The Ginger Tree

Mary MacKenzie is a 20-year-old Scottish woman who travels to China to marry a neighbouring man who is posted to the British embassy there. This is the story of her life -- her marriage, affair, ostracization and rebuilding of her life as an independent woman in Japan's patriarchial society.

The story is told through journal entries and Mary's letters to her mother and her friend, Marie. This style prevented, at times, a deeper analysis or assessment of what what happening around Mary. There is no point of view other than her own, and since she is, essentially, telling her story directly to the reader, it lacks depth or context. Other characters cannot be developed as deeply as I would have liked since they are filtered through ther interactions with Mary.

That being said, her story is an interesting one about love and loss and the consequences of one's actions. ( )

Generally I like epistolary novels. However, for some reason this book didn't resonate with me. Wynd has a nice writing style and I enjoyed seeing the world at the turn of the 20th Century in China, but I never really connected with the character and abandoned it in favor of books I enjoyed more.

I loved this book. Need to find a copy to add to my library.

1903 Scotswoman goes to China to marry, but has an affair with a Japanese nobleman. Story goes on to tell how she survives her ostracization.

Sad, tragic, inspiring story of a young woman's lifelong struggle to retain her dignity. ( )