Publish Year: 2017
Author: Patricia A. Williams
Synopsis
How far would you go to help your husband realize his dream? Would you abandon family and friends and move to a foreign country? Would you sleep with another man?
These are questions Ping, a beautiful young Chinese newlywed, must ask herself. Her husband, the ruthless Jianbo, is determined to become a U.S. citizen. When the couple meets David, a wealthy New York businessman in Beijing, Ping becomes the reluctant pawn in Jianbo’s scheme. Will Ping find the courage to stand up to Jianbo and finally take control of her own life?
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Reviews
RECOGNITION FOR “THE TWO WEDDINGS OF ZHAO PING”
Short-listed (finalist) in the Somerset 2015 Novel Writing Contest (Chanticleer Book Reviews).
Semi-Finalist in the Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Contest
PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS
“…the vivid depictions of Beijing and New York help bolster the contrasts between characters and cultures and a perfectly-suited wistful ending befits the ultimately likeable players” – Reviewer, Publishers Weekly
“….the reader is hooked right from the beginning…I love it.” –ABNA Expert Reviewer
AMAZON READER REVIEWS
5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn’t put it down!
This story engaged me right from the start. The story centers around a Chinese woman with an abusive husband, who is forced to do something that is very upsetting to her. The exotic locations and different cultural standards were interesting and did not at all detract from the story. This was a very quick read – I stayed up late into the night to finish it.
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended. Especially for book clubs
this is a great story about issues – but what i liked the most is how the main character – Ping evolves as a woman. The author shares her knowledge about life in china – and with the many hints and red herrings – she kept me going trying to figure out how the story ends. I think this book is as colorful and dramatic as any books that I have read by well-published authors. What’s best, s that while I read the book a week ago – the characters, especially Ping, still live in my mind. – I hope the author writes more – she is really onto something as a writer.
5.0 out of 5 stars An exotic page turner
Patricia Ann Williams gives us a page turner concentrated on traditions, obedience, customs, and love. The reader is transported to China with its sites and scents and a life of poverty, then to New York City to a life of plenty. The protagonist, Ping, must come to terms with the lie she is living and each time I thought I knew what would happen Williams surprised me. You won’t be able to put the book down and then, when you read the last page you’ll sigh and want to hug the pages to you.
An excellent read. The author vividly depicts the heroine’s life in China and the United States, and her cross-cultural dilemma is unique yet believable.
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story of two cultures and a woman’s difficult choices
When an Asian woman is promised to a man of her background and traditions, she is resigned to the life of an obedient Chinese bride. This book is about the clash of cultures when she becomes attracted to an American gentleman and that is where the drama begins in earnest. The story is packed with excitement and nervous energy as the lovely heroine is torn between her early promises and the later object of her affection. The details of life in two countries with huge differences in the mores related to a woman’s role are beautifully painted and make this book a compelling read as well as informative.
Excerpt
The door opened. Yi Ma appeared. At the sight of her younger sister, she gasped. “What’s wrong?” Lei Lei collapsed into her outstretched arms.
Yi Ma helped her inside the house, supporting her as they walked toward a rumpled sofa in the living room. Once seated, palms on her stomach, Lei Lei turned a tear-stained face to Yi Ma. “I am carrying a girl. Zhao Jiang told me I must abort.”
Yi Ma left the room and returned with a box of tissues. Lei Lei took one and dabbed at her eyes. Then she lifted her head, jaw set, chin firm. “I cannot kill my baby.” She placed Yi Ma’s hand on her protruding belly. “Touch her little head. Put your ear on my stomach and listen to her heartbeat. She’s alive. She’s moving. I will never abandon her.”
Discussion Questions
- Find your Chinese Zodiac sign. How closely do the characteristics of those born under the sign describe you?
- Under what signs were Ping and Jianbo born? Do these signs accurately describe their personalities?
- The years 1959 to 1961 are referred to as the Three Years of Great Chinese Famine. The number of Chinese who died from starvation during this period is estimated at between 20 to 43 million. How did the famine affect Ping’s father, Zhao Jiang?
- Introduced in 1979, the one child policy was a population planning policy. China’s population is over 1.4 billion, the largest of any country in the world. What were some of the effects of this policy at the time of the novel? What are some of the effects of the one child policy today?
- Based on the novel, how are women regarded and treated in China?
- What differences and similarities does Ping see between China and the U.S.?
- How does Ping change and evolve during the course of the novel?
- What does Ping feel will happen if David finds out theirs was initially a marriage of convenience? Are her concerns justified?
- How does the following saying apply to Ping’s situation? “Don’t be concerned that things appear to be falling apart: this has to happen in order for something new and wonderful to emerge.”
- What are some Chinese traditions and habits revealed in the novel that differ from those in the United States.