Night of Many Dreams [Library Binding]

Gail Tsukiyama (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2008

As World War II threatens their comfortable life in Hong Kong, young Joan and Emma Lew escape with their family to spend the war years in Macao. When they return home, Emma develops a deep interest in travel and sets her sights on an artistic life in San Francisco, while Joan turns to movies and thoughts of romance to escape the pressures of her real life. As the girls become women, each follows a path different from what her family expects. But through periods of great happiness and sorrow, the sisters learn that their complicated ties to each other--and to the other members of their close-knit family—are a source of strength as they pursue their separate dreams.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A work of historical fiction, Tsukiyama's (Samurai's Garden, LJ 2/15/95) latest novel contains several strong female characters. Set during the onset of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in 1940, it first introduces readers to sisters Joan and Emma Lew, ages 14 and nine. The girls, with their servant Foon and their mother's first cousin, Auntie Go, all live "privileged" lives together in Hong Kong until they decide to flee from the imposing Japanese and emigrate to Macao, leaving their father behind to watch the family home. At the war's end, the family returns to Hong Kong with the intention of rebuilding and reclaiming their lives. Culminating in the year 1965, this novel follows its characters through 15 years of growth, maturity, and self-discovery. The ending is a bit rushed, leaving the sisters' characters slightly underdeveloped (and perhaps allowing room for a sequel?). But because Tsukiyama writes with great sensory detail, allowing her reader to touch, taste, and feel the world she creates, the work does remain a satisfying read. Recommended for Asian American and larger fiction collections.?Shirley N. Quan, Orange Cty. P.L., Fountain Valley, Cal.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In a story where the omniscient narrator moves the point of view among the family participants, and where time may shift years between chapters or linger over moments slow and sweet as honey, we view the world of Emma Lew of Hong Kong and, later, San Francisco; her older sister Joan; and their family from 1940 to 1965. The changing mores of Hong Kong society are the backdrop for the tender relationships among Emma, who longs for a wider world than her mother's ladies' lunches; Joan, who finds her place in the movies that have fed her dreams since childhood; Auntie Go, who pulls deeply against tradition by running her own business; and silent servant Foon, whose cooking forges a near-mystical familial bond. Particularly fine at evoking how scent and aroma can jog the memory and clutch at the heart, the tale grows in richness as it proceeds, a paean to the sustaining pleasures of family. GraceAnne A. DeCandido --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Library Binding
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1435276892
• ISBN-13: 978-1435276895
• Shipping Information: View shipping rates and policies
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Gail Tsukiyama is the bestselling author of ?ve previous novels, including Women of the Silk and The Samurai's Garden, as well as the recipient of the Academy of American Poets Award and the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award. She divides her time between El Cerrito and Napa Valley, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nicely written story of 2 sisters in WWII-era China, July 14, 2000

By 

Ellen Isaacs (San Francisco Bay Area, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Night of Many Dreams: A Novel (Paperback)

Night of Many Dreams is the story of two Chinese sisters, Joan and Emma, growing up in Hong Kong during and after World War II. Their mother is a traditional Chinese woman who wants to pair them up with respected and successful husbands; their father runs a business that keeps him in Japan the bulk of the time; and their Auntie Go runs a successful knitting factory and has never married. During the course of the book, they flee the Japanese occupation to the nearby Portuguese island of Macao, return to Hong Kong to start over again, and gradually return to prosperity. The book focuses on the two daughters, both of them strong and independent in different ways, and how they each find their own way. With the mother and aunt as role models, we expect that Joan, the beautiful one, will find a good husband, and Emma, the smart one, will pursue a career. In the end, though, they each make choices that suit their personality without necessarily fulfilling the expectations others had of them.

Like Tsukiyama's Women of the Silk, this book is nicely written and gives a good sense of the culture and values during this time in Hong Kong. I liked this one a little better than Silk, though, because it had a broader array of interesting characters and I felt I came to understand them better, especially Auntie Go, Joan & Emma. Both Joan and Emma seem to grow and learn from their experiences, and I enjoyed seeing how each of them would handle some of the difficult choices they faced. I like how Tsukiyama creates strong female characters who find their own way within their culture, subtly challenging the status quo but without explicitly rejecting the system. I don't know enough about that area's history to know how realistic the story is, but I hope it is plausible.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars My least favorite Tsukiyama book so far, January 21, 2008

By 

Ratmammy "The Ratmammy" (Ratmammy's Town, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Night of Many Dreams: A Novel (Paperback)

NIGHT OF MANY DREAMS by Gail Tsukiyama
January 21, 2008

Rating 3.5/5 stars

I think this is the third Tsukiyama book I've read and so far the least favorite. It is the story of a Chinese family living in Hong Kong before the start of W.W.II and the communist takeover of China. The story is written from various viewpoints - Emma, the youngest sister who is studious and bright; Joan, the older sister, who only wants to be an actress; and Auntie Go, their mother's sister who runs a knitting factory and never married.

What I found lacking in this novel was any clear direction of where the story should be going, except that of a family's story from 1940 through 1965. The reader will watch the two girls grow up in Hong Kong, will learn about the family history, in particular that of Auntie Go but also that of the girls' parents. I think the highlight of the story were the years during W.W.II, when the Japanese took over Hong Kong and the Chinese and British subjects that remained in Hong Kong lived in fear. The writing during this part of the book felt more solid, and I actually felt something for the characters at this point. What I also enjoyed about the story were the details of their lives, from living with loyal servants, to their years in Macao where they waited out the war years in safety.

I think my opinions of this book will probably be in the minority, but I really was looking forward to a much better written book. There was definitely something lacking, and while I enjoyed the story in general, I didn't connect with any of the characters, except possibly Auntie Go. This wont' stop me from continuing to read Tsukiyama's books, however. NIGHT OF MANY DREAMS gets a marginal recommendation.

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Simplicity Counts, August 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Night of Many Dreams: A Novel (Paperback)

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!