Peony: A Novel of China

Beautifully written. A well developed story that included several important social issues as well as wonderful character development. Would make a great book club selection because the presented issues are relevant to today's world. Timeless.

Interesting that there have been Jews living in China so long. It is reasonable that they settled because of commerce along the trade routes. This story is fiction based on fact. The story dragged slowly in the middle and I wondered why so much of it was about every day life of the Chinese and Jews. The love connection between David and Peony could only end as it did. The attack and beheading was quite shocking after all the hum-drum pages. I enjoyed the book but it was a little too slow in the middle.

Pear S. Buck has such an affinity for the people of China. Her character development is excellent. Peony presents a wonderful story about a culture which is totally different from the one here in the United States.

Historical fiction at its finest. I learned much and pondered much. Beautifully written and felt in my soul. Though I am not Jewish, the novel deepened my respect and empathy for all people everywhere.

I enjoyed reading the book very much. It is well written and very entertaining. The author is obviously well acquainted with Chinese culture. I give it 5 stars. After I began reading, I did not want to put it down.

This book was a bit of a disappointment for me. I had high expectations for it but the story line was a bit of a surprise and i didn't realize it'll be centered so much around religion. Although it held facts about a relatively unknown period of China, I did not find it told eloquently enough to capture my interest. This is the first novel I've read by Pearl S. Buck and it might be the last.

This is the story of the final assimilation of a Jewish community that had existed in China for almost a thousand years. While we see the assimilation, we have no sense of why it is happening just at the time of the novel. Some characters do develop, but some are so simply portrayed that one wonders if Ms. Buck knew her subject well. A little too preachy, but a good easy read. Not her best.