Read advance reader review of Pearl of China by Anchee Min

Summary |  Excerpt |  Reading Guide |  Reviews |  Beyond the book |  Readalikes |  Genres & Themes |  Author Bio

Pearl of China

A Novel

by Anchee Min

Pearl of China by Anchee Min X
Pearl of China by Anchee Min
  • Critics' Opinion:

    Readers' Opinion:

  • First Published:
    Mar 2010, 288 pages

    Paperback:
    Mar 2011, 304 pages

    Genres

  • Rate this book


Book Reviewed by:
BookBrowse First Impression Reviewers
Buy This Book

About this Book

Reviews


Page 1 of 5
There are currently 35 member reviews
for Pearl of China
Order Reviews by:
  • Shannon R. (Sunburst, MT)
    I felt like I was there
    I love this novel!!! I felt that I was there in China with Pearl Buck growing up right along side her. This is writing at it's best! I loved the honesty that the author wrote with regarding life in China after the Boxer Rebellion and during the communist take over.
  • Darlene M. (Rancho Mirage, CA)
    PEARL OF CHINA
    Pearl of China is literally a Jewel of a book. It brings new meaning to family, friendship, love and loss. A friendship that lasts a lifetime. My bookclub focused on Pearl Buck's The Good Earth and Sons last year and this will be a perfect book to share...it is a must read.
  • Marcia F. (Batavia, IL)
    Pearl of China
    "Pearl of China" is a beautifully written historical novel about the loyal friendship between two girls cultures apart. The first girl is Willow a peasant who is telling the story and the other is her best friend Pearl Buck the daughter of American missionaries. Because Pearl is an American she is forced to leave China and Willow is forced to remain. Pearl is denounce by Madam Mao for writing about China and Willow must find ways to remain loyal to China as well as to Pearl. Possibly, because Ms. Min also had to denounce Pearl Buck while growing up in China, this novel was written as an apology for having to have had to make this denouncement. Whatever, the reason, this is a wonderful read and I highly recommend it to Pearl Buk fans as well as book clubs. This book would lead to a wonderful discussion.
  • Karen D. (Dedham, MA)
    Pearl of China
    At first, I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book. To me the writing was stilted, but as I got more into the book, I was to discover how much history was involved. Not having read about Pearl Buck or any of her novels before I will certainly put them on my reading list.
    The history of the cultural revolution in China and the sufferings of the people certainly put an awareness of Mao and Mrs. Mao.
    I recommend this book to everyone.
  • Wendy F. (Kalamazoo, MI)
    Pearl of China
    Anchee Min paints a vivid portrait of life in Communist China that is at times breathtaking and at others heartbreaking. The story is told through the eyes of a peasant girl, Willow, who is befriended by the local missionary’s daughter, Pearl S. Buck.

    The friendship blossoms and strengthens as the girls grow up. They experience each others lives intimately and share each other’s sorrows. As Pearl’s mother says, life is about being forced to make choices, and each woman learns to make the right choice for their lives as the world seems to fall apart around them.

    Pearl utters the timeless words, “I love my country, so much so that I hate her for not being all I want her to be.” Pearl’s country was not the place she was born but rather China, the country in which she came alive. Pearl believes that “all spirits are equal before God” and she communicates this through her writing.

    The lyrical tone of this novel opened my heart and mind to want more. A truly memorable read.
  • Colleen L. (Casco, Maine)
    Pearl of China
    A compelling and heartfelt novel about Pearl Buck and her life in China. Be prepared to stay up all night till you have finished this novel as it will capture your attention from page one. This is a story told from the perspective of Pearl's best friend, Willow Yee. The reader sees Pearl and Willow growing up together as friends and living through many of China's historic moments. But it is not a story of history so much as a story of enduring friendship. Have tissues close at hand. An excellent novel that you will remember long after you have finished it.
  • Harriette K. (Weston, FL)
    Pearl of China
    The author imagines a friendship between a young, impoverished Chinese girl and the very young Pearl Buck. Their lives take them from the early 20th century through the Boxer Rebellion, the many changes in China and the Cultural Revolution. The real Pearl Buck grows up to be a distinguished author and Nobel Prize winner in Literature. The story is beautifully written, and the author gives us a marvelous picture of the times. I, for one, am planning to re-read "The Good Earth", Buck's masterpiece. I suggest that the reader do the same and, also, the author's memoir "Red Azalea", which tells the story of her youth in China during the Cultural Revolution.

Beyond the Book:
  Pearl S. Buck

Become a Member

Join BookBrowse today to start discovering exceptional books!

Find out more


Top Picks

  • Book Jacket: A Mystery of Mysteries
    A Mystery of Mysteries
    by Mark Dawidziak
    Edgar Allan Poe biographers have an advantage over other writers because they don't have to come up ...
  • Book Jacket: Moonrise Over New Jessup
    Moonrise Over New Jessup
    by Jamila Minnicks
    Jamila Minnicks' debut novel Moonrise Over New Jessup received the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially...
  • Book Jacket
    The Magician's Daughter
    by H.G. Parry
    "Magic isn't there to be hoarded like dragon's treasure. Magic is kind. It comes into ...
  • Book Jacket: The Great Displacement
    The Great Displacement
    by Jake Bittle
    On August 4, 2021, California's largest single wildfire to date torched through the small mountain ...

Book Club Discussion

Book Jacket
The Nurse's Secret
by Amanda Skenandore
A fascinating historical novel based on the little-known story of America's first nursing school.

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    The Lost English Girl
    by Julia Kelly

    A story of love, betrayal, and motherhood set against the backdrop of World War II and the early 1960s.

  • Book Jacket

    The Last Russian Doll
    by Kristen Loesch

    A haunting epic of betrayal, revenge, and redemption following three generations of Russian women.

Who Said...

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

R Peter T P P

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.