The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan

This is my second Amy Tan novel, and I have to admit to loving the way she writes.

This is a mother and daughter tale that is concerned about bridging not only a generation gap, but a cultural and 'truth' gap. There are three parts to this story: Ruth, the American daughter, worrying about her ailing mother and remembering her childhood; LuLing, the Chinese mother's story set in a difficult pre-war China; and then a return to the present time, after Ruth has read the story.

While this isn't a gripping story, it is definitely interesting. I particularly enjoyed the story of the mother in China. The culture, traditions and actions of the characters were fascinating. There were moments where I was shocked and horrified, and then there were others where I giggled a bit stupidly. I also have to commend Tan for how she captured the mother's voice. Through her story, we could understand why she appeared to be a harsh mother to Ruth when she was a child. Although I cannot find the quote, to paraphrase the one part I appreciated, Precious Aunty explained that LuLing's mother criticised her because it showed she cared, and then she proceeded to criticise LuLing more, to prove that she cared more.

While the daughter's story was easier to relate to, it was a lot less interesting. Her problems, although definitely something many women could relate to, were no where near as interesting as her mother's. I also was completely undecided as to whether the end actions were the correct actions or not - which was probably a bit of the point.

I can't say that this book is for everyone. Folks who prefer a pacey plot will be bored stiff within a few pages. Those who have an interest in China and its culture and history might find this more entertaining.

Overall I rated this 3 stars on Goodreads, because, although I appreciated the read, I did struggle to pick the book up each day, particularly Ruth's parts.

This is the 52nd book I have read for the 2015 TBR Pile Reading challenge.