Peoplerarely take the time to discover their roots, and leave an important piece ofthemselves behind.
Amy Tan's The Bonesetter's Daughter is the story ofRuth, a Chinese-American woman in the rut of life on the run during the 1990s whorediscovers herself through her mother's frightening past.
The book beginswith a first-hand recapitulation of the state of Ruth's life. In San Francisco,she has been living with Art, her partner from yoga class, and his two girls fora number of years. Ruth's life hits a crisis when she begins to realize thatwhile her life appears to be a success, "She is under this constant pressureto get her money's worth out of rest, relaxation and restaurants that are hard toget into." Ruth and Art's relationship begins a steady decline towarddisaster as their communication and sex life fall apart. Her career as aself-help ghostwriter "appears to be easy," but Ruth really yearns towrite her own book.
The real action begins with Ruth's realization thatshe has neglected her 77-year-old mother, LuLing, and herself, by ignoring hermother's story and rushing through life. Her mother asks, "What I should payto see you, five dollar, ten dollar, then you come see me?"
Whilecaring for her, Ruth has her mother's diary translated to English. This opens thestoryline, connecting Ruth's life with her mother's during the early twentiethcentury. The story centers around Precious Auntie, LuLing's childhood caregiver,who cares for LuLing after the death of her father.
In The Bonesetter'sDaughter Amy Tan delicately weaves a story of mother and daughter much like inher first novel, The Joy Luck Club. What dark secrets will Ruth discover abouther mother's childhood, and how will they help to heal the relationship betweenmother and daughter? The Bonesetter's Daughter is a must read!
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