Claire Pendleton, newly married and arrived in Hong Kong in 1952, finds work giving piano lessons to the daughter of Melody and Victor Chen, a wealthy Chinese couple. While the girl is less than interested in music, the Chens' flinty British expat driver, Will Truesdale, is certainly interested in Claire, and vice versa. Their fast-blossoming affair is juxtaposed against a plot line beginning in 1941 when Will gets swept up by the beautiful and tempestuous Trudy Liang, and then follows through his life during the Japanese occupation. As Claire and Will's affair becomes common knowledge, so do the specifics of Will's murky past, Trudy's motivations and Victor's role in past events. The rippling of past actions through to the present lends the narrative layers of intrigue and more than a few unexpected twists. Lee covers a little-known time in Chinese history without melodrama, and deconstructs without judgment the choices people make in order to live one more day under torturous circumstances.
This book was chosen by Leah. Sounds a bit like a bodice-ripper. I am looking forward to it! We will meet at Leah' s house on January 28 at 7:00 PM. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Please note that the monthly assignments have been posted on the side bar. As you pick your books, log into blogger, then click on the tool icon in that side bar and you can edit your name to let us know what book you have chosen. That was a really bad run-on sentence. If you still need an invite to be a blog contributor, shoot me an email and I will add you. Also please be aware that I am going to start keeping track of attendance and who had read the book. The people who attend/read the book the most will have first priority for who gets to pick the books for next year.
I am excited to see you all in a couple of weeks!
12 comments:
mt Father in law read this while we on vacation. He loved it. I have heard a lot of people talking about it, and I'm excited to read it!
Does anyone have a copy that I could borrow when you are finished???
Ann and I are trying to get 2 more people who want to order a book from Amazon with us. We get free shipping if there are 4 of us. The book is $9.47. We probably need to order no later that Friday. Leave a comment if you want in.
If one of you took it from the NL library, read it quick! I'm on hold for it, and though I'm a quick reader, I'm also impatient! :) {PS. I called to see if it was in; it was. I asked to put it on hold 'til I could get it; they said that was impossible- can't hold if in stock. I went in at MOST 2 hrs later... it was CHECKED OUT!} If it was one of you, I forgive you entirely. If it was some stranger, I hate them. :)
PS. I finally read HOST by Stephanie Meyer, and loved it! I just had to get over Twilight for long enough to expect anything different. So yeah, my trip to the library was not in vain after all. :)
Mindy- I found it on ebay for $6 with the shipping. If no one wants in on amazon with us, I can just buy it from ebay, and pass it around, if needed (and if it gets here ;) I'll wait to buy it in the morning. It looks good!
Ann- Go for it. Shanna said I could use her copy. $6 is pretty good. I still think you are sneaky, sneaky! Or maybe I am just unobservant. :)
i'm done with mine if anyone wants to borrow it!
Missy, if you still have it and no one's taken you up on your offer... I will. I need something to take my mind off the calendar (watching, waiting, watching, waiting). Call me!
Can I borrow someone's? Also, if people can pick there books quickly and get them on here, it's really awesome for me to have several months notice to get them on hold at the Library and get them read.
Becca,It was me I confess! I have the NL library one. I just checked these comments today, and I have been very slow to read, sorry!!!! Please forgive! Hope you got a copy!See you all soon. Who is up for a girls night out soon? Lets chat at book club.
Johanna, I forgive you. :) But when you're done turn it in, and I'll get it. I'm a pretty speedy reader generally (well, that and I read until 3am if necessary), so I could get it read the week of if I needed to. So read quick. Then let me know. Thanks! And really... you're not in trouble. I'm glad it was one of our own. lol.
Becca,
I'll shoot for Monday to be done. Hope that is alright!!! Thanks!
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