Ruth Young is a professional ghostwriter, proud of her flourishing career but a bit tired of the constant demands of her aging mother and her busy boyfriend. Sometimes she even struggles to get along with her boyfriend’s daughters, two girls who used to adore her. As her mother’s condition worsens, Ruth finds herself much more interested in her mother’s history and tries to discover the roots of who she is and why they are both the way they are. With the help of her mother’s handwritten life story, Ruth may be able to find peace and resolve the many conflicts that are straining her life.
This was an “eh” book for me, but I don’t think it necessarily would be for everyone. I have a habit of ignoring book summaries in favor of just reading them straight, and this is often both a good idea and a bad idea. It’s a good idea because I really hate spoilers and I find most books are best read without any previous knowledge of anything. It’s a bad idea because if I have no idea what a book’s about, I can’t really tell if it’s something I’m not going to like, especially if I think it’s something different. And that happened here. I knew there was some modern day component, but I didn’t expect it to be two thirds of the book.
The story of Ruth’s mother is sandwiched between two halves of Ruth’s modern day life. While I really enjoyed the middle section, especially because I’ve developed a practically insatiable craving for historical fiction about China, I just didn’t like the parts about Ruth. I don’t think this is the book’s fault. I don’t like most books set in the present unless they have a little something extra to them, like fantasy or horror, or if they’re about an experience I’m completely unfamiliar with. I’m just not really interested in emotional family relationships, especially not when they’re set in a world I live in. So when I realized the whole book was mostly about Ruth’s adjustment of her modern day life, trying to fit her Chinese mother in more harmoniously with her American life, I was disappointed and I got through those parts as fast as possible.
Of course, I loved the middle section, and I really wish the whole book had just been historical fiction about Ruth’s mother. LuLing’s life and voice are powerful and moving. I was truly fascinated by her story of Precious Auntie, her nursemaid with a past to be mourned, and her own life’s progression when she realizes the truth. I was so disappointed when this section ended! I could have happily continued reading for much longer, but unfortunately the book switches back to Ruth about when LuLing is ready to leave for the United States.
I’m not going to avoid further books by Amy Tan, but I probably won’t actively seek them out if they have that central focus on modern day women. If, however, you enjoy women’s fiction AND historical fiction, I think The Bonesetter’s Daughter would be a great fit for you.
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You know, I have been very curious about this book, but like you I think the modern day portions of the story would make me go eh also.
I do love historical fiction and I have read AMy Tan before. I loved Saving Fish From Drowning and recommend it to you.
Wisteria Leigh´s last post …Teaser Tuesdays- July 13-2010
I am thinking I may have the same reaction to this book as you. I hope to read it at some point. I have enjoyed the two Tan books I have read–Saving Fish From Drowning and The Joy Luck Club, both of which were assigned reading in college.
Stephanie´s last post …Q-A with Erin McCahan
I read this a long time ago, but remember feeling much the same way as you did about it. The historical sections were a lot more interesting to me than the present day sections and I found that this made the book drag in parts. I still have a couple of Tan’s other books on my shelf, but have not yet read them. Hopefully I will enjoy them!
zibilee´s last post …Sugar by Bernice McFadden — 240 pgs
I have yet to read any Amy Tan novel (although I believe I’ve read a couple of her short stories stuck in anthologies over the years). Didn’t she write The Joy Luck Club? I think I was waiting to read that one first before any others, but I do have a copy of The Bonesetter’s Daughter lying around here somewhere.
Michele@ A Reader’s Respite´s last post …The Acquisitions Departmental
I enjoyed this book more than you did, but will agree with you that it’s not Tan’s best.
It has been a long time since I read this so I can’t remember the details, but I’m sure I loved it at the time. I agree that I prefer her writing about historical China though. I have read all of Tan’s books, but most were a long time ago. I highly recommend her autobiography – especially for the bits about people studying her books and seeing things she never intended to be there
Jackie (Farm Lane Books)´s last post …Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card
Hm, I thought this was a completely contemporary novel for some reason.
You know who writes awesome historical romances set in China? Jade Lee!
heidenkind´s last post …To the Hilt by Dick Francis
I too probably liked it a bit better than you did, but this was not my favorite Tan book.
Beth F´s last post …Wordless Wednesday 86
I agree with you about this book. Maybe it’s because my own writing is about women in a previous period of history, but the farther back Tan’s book went into the past, the more pungent the writing became (or so it seemed to me).
I’ve had this one for awhile now. I really should get around to reading it! Thanks for the reminder with your really well-written review.
I’ve really enjoyed all of Amy Tan’s books, but I have a special place in my heart for The Joy Luck Club.
Anna´s last post …Review- The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri
I have read many Amy Tan books, but they are all a bit of a blur to me. The basic plot is pretty much the same in all her stories.
So, yes, I also don’t actively seek out Amy Tan these days
Nishita´s last post …A Spanish Celebration- a Kiss- and a Raving Insomniac
I felt the same about this book, although by then I’d been a fan of Amy Tan so liked it. But then, it was completely forgettable. Have you read The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God’s Wife? They’re far superior than the rest of her books (I’ve read them all). Those two are the only ones I’d fully recommend. They are the only copies I kept as well. (Although I enjoyed all her books to some extent.) So they both have modern day sections and historical sections as well, but on the whole they succeed.
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[…] “my” world often don’t do it for me. I just mentioned this in another review, The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan. That didn’t happen here, and in fact I found myself really enjoying this novel, […]
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