Real Rating: 3.5* of five, rounded up because Pearl S. Buck

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It is sweet to be loved, but to be able to love is to possess the life force. I love you. Therefore I am strong. Whatever my age, I am sustained by my own power to love.

A novel whose age shows...telegrams, utter failure of the Bechdel Test...but whose meditations on Love in its many, mutable manners are in the veriest sense of the word timeless. An "older" (43!!) widow is torn between a young man's desire for her and an older man's long-standing regard for her, her perceived duty to her children and grandchildren, and her desire for selfhood at last. Assuming you're familiar with the entire genre of women's fiction, you'll know if this is agreeable to you; I found it a rich, enfolding hoary-old-story larded with The Best Aperçus!amazon-books33 s Katy332

My delve into the classics continues, and this Pearl S. Buck novel is rather brilliant! The writing is exquisitely crafted and ideally adapts to each character in the story.

Edith is recently widowed and yet is I still a young woman in her forties. Having always submitted to her husbandÂ’s expectations, whether it be friends, events, food, clothes, attitude, she is now left to discover her real self. While doing so she meets two men, one considerably older and one considerably younger, both who take an interest in her and she in them.

The men are each intellectuals in their own rights and it is aptly reflected in their speech and actions (thereÂ’s that exquisite writing I mentioned earlier!). So she sets out on a road of self discovery, a freedom ride of sorts, and lives life without regret, though still treading carefully.

The story is really about learning to love and be loved. About transcending oneÂ’s own self to find that place where love, contentment and happiness converge and understanding that each of these terms holds a different meaning to everyone.

While it sounds rather dry and philosophical when I explain it, the story and the characters have real depth and definition. By the end of the story Edith has blossomed and moves from being some sort of trophy-wife to beautiful lively fulfilled woman. Although it is a story about love, it is neither a love story nor a romance, but it is a delightful read. The characters really shine!

I’ll be reading more from this classic author.classics fiction kobo16 s JoannaAuthor 2 books7

This one was a difficult read--I think I took a break from my obsession with Pearl S. Buck's books after this. The decisions made by the protagonist left me empty and lonely inside. I felt her sacrifice to be unwise and futile. Perhaps I've known too much loss to understand a conscious choice, such as the one which was made by her...I don't know. Perhaps I'll read it again some day. Maybe not. Powerful writing and reasoning--I'm just not sure it edified my life as fully as most of Buck's works.9 s Angela190 4

This one was a real struggle to finish. I felt Buck's characters were very flat and did not evolve at all; this was a strong source of frustration for me. Edith never actually DID anything, she let others come to her, and when the time came to make a decision--well, she'd just claim to not know how to respond. And what's worse, the opposing party would accept this refusal to decide as not only an acceptable response, but somehow a deep and mystical awe-inspiring way to reply. Ugh.

There was virtually no story at all, no middle or clear end. This book felt the longest paragraph I've ever read. At least there were clear differences between the two love interest characters, at least in the beginning. However as the story wore on, Jared's actions and statements became more and more those of Edwin.

Lastly, I felt that the philosophies of love were a bit too subtle for me; the idea of a pure love is, in my opinion, utterly fantastical.6 s Mary85

Sweet read indeed! Beautiful writing and lovely story. Ms Buck was way ahead of her time.4 s Sandra190

I hadn't read anything by Pearl S. Buck in a long time and it was a thoroughly satisfying reunion. I found it interesting that the main character was written as an "old" woman/widow when she was only in her 40s. It was written in the early '70's but I don't think that was the general rule even then. As a truly older woman/widow I could relate to the death of a spouse or loss of a beloved leaving room for a person to grow and become even beyond her own expectations. While there is sorrow there is also freedom. The goddess does indeed abide!

Thanks, Sarah, for enjoying this book so I could experience it too.3 s Carol196

I am a big fan of Pearl Buck but I found this to be my least favorite book that she wrote. Its did not make sense that at 42 Edith had two grown children and 4 grandchildren and that she did not seem to have any interest in them. She wanted to break away from the way her husband had dominated her life and pursue her own wants and needs, yet allowed the men in her life to make decisions for her and would not or could not communicate what she wanted. I found her to be very annoying at times. The philosophizing about love was both interesting and tiresome.read-in-20213 s Mark418 18

Nicely written book about enduring love.nobel-prize3 s Joanne153 5

A universal plot in outdated language with wonderful style.3 s André José99 3

4/5

Quando olhei para o título deste livro não fazia ideia daquilo que me esperava; quando decidi abri-lo e folheando-o por entre amareladas páginas, cheias de tempo de espera do seu momento de glória - percebi que já não havia forma de voltar atrás; foi quando o fechei que senti que não mais me poderia desconectar do seu valor e importância - não só no aspecto literário, como também na minha perspetiva pessoal e, acredito e arrisco, na perspetiva de Pearl Buck e aquilo que terá sido a sua vida.

A sua estonteante capacidade de resumir o muito que diz, assim como a fluida forma como insere os discursos das personagens - plenos de paixão e de boa formação, não me permitiram retirar os olhos do livro enquanto viajava entre casa e trabalho. Desconhecia Pearl Buck! Infelizmente! Dei uma palmada na minha testa quando percebi que não só não é desconhecida como fora vencedora do Nobel da Literatura em 1938. Fez tudo mais sentido! É um livro de quem sabe fazer e sabe involucrar de ouro cada palavra que oferece.

Em "A Deusa Permanece" o amor prolonga a vida de quem está para morrer: "Prolongo-me no teu amor! É tempo de morrer!", eternizando-o. É também fonte de muita inquietação e de dúvida, de sofrimento e de transformação.

