Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #104804 in Books
• Published on: 1999-07-01
• Released on: 1999-06-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

From Library Journal
A work of historical fiction, Tsukiyama's (Samurai's Garden, LJ 2/15/95) latest novel contains several strong female characters. Set during the onset of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in 1940, it first introduces readers to sisters Joan and Emma Lew, ages 14 and nine. The girls, with their servant Foon and their mother's first cousin, Auntie Go, all live "privileged" lives together in Hong Kong until they decide to flee from the imposing Japanese and emigrate to Macao, leaving their father behind to watch the family home. At the war's end, the family returns to Hong Kong with the intention of rebuilding and reclaiming their lives. Culminating in the year 1965, this novel follows its characters through 15 years of growth, maturity, and self-discovery. The ending is a bit rushed, leaving the sisters' characters slightly underdeveloped (and perhaps allowing room for a sequel?). But because Tsukiyama writes with great sensory detail, allowing her reader to touch, taste, and feel the world she creates, the work does remain a satisfying read. Recommended for Asian American and larger fiction collections.?Shirley N. Quan, Orange Cty. P.L., Fountain Valley, Cal.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
In a story where the omniscient narrator moves the point of view among the family participants, and where time may shift years between chapters or linger over moments slow and sweet as honey, we view the world of Emma Lew of Hong Kong and, later, San Francisco; her older sister Joan; and their family from 1940 to 1965. The changing mores of Hong Kong society are the backdrop for the tender relationships among Emma, who longs for a wider world than her mother's ladies' lunches; Joan, who finds her place in the movies that have fed her dreams since childhood; Auntie Go, who pulls deeply against tradition by running her own business; and silent servant Foon, whose cooking forges a near-mystical familial bond. Particularly fine at evoking how scent and aroma can jog the memory and clutch at the heart, the tale grows in richness as it proceeds, a paean to the sustaining pleasures of family. GraceAnne A. DeCandido

Review
"Delicately fashioned . . . Evocative." --The New York Times Book Review

"Tsukiyama tells a quietly powerful and understated story of women finding their way in the world, and the strength they derive from family ties." --San Francisco Chronicle

"Grows in richness as it proceeds, a paean to the sustaining pleasures of family." --Booklist

"Tsukiyama writes with great sensory detail, allowing her reader to touch, taste, and feel the world she creates." --Library Journal

"With unexpected poignancy . . . Tsukiyama skillfully demonstrates how the strength of family bonds can provide spiritual sustenance." --Publishers Weekly
-- Review

Customer Reviews

My least favorite Tsukiyama book so far
NIGHT OF MANY DREAMS by Gail Tsukiyama
January 21, 2008

Rating 3.5/5 stars

I think this is the third Tsukiyama book I've read and so far the least favorite. It is the story of a Chinese family living in Hong Kong before the start of W.W.II and the communist takeover of China. The story is written from various viewpoints - Emma, the youngest sister who is studious and bright; Joan, the older sister, who only wants to be an actress; and Auntie Go, their mother's sister who runs a knitting factory and never married.

What I found lacking in this novel was any clear direction of where the story should be going, except that of a family's story from 1940 through 1965. The reader will watch the two girls grow up in Hong Kong, will learn about the family history, in particular that of Auntie Go but also that of the girls' parents. I think the highlight of the story were the years during W.W.II, when the Japanese took over Hong Kong and the Chinese and British subjects that remained in Hong Kong lived in fear. The writing during this part of the book felt more solid, and I actually felt something for the characters at this point. What I also enjoyed about the story were the details of their lives, from living with loyal servants, to their years in Macao where they waited out the war years in safety.

I think my opinions of this book will probably be in the minority, but I really was looking forward to a much better written book. There was definitely something lacking, and while I enjoyed the story in general, I didn't connect with any of the characters, except possibly Auntie Go. This wont' stop me from continuing to read Tsukiyama's books, however. NIGHT OF MANY DREAMS gets a marginal recommendation.

"Dream" is a snooze
My book club selected this book because Tsukiyama is one of our favorite authors. Compared to her other novels like Samurai's Garden, Language of Threads and Women of the Silk, Tsukiyama's Night of Many Dreams does not have a compelling story line - mildly interesting, but not a page-turner. It's defintiley not one of her best efforts. Ironically, the title seems to have nothing to do with the tale, except that reading the book might make you snooze.

I enjoyed the book, but not the sequence of events
I found this book in a hospital waiting room recently while waiting for a family member receiving a treatment. After about three pages, I was hooked and conned a nurse into letting me borrow it from the hospital.

Overall, the book was well written, interesting, and informative. If it is historically accurate, I learned some things.

One thing that I didn't like about this book was that it jumped around so much. For instance, in one scene, Emma and Jack have their first date and in the next, they are married with a two-year-old child.

I didn't like that the male characters weren't really developed. Hing is always off in another country for work. Joseph's a letch. Chin is elusive. You learn nothing of Wilson's life outside of the Rec Center. Jack is developed pretty well, but then is axed at the end. I knew it was coming, but found it completely unnecessary to kill off Jack's character. That was just wrong.

I found it odd that Joan and Emma have English names when no one else does (in Hong Kong) except for Joseph.

I like Emma's and Joan's characters. Joan is depicted as a strong, stubborn person who can succeed at anything she desires. However, I didn't like it and found it strange that such a strong character was reduced to premarital sex with her director.

That was a really unusual scene. Here's a young woman going into her house after work and her boyfriend drives up saying he needs to speak with her. So, they drive off to his apartment, which seemed like an odd place just to go to "talk." Along the way she thinks that whatever happens, she has no control over. Huh? This is a strong woman, who once fought off an armed soldier and she thinks she has no control over a chat with her boyfriend? That didn't make any sense.

At his apartment, he's so embarrassed about his messy bedroom, that he closes the door. Then, he just picks her up out of the blue mid-discussion, carts her off into the embarrassingly messy bedroom, undresses her, and does the deed without her saying or doing anything. Just bizarre.

Overall, I really liked the book, but would have liked some characters and relationships developed better and to not end when it did.