Scan barcode
mochirae's review against another edition
3.0
___________________________________________________
Rating: ★★★☆☆
“Let woman out of the home, let man into it, should be the aim of education. The home needs man, and the world outside needs woman.”
___________________________________________________
Peony is a fascinating look on the Jews of Kaifeng who first settled in China in the Middle Ages. This book takes place in the 1850s as we follow Peony, a Chinese servant in the House of Ezra, who experiences the decline of the Jew community and the clash with the Chinese culture.
Plot: Pearl S. Buck writes in a very simplistic and candid style so i found the book very easy to read. I was effortlessly transported to the scenarios she described and it was an absolute pleasure to experience it.
On a plot standpoint however, i was slightly disappointed. Peony is advertised as being a forbidden romance novel but that is clearly not what it is. I dived into it thinking i was reading an epic love story, but the romantic plot was only introduced in the last 30 pages of the book.
I ended up not DNFing it because of how interested i was in the struggles the Jews faced when trying to maintain their religious traditions against the pressure to assimilate.
Characters: I adore Peony and she was the only character with whom i felt a connection with. Throughout the book we can clearly see her growth, both physically and mentally. It was a pleasure to see her little self navigate life to try and find her place in a house that stopped feeling like her own.
Ending: I found the ending a bit clunky. While the beginning of the book was very slow paced, the ending felt a bit rushed.
Final thoughts: Peony is definitely a very enjoyable novel if the reader dives into it with the idea that it’s an historical fiction book and not a romance one. Nevertheless, i sincerely enjoyed it and found a great deal to ponder about while reading it.
___________________________________________________
Rating: ★★★☆☆
“Let woman out of the home, let man into it, should be the aim of education. The home needs man, and the world outside needs woman.”
___________________________________________________
Peony is a fascinating look on the Jews of Kaifeng who first settled in China in the Middle Ages. This book takes place in the 1850s as we follow Peony, a Chinese servant in the House of Ezra, who experiences the decline of the Jew community and the clash with the Chinese culture.
Plot: Pearl S. Buck writes in a very simplistic and candid style so i found the book very easy to read. I was effortlessly transported to the scenarios she described and it was an absolute pleasure to experience it.
On a plot standpoint however, i was slightly disappointed. Peony is advertised as being a forbidden romance novel but that is clearly not what it is. I dived into it thinking i was reading an epic love story, but the romantic plot was only introduced in the last 30 pages of the book.
I ended up not DNFing it because of how interested i was in the struggles the Jews faced when trying to maintain their religious traditions against the pressure to assimilate.
Characters: I adore Peony and she was the only character with whom i felt a connection with. Throughout the book we can clearly see her growth, both physically and mentally. It was a pleasure to see her little self navigate life to try and find her place in a house that stopped feeling like her own.
Ending: I found the ending a bit clunky. While the beginning of the book was very slow paced, the ending felt a bit rushed.
Final thoughts: Peony is definitely a very enjoyable novel if the reader dives into it with the idea that it’s an historical fiction book and not a romance one. Nevertheless, i sincerely enjoyed it and found a great deal to ponder about while reading it.
___________________________________________________
imyerhero's review against another edition
3.0
Having read “The Good Earth” as my first foray into Buck’s novels, everything else by her has had a tough climb to reach the pinnacle I’ve put “Earth” on. This book does a very good job, but still doesn’t topple “Earth.” I liked Peony and David as characters, but I never really could find myself enjoying the story. I wanted to know what happened next, but I wasn’t compelled to keep on reading it. Halfway through the book, it seemed like the story lost steam and veered off into a completely different direction than it originally intended…leaving me wondering what the heck was going on.
octygon's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Interesting book, but sad in many ways. It was hard to like it too much as the characters were not always appealing. The main character, Peony, is incredibly manipulative. Also the tone of the author shows the age of the book--I felt there was a lot of stereotypical language in Buck's depiction of the Jewish characters, which is harring in today's times. It was very interesting to learn about the Jewish population who had lived in China for so long--something I had never heard about before. The book implies that the assimilation of the Jews into Chinese society, with the loss of their customs and their religion was inevitable. From the tone of the book, I get the feeling Buck wasn't sure whether she thought this a good thing or tragic one.
akayeh's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing book! It's a simple story to follow, told in a soft, quiet way about a young Chinese girl who is a bondservant (slightly higher than slave) and grows up serving a Jewish family living in Old China. It follows both her and the young man of the family who is her age; at first she is to be only his playmate until she is old enough for simple tasks. They are raised as almost siblings, and she eventually helps set up his marriage and many other things to keep the house running. It also shows the interactions between the small community of Chinese Jews--whether among themselves or with their native Chinese neighbors. There is birth, death, love, anger, and a whole lot of drama! Oh, and one very interesting sword.... Don't miss Peony!
jedore's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"Would he keep himself separate, dedicated to a faith that made him solitary among whatever people he lived, or would he pour the stream of his life into the rich ocean of all human life about him?"
