• Pavilion of Women

  • By: Pearl S. Buck
  • Narrated by: Adam Verner
  • Length: 15 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (446 ratings)

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Pavilion of Women  By  cover art

Pavilion of Women

By: Pearl S. Buck
Narrated by: Adam Verner
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Publisher's summary

On her 40th birthday, Madame Wu carries out a decision she has been planning for a long time: she tells her husband that after 24 years their physical life together is now over and she wishes him to take a second wife. The House of Wu, one of the oldest and most revered in China, is thrown into an uproar by her decision, but Madame Wu will not be dissuaded and arranges for a young country girl to come take her place in bed.

Elegant and detached, Madame Wu orchestrates this change as she manages everything in the extended household of more than sixty relatives and servants. Alone in her own quarters, she relishes her freedom and reads books she has never been allowed to touch. When her son begins English lessons, she listens, and is soon learning from the "foreigner," a free-thinking priest named Brother Andre, who will change her life.

Pavilion of Women is a thought-provoking combination of Old China, unorthodox Christianity, and liberation, written by Pearl S. Buck, a Nobel Prize winner born and raised in China. Few stories raise so many questions about the nature and roles of men and women, about self-discipline and happiness. At the center is the amazing Madame Wu - brilliant, beautiful, full of contradictions and authority.

©1990 Pearl S. Buck (P)2011 Oasis Audio

What listeners say about Pavilion of Women

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    259
  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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Performance
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  • 4 Stars
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Story
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
    38
  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Horrible narration!

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narrator! I'm not sure what else because I had to stop it after a while. I couldn't stand anymore.

What did you like best about this story?

It seemed as wonderful as Pearl S. Buck's other work, from what I could hear. I'll definitely just buy a hard copy and read it for myself.

What didn’t you like about Adam Verner’s performance?

First of all, why have a man narrate a story told from a woman's perspective? I guess it still could have been okay, but he was very monotone and sometimes I felt that he enunciated words in really strange ways, putting emphasis on random syllables and sounds. Sometimes I also felt that he was trying to add a mild version of a cheesy chinese accent. It almost seemed like he was being snide about the characters, like he didn't like them. I may try again and see if I can get used to his style, but it's doubtful.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Life

Amazing book. I read at 17 and now 62 years old with dIfferent meanings and feelings about life, relationships, and faith.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

lovely story

l liked the story but not the narrator. most of the charatures were women and I did,nt feel that he embraced their differences, also he dragged in tempo.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Meh...

I'm a fan of Pearl S. Buck and very much enjoyed the Good Earth, but this book just didn't do it for me. The premise was intriguing to me, but the story is so flat and the reading so monotone, that I find myself just tuning it out and having to re-listen to whole chapters. I never finished it.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Flawlessly beautiful!

A flawlessly written story of how tradition, age old ways and upbringing mould our lives and can change the course of them so quickly. A beautiful quietly strong story, written with flawless beauty that makes you want to close your eyes and be transported into forgotten lands where blossoms, ratan walls, green and jasmine tea and flowing silks quietly form your life. Fragrant rice, small bites of delicious sweetmeats and where all is still and well ordered. But its not! Human spirit, wilfulness and personalities are the same across all cultures and we cannot force people to do what we wish without suffering the consequences.

After finishing this book, I wanted more, I wanted just another few chapters..

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not as good as expected

Interesting insight into the rural high class pre-revolution China, both in their every day lives and their strict cultural structure.
Started confusing but engaging, getting to know the different characters and personalities.
Madame Wu started as a wise, kind head of the household, only to turn into an overly exaggerated fountain of goodness and wisdom. Could not understand the origin of such deep love for Andre, considering the limited time the novel puts them together. Andre is another over the top wise and generous soul. Her constant thoughts of him ended up boring me and couldn't wait for the book to end.
The narration was fine, but I might have enjoyed it more narrated by a woman.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Pavilion of Women

A fairly interesting story about the perceived role and status of men and women in Chinese society in the early part of the 20th C. The struggle between duty and desire runs through the course of the novel. Having listened to Peony earlier, I couldn't help comparing the two. I found Peony more engaging and better crafted as a story.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly Boring

Would you try another book from Pearl S. Buck and/or Adam Verner?

I really like Pearl Buck and have read a lot of it, but this is really slow going. Thinking of returning it.

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

Narration is good. Too bad the story puts you to sleep.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent! I discover a new perspective every time

What an insightful writer. A timeless period piece. Loved every word. I have read all of her books.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love Immortal

An excellent book, worthy of reading and listening to! The depth of writing and the immortality of morals make it a serious study of the human nature.

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2 people found this helpful