Night of Many Dreams

Rating:
Summary: Not her best work
Review: Gail Tsukiyama is a gifted writer with the ability to relate a complex story simply and beautifully. Unfortunately this was not evident in this book. None of the characters ever really came to life or reached their hinted at dreams or potential. Despite some level of vision, insight, independence and drive, no one was able to change the "fate" that was so often mentioned. One might argue that this was done deliberately as some commentary on people, society and contemporary literature, but I am not sure this is the case. Full of repetitious stereotypes and undeveloped ideas, I would never recommend this as an inspiring story of strong women or families. "Dreaming Waters", Tsukiyama's latest, is a much better read.

Rating:
Summary: Great READ!
Review: I can't even remember why I bought this book -- I just happened upon it last week, and once I started reading it, I quickly got sucked into the stories of these women's lives. I read some of the of other comments regarding this book -- that's it's not "historical" and that it doesn't represented men well (except Emma's husband). While this is true, I don't think this is a hinderance at all. Tsukiyama tells a really good story, it's a good read, and you end up caring about the characters immensely. It's a story about women's lives -- and the differences between them. While history does play a part in the plot, it's not the center piece. History doesn't drive the plot, per se, but the different relationships and the difference experiences between daughters and mothers and aunts and, yes, even men drive the plot. I would highly recommend this book if you just want to escape for awhile. You might even see a little bit of yourself in one of these women, and you might even learn a bit more about the women that touch your life.

Just be prepared for the ending. It's tragic, but it completes the circle as well. I think this is when all the women in the story really learn about themselves, if they hadn't before.

Rating:
Summary: Simplicity Counts
Review: To speak of the truth, I was initially attracted to the book because of its shimmering cover. Little did I realize that something more exciting awaited me. The moment I start flipping the pages, I was hooked. The lives of Emma and Joan had me so captivated. Though the lives they lead were not exactly riveting, it felt real to me. I could relate to how they were feeling especially when Emma was in America all by herself. I felt like I know her and reading her encounters in America brought back memories for myself. Also, how the characters' lives in the book were all interwined makes me view family ties in a different light. The unconditional love Joan had for Emma, Emma had for Joan, Auntie Go's love for her nieces and the girls' mother who loved them in her own unique way touched my heart. The story also shed light on the bond between Emma and her friend in Macau. Absence only makes the hearts grow fonder. The bond they shared was incredible. I also admire Joan's wits and bravery in the beginning of the novel whereby she, a teenager had to collect debts on the behalf of her father and the clever tactics she used to handle tricky debtors. I like the way Gail Tsukiyama depicts the courage of the girls regardless of how adverse the circumstances may be. There are two unexpected twists to the story. A good read for those who prefers simplicity and a slow, relaxing read for all the ideas to sink in. More for the gals out there, definitely!