A stunning reissue of the international bestseller, from the much-loved author of 'The Joy Luck Club' and 'The Bonesetter's Daughter'. Pearl Louie Brandt has a terrible secret which she tries desperately to keep from her mother, Winnie Louie. And Winnie has long kept her own secrets - about her past and the confusing circumstances of Pearl's birth. Fate intervenes in the form of Helen Kwong, Winnie's so-called sister-in-law, who believes she is dying and must unburden herself of all falsehoods before she flies off ...
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A stunning reissue of the international bestseller, from the much-loved author of 'The Joy Luck Club' and 'The Bonesetter's Daughter'. Pearl Louie Brandt has a terrible secret which she tries desperately to keep from her mother, Winnie Louie. And Winnie has long kept her own secrets - about her past and the confusing circumstances of Pearl's birth. Fate intervenes in the form of Helen Kwong, Winnie's so-called sister-in-law, who believes she is dying and must unburden herself of all falsehoods before she flies off to heaven. But, unfortunately, the truth comes in many guises, depending on who is telling the tale... Thus begins a story that takes us back to Shanghai in the 1920s, through World War II, and the harrowing events that led to Winnie's arrival in America in 1949. The story is one of innocence and its loss, tragedy and survival, and most of all, the enduring qualities of hope, love and friendship.
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Publisher:
Chivers Large print (Chivers, Windsor, Paragon & C
Published:
1992
Alibris ID:
17997956085
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Seller's Description:
Good. Ex-Library Book. Has usual library markings and stamps inside. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
Amy Tan is at the height of her literary powers here, in this wonderful book about secrets, mothers, and daughters. Tan may never exhaust the things she has to say about mother-daughter relationships, and I can't say that's a bad thing, because her stories always ring true. "The Kitchen God's Wife" is no exception. Revolving around the secrets kept by a mother and daughter, it examines the way secrets (specifically, painful secrets) can drive a wedge of opacity between people, even if the secret is meant to protect a loved one. Pearl and her mother Winnie find each other harder and harder to understand, each trying to protect the other from the painful truths they are carrying. Finally, Winnie's hand is forced by her old friend and secret-keeper, who declares she will tell all if Winnie does not. Thus begins the major section of the book, in which Winnie narrates to her daughter the truth about her life in China prior to her flight to America. The experiences that Winnie lived through are horrific and yet believable. I never felt that Tan was merely trying to pull emotional strings or manipulate the reader in any way. Considering the pain held in these pages, this is quite impressive. It is not an easy thing to do without becoming heavy-handed. I loved this book. It was vivid, full of joy, and ultimately satisfying.
Selina
Oct 10, 2007
A must read
This is a powerful book dealing with the relationship between mother ond daughter. Winnie and Pearl are very likeable characters. Amy Tan has a beautiful way of writing. It is a great joy to be reading her words. Sometimes the narrative almost soulds like poetry.
This is an entertaining book, full of great characters. This is one of Tan's best work.
