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Peony in Love: A Novel | 
 enlarge | Author: Lisa See
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
Buy Used: $4.49
You Save: $9.51 (68%)
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Rating:  96 reviews
Sales Rank: 2275
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.6
ISBN: 0812975227
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780812975222
ASIN: 0812975227
Publication Date: February 19, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Solid clean copy
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Product Description
“I finally understand what the poets have written. In spring, moved to passion; in autumn only regret.”
For young Peony, betrothed to a suitor she has never met, these lyrics from The Peony Pavilion mirror her own longings. In the garden of the Chen Family Villa, amid the scent of ginger, green tea, and jasmine, a small theatrical troupe is performing scenes from this epic opera, a live spectacle few females have ever seen. Like the heroine in the drama, Peony is the cloistered daughter of a wealthy family, trapped like a good-luck cricket in a bamboo-and-lacquer cage. Though raised to be obedient, Peony has dreams of her own.
Peony’s mother is against her daughter’s attending the production: “Unmarried girls should not be seen in public.” But Peony’s father assures his wife that proprieties will be maintained, and that the women will watch the opera from behind a screen. Yet through its cracks, Peony catches sight of an elegant, handsome man with hair as black as a cave–and is immediately overcome with emotion.
So begins Peony’s unforgettable journey of love and destiny, desire and sorrow–as Lisa See’s haunting new novel, based on actual historical events, takes readers back to seventeenth-century China, after the Manchus seize power and the Ming dynasty is crushed.
Steeped in traditions and ritual, this story brings to life another time and place–even the intricate realm of the afterworld, with its protocols, pathways, and stages of existence, a vividly imagined place where one’s soul is divided into three, ancestors offer guidance, misdeeds are punished, and hungry ghosts wander the earth. Immersed in the richness and magic of the Chinese vision of the afterlife, transcending even death, Peony in Love explores, beautifully, the many manifestations of love. Ultimately, Lisa See’s new novel addresses universal themes: the bonds of friendship, the power of words, and the age-old desire of women to be heard.
From the Hardcover edition.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 91 more reviews...
 Peony in Love September 3, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Peony in Love: A NovelI was disappointed in Peony in Love after having read Snowflower and the Secret Fan by the same author. Peony in love is too far out and unrealistic for my reading. Peony spent 2/3 of the book dead, talking about what went on with her after death in the afterlife and that is not my cup of tea.
 Wonderfully Heart Wrenching August 29, 2008
This is a wonderful coming of age story about the 17th century daughter of a wealthy Chinese family. The main character is atypically presented which adds a further layer of depth to the novel. It is at times both incredibly sorrowful and deeply sweet. Lisa See is a master of descriptive language and imagery. This novel befits readers of a variety of ages - young women will associate with Peony's desperate roller-coasters of emotions, the middle aged set will appreciate the tumultuous path to wisdom.
 A beautiful get-away August 26, 2008
I originally picked up this book as a bit of light fun reading while on vacation in San Francisco. Although i was put off a little by how "cheesy" the idea of ghosts and people who are "fated" to be together, once i was able to separate myself from my traditional "Western Ideas" i fell in love with the imagery and passion invoked on every page. Like "Snowflower" this book challenged my usual view on love, a womans place and other cultures. I recommend this book to anyone with an open mind.
I loved it, absolutely loved it July 12, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
What a beautiful book. Not only is the story beautiful, but it offers glimpses into Chinese traditions and superstitions behind how the dead and ancestors are treated. As a Chinese American, I grew up with these traditions but never knew the reasons behind them, my Mother always just said "We do it because that's how we've always done it." - this book gave me the long awaited answers to how those traditions and beliefs came about.
time traveling July 6, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I visit China several times a year for business and thoroughly enjoyed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I was curious if lightning could strike twice for See and it has. Her storytelling is masterful, evoking the netherworld in a tangible way. I finished the book in one (albeit long) plane trip to Hong Kong and then saw the city (which is well known to me) through ancient eyes.
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