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Published: June 20, 2011
Words: 155292 (approximate)
Language: English
Ebook short description
Pearl Zhang was born in China, and grew up during the Cultural Revolution. She was raised in a typically Chinese manner, went to school, got a job, got married, then she went to the United Kingdom, and stayed. Follow Pearl's Journey, from the East to the West, and discover a New World through her eyes.Extended description
Pearl Zhang was born in Sichuan Province in China, and grew up during the Cultural Revolution. She was raised in a typically Chinese manner, went to school, got a job, got married, and her whole life path was mapped out, or so it seemed.Then she seized the opportunity to study in the United Kingdom – and stayed. How did she adjust to the Western way of life, and what did she have to do to overcome the barriers? Would she find happiness and fulfilment with her English suitor in Scotland, or would her heartache continue? She was in a new world, both foreign and exciting – under the Same Moon.
This book, the first of Junying Kirk’s “Journey to the West” Trilogy, will take you on a journey full of surprises and discoveries, from the East to the West, from the Middle Kingdom to the United Kingdom.... (Read more)
Tags
romance, love, tragedy, marriage, death, journey, faith, sex, university, optimism, china, uk, cultural revolution, courtship, journey of life, journey of selfdiscoveryAvailable ebook reading formats
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| PDF (good for reading on PC, or for home printing) | Buy | No sample available |
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| Palm Doc (PDB) (for Palm reading devices) | Buy | Download sample |
| Plain Text (download) (flexible, but lacks much formatting) | Buy | No sample available |
| Plain Text (view) (viewable as web page) | Buy | No sample available |
Reviews
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Review by:
Vered Ehsani
on Sep. 23, 2011 :
The Same Moon follows the story of Pearl through her childhood and early adulthood in China to her first several years in the UK where she pursues her dream of higher studies. The first half of the book provides a fascinating glimpse into the day-to-day reality of a young person growing up in China, and her perceptions and observations of a country in transition from strict communism to a relatively more open society. The traditional culture is also brought to life through Pearl’s narrative. When given the opportunity to study a Masters and then a PhD in the UK, Pearl jumps at the opportunity, at great personal sacrifice. As she struggles to adapt to a very different culture and to stay in school, she gradually discovers new freedoms she never knew could exist.
China of the ‘70s and ‘80s was as different from the UK as any two countries can be, and this is very clear from Pearl’s experience. There seems to be some parallels between the lives of Pearl and the author, and this provides great authenticity to the story. I often felt like I was reading someone’s diary, as the writing style is personal and sometimes almost unstructured, the way a diary is, one thought leading to another. A few things are needed for this novel to get 4 stars: better editing; smoother transitions between scenes and sections; less jumping between different times and places that are described in the same section (sometimes the author skips a bit too suddenly from one thought to another). I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed ‘Wild Swans’ or is interested in China or the experiences of an immigrant to the UK.
Vered Ehsani
www.veredehsani.com
(reviewed long after purchase)
Review by:
Donna Carrick
on Aug. 04, 2011 :
The full spectrum of human experience...
The Same Moon by Junying Kirk is the tale of Pearl Zhang, a "spicy Sichuan girl" who grows up during Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution. More than just another "coming of age" novel, I found this to be a wonderfully-rendered character study. At all times fighting for freedom, Pearl entertains personal aspirations that are not in keeping with the expectations of her society.
It would be an injustice to call The Same Moon a mere love story, although love is certainly at its heart. Nor would I label it a plunge into Asian tradition. It is more universal than that, thanks to the struggles faced by Pearl. We come to accept her, not as the 'perfect heroine', but as someone who is both flawed and strong, at all times reaching past her own imperfections to find "a better way".
Having said that, if Chinese culture and the true plight of immigrants from the Far East are of interest to you, you will not be disappointed in this novel. Often cutting in its honesty, it will take the reader on a journey from oppression to freedom, from childhood to maturity, as Pearl slowly learns to discard her shackles and accept responsibility for her own dreams.
Because our youngest child was born in China, I have a passion for learning about Chinese society. I was thrilled to discover this brilliant gem of a novel, and was even more delighted to find that the story held my interest from start to finish.
I give this e-book 5 stars for honesty, the development of a compelling character, the depth of cultural understanding the author brings to bear and the compassion and generosity evident in each step of Pearl's long journey toward self-actualization.
Well done -- I highly-recommend this book!
Donna Carrick
author of The First Excellence, Gold And Fishes and The Noon God
(reviewed long after purchase)
Review by:
Katy Sozaeva
on July 22, 2011 :
Pearl Zhang was born in the Sichuan province on mainland China in 1961. She was raised in a traditional Chinese manner, went to school, got a job, got married, had her single child … and then her life changed. She was given the opportunity to go study at Warwick University in United Kingdom for one year – and stayed. She adjusted to Western life, divorced her husband, lost her child to him, work, struggled, scrimped and saved. She was in a new world, a completely foreign situation – but under the same moon.
Beautifully written, “The Same Moon” is an (apparently) semi-autobiographical, semi-fiction story. Ms Kirk tells the story with authority and details that will astound the reader, especially one who, like me, doesn’t know very much about China – its fascinating traditions, its beautiful scenery, its generous people. She also grew up during the Cultural Revolution – she also left home and came to UK and stayed. I don’t know how much else of this story is based on her life, but that is enough to give me an idea – it was not an easy time or place to grow up.
This is not the sort of book I would ordinarily seek out and read – however, Junying Kirk asked me to do so and provide a review, and I can happily say that I loved this book and can heartily recommend it to anyone and everyone. Pick up this beautiful book – the first in a trilogy – and prepare to immerse yourself in a different world.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)