it is a beautiful book, 07 Apr 2002
i thought that it was heart warming,intelligent, and showed you what life was like in the silk factories. i think that the author is very talented and should continue to write.this book is in my top ten of books.

Beautifully written..., 25 Jul 1998
I must agree with the others that have reviewed this book. It was an elegant and sophisticated book that left me wishing there was more to read- After finishing the book, I went out and bought her other book which I look forward to reading. :)

A novel of loss, hope and courage., 27 May 1998
If there is anything that makes a vow of celibacy attractive it is this novel. The characters of the novel, despite their cold exterior and deep traditional values, evoke strong emotions in the reader.

Pei, the protagonist, is sold into the Silk Workers' Sisterhood where she learns the value of female friendship, independence and communal bond. The girls' home is a center of support where the residents receive constant nurturing from each other, learn endurance, and give love.

Pei eventually chooses to enter the "hairdressing" ceremony, where she and her friend Lin enter the women's home choosing celibacy over the traditional norm of marriage and children. Their argument against marriage is a logical one--afterall, most marriages they see in their immediate surrounding imprisons the women into a life of servitude and pain.

In the end, Pei faces a turning point in her life. She is only around 27 years old, she has lost all who had been important to her and she's fleeing the Japanese invaders. As she embarks on a trip to Hong Kong, we know that there is no need for us to wonder; she has the strength to pull through and make a new life for herself.

Women of the Silk is a memorable treat for the reader., 28 Jan 1997
Gail Tsukiyama's beautifully written book is the poignant story of life in rural China in the 1920's. The characters are so finely crafted that the reader feels every emotion -- the joy, the heartbreak, the drudgery, and the intense friendship of women drawn together by the bond of the silk factory. Gail Tsukiyama is a true artist, using her pen to draw detailed pictures which will stay in the mind of the reader long after the final page has been reluctantly turned. A novel by Gail Tsukiyama is a rare treat which would best be savored slowly, if only the storyline was not so compelling!

it is a beautiful book, 07 Apr 2002
i thought that it was heart warming,intelligent, and showed you what life was like in the silk factories. i think that the author is very talented and should continue to write.this book is in my top ten of books.

Beautifully written..., 25 Jul 1998
I must agree with the others that have reviewed this book. It was an elegant and sophisticated book that left me wishing there was more to read- After finishing the book, I went out and bought her other book which I look forward to reading. :)

A novel of loss, hope and courage., 27 May 1998
If there is anything that makes a vow of celibacy attractive it is this novel. The characters of the novel, despite their cold exterior and deep traditional values, evoke strong emotions in the reader.

Pei, the protagonist, is sold into the Silk Workers' Sisterhood where she learns the value of female friendship, independence and communal bond. The girls' home is a center of support where the residents receive constant nurturing from each other, learn endurance, and give love.

Pei eventually chooses to enter the "hairdressing" ceremony, where she and her friend Lin enter the women's home choosing celibacy over the traditional norm of marriage and children. Their argument against marriage is a logical one--afterall, most marriages they see in their immediate surrounding imprisons the women into a life of servitude and pain.

In the end, Pei faces a turning point in her life. She is only around 27 years old, she has lost all who had been important to her and she's fleeing the Japanese invaders. As she embarks on a trip to Hong Kong, we know that there is no need for us to wonder; she has the strength to pull through and make a new life for herself.

Women of the Silk is a memorable treat for the reader., 28 Jan 1997
Gail Tsukiyama's beautifully written book is the poignant story of life in rural China in the 1920's. The characters are so finely crafted that the reader feels every emotion -- the joy, the heartbreak, the drudgery, and the intense friendship of women drawn together by the bond of the silk factory. Gail Tsukiyama is a true artist, using her pen to draw detailed pictures which will stay in the mind of the reader long after the final page has been reluctantly turned. A novel by Gail Tsukiyama is a rare treat which would best be savored slowly, if only the storyline was not so compelling!

Must Read!!!, 05 Feb 2001
This book kept me hooked from the moment I picked it up. I would recommend this to anyone!

I loved it! Excellent read!, 06 Jul 1999
This book really touched me and I have already passed it along to several other people. I can't wait for Ms. Tsukiyama's next book. She is able to give you all the essential elements of a fine novel: well-developed characters on many levels, a magical sense of place (I feel like I am there seeing the place through the eyes of the characters) and stories of real people in their real lives. I can't wait to go to Hong Kong and experience real Chinese cooking. Also, I think my knowledge of real life in Hong Kong (at least during this period of time) has been greatly expanded.

Good story line, but lacked character development, 02 Apr 1999
Though the book was written from the perspective of several of the main characters, I never felt that I got to know them. The book seemed to go from event to event in a hurried fashion. The story line was interesting, but lacked depth. The Samurai's Garden is a much better read.

Very juvenile and shallow writing., 18 Feb 1999
After reading the early customer comments on this book, I could hardly wait to start it, then I had to force myself to finish it. I had chosen it after reading "Memoirs of a Geisha". What a disappointment. All through the book I had the feeling that it was being written by a high school student. The plot was dismally predictable and the characters lacking in any depth. Guess I kept at it for the descriptions of the food--the only redeeming quality in the book.

...absolutely enchanting...a feeling that stays with you, 26 Dec 1998
This is a book that will leave you crying at the end. Maybe out of sadness, maybe out of joy, maybe for some untouched human emotion. Six very different members of my family read it...each one having the same reaction. An absolutely joy to read...peaceful, evoking, calming.