This author made you see what it was like for a woman to live in China in this time period. The book evoked many emotions and much fodder for discussion for book clubs. Interesting to compare this story to how women live today. Paperback version has an interesting essay by the author in the back of the book with questions for discussion.

Loved this book up until the very end.

I hated the ending. It was an abrupt ending that seemed like it was from another book altogether. I thought it was very unlikely that she would run to an Islamic country. It would me more in character to go to the colonies where she could speak the language and communicate with her patients as she worked as a midwife. Could not believe that she would agree to a loveless, sexless marriage when she was so aghast at the pastor and his wife's arrangement!