Many of my favorite books are ones with a story that pulls you in and holds you firmly in its grip while teaching you important stuff. “Peony” did both of these things.
This book is historical fiction, romance, and religious philosophy all wrapped into one beautiful package.
It’s the story about a prominent Jewish family living in China in the 1800s, and specifically about the love that one of their bondmaids has for the son she was bonded with. You learn a lot about the Chinese and Jewish cultures and people living during this time. In fact, it’s the first book with an explanation of the Jewish plight that makes total sense to me.
It’s not a typical romance, but it’s an authentic one given the cultures and norms of the time period coupled with real love. You’ll need at least one box of tissues!
I couldn’t put the book down and when I was done, I missed Peony. She’s an amazing character that will live with me forever.
My only complaint is the major shift in the writing style toward the end of the book. It’s almost as though Pearl realized (or was told) that the book was going to be too long if she kept up with the earlier depth and detail. With this shift, the story became more summarial with Pearl glossing over major happenings and many years very quickly without the emotional depth that made the rest of the book so amazing.
Nevertheless, Peony made my all-time favorites list and I highly recommend it to historical fiction buffs, especially those who love being pulled into an emotional story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Death of parent, and Classism
Moderate: Genocide, Antisemitism, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death
lpm100's review against another edition
1.0
One single word: BORING.
We already know the fate of the Kaifeng Jews, and that is that they were steamrolled in the same way that so many other tribes in China have fallen under the Han Chinese steamroller.
Did it really take that many words to explain that?
I was hoping for something that would give me a bit of insight into the daily lives of these people (which the author, Pearl S Buck may never have seen any more than Harriet Beecher Stowe--she of Uncle Tom's Cabin-- may have seen a slave). What I got instead was a mushy romance that dragged on interminably.
Verdict: Not recommended.
We already know the fate of the Kaifeng Jews, and that is that they were steamrolled in the same way that so many other tribes in China have fallen under the Han Chinese steamroller.
Did it really take that many words to explain that?
I was hoping for something that would give me a bit of insight into the daily lives of these people (which the author, Pearl S Buck may never have seen any more than Harriet Beecher Stowe--she of Uncle Tom's Cabin-- may have seen a slave). What I got instead was a mushy romance that dragged on interminably.
Verdict: Not recommended.
halkid2's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars is probably more accurate a rating. Pearl S. Buck has a lovely way of conveying Chinese sensibility in her writing. So, this is a pleasure to read. From a plot standpoint however, I found the resolution of the plot a bit clunky.
PEONY is fundamentally a romance focused on the first born son of a wealthy merchant and a bondmaid in his parent's employ and as such, it is a story of classes in China. But I became much more fascinated with the parallel story of a waning population of Jews in one city in China, as they struggle between maintaining their religious traditions and the pressure for assimilation. (The book ends with a chapter by a scholar summarizing the history of Jews in China, which began in the 600s. Who knew?)
PEONY takes place in the late 1800s or early 1900s - so there's an opportunity to learn about Chinese life at that time -- like how trade was conducted, how marriages were arranged, how large households operated, and the ways in which families functioned together. All in all, it's an interesting exploration of the culture of China.
PEONY is fundamentally a romance focused on the first born son of a wealthy merchant and a bondmaid in his parent's employ and as such, it is a story of classes in China. But I became much more fascinated with the parallel story of a waning population of Jews in one city in China, as they struggle between maintaining their religious traditions and the pressure for assimilation. (The book ends with a chapter by a scholar summarizing the history of Jews in China, which began in the 600s. Who knew?)
PEONY takes place in the late 1800s or early 1900s - so there's an opportunity to learn about Chinese life at that time -- like how trade was conducted, how marriages were arranged, how large households operated, and the ways in which families functioned together. All in all, it's an interesting exploration of the culture of China.
gbmadureira12's review against another edition
5.0
4,5 ⭐
Jews have settled in the city of Kaifeng, China since the middle ages. Now in mid-nineteenth century, the community starts to decline in number. Peony is a bondmaid of a child named David, son of Ezra ben Israel, a wealthy jew in the city of Kaifeng. As David grows, Peony grows alongside him, and feelings between the two flourish. Peony is quite aware that she loves David, however she has no pretensions in projecting those feelings further from her heart, as she knows that she is a simple maid. "Peony" is a portrait of a jewish family in China through the lens of the character that gives te title of the romance.
It is written in a beautiful language and sometimes it seems that Pearl S. Buck uses elements of the greek tragedy in its narrative. In fact, one of the main themes regards the forbbiden love of a simple maid that knows her fatum (i.e. her own destiny), there is conflict and then there is catharsis. I will not explore further the narrative so as not to give any spoilers.
