Allreaders.com

Waiting Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Waiting


WAITING is the stor of Lin Kong, a doctor in the Chinese army, trapped in an arranged, loveless marriage to Shuyu who lives in a small village, a day's travel away from the city where he is stationed.
Click here to see the rest of this review...

    Lin wants Shuyu to agree to a divorce so that he may marry Manna Wu, a nurse whom he met in the hospital where he works.

    Every summer, Lin travels back to his village where Shuyu lives with their daughter, to appear with her before a magistrate to obtain the divorce.

    And every summer, for seventeen years, Shuyu, although agreeing not to contest the divorce, goes back on her word, leaving Lin unable to marry Manna Wu, or even have intimate relations with her. After each hearing, Lin is subjected to the derisive taunts of the villagers; Men are all alike, beasts", and "Doctors are butchers".

    Finally, after 18 years, Lin is granted a legal divorce.
Meanwhile, the situation with Manna Wu has changed, and the way the story plays out is not the "happily ever after" result the reader expects.

   
The review of this Book prepared by Betty-Jeanne Korson



Chapter Analysis of Waiting

Click on a plot link to find similar books!

Plot & Themes

Time/era of story    -   1980's-1999 Romance/Romance Problems    -   Yes Political/social activism    -   Yes Plotlet:    -   general liberal/left wing activism    -   fighting government corruption Family, struggle with    -   Yes Struggle with:    -   Wife Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book Unmarried Love Triangle?    -   Yes Married, fooling around?    -   Yes

Main Character

Gender    -   Male Profession/status:    -   doctor

Setting

How much descriptions of surroundings?    -   7 () Asia/Pacific    -   Yes Asian country:    -   China City?    -   Yes City:    -   rude people Farm/Ranch?    -   Yes Farm/Ranch:    -   farm Misc setting    -   fort/military installation

Writing Style

Sex in book?    -   Yes What kind of sex:    -   touching of anatomy    -   impregnation/reproduction    -   actual description of hetero sex    -   rape/molest Amount of dialog    -   significantly more dialog than descript

Books with storylines, themes & endings like Waiting

Ha Jin Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
2 Ways to Search!
Or



Our Chief Librarian