Book description
Young Peony is sold into a rich Chinese household as a bondmaid -- an awkward role in which she is more than a servant, but less than a daughter. As she grows into a lovely, provocative young woman, Peony falls in love with the family's only son. However, tradition forbids…
Why read it?
1 author picked Peony as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I really enjoy moving through history in the context of the lives of women. Leap forward several centuries from the Ming Dynasty and women in China are still limited by tradition and binding their feet. Peony loves, and her love is returned by David ben Ezra, the son of a wealthy Jewish merchant. But Peony is a bondswoman, and while David struggles with the decision to marry his mother’s Jewish choice of bride or the beautiful Kueilan, she must observe from afar.
I loved how this book vividly illustrated, through the course of Peony’s life, how the blending and integration…
From Jean's list on about incredible women in China through time.
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The story explores the racial tensions and…
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