However there are several themes that are brought to light in this romance:
1. Aculturation, Intermarriage and Identity:
The family of Ezra ben Israel lives in China, free from antisemitism and with total religious liberty. However Ezra lives in conflict between its jewish faith (regarded as strict, sad and fatidical) and the chinese culture that provides him pleasure, wealth and prosperity. Naomi, his wife, is an orthodox jew who acts as a moral compass for Ezra, and rejects any trace of chinese aculturation of her family. She educates her son, David, as a jew, and tries to solidify that, by trying to marry him with Leah, the daughter of the Rabi. However as the story unfolds, the Ezra family becomes more and more chinese in its customs. This is a major point of inner conflict for everyone in the family and shapes deeply David's psychological development. The synagogue becomes a symbol used by Pearl S. Buck to represent the idea of a "melting pot", as the synagogue becomes more degraded as fewer and fewer jews attend cerimonies.
2. Proto-zionism and anti-semitism:
Naomi believes that she does not belong in China and hopes to return to the "Promised Land". She is a fierce defensor of the ideas that later in history became known as zionism. However, with no land, Naomi believes that her people share the metaphysical land of faith and as such, she tries to preserve the "purity of the blood". Her attempts to marry Leah and David are motivated by the firm belief that her people should remain pure, in order to maintain the jewish faith alive (an thus her metaphysical promised land) until someone guides them back to their physical promised land, according to the prophecies. Anti-semitism doesn't exist in China, but when Kao Lien (a business partner of Ezra) returns from a trip to the West with the news that their people are being murdered, an inner conflict and turmoil emerges in David and the anger towards anti-semitic people shape him deeply.
3. The feminine figure:
In the novel, there are several strong feminine figures that dominate the family. Naomi, as stated before, acts as a moral compass and shadows every thought of Ezra. Peony, the main character, is not only the lens through whom we see the Ezra family, but she is also a major power figure in the house, using psychological tactics to get what she wants and to also guide the family. These two different women clash as one tries to preserve identity and the other tries to accommodate their customs into the chinese way of living. Leah, the daughter of the rabi, commands her own house and bonds with Naomi in an effort to guide David to accept his jewish roots and reject any chinese aculturation. It is also worth mentioning that the elder maid, Wang Ma, acts as Peony's guide, reviewing herself in Peony.
4. David's development and influences:
David is a splited spirited person. On one hand he identifies himself as jew, and the influence of Naomi and Leah shape his heart as such. But on the other hand he preferes the idle life that the chinese provide him. He lives in constant inner turmoil because of these two different dimensions that are antagonic. David makes the reader reflect that the role of parents in shaping one's character is limited and that there are other pressures acting in it, sometimes conflictual pressures. It is interesting to analyze David's growth along the novel and to consider the conflict of "identity vs difusion" that he experiences.
To sum up, "Peony" is a beautiful written novel that provides a glimpse on the jewish diaspora, particularly in the Eastern Asia. Although sometimes melodramatic and soap-operish, Pearl S Buck uses the elements of the narrative in communion with the elements of style to create a dense and rich story, easy to read, being able to bring to light interesting topics. It was a pleasure reading "Peony".
Jews have settled in the city of Kaifeng, China since the middle ages. Now in mid-nineteenth century, the community starts to decline in number. Peony is a bondmaid of a child named David, son of Ezra ben Israel, a wealthy jew in the city of Kaifeng. As David grows, Peony grows alongside him, and feelings between the two flourish. Peony is quite aware that she loves David, however she has no pretensions in projecting those feelings further from her heart, as she knows that she is a simple maid. "Peony" is a portrait of a jewish family in China through the lens of the character that gives te title of the romance.
It is written in a beautiful language and sometimes it seems that Pearl S. Buck uses elements of the greek tragedy in its narrative. In fact, one of the main themes regards the forbbiden love of a simple maid that knows her fatum (i.e. her own destiny), there is conflict and then there is catharsis. I will not explore further the narrative so as not to give any spoilers.
However there are several themes that are brought to light in this romance:
1. Aculturation, Intermarriage and Identity:
The family of Ezra ben Israel lives in China, free from antisemitism and with total religious liberty. However Ezra lives in conflict between its jewish faith (regarded as strict, sad and fatidical) and the chinese culture that provides him pleasure, wealth and prosperity. Naomi, his wife, is an orthodox jew who acts as a moral compass for Ezra, and rejects any trace of chinese aculturation of her family. She educates her son, David, as a jew, and tries to solidify that, by trying to marry him with Leah, the daughter of the Rabi. However as the story unfolds, the Ezra family becomes more and more chinese in its customs. This is a major point of inner conflict for everyone in the family and shapes deeply David's psychological development. The synagogue becomes a symbol used by Pearl S. Buck to represent the idea of a "melting pot", as the synagogue becomes more degraded as fewer and fewer jews attend cerimonies.
