Petals From The Sky by Mingmei Yip

Petals From The Sky by Mingmei Yip is a wonderful insight into the lives of Buddhist nuns and of a woman’s search for her true calling

My Book Review Rating:

Fiction or non-fiction? What’s the genre?

Petals from the Sky is a work of fiction inspired by the authors own inspirations to be a Buddhist nun.

Why did you decide to read this book?

I read this book as part of the ARC Reading Challenge. I couldn’t resist picking it up due to the gorgeous cover art which really grabbed my attention!

Summarise the plot – without revealing the ending!

It’s not often that you pick up a book with a plot that is truly unique – but that is the case with Petals from the Sky. Meng Ning, the main character, fell into a well when she was little and was ‘rescued’ by Yi Kong, a Buddhist nun who becomes her mentor. Meng Ning goes through life believing that her calling is to pass through the Empty Gate and become a nun like her mentor. That is until she is rescued from a fire by the wonderful Michael Fuller, a young American doctor who knocks her world off its axis and makes her question her beliefs and her calling.

What did you like about this book?

I loved this book – from the very first page. It’s beautifully written, it’s unique, it’s thought-provoking and it gave me an insight into the world of Buddhism. There is an air of calmness and escapism in the way Yip weaves her story that makes the book so enjoyable.

What didn’t you like?

I can’t actually think of anything about this book that I didn’t like – hence the 5 star rating!

What did you think of the main character?

Meng Ning is a bit of a troubled soul in this book. She has gone through life so sure of her destiny and her beliefs and then suddenly at the age of 30 she meets Michael and everything goes out of the window. She suddenly finds herself torn between love in the Dusty World or a simple life as a nun in the Empty Gate. In Meng Ning Yip has created a strong and compelling character who is easy to empathise with.

Are there any other interesting characters in the book?

Lisa Fulton deserves a mention here, daughter to Michael’s father-figure and his ex-fiance. Lisa further adds to Meng Ning’s anguish by questioning her relationship with Michael and taking her on a path that confuses Meng Ning further.

Lisa is not a likeable character, though she has flaws that Meng Ning finds inspiring and somehow the two almost become friends.

Share a quote from the book:

I picked out this quote from page 283 of my copy as it embodies Meng Ning’s anguished state of mind. She and Micheal have just found themselves trapped in a falling elevator:

“Then I was knocked off my feet by a strong jolt.

Fate plays games with morals. I’d survived the well, and now this! This would be the end of everything, nun or not nun, married or single, empty gate or dusty world. I was going to die. I was dying, and Michael… Oh, Michael!”

What did you think about the ending?

I enjoyed the ending of the book; Yip pulls together all the strings from the novel’s sub-plots and ties them together in a way that’s satisfying but not predicatable.

Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of them?

No, I haven’t; but Yip’s previous novel Peach Blossom Pavilion is now on my wish list.

Which of your readers are likely to enjoy reading this book?

If you enjoy beautifully written novels that provide a rare peek into a beautiful culture and are both captivating and inspiring then you’ll enjoy Petals from the Sky by Mingmei Yip.