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There are currently 35 member reviews
for Pearl of China
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Jo K. (Saratoga, CA)
Not her best, but very good.
I would heartily recommend this book for any book club especially in combination with reading "The Good Earth" and "Red Azalea" (both of which I loved)...I think to have read all three would make for an incredible and animated discussion that would long be remembered.
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Mary Lou F. (Naples, FL)
Different cultures make good friends
You can be of a different culture and faith and still be good friends with someone as Pearl and Willow showed. Chinese culture is so different from American culture and it is hard to understand the differences but if you have a friend of either culture, each can understand the other.
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Krista H. (Grayslake, IL)
Pearl fan
I am a huge Pearl Buck fan so was very excited to receive this book. I did enjoy the book, but wasn't blown away by it. The writing wasn't a good as I was hoping for, but I did learn things about Pearl, and China that I found interesting. I have done quite a bit of reading on China in this period, but for someone who hasn't, I believe they would find this book to be very informative. I especially enjoyed that Pearl's missionary family was presented in a positive light. It seems missionaries/Christians are often represented negatively in books. Seeing the impact Pearl's father's mission had on the community he served was enlightening. I would recommend it for book clubs as I think it would generate some good discussions about Chinese culture.
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Elise B. (Macedonia, OH)
More about Pearl
Pearl of China is an excellent portrayal of life in China primarily during the Mao regime. Anchee Min really brings this time period to life with her descriptions of the landscape, adaptability of the people, and day to day life. The main character, Willow, has a beautiful and touching life-long friendship with Pearl S. Buck; however, I never felt like I got to know Pearl that well. I would have liked Anchee Min to give Pearl more presence and depth.
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Maxine D. (Effingham, IL)
Pearl of China
The title gives the reader the impression that htis book is a fictionalized biography of Pearl S. Buck, but in fact it is a story of an ordinary Chinese woman's life - her trials and tribulations, brought on in part because of her lifelong friendship with Ms. Buck. It presents a well written and graphic view of life in China before, during and after Mao, and as such is a worthy read.
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Karen G. (Los Angeles, CA)
pearl of china
i enjoyed reading it. i didn't find it as riveting as her first book about the cultural revolution. i especially liked the details about Pearl Buck's life in China, i.e.,
her father's obsession with christ, her long suffering mother, her mentally challenged daughter and her unfaithful husband. and the strength that both Willow and Pearl Buck possessed. It might be good for a book club.
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Mary O. (Boston, MA)
Remarkable friendship
The ups and downs of Chinese history are very painful but a great backdrop to this story. It is a beautiful story about an enduring friendship between two very different souls that defied all odds. It brought tears to my eyes as it explored the changes in China as a result of Maoism and the unrelenting persecution of dissenters. What is most gripping is that the author was a first hand participant in China as it was going through the red revolution. An excellent read!
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