2. Proto-zionism and anti-semitism:
Naomi believes that she does not belong in China and hopes to return to the "Promised Land". She is a fierce defensor of the ideas that later in history became known as zionism. However, with no land, Naomi believes that her people share the metaphysical land of faith and as such, she tries to preserve the "purity of the blood". Her attempts to marry Leah and David are motivated by the firm belief that her people should remain pure, in order to maintain the jewish faith alive (an thus her metaphysical promised land) until someone guides them back to their physical promised land, according to the prophecies. Anti-semitism doesn't exist in China, but when Kao Lien (a business partner of Ezra) returns from a trip to the West with the news that their people are being murdered, an inner conflict and turmoil emerges in David and the anger towards anti-semitic people shape him deeply.
3. The feminine figure:
In the novel, there are several strong feminine figures that dominate the family. Naomi, as stated before, acts as a moral compass and shadows every thought of Ezra. Peony, the main character, is not only the lens through whom we see the Ezra family, but she is also a major power figure in the house, using psychological tactics to get what she wants and to also guide the family. These two different women clash as one tries to preserve identity and the other tries to accommodate their customs into the chinese way of living. Leah, the daughter of the rabi, commands her own house and bonds with Naomi in an effort to guide David to accept his jewish roots and reject any chinese aculturation. It is also worth mentioning that the elder maid, Wang Ma, acts as Peony's guide, reviewing herself in Peony.
4. David's development and influences:
David is a splited spirited person. On one hand he identifies himself as jew, and the influence of Naomi and Leah shape his heart as such. But on the other hand he preferes the idle life that the chinese provide him. He lives in constant inner turmoil because of these two different dimensions that are antagonic. David makes the reader reflect that the role of parents in shaping one's character is limited and that there are other pressures acting in it, sometimes conflictual pressures. It is interesting to analyze David's growth along the novel and to consider the conflict of "identity vs difusion" that he experiences.
To sum up, "Peony" is a beautiful written novel that provides a glimpse on the jewish diaspora, particularly in the Eastern Asia. Although sometimes melodramatic and soap-operish, Pearl S Buck uses the elements of the narrative in communion with the elements of style to create a dense and rich story, easy to read, being able to bring to light interesting topics. It was a pleasure reading "Peony".
estark16's review against another edition
4.0
Ancestors are the roots in any house, and children are the flowers, and the two must not be cut asunder.
I picked up this book on a whim at the library because I knew Pearl S. Buck had been somewhat of an expert in writing historical fiction set in China and that she'd been compared to Lisa See. I was pleased to see that this book was about the Kaifeng Jews in China, a little known group of Jewish people in midland China which has mostly ceased to exist via years of assimilation and mixing with their Chinese neighbors. Peony was an interesting book and I don't regret reading it. However, I don't think I will pick up another.
Some reviews criticize the book for making our main character, Peony, too angelic. I didn't get that sense of her at all, however. Rather I thought she was scheming and manipulative. This may be a realistic depiction of the kind of woman who could penetrate the cultural and class barriers of the family to whom she serves as a bondmaid. She is able to shape David's, the young master of the house, entire trajectory of his love life just by planting ideas into other people's minds for her own selfish gain. Peony is an extremely clever girl!
Others criticize the book as fanning the flames of antisemitism by portraying the Jewish people's "setting themselves apart" by resisting assimilation as their main conflict. I didn't feel that Buck intended to write the book as to agree with those ideas, but rather was simply reflecting the attitudes of the time. Along the same vein, some have pointed out the Jews in the book don't quite align with how the rest of the Jewish diaspora talk and behave. Things such as saying "Jehovah" rather than Hashem, and some other things. However, it is quite likely that the Keifeng Jews would have been a little odd as they had been isolated from the diaspora for quite some time.
My main complaint is that the timeline in the book doesn't actually gel with the history of the Keifeng Jews. The book is set in the mid-1800s and the Keifeng Jewish community of Peony loses their rabbi without a successor during that time. Yet, in the real history, this exact scenario would have happened in the 1600s. The synagogue was destroyed around 1860, however, so some facts are accurate. My guess is the Buck based a lot of her story on old tales she would have learned about the group during her time in China.
What I liked about the book, however, was how well Buck showed how assimilation happens, maybe even inevitably. I also enjoyed the evolution of Peony's character as she matures and eventually accepts what she can't have. There are probably better books by Buck out there to pick up for the first time. However, with a TBR pile that threatens to crush me and my cats any moment now, I will move on to other authors.