Book Review- Peony in Love

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I read this book for my squadron spouse's book club. 

It is the first book by this author that Ive ever read and I had never heard of her before.

This book follows a young Chinese girl in the 1500s after the Ming dynasty comes to

an end. Her family is very wealthy and shelter her from the harsh realities of life.

Around her sixteenth birthday, her father arranges an opera to be performed at their

house for three nights. During these nights the girl meets her soulmate, but she is already

betrothed to another, as is he. 

In the following months, as her wedding nears, she begins to literally waste away from 

lovesickness. The remaining two-thirds of the book follow her on her journey

to the afterworld and becoming an ancestor. 

This is a very strange book. Interesting, but at times very disturbing and creepy. I cringed 

through some of the more creepy parts, such as when she repeatedly enters a womans body and 

makes her perform sexual pleasures on her husband against her will or during the 

incredibly painful process of foot binding. 

(I wasnt 100% sure what that was, so I googled it. Very painful and very interesting. I love 

learning something new!)

Had this book stayed above the creepy level and hmm... just been a little different, I 

think I would have really liked it. As it was, I wasnt a big fan. I probably wont read any of her

other books. I dont normally read books like this, but it was very interesting to learn 

more about the Chinese, their customs and beliefs.  

Rating: **

Rating Scale
*****: Amazing, wonderful, MUST-read, loved it!
****: Really liked it, would recommend, great book!
***: Liked it, enjoyable, but not the greatest book ever written. 
**: Not so great, some good parts, but overall, it was just ok. 
*: Didnt like it, wouldnt recommend it, bad book all around.