Pearl of China by Anchee Min is historical fiction about the life of Pearl S. Buck. I knew very little about Pearl S. Buck before reading this novel, and I found it fascinating. It is the fictionalized account of Pearl’s life, growing up in a small Chinese village with her best friend Willow. Willow’s character is created by Min from many different freindships Pearl had throughout her life.

I found the first half of the novel superb, especially the relationship between the 2 girls and the life of Pearl’s missionary family in China at the time. Later, once the women are separated, and Willow goes through so many hardships in old age when she refuses to denounce her friend, the novel loses some of its earlier appeal.

However, it was a such a fascinating read, it has made me want to re-read The Good Earth (which I read about 20 years ago) and many other novels by Pearl S. Buck that I have never read before. After being denounced for so long during Mao’s Cultural Revolution, and being denied a visa to ever return home, Pearl S. Buck is finally celebrated in China.

Anyone interested in historical fiction set in China will love this book.