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Women's Fiction
Women of the Silk : A Novel

Women of the Silk : A Novel

List Price: $12.95
Your Price: $9.71
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: simple truths
Review: This book was not all bad. I enjoyed reading about what it was like to be a woman in early 20th century China and was literally appalled by the predicament that these women faced: to choose between completely giving up their rights, freedom, and happiness in marriage and childbearing, or to dedicate their lives to their work (as Pei did, choosing to have a "hairdressing ceremony.") It seemed to me that the author was making a case for the latter being the better choice, presenting a fellowship of women as the ideal under the circumstances, although interestingly enough it was noted various times that these women were looked upon as strange and odd by others. However, I wasn't sure where the romantic relationship between Pei and her best friend- which was presented briefly, then dropped- fit in. Was the point to show that a life of work indeed was not enough for these women? That they also needed a human connection? Furthermore, I didn't find Pei a particularly interesting protagonist. Although she was described as bright and curious, I found her boring and dull- just because one asks many questions does not mean one is intelligent nor interesting. It almost seemed like the purpose of the constant questioning was not to show character development, but rather to advance the storyline or to provide information to the reader. I found Pei so uncharismatic that by the end I didn't really care what her future held. Still, I did enjoy learning about what incredible hardships women faced at this time and place in history.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: so so
Review: This book was not all bad. I enjoyed reading about what it was like to be a woman in early 20th century China and was literally appalled by the predicament that these women faced: to choose between completely giving up their rights, freedom, and happiness in marriage and childbearing, or to dedicate their lives to their work (as Pei did, choosing to have a "hairdressing ceremony.") It seemed to me that the author was making a case for the latter being the better choice, presenting a fellowship of women as the ideal under the circumstances, although interestingly enough it was noted various times that these women were looked upon as strange and odd by others. However, I wasn't sure where the romantic relationship between Pei and her best friend- which was presented briefly, then dropped- fit in. Was the point to show that a life of work indeed was not enough for these women? That they also needed a human connection? Furthermore, I didn't find Pei a particularly interesting protagonist. Although she was described as bright and curious, I found her boring and dull- just because one asks many questions does not mean one is intelligent nor interesting. It almost seemed like the purpose of the constant questioning was not to show character development, but rather to advance the storyline or to provide information to the reader. I found Pei so uncharismatic that by the end I didn't really care what her future held. Still, I did enjoy learning about what incredible hardships women faced at this time and place in history.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Good Read - Enjoyable Book
Review: This book was recommended to me as a good read. I enjoyed it very much and didn't want to put the book down. The book is rich in detail and makes you feel as if you were there watching the story unfold. I have recommended this book to other friends and they liked it. Before you start reading this book get The Language of Threads - so that you can follow the story of Pei.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: simple truths
Review: This is a beautifully written book that contains many truths at many diferent levels. Situated in pre-WWII China, Gail Tsukiyama weaves the story of individuals emerging into self-awareness within a society that is also emerging into a new sense of self. Just as the silk worms are transformed into the threads that make up a rich fabric, the women are transformed into a powerful force within the tapestry of a rich new social order. What was, becomes the foundation of what is to be. In each case, there must be a dying that opens the way for life. Not all cocoons are used for silk because of their own limitations or the limits of those involved in the process ~ and each woman moves into the future within the framework of their own limits and circumstance. This is a book that should be read more than once. Not only does it present an excellent overview of the social-cultural aspects of China in the 1930's but is offers interesting insight into family,friendships, community, human choices and the interplay of the many factors that shape individuals.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good Book with Minor Problems
Review: This is a truly wonderful story that may be universally applicable to all women, though it centers aournd Chinese silk workers. It addresses freedom and independence vs. family constraints and forced passivity. It is a story of women coming in to their own identities, and for that it is valuable.

