Story Description:
St. Martin’s
Press|August 7, 2012|Hardcover|ISBN: 978-0-312-27481-8
A powerful
new novel about an ordinary family facing extraordinary times at the start of
the Chinese Cultural Revolution China, 1957.
Chairman Mao has declared a new openness in society. “Let a hundred flowers bloom; let a hundred
schools of thought contend.” Many
intellectuals fear it is only a trick, and Kai Ying’s husband, Sheng, a teacher
has promised not to jeopardize their safety or that of their young son,
Tao. But one July morning, just before
his sixth birthday, Tao watches helplessly as Sheng is dragged away for writing
a letter criticizing the Communist Party and sent to a labor camp for “re-education.”
A year
later, still missing his father desperately, Tao climbs to the top of the
hundred-year-old kapok tree in front of their home, wanting to see the mountain
peaks in the distance. But Tao slips and
tumbles thirty feet to the courtyard below, badly breaking his leg.
As Kai Ying
struggles to hold her small family together in the face of this shattering
reminder of her husband’s absence, other members of the household must face
their own guilty secrets and strive to find peace in a world where the old
sense of order is falling.
Once again,
Gail Tsukiyama brings us a powerfully moving story of ordinary people facing
extraordinary circumstances with grace and courage.
My Review:
Magnificent
story! Kai Ying, Sheng and his father,
Wei, live together along with Kai Ying and Sheng’s young son, Tao. It is China, 1957 when Chairman Mao declares
a new openness and honesty in society.
He says: “Let a hundred flowers bloom; let a hundred schools of thought
contend.” Many people think it is just a
trick and Kai Ying makes her husband promise not to get involved in any
way. Sheng, a teacher, promises that he would never do anything to
jeopardize their family. Tao loves his
father dearly and Kai Ying worries what he would do without him.
Then just
before Tao’s sixth birthday, on a hot July morning, Sheng is dragged away to a
prison camp for supposed “re-education” for writing a letter criticizing and condemning
the Communist Party. Kai Ying, Wei and
little Tao are beside themselves with grief and worry.
One day
little Tao decides to climb high up into the kapok tree that stands outside
their family home. He wanted to see the
peaks of the mountains when he suddenly slips and falls thirty feet to hard
concrete courtyard below. His leg has
been severely broken and he spends time in hospital as well as a long
recuperation time at home. Once the cast
comes off he is left with a limp and when he returns to school he is teased
terribly by former friends and it breaks heart.
His mother, Kai Ying is so upset for him and doesn’t know how to help
him.
While they
were sitting in the hospital the day Tao broke his leg, Kai Ying notices a
young girl about fifteen-years-old who was obviously pregnant and who had terrible
acne. Kai Ying felt very sorry for the
girl and watched her off and on as she was thinking about what herbs and
potions she could mix together to help the girl with her acne. Kai Ying was the town herbalist and worked
from her home. Each morning she had
people lined up at her courtyard gate waiting for the chance to talk with Kai
Ying and tell her what their ailments where so she could make up something for
a cure.
A few months
later on a rainy and stormy night this girl shows up at Kai Ying’s door in
labour. She had followed her home from
the market several times so knew where she lived. Kai Ying brings her into the house the
delivers her baby on a rug in their living room. Not having the heart to put the young girl
out on the street, she allows the girl to stay with them and ends up teaching
her about her herbal remedies.
As if all
this wasn’t bad enough, she has only had two letters from her husband, Sheng in
an entire year! A shadow of fear is
always behind her and she struggles with wonder as to whether Sheng is still
even alive.
Each of
these family members must try to carry forward and continue on with their lives
the best they can, even though they are uncertain about their future and are
wracked with their own guilt and painful secrets.
Gail
Tsukiyama has done it once again. This was a powerfully written story. I’ve
read every novel she has written and have never been disappointed and this one
was no different. I seriously hope there
will be a sequel to this story so we can find out conclusively what happens to
all the characters in the novel. I would
highly recommend this book to anyone. Thank you Ms. Tsukiyama for another most
enjoyable read!!
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