Eric Michael Leventhal, a literary consultant and holistic educator on the island of Maui, Hawaii, has once quoted a remarkable line about the holistic approach of treatment:
“A healer's power stems not from any special ability, but from maintaining the courage and awareness to embody and express the universal healing power that every human being naturally possesses.”
And this defines the real definition of Chinese Herbal Healing Methods!
Layne Wong, an American author, has bring out the whole wide world of Chinese herbal medicinal practice, in her debut book, Shanghai Love, which is not only a love-story set up amidst of Hitler's raging war in Germany and the Japanese's wrath in Shanghai, but also delves into the exotic dimension of herbal healing methods in those oriental periods, in the late 1930s in the provinces and in the very core of the city, Shanghai.
Synopsis:
Peilin, a nineteen year old girl, in some province of Shanghai, is getting prepared to be married to a dead man. But her fate was sealed when she was an eight years old girl and to honor her own family, she got married to the dead man. On the other hand, Henri, a Jew man, who used to practice medicine under the basement of his uncle's bakery store in Germany, is caught up in Hitler's rage against the Jews in Germany. But fate brings them cross their roads when Peilin leaves her in-laws to handle the store of their in-laws in the city of Shanghai, when the uncle who happened to manage the store passed away, and when Henri had to flee his homeland leaving behind his dear uncle and father. Peilin practices the oriental herbal eastern healing methods and Henri deals with the western methods, but when Henri wanted to infuse the eastern approaches with that of the western practises, he finds himself entangled in the war between his heart and mind. But will Peilin, who happens to be married to her dead husband, dishonor her husband's named, by opening up her heart to Henri? And will Henri be able to tell the truth to Peilin about his very own feelings?
The tale is so mesmerizing that it not only takes your breath away with the oriental fragrance looming in the air, but also the craving love between Peilin and Henri. Peilin, Henri and Peng, Peilin's younger brother, are the three-most remarkable characters, who give a definition to this dark, emotional tale, and also leaves an impressions upon our minds. The author has got some real flair to jazz up her tale by taking us in the lair of Hitler's democratic rule in Germany and also behind the tortures of the Japanese soldiers in the villages of Shanghai. Not only the story made me hooked to the very core of the tale till the very end, but it also touched my very soul and managed to bring a tear in the corner of my eyes. Peilin is innocent, yet has a heart full of desires, and is brave and fearless and also quite determined on her path. She is no-doubt an obedient young woman, but also proves to be a loyal and loving daughter-in-law, who without any protest always tended to the bickering of her mother-in-law. Henri, on the other, has got his heart-broken and is on the look-out to learn not only the exotic language of Shanghai, but also the eastern medicine practises. Peng is the bright character, who is not only had a colorful and cheerful demeanor, but also sparks off the gloominess lurking in the alleys of Shanghai. Amidst of so much politic tantrums, Henri and Peilin gets lost and gets swept away by the changing winds in the late 1930s.
PS: This book is highly enlightening, if anyone looking out for home-made herbal healing methods
to cure mild ailments.
Verdict: Do read this book, to lose yourself in the oriental-ness and the exotic-ness of Shanghai.
Courtesy: I'd like to thank the author, Layne Wong, for giving me this opportunity to read and review her amazing novel.
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Author Info:
She is a novelist with an interest in writing through a cultural lens. What is the Cultural Lens? It’s a widening of one’s perspective–taking into consideration influences that aren’t fully visible. It encompasses culture, history and societal effects that impact humanity.
She is of Chinese descent and her husband is Jewish. She explores this
connection in her novel, Shanghai Love. These two cultures came together
as a result of Hitler’s rampage and World War II.
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