal distaste, and maybe it's because I want things to "work out", but I can't stand the plot-line of missed connections! "If only...." and things like that. But, it is a crucial part of the plot so it can't really be changed.

Was Peony in Love worth the listening time?

I...actually stopped listening after a certain point in the story. I put it away and didn't pick it up again for a long time. Once I did though, I was absolutely fascinated by Chinese death rituals and beliefs surrounding the afterlife. I ostensibly picked this book because I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and LOVED it so I was looking forward to another great book by Lisa See. I found myself unable to get invested in the story after a certain point, I was just so turned off. But then I found out I was going to go live in Hong Kong for a year, so I decided to give it another try. Learning about Chinese culture through this book was the best part about it for me--the story, eh. For me, not so much.

Excellent Cultural Lessons!

What did you love best about Peony in Love?

The strength of the women of this ancient culture and their abilities to endure with grace.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Peony because she was very intelligent, a loving person, an excellent example of her culture's expectations and at the same time willing to look farther.

What does Janet Song bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her voice is the perfect vehicle to transport you through the lives and culture of this story. I own both and thoroughly understand the story deeper with Janet Song's excellent delivery of the story.

If you could take any character from Peony in Love out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Peony's BaBa to find out why he allowed his daughter to stop eating and follow into the ways of the Peony Pavillion.

Any additional comments?

I continue to learn so much of the ways of an ancient culture and I have deep respect for the difficulties the women endured and the dignity by which they carried themselves under the harshest of expectations.

Fantastic.

I was skeptical about the Fantasy elements but this story was gripping and engaging. It was a page turner and I can't stop thinking about the characters.

Different and enjoyable

I don't think I can ever not like a book by Lisa See. This I read after snow flower and the secret fan. I then saw Peony, and amazed by that this was a sequel. Wow, very hauntingly beautiful and perfect smooth way of explaining the Chinese beliefs. The darkest of her novels and most culturally revealing of the ancient foot binding and ghost weddings.

Not what I expected...

I've recently discovered Lisa See and her works and have been very pleased! This book was very different to the others. It's my fault for not reading the synopsis. I was not expecting it to be so "ghostly". I liked it...not as much as her other works but I liked it. I'd recommend her other books before this one.

Beauty in writing...

I am consistently and continually moved by Lisa See's writing. She expresses the passion and sadness in a girl, woman's heart. In this story she illustrates the separation between our romantic yearnings and the truth about love and the divergent worlds of men and women. She is truly more than a novelist, but is a poet who has miraculously channeled the hearts and spirits of many through her writing. Anyone who does not understand what she is trying to say here, should dig deeper. This is not merely for our entertainment...Ms. See is telling us truths we all need to know.