164
people found this helpful, as of 2023
ranked #203,017 most helpful
out of 571,544,897 reviews
★☆☆☆☆
A too long book about too little happening to people you don't care about.
I have enjoyed some Amy Tan novels but this certainly is not one of them. The plot is as old as the hills - young, arrogant girl falls on hard times and slides into the depths of cruel men and cold hearted madams, blah, blah, blah. The one dimensional plot is matched by the one dimensional characters, none of whom are likable nor interesting. Why they are the way they are goes unexplored as do plot narratives which seem to have been used only to get from point a to point b. Perhaps the most irritating part of this very irritating book is the use of coy terms for sexual organs. Men's stems are constantly entering gates of delight with glances at pink pearls guarding those gates, well you get the idea! The exception is the use of the word "pudendum" which stands in stark grabbed, rubbed, squeezed, contrast to the stems, pearls, gates, etc. This is a too long book, about too little happening, to self absorbed people who never touch, never mind grab, your attention.
