acord's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
monica32's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
rita_readsalot's review against another edition
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
graciosareis's review against another edition
5.0
A Mãe, de Pearl S. Buck transporta-nos para a China rural e pobre, onde os habitantes da aldeia vivem da terra arrendada a um proprietário a quem entregam a maior parte dos bens que produzem.
Como facilmente se depreende do título, a Mãe, personagem-tipo, é a protagonista da narrativa. Casada, com três filhos, dois rapazes e uma rapariga. Cuida exemplarmente da sua família e da sogra que também vive lá em casa. Toma conta da casa e acompanha o marido na lavoura das terras e na colheita dos produtos. Dá-se bem com a vizinhança e é respeitada por todos. É feliz, ama a sua família apesar da vida miserável e de trabalho que leva.
Até que um dia tudo muda, e esta mãe vai passar por grandes dificuldades. Para não ser desconsiderada pelos outros, e manter a sua honra, forja artimanhas para dar entender que o marido não a abandonou, mas que partiu à procura de trabalho. A partir de então, a Mãe tudo faz para manter a família unida e dedica-se ao trabalho árduo do campo para sobreviverem. Com os filhos pequenos, um ainda de peito, e uma sogra incapacitada, é sobre ela que tudo recai, é ela que tudo gere sem um queixume, sem uma renúncia. Com dignidade e muita coragem vai ultrapassando algumas das dificuldades, mas a sua vida vai-se complicando e vai passar por várias provações.
Neste romance, percebemos o papel secundário da mulher na China sendo por isso o filho homem o mais desejado.
“Há muitas raparigas naquela aldeia, porque ali nunca as matam, como fazem em algumas cidades quando nascem raparigas.” (p. 169)
É a ela que cabe a educação dos filhos, a manutenção da casa, da roupa, o cuidar dos sogros (no casamento é a mulher que sai de casa para ir viver com a família do marido) e, ainda, acompanhar o marido no trabalho da terra.
Gostei da escrita simples e direta, subtil, por vezes, e esclarecedora quanto às tradições do povo chinês.
Apesar de a personagem ter uma vida miserável, de sacrifício, de trabalho, fustigada pela dor, pela injustiça, pela maldição, é uma história comovente porque nela predomina o amor de uma mãe e no final, há um grito de esperança.
Como facilmente se depreende do título, a Mãe, personagem-tipo, é a protagonista da narrativa. Casada, com três filhos, dois rapazes e uma rapariga. Cuida exemplarmente da sua família e da sogra que também vive lá em casa. Toma conta da casa e acompanha o marido na lavoura das terras e na colheita dos produtos. Dá-se bem com a vizinhança e é respeitada por todos. É feliz, ama a sua família apesar da vida miserável e de trabalho que leva.
Até que um dia tudo muda, e esta mãe vai passar por grandes dificuldades. Para não ser desconsiderada pelos outros, e manter a sua honra, forja artimanhas para dar entender que o marido não a abandonou, mas que partiu à procura de trabalho. A partir de então, a Mãe tudo faz para manter a família unida e dedica-se ao trabalho árduo do campo para sobreviverem. Com os filhos pequenos, um ainda de peito, e uma sogra incapacitada, é sobre ela que tudo recai, é ela que tudo gere sem um queixume, sem uma renúncia. Com dignidade e muita coragem vai ultrapassando algumas das dificuldades, mas a sua vida vai-se complicando e vai passar por várias provações.
Neste romance, percebemos o papel secundário da mulher na China sendo por isso o filho homem o mais desejado.
“Há muitas raparigas naquela aldeia, porque ali nunca as matam, como fazem em algumas cidades quando nascem raparigas.” (p. 169)
É a ela que cabe a educação dos filhos, a manutenção da casa, da roupa, o cuidar dos sogros (no casamento é a mulher que sai de casa para ir viver com a família do marido) e, ainda, acompanhar o marido no trabalho da terra.
Gostei da escrita simples e direta, subtil, por vezes, e esclarecedora quanto às tradições do povo chinês.
Apesar de a personagem ter uma vida miserável, de sacrifício, de trabalho, fustigada pela dor, pela injustiça, pela maldição, é uma história comovente porque nela predomina o amor de uma mãe e no final, há um grito de esperança.
theportalmaster's review against another edition
3.0
I am torn between a three and a four star. Maybe that's what all the goodreaders feel when they ask for half-star ratings.
The Mother was a book with a writing that was simple, straightforward but yet quite unique. The story captivated me and I finally managed to deviate the reading slump coming my way.
A book full of injustice, don't you think? The husband of this family is a good-for-nothing asshole; who contantly refers to their children as hers and keeps blaming her for the pregnancies that come spring after spring. I hate to break it to you dude but... And what's with that jealousy towards a newborn baby who is completely naked and of course in need of clothes? Of course, aside from gambling every single moment, sleeping around during work since as he says he worked enough to feed himself only, he also had to spend all their savings to buy a new costume because his child had one. Sounds like a good parent to me... NOT.
I never understood why they kept this lazy and egoistic person around. How he created a family is beyond me. Although calling it a family to him would do no good since he knows nothing about what family means anyway.
Leaving the husband aside, I have to say I liked it. I would like to have a better ending; a more happy one for the mother, who in my eyes, changed so much towards it. But it was a realistic view on that time's society after all.
The Mother was strong and smart. Although I disagree with her in so many points but I live, after all, in a different day and age and can't really judge from this point of view.
