Jade Peony - Softcover

Choy, Wayson

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1550544683 ISBN 13: 9781550544688

Publisher: Douglas & McIntyre Ltd, 2011

Synopsis

Chinatown, Vancouver, of the early 194Os provides the backdrop for this fresh, uplifting, award-winning first novel, told through the reminiscences of the three young children of an immigrant Chinese family. Jook-Liang is the "useless girl" of the family, who dreams of becoming Shirley Temple and escaping the rigid, old ways of China. Jung-Sum is the adopted middle son who triumphs over loss and prejudice through boxing, and soon finds himself grappling with a bewildering sexual attraction. Lastly, Sekky - the sickly youngest child - surprises the entire family by teaching them how to mourn, and how to go on living. Finally, there are the secrets and magic of two respected elders: Old Wong, "The Monkey King, " whose past returns to threaten his present and Poh-Poh, or Grandmother, who is the heart and pillar of the family. Side by side, her three grandchildren survive hardships and heartbreaks with grit and humor, discovering a new land without forgetting their common ground.

About this title

Review

"With its episodic forward movement and rich period detail, its delightful set pieces and flashback interpolations, "The Jade Peony" resembles a memoir in its texture" --"New York Times"

""The Jade Peony" is a sweet and funny novel ...[it] delights us with beautifully written prose, but it does more than that, too. It renders a complex and complete human world, which, by the end of 200-odd pages, we have learned to love."--"Boston Book Review"

"Childhood lessons are quietly, powerfully drawn here, with Choy's evocation of harsh immigrant reality nothing short of masterful."--"Kirkus reviews"

"Although Choy's work is fictional, it realistically echoes the difficult life struggles of early Chinese Cantonese immigrants as captured in such biographical works as Denise Chong's "The Concubine's Children" and Ben Fong-Torres's "The Rice Room""--Library Journal

"Insightful, wise, and touching"--"Christian Science Monitor"

With its episodic forward movement and rich period detail, its delightful set pieces and flashback interpolations, "The Jade Peony" resembles a memoir in its texture "New York Times"
""The Jade Peony" is a sweet and funny novel ...[it] delights us with beautifully written prose, but it does more than that, too. It renders a complex and complete human world, which, by the end of 200-odd pages, we have learned to love.""Boston Book Review"
"Childhood lessons are quietly, powerfully drawn here, with Choy's evocation of harsh immigrant reality nothing short of masterful.""Kirkus reviews"
"Although Choy's work is fictional, it realistically echoes the difficult life struggles of early Chinese Cantonese immigrants as captured in such biographical works as Denise Chong's "The Concubine's Children" and Ben Fong-Torres's "The Rice Room""Library Journal
"Insightful, wise, and touching""Christian Science Monitor""

About the Author

Wayson Choy is the author of two novels and two memoirs. He was born and grew up in Vancouver's Chinatown, and now lives in Toronto.

About this edition

• Publisher: Douglas & McIntyre Ltd
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1550544683
• ISBN 13: 9781550544688
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 238