The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan

“LuLing Young is getting old and – while she still can – she begins to write down her memories of life as a girl in 1930s China.
One day, while tending to her ailing mother, LuLing’s daughter Ruth uncovers this extraordinary memoir of a childhood spent in the remote mountain village known as Immortal Heart. In this ancient world, steeped in magic and superstition, lie the deep secrets of LuLing’s heart and the tragic events that changed the path of her life. As Ruth’s understanding grows, mother and daughter discover together that what they share in their bones through history and heredity is priceless beyond measure”

I do not have to start with those commentaries by the big names from the press or the journalism world on Amy Tan as a wonderful writer.
This story again, touches on a poignant tale between an Asian mother and daughter who obviously didn’t see eye to eye with each other.
Ruth was an Asian American who is co-habituating with a divorced American man with two daughters from his previous marriage. Her relationship with the man in her life was in chaos and at the same time, she had to deal with her mother’s constant intervention in her life. She never did get along with the mother she saw as ‘know-it-all’ and constantly at her neck. When her mother was diagnosed with dementia, she starts to spend time with her mother and see the happenings through her mother’s eyes. She read LuLing’s diary, and all of a sudden, things start to fall into place as she sees the real reason behind her mother’s puzzling behavior all the years and how she never really knew her mother.
A touching and emotional journey through her own roots in her family history; tracing back to her mother’s childhood and the grandmother she always thought was someone else. She starts to see her mother in a different light; and joins the mother-daughter relationship bonded through their blood connection.
As mother starts to fail in her memory due to the age and health, she starts to realize her true role of being a daughter and granddaughter and at the same time, explore her own relationship with her own family.

It is a wonderful read; one of the best piece by Amy so far which was deviated from the usual mother-daughter relationship stories. She explored deeper into the history of the family and traced her character to their roots; which touched the hearts of her readers as we start to follow in the emotional path of the characters.
I enjoyed every page of this book; and couldn’t stop putting it down when it came to the diary part.
I would put it on the shelf to re-read and read again and again; it made me feel so warm and lovely and how lucky I am to have a loving mother and to love my own mother. I feel thankful that I’ve always taken an interest in my mother’s life story and it made me more keen to know even more, to make sure I don’t miss a single moment in my mummy’s life.

An insight to the true meaning of family relationship and appreciating your bloodline.
I would highly recommend to all mother and daughters; whether you think your relationship is already great or you felt like you never did understand each other.