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Peony in Love: A Novel (Hardcover)

by Lisa See (Author)

4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Product Details

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Random House; 1 edition (Jun 26 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 140006466X
ISBN-13: 978-1400064663
Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 16.5 x 3 cm
Shipping Weight: 567 g

Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Amazon.ca Sales Rank: #145,826 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Set in 17th-century China, See's fifth novel is a coming-of-age story, a ghost story, a family saga and a work of musical and social history. As Peony, the 15-year-old daughter of the wealthy Chen family, approaches an arranged marriage, she commits an unthinkable breach of etiquette when she accidentally comes upon a man who has entered the family garden. Unusually for a girl of her time, Peony has been educated and revels in studying The Peony Pavilion, a real opera published in 1598, as the repercussions of the meeting unfold. The novel's plot mirrors that of the opera, and eternal themes abound: an intelligent girl chafing against the restrictions of expected behavior; fiction's educative powers; the rocky path of love between lovers and in families. It figures into the plot that generations of young Chinese women, known as the lovesick maidens, became obsessed with The Peony Pavilion, and, in a Werther-like passion, many starved themselves to death. See (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, etc.) offers meticulous depiction of women's roles in Qing and Ming dynasty China (including horrifying foot-binding scenes) and vivid descriptions of daily Qing life, festivals and rituals. Peony's vibrant voice, perfectly pitched between the novel's historical and passionate depths, carries her story beautifully—in life and afterlife. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile

Janet Songs lovely smoky voice is the perfect medium for this deeply compelling story, inspired by real events in seventeenth-century China. Peony is a cloistered daughter of the prosperous Chen family in the years just following the bloody end of the Ming Dynasty and the ascension of the Manchus. Her obsession with the iconic opera THE PEONY PAVILLION, about a girl much like herself who dies of love for a man shes forbidden to marry, sets this fascinating tale in motion. Song inhabits Peony with such subtlety and grace that you are only rarely aware that acting is occurring; instead you seem to live inside Peonys head, looking directly at her gorgeous, haunted, and vanished world. An outstanding performance and a flawless production. B.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

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	75% buy the item featured on this page: Peony in Love: A Novel 4.7 out of 5 stars (3) CDN$ 18.87
	9% buy Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel 4.3 out of 5 stars (11) CDN$ 13.83
	6% buy Shanghai Girls: A Novel 3.3 out of 5 stars (3) CDN$ 18.24
	5% buy Flower Net: A Red Princess Mystery 4.0 out of 5 stars (3) CDN$ 12.37

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Customer Reviews

3 Reviews

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4.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, Mar 15 2008

By	SH (Toronto, Ontario) - See all my reviews

Peony in Love by Lisa See is a very unique novel about a fifteen-year-old girl, Peony, that is arranged to be married to a man she has never seen. She meets a man in the garden one day, which is the first time in her life that she has met a man, who is not related to her, and she is alone. Her life will change forever. The story takes place in ancient times in China, where everyone adheres to strict traditions.

There is a lot of reference to Tang Xianzu's opera, The Peony Pavilion, which was first produced and published in 1598. Peony is obsessed with this opera, and put a great deal of thought into it. There is a lot of poetry in this novel, which makes it pleasant to read.

I recommend everyone to read this touching story that is truly unique and fascinating.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A captivating story, Feb 17 2008

By	Hope - See all my reviews

This book is a provocative story that takes on an amazing twist - which I never expected. Lisa See knows her craft. She has the ability to draw me into her novels where I find myself in another place and time!

Peony in Love is another book I've added to my most favorites, I simply couldn't put it down!

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4.0 out of 5 stars Love is of source unknown, yet it grows ever deeper, Aug 18 2007

By	Amanda Richards "Modest to the extreme" (Georgetown, Guyana) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

The old theme of star-crossed lovers takes an Oriental twist in this historical period drama about a love-struck young girl, an enamored poet, and the opera that not only brings them together but casts them apart.

This story is about Peony, a young woman and only child of a wealthy family. Set in seventeenth century China, when well brought up young women weren't allowed to be seen or heard, especially by strange men, Peony's father organizes a theatrical performance of the opera "The Peony Pavilion", and although her mother doesn't want her to see it, arrangements are made for a screen to be erected, behind which the women can get a glimpse of the epic opera. Peony is a big fan of "The Peony Pavilion", having collected many editions, reading and memorizing many of the popular segments, but even though seeing it live is a big thrill, she becomes more interested in observing a young man sitting in the audience.

Risking her reputation, she wanders off on her own, and as fate would have it, she encounters the young man in an isolated place, where they discover that they enjoy each other's company very much. Unfortunately, Peony is already betrothed by way of an arranged marriage, and as the big day approaches she spends her days dreaming of the young man and obsessively recording her thoughts in an edition of the great opera, refusing food and ignoring the advice of the doctors and other experts that come to see her. From this point her life takes a dramatic turn with a cruel twist, and the story and the opera fuse together in elaborate fashion, becoming a dark fantasy full of ghosts, superstition and tradition.

The author lingers over the historical details, the proud traditions, the poetry of the opera and the protocols of the afterlife, as well as other remarkable activities such as foot binding and embroidery, and although this is an extremely poignant and melancholy book, it is so rich in description that you won't want to put it down. A dramatic, absorbing and informative story that will remain with you for a long time after you've finished reading it.

Amanda Richards

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