Customer Reviews

Women of the Silk

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Women of the Silk captures the realities, struggles, and infrequent joys of working women in early 20th century China. Gail Tsukiyama's elegant portrayal of Pei, a girl sold to a silk factory by her destitute parents is riveting. Pei's life, though riddled with hardship, is enriched by her relationships with other women who share her fate. The factory women enjoy a sisterhood, which bolsters their self-confidence and sense of self worth. This bond, coupled with the autonomy afforded them by living on their own without husbands, enables the silk factory women to enjoy a measure of freedom and self-confidence that was unobtainable to married Chinese women of the era. Instilled with a sense of belonging and confidence, the "sisters" gather the collective strength to stand up to the brutal factory chiefs and fight for their rights.

Women of the Silk is a compelling story of sisterhood, finding inner strength, and standing up for what you believe in. Gail Tsukiyama's writing style is flowing and well organized, making the story immensely enjoyable to read. The characters are three-dimensional and extremely well developed. Ms. Tsukiyama's vivid imagery allows the reader to actually "see" the scenes that she describes. The story of Pei and her sisters will make you think, as it provides accurate historical overviews of life in China in the 1920s and 30s. The women endure tragedy, societal abuse, and the effects of political strife while enjoying unique bonds of friendship and solidarity. I was sorry to see this book come to an end, but luckily there is a sequel - The Language of the Threads.

I have long maintained that one of the primary reasons to read a book is to learn something new. And nowhere is learning achieved more than in Gail Tsukiyama's novel Women of the Silk, her first published title. Not only does the author provide her readers with memorable characters but introduces us to the world of women silk workers and their sisterhood.

Pei Ling is the first-born daughter of Chinese peasant farmers. Although her mother has been pregnant several times only Pei and her younger sister Li survive past infancy. When she turns 8, Pei is brought to an area of China known for their silk factories. Although she is unaware of what will happen to her once her father leaves, it is evident to the reader that she has been sold and her parents will receive a stipend for providing her as a silk worker. Pei is at first shy and lonely but slowly learns her job and makes friends with an older silk worker, Ling. After several years when Li become comfortable with her surroundings, Pei chooses to be bound to the sisterhood by partaking in the hair ceremony. Once this ceremony is over, Li will not be free to marry or work elsewhere but pledges her life to the Sisterhood of silk workers. Then as conditions worsen for the workers, it is obvious that change within the silk factories is necessary. And then when Japan begins to occupy China, the world Li and her sisters have known for so many years begins to crumble.

For me as reader this was a wonderful title and one filled with many learning experiences. In the deft hands of Tsukiyama, I felt as though I was the silk worker learning my trade and making friendships with the other girls and women. This book is not to be missed and when you finish it, I hope you will consider reading The Language of Threads which continues the story of Pei as China is occupied during WWII.

This is a simple, yet heartfelt and elegant tale of the lives and struggles of women in rural China of the 1920s and 1930s. The story centers on Pei, who as a young girl, is sold by her parents to work in a silk factory. The story evolves as Pei befriends other women in the silk factory, participates in a strike for fair working conditions, reconnects with her family, loses loved ones, and escapes from advancing Japanese soldiers. The plot is succinct and the characters are interesting, varied, and believable, if perhaps lacking somewhat in psychological depth. Socio-cultural aspects of life in 1920s-30s China are elegantly woven into the plot. Themes of friendship, love, and courage are convincingly presented. Overall, the book is a captivating read, and strongly recommended.

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!

Women of the Silk is the story of a poor young girl, Pei, growing up in the countryside of China in the early part of the 1900s. When she is around 8 years old, her family, strapped after a few difficult farming seasons, decides they must "give her to the silk work." Without her understanding what is happening, Pei is brought to the city and left at a home for girls who work in the silk factory. The money she earns pays for her boarding and the rest is sent home to her family. The book is Pei's story of growing up with the other silk workers, the deep friendships she forms, and her coming to accept what her parents needed to do.