Nevertheless, the writing lacks sophistication. The author does a lot of "head-popping" within scenes, and so it can lead to confusion about point of view. Additionally, there are several contradictions and inconsistencies within the background and framework of the story. I found these problems to be VERY frustrating, and I thought they impeded the flow of the story.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: OUTSTANDING
Review: This is my new favorite book...was fortunate to discover "Women of the Silk" just before reading "Language of Threads". Highly suggest reading this first...all I can say is I wish Gail Tsukiyama would write a book a month! Loved it!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: STOP! You are NOT Amy Tan!
Review: This is the story of a young Chinese girl named Pei who is sent by her family to work in a silk factory to help save their small farm. She joins the sisterhood of the silk - a group of women who pledge never to marry and who make their own way in the world. I bought this book because all the reviews I had read praised it highly, but the fact of the matter is, this book was such a sleeper, I had to force myself not to throw it out the window, and only finished it out of the morbid curiosity of seeing how ridiculous it could get. This is obviously the author's first novel, but even I can't forgive the common writing mistakes first time novellists make with this particular one. The book is filled with sappy romanticism, unrealistic characters (ie: they don't seem to have any faults- no human being is as perfect as main character Pei) as well as unrealistic, unbelievable events. Moreover, the character development was so poor that I felt no emotion at their misfortunes- my eyebrows didn't even raise at poorly written descriptions of beatings, deaths, abandonments and suicides. Finally, I did not at all feel the sense of urgency and terror of the Japanese invasion of China throughout this book - in an Amy Tan novel, you are caught up in the horror of having to flee from the Japanese, and you run every step with the characters, feeling all of their anguish. I felt nothing of the sort in this book. Not only was the invasion only briefly mentioned at the end of the book as the vehicle for the climax of the story, but the characters seemed only marginally concerned with the danger, and seemed to plod along, taking their sweet time about deciding whether or not to flee.Gail Tsukiyama clearly tried to recreate the feel of the great female novellists Pearl S. Buck and Amy Tan. However, though Pearl S. Buck was an American, she lived in China, among its people, all her life, and when she wrote, she expressed the very soul of that people as if it were her own. "Women of The Silk" lacks that authenticity, that spirit of the people, that intricate detail that takes you along the marketplaces in China, breaks your back working the soil along with the farmers, breaks your heart along with them. And on the other hand, though Amy Tan is a Chinese American who did NOT live in China, she never writes from the perspective of someone who knows everything about the spirit of China- she always writes from the perspective of a Chinese-American woman who is trying to reconcile the old world of her mother with the new one she has grown up with- and THAT is what gives her books the authencity and beauty they always have. "Women of The Silk" is clearly written from the viewpoint of a woman who has grown up in America- the book has a distinctly non-Chinese feel to it. The author puts her American assumptions of how Chinese people think and feel and live into the book, something the aforementioned other authors have never done. It leaves the reader feeling cheated, because part of the enjoyment of reading a story about other cultures comes from viewing the world through THEIR eyes, seeing different viewpoints and customs and habits. I will definitely not be picking up the sequel to this book.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Touching & Gentle
Review: This novel grabbed my attention from the very beginning. I formed an immediate empathy towards Pei, a little girl taken from her home by her father and with her mother's knowledge given to the silk industry. Pei is bright and inquisitive, these traits work both to her advantage and disadvantage. We find the conflict of this story very subtly wrapped in Pei's desire for love and acceptance. Unlike one of the other reviewers, I was happy that she reconciled with her mother near the end of the book and saddened by the death of her friend. In Pei we find a person who is not extraordinary, living a very believeable, simple life with acceptance and a desire to get on with living.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Grace in story-telling
Review: This novel is presented so gracefully one might take it for less than it truely deserves. On the surface, it's emotionally uninvolving, but silently is ever so interesting. Its beauty lies in its simplicity. This rich portrait of a young Chinese girl, Pei, takes you on a journey through the silk sisterhood of the 1920's and 1930's. The exquisite writing style moves quickly, somewhat documentary-like in that there aren't any real unexpected twists to the story. This is a nicely crafted story and I can't wait to read the sequel.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Women!
Review: This was a popular book of my book discussion group. It is a lovely story about friendship and courage. It is easy to read and there was alot to discuss.


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