Pavillion of Women (edit title)

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Liked It Rated 5 stars “Yes I read this book and it is certainly a worth while read. I have read several books by Pearl Buck and enjoyed everyone. If you read "THE GOOD EARTH' one of her famous books you will like this.I have just taken in down from my book shelf.Again itt is set in China and if you would like a little...” see full review » see other reviews »

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  • Rated 3 stars

  “Intimate details of Chinese life behind walls as only this writer can give.
  
  Again, if I remember the title to story correspondence correctly, this is about the growth of awareness of a woman after she is forty and has decided to not be embarrassed with another child any more as she has seen some of her friends are - and since this is before the contraceptives, there is only one way; she declares her intention to her husband while providing him with another, younger wife.
  
  This is the beginning of the story.
  
  The husband is baffled but unable to do anything but comply - he loves his forty something wife, but cannot yet be ready to renounce physical needs, and the new woman is young, though he misses his more intelligent wife in intimacy.
  
  The wife meanwhile interacts with the European priest who comes as a tutor to her son, and learns while sitting in on the sessions, and marvels at her previous lack of awareness about the world.
  
  Incidentally this story brings the startling - for Europhiles - discovery that the orientals think of Europeans as physically ugly, unattractive, and ridiculous.
  
  Startling, because generally conquerors take it for granted that they are superior in any and every way - including physical attraction. And Europe having been the more recent colonising conquerors, there was generally no one to tell them otherwise.
  
  But then again when Mongols conquered practically half the world, they thought the same about themselves, too. ”

  Dr. J. G. wrote this review Monday, September 15 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No

  
  
  • Rated 3 stars

  “I want to read this again when I turn 40.”

  Joni b wrote this review Saturday, April 12 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No

  
  
  • Rated 5 stars

  “Yes I read this book and it is certainly a worth while read. I have read several books by Pearl Buck and enjoyed everyone. If you read "THE GOOD EARTH' one of her famous books you will like this.I have just taken in down from my book shelf.Again itt is set in China and if you would like a little more information I will quickly go through it tomorrow. It was many years since I read it and I fine now I have to just take a quick look and the story will come back to me.But for sure I loved it. It is now 2.46am and I as usual can not sleep maybe I will give it a try now and for sure I will fall asleep. Hope this has helped a little.Sheila.”

  Dee wrote this review Monday, February 4 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No

  
  
  • Rated 0 stars

  “The story of a strong Chinese matriarch who controls the lives of her extended family and comes to understand later that many of her acts of 'kindness' are actually quite selfish. But her character is etched with so much understanding that her positive attributes stand out too and Pearl Buck succeeds in giving us the portrait of a woman that is complex as life itself.
  Chinese customs and manners, the beginnings of contact with the West and the gulfs between the eastern and the western views of life form the background to a very satisfying novel. The language sounds a bit dated but adds to the charm of the book.”

  visaraone wrote this review Sunday, December 9 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No

  
  
  • Rated 0 stars

  “How a woman who thinks she knows best actually ends up nruining the lives of all around her. But when she does realise what is wrong, she puts them right in her own way. The novel is set in a Chinese village. yet, you will be surprised how much similarity there is to life in "zaminadar" India to the Chinese way of life. Also, time changes, emotions don't. ”

  Abecedarian wrote this review Tuesday, September 18 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No