Although this isn't a book where a lot "happens," I enjoyed it for its rich description of Pei's world and for its graceful writing. I was interested to learn how the silk workers were among the most independent women in the culture, often looked upon as strange. Some went through "the hairdressing ceremony" to become wedded to silkwork, vowing never to be married, presumably because a woman dedicated to her work cannot also be dedicated to a marriage. They were also quite sheltered and many never saw much of he world outside their small area. Most of the characters in the book are women, and through them, Tsukiyama nicely illustrates the role of women at that time, the values and constraints they lived with, and the choices they were allowed to make. It was also interesting to see how any foreigners were considered devils, referred to as "the white devils" or "the Japanese devils." There is a stretch of the book, after Pei becomes a young adult, when the book seems to stall without a direction, but on the whole, it kept my attention and I found myself caring for many of the characters and interested to learn more about their lives.

Our book group read this book and all ten people present at the discussion felt the book to be a great disappointment. We had a hard time understanding how such a childish, sketchy, romanticized book could be published when there are so many books that are better--namely Red Azalea, White Swans, Women Warrior, Joy Luck Club, etc. This book seemed like it was aimed at a young adult audience except for its sexual content and hinted lesbianism. The characters were cardboard; Pei, the main character, was supposed to "come-of-age" but all she did was grow older without any struggle that the reader could identify with.

The author seemed to have an agenda: presenting a fellowship of women that was ideal and to demonstrate that traditional marriages and childbearing didn't offer the happiness that the society of women alone could. However, this picture is not convincing. In fact, the strike the women engage in seems contradictory to the author's point. This is not feminism but romanticism of a kind.

We were totally surprised that some considered the book to be well-written. Yes, it was simple, but rather than generate elegance, the style was passive and full of cliches and lack of development and specificity. Note the description of Canton (p. 145) and see if you think the author even looked at a picture of Canton to arrive at something so vague and lackluster. Dramatically the work suffered as well. The author relied on deaths, funerals, trips, reunions, etc. for dramatic effect instead of developing conflicts.

The subject of the novel is an interesting one, but the author needed to enter the world of the silk factory through her imagination much like the author of Memoirs of a Geisha did.

In her first novel, Women of the Silk, Gail Tsukiyama weaves a beautiful tale about a young girl, named Pei, growing up in 1930's China. The novel is historical fiction, but the author does such a wonderful job of capturing the reality of the times, that it is hard to believe it is not true. Women of the Silk is a story of love, friendship, war, and women. This book is a fantastic read, and I would suggest it for anyone who enjoys a good book.
The war going on in China, during the period that the novel is set, is the Second Sino-Japanese War. This was a war between Japan and China fought for control of the Chinese mainland. During this time, economy in China suffered great loss and threw many workers into hard times. Tsukiyama shows brilliantly the effects of war on Chinese society, and also how women were treated in 1930's China. Her characterization is wonderful; she makes each character believable individuals, although the book lacks male characters. The book is full of imagery that is touching to the soul. The only element that the book lacks is a strong ending.
The story is told mainly from the perspective of Pei, a precocious young Chinese girl, the daughter of a fish farmer. When money becomes scarce, her father is forced to give up one of his daughters: "The fortuneteller had as much as predicted that Pei was of a nonmarrying fate. An unmarried woman had little in this world without a husband and his family to care for her" (15). Because of this, Pei's father sends Pei to work in a Silk Factory to earn money for her family. This line also begins one of the most important ideas of the work: the choices that women were given in Chinese society. Pei meets many friends at the Girls' House where she lives, and some of the most poignant images in the book are those of the friendships that are forged. After a good friend dies, Pei decides to go through the Hairdressing Ceremony, a ceremony like a marriage that marries the girl to her work, with her best friend Lin. The working conditions become worse, and Pei and her friends form a strike, the first one ever seen in rural China. They are successful, and life gets better for them, until the invading Japanese get closer to Yung Kee, the village in which they live. At the end of the book, Pei is making her way to Hong Kong to avoid the war.
This book succeeds in enlightening its readers both to the struggle of Chinese women in the 1930's, and also to the struggle of China as a whole. It shows, through Pei, that although most women were expected to marry and serve their husband, other things were possible, namely independence. The characters in the book are magnificently crafted and very real. The only thing missing in the book are strong male characters. With the exception of Pei's father, Pao Chung, all male characters are minor and one dimensional. This is done because the book focuses on women, however it would be more realistic if there were some more believable male characters. The only other unrealistic part of the book is that it is implied that perhaps Pei and Lin are more than just good friends. This part of the book is overdone, and in my opinion unnecessary. The strongest images in the book are those of the friendship between Pei and Lin, and when anything more than friendship is implied, it is unbelievable. Tsukiyama is a master of language; the words she uses create vivid images that can be either heartwarming or heart wrenching.
Women of the Silk is a story of love, courage, and beauty, but it is clear that none of this comes without a price. Many people in Pei's life die, or are harmed, but in the end there is hope, and Pei is sailing towards Hong Kong in search of a new life. The end, however, does not seem to be complete. Throughout the book time is taken to tell the story, and then the end comes abruptly. It seems almost as if the author were out of time. However, there is a sequel, and perhaps that is why the book ended so abruptly, causing the reader to yearn for more.
Tsukiyama's novel is magnificent. It touches on issues such as the choices women had in 1930's China, and the effects of war on Chinese society and economy. It also shows the strength of love and friendship. The characterization is mainly good, and the author's use of language and imagery is superb. I enjoyed this book and am excited to read the sequel, The Language of Threads, which will follow Pei's life in Hong Kong. I recommend this book to anyone, and more strongly to all women. It is a wonderfully well crafted novel, and is a joy to read.

