The Bonesetter's Daughter

By: Amy Tan

Narrated by: Amy Tan

Ruth Young and her widowed mother, LuLing, have always had a tumultuous relationship. Now, before she succumbs to forgetfulness, LuLing gives Ruth some of her writings, which reveal a side of LuLing that Ruth has never known....

Set in contemporary San Francisco and in a Chinese village where Peking Man is being unearthed, The Bonesetter's Daughter is an excavation of the human spirit — revealing deep wounds and profound hopes. Over the course of one fog-shrouded year — between one season of falling stars and the next — mother and daughter find what they share in their bones through heredity, history, and inexpressible qualities of love.

Read by the author, Amy Tan, and actress Joan Chen (The Last Emperor), this story conjures the pain of broken dreams, the power of myths, and the strength of love that enables us to recover in memory what we have lost in grief.

©2001 Amy Tan (P)2001 Phoenix Books, Inc.

Riveting!

This is the 3rd Amy Tan book I've read and I was not disappointed. I am amazed that a person can write a book so interesting, with so many lessons to be learned, and which evokes so much emotion. I highly recommend this book. I enjoyed the voices of the narrators as well

Lovely & Heartwarming

Beautifully written and beautifully read.
Especially interesting if you have a parent in the beginning throws of dementia.
I seem to gravitate toward books about the different Asian cultures and I found this one, as it jumped from present day to past day very inspiring and informative. The ancient Chinese culture is so steeped in mysterious ways and superstitions. It was a wonderful book.

Fabulous Story

Wonderful insights into relationships, cultures and the human condition. Very well read. I enjoyed it throughout.

A pretty good Amy Tan novel

Any additional comments?

I was drawn to read this book because Joy Luck Club was so good. This one is good too, but it covers a lot of the same territory: ABC struggling to resolve her conflicts with her mother and her Chinese heritage. Joy Luck Club had multiple story lines to lend interest. Here, we have a multifamily story line but the focus is narrower. For some people this may add depth to the exploration. I found the specific story to be a little less than enthralling. Those working through their own similar problems may enjoy it more than I did. Amy Tan is several notches about chic lit, so I can still recommend this book.

A little bland and a little sad

Although the main narrator does an excellent job with the Asian accents, the rest of her narration is very monotone, dull and lacking a sharpness that's necessary when telling a story. The story itself is a little dull as well. I think it would be a better read than it is a listen.