The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices
By: Xinran
Copyright: 2002
Pantheon Books, New York

4 Bookmarks out of 5

I have to say, I didn't intend for my first two books reviewed to be about Asian culture. But you also can't help it when a book falls into your lap! I first saw this book in a used bookstore near the University where I work. My boyfriend made note of it and bought it for me as a birthday present. It stood out to me in two ways - my friend is currently teaching English in China so I am extremely interested in Chinese culture. The second reason is that my twin sister has piqued my interest in women's studies. This book has definitely opened my eye to what it means to be a Chinese woman.

The book is a series of anecdotes of different women during different times in China. The book deals with women who are young teenagers all the way to women of old age. What makes this book so fascinating is the fact that, as far as I know, these are real stories of real women. Don't be fooled - there are not a lot of happy stories in here. There are no Hollywood happy endings to be found. These are stories which will strike a chord with you from the very first story of a girl who kept a fly as a pet and stayed in a hospital to avoid her pedophile father to the last story the the primitive women of Shouting Hill.

Happiness is a central theme throughout this book and it will seem strange to the reader that the only women who describe themselves as 'happy' are the women of Shouting Hill - who are sold to buy new wives for their tribe and who must tend to a man's every need. The rest of the women in the book only seem try their luck at happiness and find that fate is not terribly kind to them.

The reason I would rank this book only 4 out of 5 bookmarks is the fact that Xinran explains so little about her own life. Yes, in the book we know she has a son, PanPan, and we also know her childhood growing up during the Cultural Revolution. But what about Xinran's husband? What is her own married life like? Was this a subject that she chose not to talk about or was it a topic she was barred from writing about? It seems odd to me as a reader to be told stories that will make your heart cry and to have the author seem so unenthusiastic about telling her own life at the same time.

I also find it so hard to believe that there was not one story included that had an ending where the woman was able to attain what she desired. I wanted so badly for all these women to marry the men they loved or be with the women they loved, but none of the stories cover that too well. I know that somewhere in modern Chinese history there has to be a woman who was able to be with the person whom she desired.

But, Xinran is a journalist. I think she wanted to make a point in this book that Chinese women have to deal with all these hardships behind closed doors. In that aspect, Xinran proclaims a rallying cry for all women, Chinese and European and African alike, to take a look at their lives. If you cannot be free to change your own fate, then you must be able to be honest and open with yourself.

This is a quick read but a book with so many difficult topics to cover. Don't read this book without a box of tissues nearby to wipe your tears. It also will help to have a good friend to call up after to talk about your own experiences in life so far.