No papel principal tem-se Edith, mulher bonita, abastada, educada, inteligente e filha de um notável homem da Ciência, que acabara de ficar viúva. Acompanhamos o seu processo de luto e a sua redescoberta enquanto mulher individual e enquanto pessoa que ama. Será o amor estático e finito?

No seu período de luto e de descoberta, Edith descobre em si uma mulher de quem procura gostar - confrontando-se com imensas dúvidas e reticências. O jovem Jared, que num nevoso inverno lhe bate à porta e Edwin, já em idade avançada, que nunca escondera a sua admiração por Edith, exploram um lado sentimental que Edith não havia experienciado nunca em vida.

A experiência de Edwin e a juventude de Jared trazem dinâmica ao livro e aos diferentes modos de sentir e de amar, na prudência e na sabedoria, na finitude e na destemidez.

Confesso que a decisão tomada por Edith nos últimos momentos do livro para com Jared me deixaram de coração muito apertado. O próprio relato do tio do Jared em relação ao que se privou em vida no que concerne ao ato de amar, em prol de uma boa educação para o sobrinho, deixou-me muito emotivo.

Este livro foi publicado no ano anterior à sua despedida terrena - talvez por isso sinta que Edith também tem muitos momentos de introspeção da autora.



clássicos na-estante romance2 s Ninaminacat485 4

On love and loss

If you your novels full of action, this may not be the one for you, but if you enjoy getting to know the main characters and are up for a little philosophising, you are in for a treat.

This is a book about love, about an emotion that is generally called by a single name, making it sound deceptively easy to describe and yet is as varied as the people who experience it. It is also about loss, which is similarly difficult to define.

The protagonist, middle-aged widow, Edith, discovers how complex love is through three key relationships - with her late husband, an older intellectual whom she has know for years and a brilliant young man she meets entirely by chance - and in the process learns much not only about love and loss, and how they differ from relationship to relationship, but also about herself and the men she loves - and about human nature in all its diversity.

I was wrapped up in Edith's emotions until almost the end, when suddenly I was catapulted out of her world, as I became conscious of the need for resolution, rather than philosophising ad infinitum, hence the deduction of one star.2 s Irene Azuaje440 7

Un poco flojo para lo que estoy acostumbrada a leer de esta excelente autora, pero igual nos presenta una percepción de lo que puede tener una persona entrada en la viudez.2 s Stephanie Loomis200 16

Could not put it down

A story about love, but not a romance novel, this is Buck the philosopher at work. These few pages contain questions of a life's purpose and a response to death. There are more questions than answers, which makes this book a candidate for conversation. Worth reading twice.1 Tasneem Tambawala25 10

A touching read. A woman's life and the decisions she has to make expressed so beautifully and frankly. 1 Linda Letourneau65 1 follower

Timeless

Writing such as this timeless, I no steamy sex, enough of that these days it seems. Onto more books.1 Sam TorodeAuthor 36 books153

Great exploration of different loves...1 Tracy534 3

I really enjoyed The Good Earth so was looking forward to this book. I didnÂ’t care for the self-involved character, though, so didnÂ’t appreciate the book as others have.1 Alicia1,570 2

Apparently 42 is ancient, way too ancient to consider marriage. This is terrible and also interesting as a time capsule of how attitudes have changed.1 Sara Stetz412 3

I remember studying agape love in college and thinking about the different ways we love each other. This book does the same thing from The perspective of a young widow. She realizes after her husband dies that she is not even really sure who she is being defined by her husband and children. IÂ’ve noticed my identity morphed when I got married and then again when my children were born. This book dives into it all, empowering a woman to take her own path.
The path is a revelation as she explores relationships with two men who are very different. Her love brings out the best in them, stretching their dreams and intellect, encouraging them to explore. She also shows how the ultimate love is to sometimes part ways. Joy Cagil323 6

This novel is about love and romance but in the most elevated emotional forms. I believe the author asked herself about the whys and ways of love and again answered herself in writing it in its most profound forms.

The main character is a widow, 43 years old Edith Chardman, who has some kind of a relationship with a philosopher, Edwin, who was EdithÂ’s teacher once, although there is a major age difference of about 40 years between them. He loves and adores her.

Edith is well-to-do and doesnÂ’t do much as to work of any kind: however, she is well-read, well-educated, and bright. While she is in a skiing town where she has a house, on a very snowy day, a 24-year-old lost skier, Jared, who is looking for a place to stay rings her door. Jared is a young, handsome, brilliant scientist and innovator.

The story gives the details of EdithÂ’s relationships with both these men while examining love in its intellectual, emotional, physical, and platonic forms.

I enjoyed reading this book greatly, partly due to Pearl BuckÂ’s exquisite writing style and insight into the main characters, although I couldnÂ’t wrap my head around its ending when Edith made Jared go and marry someone else because she thought that union was in his best interest. This may be because the author wanted to insert into the plot a kind of true-to-life logic.


literary love relationships ...more Debbie303

There are times when my need to read is really a desire to be transported from the cares of the day to another world. Buck is on my list of reliable authors who rarely lets me down. While not her best work, the writing is intelligent and thoughtful.

This is essentially a romance novel that reads almost a fairy tale. Edith, with her extraordinary beauty and old money wealth, has lost her husband and finds herself living alone, children grown and living their own lives. Love and romance blossom anew unexpectedly. How perfect for her! It could be annoying, but it's not. I appreciate that Edith does not so much look to find herself, as to create herself anew.
novel Lynn20 27

After finishing Mandala recently, which I've owned for decades, I had an interest to explore more of Pearl's offerings. Enjoyed her poems then found a used library copy of this book on amzn. As I so love, 'the dude abides'...seemed I was destined to read this. It was a simple story but provided many insights for me, new ways at looking at a special relationship I've been in for the past few years. I am the goddess, I abide.

A poem from Pearl.
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