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A review by book_concierge
Peony in Love by Lisa See
3.0
Audio book narrated by Janet Song
In 17th century China, Peony has grown up as the only child of the wealthy Chen family. Her father is a scholar and he has encouraged his daughter’s love of books, opera and poetry. Now, two days before her sixteenth birthday, the household is preparing for a presentation of the famous Chinese opera – The Peony Pavilion, and her father has made special arrangements so that women will be able to hear the performance. The opera is controversial because many young maidens have been lured to their deaths by the strong emotions engendered by the love story.
This is a very Chinese story. Steeped in the long-held traditions of ancestor worship, belief in spirits and strict societal roles, See manages to present a story that celebrates feminism and the women writers who are all but forgotten today. I found it difficult to engage in the novel because of this deep tradition; it was, simply put, too foreign to me. I kept judging Peony and the other characters by my present-day standards. I was irritated by the restrictions she and other women so easily accepted. I caught on to several plot twists long before Peony realized them. I just had to keep reminding myself of her sheltered upbringing, her youth and inexperience.
Song’s narration didn’t help this. She has a slow, almost ponderous delivery, which just did not breathe any life into the work.
What I found most interesting was the author note at the very end of the book. See’s assignment to do a magazine piece about Lincoln Center’s full-length production of The Peony Pavilion led her to information about the lovesick maidens. Intrigued, she did further research and found a wealth of information about the accomplished women writers in China. I appreciate that she tried to pay homage to them in this work, but I think the story got away from her.
In 17th century China, Peony has grown up as the only child of the wealthy Chen family. Her father is a scholar and he has encouraged his daughter’s love of books, opera and poetry. Now, two days before her sixteenth birthday, the household is preparing for a presentation of the famous Chinese opera – The Peony Pavilion, and her father has made special arrangements so that women will be able to hear the performance. The opera is controversial because many young maidens have been lured to their deaths by the strong emotions engendered by the love story.
This is a very Chinese story. Steeped in the long-held traditions of ancestor worship, belief in spirits and strict societal roles, See manages to present a story that celebrates feminism and the women writers who are all but forgotten today. I found it difficult to engage in the novel because of this deep tradition; it was, simply put, too foreign to me. I kept judging Peony and the other characters by my present-day standards. I was irritated by the restrictions she and other women so easily accepted. I caught on to several plot twists long before Peony realized them. I just had to keep reminding myself of her sheltered upbringing, her youth and inexperience.
Song’s narration didn’t help this. She has a slow, almost ponderous delivery, which just did not breathe any life into the work.
What I found most interesting was the author note at the very end of the book. See’s assignment to do a magazine piece about Lincoln Center’s full-length production of The Peony Pavilion led her to information about the lovesick maidens. Intrigued, she did further research and found a wealth of information about the accomplished women writers in China. I appreciate that she tried to pay homage to them in this work, but I think the story got away from her.