This lovely novel is the first one of five that we will be reading for this year's Pearl Buck Book Club at the library. What wonderful insight into the culture of the China during the early 20th century! Of course, this is not surprising since Pearl Buck lived in China for much of her life.
East Wind, West Wind is the story of the culture clash between old Chinese customs and traditions and the slowly encroaching western world. Narrated by Kwei-lan, a young woman in an arranged marriage to a Chinese man educated in America, the novel focuses on her struggle to understand her changing role as a Chinese woman. Eventually falling deeply in love with her husband, she is at first confused and appalled at his desire to treat her as an equal and his request that she unbind her feet. Having been brought up to pay attention to traditional details of beauty and dress, Kwei-lan has a hard time connecting with her husband and understanding that his interest is in her as a person rather than as an object of beauty. The old order of China is changing around her and Buck allows us to see these changes through the naive eyes of a young woman who has been completely shielded from the outside world.
I loved this book and would encourage everyone to read Pearl Buck!
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