I tried very hard to keep my personal opinion on various matter aside and therefor enjoyed it more than I would have if I didn't.
The Mother was a book with a writing that was simple, straightforward but yet quite unique. The story captivated me and I finally managed to deviate the reading slump coming my way.
A book full of injustice, don't you think? The husband of this family is a good-for-nothing asshole; who contantly refers to their children as hers and keeps blaming her for the pregnancies that come spring after spring. I hate to break it to you dude but... And what's with that jealousy towards a newborn baby who is completely naked and of course in need of clothes? Of course, aside from gambling every single moment, sleeping around during work since as he says he worked enough to feed himself only, he also had to spend all their savings to buy a new costume because his child had one. Sounds like a good parent to me... NOT.
I never understood why they kept this lazy and egoistic person around. How he created a family is beyond me. Although calling it a family to him would do no good since he knows nothing about what family means anyway.
Leaving the husband aside, I have to say I liked it. I would like to have a better ending; a more happy one for the mother, who in my eyes, changed so much towards it. But it was a realistic view on that time's society after all.
The Mother was strong and smart. Although I disagree with her in so many points but I live, after all, in a different day and age and can't really judge from this point of view.
I tried very hard to keep my personal opinion on various matter aside and therefor enjoyed it more than I would have if I didn't.
desiraesdesk's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve had this book for years and finally read it, finishing within a week. I think I needed to read this book at this time in my life as I’m becoming more reflective of my roles in certain relationships.
I really like how this story is driven by routine (?) rather than a defined goal/mission. We follow a farming family set in rural China as communism is beginning to take root.
The protagonist is a woman who is only ever referred to as her current familial role: good wife, daughter in law, mother, mother in law. We never learn her name. We watch her family unit fall apart as her husband abandons them (she, 3 children, and his own mother) and how she must take care of them and the farm. However, as her children become the adults, we see how she is basically demoted from the family head to a near burden who is treated like a child.
While reading, I can’t pinpoint where my feelings of support for the young mother changed into resentment as she became an old woman. In her youth, I applauded her for making the difficult decisions necessary for her survival but as she aged she couldn’t seem to understand the outcomes/consequences of her decisions. One son is berated for living the life she’s lived while the other is spoiled for living the life she’s always wanted. But she doesn’t even know that these are the reasons why she hold them so differently in her heart.
At the end of the story I began to feel more pity for her, but when she finally got a “win” I don’t feel all too happy for her because of the misery she’s caused and the delusions she’s living in. She’s is an entirely different person at the end of the story, the transition almost too quick to notice, which I guess I can pinpoint. She begins to change drastically when she shifts from mother/head of household, to mother/mother in law/old woman. She who once made all of the decisions for a lifetime is now simply entertained when she speaks, a kooky old lady who chatters nonstop. A full circle moment.
I recommend, over and over again. Lots of frustrating moments, much more than pleasant ones, but so.. relatable.
I really like how this story is driven by routine (?) rather than a defined goal/mission. We follow a farming family set in rural China as communism is beginning to take root.
The protagonist is a woman who is only ever referred to as her current familial role: good wife, daughter in law, mother, mother in law. We never learn her name. We watch her family unit fall apart as her husband abandons them (she, 3 children, and his own mother) and how she must take care of them and the farm. However, as her children become the adults, we see how she is basically demoted from the family head to a near burden who is treated like a child.
While reading, I can’t pinpoint where my feelings of support for the young mother changed into resentment as she became an old woman. In her youth, I applauded her for making the difficult decisions necessary for her survival but as she aged she couldn’t seem to understand the outcomes/consequences of her decisions. One son is berated for living the life she’s lived while the other is spoiled for living the life she’s always wanted. But she doesn’t even know that these are the reasons why she hold them so differently in her heart.
At the end of the story I began to feel more pity for her, but when she finally got a “win” I don’t feel all too happy for her because of the misery she’s caused and the delusions she’s living in. She’s is an entirely different person at the end of the story, the transition almost too quick to notice, which I guess I can pinpoint. She begins to change drastically when she shifts from mother/head of household, to mother/mother in law/old woman. She who once made all of the decisions for a lifetime is now simply entertained when she speaks, a kooky old lady who chatters nonstop. A full circle moment.
I recommend, over and over again. Lots of frustrating moments, much more than pleasant ones, but so.. relatable.
ava_catherine's review against another edition
5.0
This is the story of a Chinese peasant mother living in a remote hamlet in pre- revolutionary communist China. The mother lives in poverty and desperation believing that the sorrows of her life are the result of her sins. Her husband leaves her to raise the three children, tend the farm, and care for his old mother. The mother is deeply shamed by her husband's desertion, so she lies about it. This is a very depressing narrative; however, it gives the reader a glimpse into the customs of Chinese people. The ending of the book is triumphant and joyful as the wheel of life turns. I truly enjoyed this book and the opportunity to look into the Chinese world. Pearl S. Buck writes in a clean, straightforward manner. I enjoy her books immensely.
villytop's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
vavita's review against another edition
5.0
My mother gave me this book. I have re-read it perhaps 20 times. It makes me cry everytime I read it.
You really get to learn a lot about chinese traditions from Buck's books. I suggest to buy as many books from her as possible.
You really get to learn a lot about chinese traditions from Buck's books. I suggest to buy as many books from her as possible.