Monday, March 15, 2010

Petals From the Sky by Mingmei Yip *Review* & Giveaway!


When twenty-year-old Meng Ning declares that she wants to be a Buddhist nun, her mother is aghast. In her eyes, a nun's life means only deprivation- "no freedom, no love, no meat." But to Meng Ning, it means the chance to control her own destiny, and to live in an oasis of music, art, and poetry far from her parent's unhappy union.
With an enigmatic nun known as Yi Kong, "Depending on Emptiness," as her mentor, Meng Ning spends the next ten years studying abroad, disdaining men, and preparing to enter the nunnery. Then, a fire breaks out at her Buddhist retreat, and Meng Ning is carried to safety by Michael Fuller, a young American doctor. The unprecedented physical contact stirs her curiosity. And as their tentative friendship grows intimate, Meng Ning realizes she must choose between the sensual and the spiritual life.
On the evening after her thirteenth birthday, Meng Ning is accidentally bumped into and she falls into a deep garbage well. Onlookers call for help and family and neighbors gather around at the top of the well yelling words of encouragement to her until help can arrive. Frightened, she prays to Guan Yin the Goddess of Mercy to protect her. Feeling something graze her head she finds someone has thrown down to her a pendant of Guan Yin and as she clutches it she looks up in time to see the bald head of a Buddhist nun as she leaves. This event is what precipitates her decision to live a spirital life as a nun.
During a spiritual retreat when a fire breaks out in the monastery, Meng Ning meets Michael a neurologist in America. They spend some time together, have a whirlwind affair and fall in love. By the end of the retreat, Michael proposes. Meng Nin, still unsure of her future declines the marraige proposal. She is determined to follow in the footsteps of her mentor Yi Kong who has always taught her that men are evil and not to be trusted.
Meng Ning agrees to travel to America to stay with Michael to learn more about him. She is very confused with the feelings she begins to have for not only Michael, but another man she meets. Where are these feelings, so long buried coming from? Could Yi Kong be wrong about men? What of her vow to be a Buddhist nun?
I enjoyed reading about the Buddhist way fo life which I knew nothing about. I loved the conflict of the heart that Meng Ning goes through although I did find Michaels reactions to things that happen along the way to be a little creepy where Meng Ning thinks they are a beautiful testment of his love for her. I learned a lot about Chinese art and learning something new is always a good thing. While I would only give this book a rating of 3 out of 5 stars, it was a high 3 rating. Well worth the time I spent on it.
Want to know how you can win??
You must be a follower of my blog to enter. Let me know if you already follow and how.
+1 additional entry for commenting about what interests you about this book.
+1 additional entry for blogging or tweeting about this giveaway
WOW! Three chances to win! (open to US only, giveaway ends March 31st). Good luck!

15 comments:

  1. This sounds very interesting ... and it makes me want to know what Michael did that struck you as creepy!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oooh! I saw this and wanted it!

    The cover of this appealed to me when I saw it in B&N, .. but as I read about it I realized this is exactly the type of book I enjoy reading.

    I am a follower and here is my tweet: http://twitter.com/lrpresley/status/10526352600

    ReplyDelete
  3. Angie...this sounds like a book I would really enjoy. I am a follower, so thanks for the giveaway:

    bostonredsoxfever AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am a follower of your blog.

    I would like to read it because I have not read much about Buddhists and would find it ineresting.

    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think this sounds really interesting and I likt the theme around Buddhism....

    I am a follower of your blog and about to go tweet this giveaway.

    journey through books @ gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ooh I have had this on my WL for a little bit and would love to enter your giveaway.

    jennala @ cfl . rr . com

    (I am a new follower).

    ReplyDelete
  7. I really enjoy books with an Asian genre

    chocolate and croissants at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks for this I follow-

    thanks

    chocolate and croissants at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  9. cococroissants

    http://bybookorbycrook.blogspot.com/2010/03/petals-from-sky-by-mingmei-yip-review.html#comment-form petals from the sky

    chocolate and croissants at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am a follower through Google connect!

    I am interested in learning more about Buddhism.

    harvee44 (at) yahoo (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  11. New blog follower
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  12. The background on Buddhism sounds fascinating. I enjoy books about other cultures.
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I am a follower through Google friend connect.

    bstilwell12 at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  14. I find the interplay between spirituality and the need for love to be intriguing. I would love to know more about Buddhism and at the same time how she rationalizes human physical love with a commitment to a higher love.

    bstilwell12 at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  15. I tweeted about the giveaway:
    http://twitter.com/pine1211/status/11383725423

    bstilwell12 at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete