Book Review: The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan

Hello everyone reading my post 😀 it’s great to be back again. to be honest, I was having my semester finals this past month and over that, battling cold and cough and fever… so, a pretty meh month.

Been reading this book and I’ve got to admit that this is a fabulous book.

A stunning piece of art.

The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan

The novel intricately weaves together the stories of three generations of Chinese women living in San Francisco and China. The novel primarily revolves around the life of Ruth Young, a Chinese-American ghostwriter, and her tumultuous relationship with her immigrant mother, LuLing of a world full of superstitions and magic, in a world of practicality. The mother, through her memoir tells her daughter the story of her life and the life of her mother. All the hardships, obstacles they had to face. All the misunderstanding they had to witness and the part of magic and beliefs between all this.

It showcases the life of a little girl in a far away village in China in the early 20th century. Children, no doubt inherit their behaviours and personality from their parents and whether they admit it or not, it is there. The same happens in this novel starting from the daughter who being annoyed and irritated at her mother starts to realize the bond they both share after reading her memoir.

Secrets, timeless facts, a nostalgia of all that had been and a hope for all that is to be is so beautifully written that this novel is a sure page turner. Things and realizations keep popping up and all you could do is to try to devour this all in one sitting. The story delves into themes of cultural identity, the impact of the past on the present, and the intricate bonds between mothers and daughters.

I was amazed at how much this book accomplished to illustrate before us- from culture to history to myth, to fate and hope, love and heartbreak and at last forgiveness. Amy Tan explores the complexities of communication and the ways in which stories are passed down through generations, blending history, folklore, and personal narratives.

It is written in simple style but with great craftiness.

Sure read it and will see y’all later!

What is the past but what we choose to remember? ~ Precious Auntie