imagine a wife giving her husband a younger woman as a birthday present! This is a fictionalized account based on a true-life event: my Chinese grandmother’s selfless gift to my grandfather to ensure a male heir for the family. It is also a story of feminine solidarity and heroism. full of vivid descriptions, the book tells of dramatic events in an opium den, the traditions of raising silkworms as pets, acupuncture, medicines and techniques used in healing, foot binding, and behavior protocols between husbands and wives, masters and servants, children and parents, as well as the plight of a family fleeing war. It is the heart-rending saga of a “book-fragrant” family and their harrowing experiences from 1937 until the fall of hong kong in1941. reviewing the book, the best-selling author lisa see was moved to write: “You did a terrific job . . . really enjoyed the story.” the kirkus review wrote: “purple jade has broader concerns: there is the unsettling influence of american and european ‘west ocean devils,’ internal strife between the nationalists and communists, and an impending japanese invasion . . . the author details chinese traditions and the fascinating but evanescent world as only someone steeped in the old ways could. an adept stylist and storyteller, the author weaves with simplicity this tale of upper-class china in upheaval . . . an engaging family saga by a talented storyteller.”
