The Bonesetter's Daughter: A Novel““As compelling as Tan’s first bestseller, The Joy Luck Club. . . No one writes about mothers and daughters with more empathy than Amy Tan.” –The Philadelphia Inquirer “[An] absorbing tale of the mother-daughter bond . . . this book sing[s] with emotion and insight.” –People 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. . . . In a remote mountain village where ghosts and tradition rule, LuLing grows up in the care of her mute Precious Auntie as the family endures a curse laid upon a relative known as the bonesetter. When headstrong LuLing rejects the marriage proposal of the coffinmaker, a shocking series of events are set in motion–all of which lead back to Ruth and LuLing in modern San Francisco. The truth that Ruth learns from her mother’s past will forever change her perception of family, love, and forgiveness. “A strong novel, filled with idiosyncratic, sympathetic characters; haunting images; historical complexity; significant contemporary themes; and suspenseful mystery.” –Los Angeles Times “For Tan, the true keeper of memory is language, and so the novel is layered with stories that have been written down–by mothers for their daughters, passing along secrets that cannot be said out loud but must not be forgotten.” –The New York Times Book Review “Tan at her best . . . rich and hauntingly forlorn . . . The writing is so exacting and unique in its detail.” –San Francisco Chronicle |
Contents
Section 1 | 1 |
Section 2 | 9 |
Section 3 | 36 |
Section 4 | 61 |
Section 5 | 85 |
Section 6 | 99 |
Section 7 | 112 |
Section 8 | 139 |
Section 11 | 217 |
Section 12 | 254 |
Section 13 | 277 |
Section 14 | 293 |
Section 15 | 311 |
Section 16 | 339 |
Section 17 | 356 |
Section 18 | 366 |
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Common terms and phrases
already answered asked baby began believe better body bones called Chang Chinese clothes curse daughter dead died doctor don't everything eyes face father feel felt fingers front GaoLing gave ghost girls give gone hair hand happened happy hard head hear heard heart important It's Jing kind knew later laughed leave lived looked LuLing married mean mind Miss month mother mouth move never night once past Peking person Precious Auntie remember returned Ruth Ruth's side Sister Yu soon sound speak started stay stopped sure talk Teacher tell things thought told took tried true trying turned Uncle voice wait walked watch week Wendy wife woman wondered worry write