Peony

A Novel of China

By: Pearl S. Buck

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

Young Peony is sold into a rich Chinese household as a bondmaid - an awkward role in which she is more a servant, but less a daughter. As she grows into a lovely, provocative young woman, Peony falls in love with the family's only son. However, tradition forbids them to wed. How she resolves her love for him and her devotion to her adoptive family unfolds in this profound tale, based on true events in China over a century ago.

©1948 Pearl S Buck (P)2011 Oasis

Engrossing

Putting aside the amazingly poor pronunciation of some of the words which makes me think it may be done by AI, both the book and the last chapter were edifying and culturally fascinating. Worth a listen.

A good read

Any additional comments?

Peony is the first book I have read by Pearl S. Buck and it will not be the last. I plan to now move to her most famous work The Good Earth. Peony tells the story of a Jewish family living in China around 1850 and weaves deftly personal and cultural conflicts with serviceable and comfortable prose. The plot has twists and resists a pat ending. The afterword provided the historical background and helpfully pointed out spots where Buck took literary license in the chronology of the Jewish diaspora into China.

Enjoyable Book

What did you love best about Peony?

I really enoyed this book. The srory line was good, with interesting characters. I first thought the book was just a romantic tale between the upper and poorer classes of Imperial China, but it was more complex that that. I hadn't realised that there had been such a strong Jewish comunity in China at that time, so it was historically very interesting too.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed the way it was written, it seemed to flow well. The characters were all interesting and drew you in,

What about Kirsten Potter’s performance did you like?

I thought it was well narrated.

Any additional comments?

I would probably liten to this again sometime.

Great story!

This is historical fiction novel but much of what the author writes is based on facts about a Jewish family who is living in China in the 19th century, The end of the book gives some great historical facts about how the Jews came to China as they were forced to leave their homeland. A great story!

Not what I expected

The whole story was unfilled love... a Jewish girl commits suicide bec David doesn't love her. David discovers his love for Peony too late, and married for prettiness. His mom dies unfilled in their religion is forgotten and he doesn't marry someone to carry it on and that loves him Peony constructs a marriage when she loves David...makes no sense to me! There wasn't as much history/tradition in the story until the last chapter. It wasn't really a "love" or romance story. It was just an ordinary story of Jews in China who completely forget their religion. pointless