I loved this book! Ms. Tsukiyama is such a wonderful story teller. Her talent is so evident in how she beautifully describes her characters and scenary. I fully recommend this book to everyone who enjoys the art of story telling. I am currently reading the part two of Women of the Silk. I am so glad that I didn't listen to a few of the negative customer reviews on this book within this service on Amazon! Boy were those people way off!

This book was captivating from the start. The novel is a simple one on the surface. At the most elemtary level, it is the story of Pei, a Chinese girl, and her journey towards maturity. Gail Tsukiyama uses this story to reveal to her reader the cultural and class struggles fought by poor females in China beginning in the late 1920's. Her style is powerful, yet subtle. At first, you see life through the eyes of a bewildered girl caught in an economic crisis where the solution yeilded clearly comes from a sexist society. As Pei matures and begins to accept her fate as a commited member of the "Sisterhood", one begins to see stirrings in her. The stirrings originate from a sense of curiousity, a longing for family, and a realization that her survival depends on her alone. Women actually organize against the owners of the silk factory. The timespan of this book takes you to 1938 and enables the reader to feel the pending fate of the looming and inevitable Japanese invasion of mainland China. This work is filled with twists and turns. The writing is so crafted that the reader moves from page to page hungry to experience the next scene. This book is a quick read, but the subtlety begs a second read. This is the first experience I had with Gail Tsukiyama. I now have read (and own) each of her others.

I'm really not too sure why so many reviews of this book praise it so highly- granted, it took me awhile to catch on, but this book (Tsukiyama's first) is completely flat and emotionless. In fact, if I hadn't been forced to read "Women of the Silk" for class, I doubt even my morbid curiosity about so many ill-fated, undeveloped characters would have kept me going. Tsukiyama's characters seem to be in place in order to lead the author to some sort of cathartic understanding of the resilience of women in general, and the culture of southern Chinese silkworkers, specifically. As such, they are nothing more than talking cutouts, forming the extremely shaky foundation upon which an otherwise captivating plot is built. The reader is left wondering exactly what the agenda of the author was- clearly, the simple telling of human drama, having taken no shape in this book, was not her goal. The unmistakeable hints at a lesbian relationship between the main character, Pei, and her best friend, Lin, are never allowed to take on any detail or life of their own. It's almost as if Tsukiyama is fencing in what, in other circumstances, could have been a delightful book, by preventing the characters any meaningful interaction with one another. I would not recommend this book to anyone, unless it is to be used in a study of Asian-American authorship, and the pitfalls of writing about a culture with which the author is unfamiliar.