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Pavilion of Women
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 15 hrs and 15 mins
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Pavilion of Women
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Summary
On her 40th birthday, Madame Wu carries out a decision she has been planning for a long time: she tells her husband that after 24 years their physical life together is now over and she wishes him to take a second wife. The House of Wu, one of the oldest and most revered in China, is thrown into an uproar by her decision, but Madame Wu will not be dissuaded and arranges for a young country girl to come take her place in bed.
Elegant and detached, Madame Wu orchestrates this change as she manages everything in the extended household of more than sixty relatives and servants. Alone in her own quarters, she relishes her freedom and reads books she has never been allowed to touch. When her son begins English lessons, she listens, and is soon learning from the "foreigner," a free-thinking priest named Brother Andre, who will change her life.
Pavilion of Women is a thought-provoking combination of Old China, unorthodox Christianity, and liberation, written by Pearl S. Buck, a Nobel Prize winner born and raised in China. Few stories raise so many questions about the nature and roles of men and women, about self-discipline and happiness. At the center is the amazing Madame Wu - brilliant, beautiful, full of contradictions and authority.
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What listeners say about Pavilion of Women
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Axis
- 26-09-20
Started out well... BUT...
The initial premise - the wife deciding to get her husband a concubine when she gets to forty - is intriguing. Unfortunately Madame Wu becomes increasingly smug and annoying - to this reader at least - as her ‘spiritual awakening’ evolves. By the end you want someone to kick her outdoors. The narrator’s reverent tone could be adding to this feeling... I have not read the actual book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- LRC
- 13-04-13
Elegant story, takes you through time and culture
Although this novel was written long ago, the tale is still as engaging and enjoyable many generations later. It's a great journey into a country village where prominent families ruled and the world was at war with itself. The story is read well by a male voice who was able to tell this tale with the depth, variety, emotion and understand it deserves. Very good performance of a wonderful story of Madame Wu. Highly recommended!
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- gerrard
- 16-05-17
A book good for the soul
This beautifully narrated gently paced book is full of pearls of wisdom for our generation.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ivan
- 28-04-15
Remarkable...
Madam Wu kicks-ass:) Great story through time, I would definitely recommend the book.. Z z z z z z
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 02-05-21
A nice story
All nice it's just that I would prefer a female narrator. The male narrator did a good job though.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Viper
- 19-08-18
A book with a most beautiful soul.
A book full of wisdom. Most loved and read again and again over fourty years. Although read by a male person an incredible good performance! I was most positively surprised!
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