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d_night's review against another edition
3.0
There was some profanity and one suggestive scene where Xiaolong described pictures taking of Zhou and his mistress which is why I took away 2 stars. I cannot stand cursing and really dislike sexual content.
Other than that the book was easy to read and interesting. It did have an open ending, which usually bothers me, but I didn't mind all that much in this case. If you dislike them though you might not like this book.
Other than that the book was easy to read and interesting. It did have an open ending, which usually bothers me, but I didn't mind all that much in this case. If you dislike them though you might not like this book.
gabsalvas's review
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
jennoctavia's review
3.0
It intrigue my curiosity but somehow I can guess how the story goes...
Its the second book of Inspector Chen I read, somehow I feel he is like James Bond, in every book he has a love interest to help his cases.
It was a fun reading!
Its the second book of Inspector Chen I read, somehow I feel he is like James Bond, in every book he has a love interest to help his cases.
It was a fun reading!
virtual's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting cultural/poem references but I wished for a bit more of a tidy ending for all the characters presented. 3.5/5
dmendels's review
5.0
Not sure this is really a 5 star book, but I have loved this quirky series and loved this one too, perhaps the best.
This is the 8th book in the Inspector Chen series, a police procedural set in recent/contemporary Shanghai. Inspector Chen is a poet, epicure and detective and the books paint a very rich portrait of life in contemporary Shanghai as a mid-level Cadre. Blending history, literature, food porn, and a clever mystery, they are good fun. Quirky, even nerdy, but would recommend to anyone who likes either the genre or is interested in modern Shanghai and life in China.
This is the 8th book in the Inspector Chen series, a police procedural set in recent/contemporary Shanghai. Inspector Chen is a poet, epicure and detective and the books paint a very rich portrait of life in contemporary Shanghai as a mid-level Cadre. Blending history, literature, food porn, and a clever mystery, they are good fun. Quirky, even nerdy, but would recommend to anyone who likes either the genre or is interested in modern Shanghai and life in China.
lnatal's review
3.0
From BBC radio 4 - Drama:
Poet and gourmand, Inspector Chen of the Shanghai Police Bureau is called in to oversee the investigation into the death of the Director of The Shanghai Development Committee while under house arrest. He has to negotiate the power of the Party, an internet campaign and a new potential romance. Dramatised by John Harvey.
Director: David Hunter
"Enigma of China" is the eighth of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen novels, all 9 of which have been dramatised for BBC Radio 4. They have sold over 1million copies and been translated into 20 languages.
"Witty and thrilling" The Daily Telegraph
"A welcome alternative to Scandi-noir" The Observer.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b39pgr
Poet and gourmand, Inspector Chen of the Shanghai Police Bureau is called in to oversee the investigation into the death of the Director of The Shanghai Development Committee while under house arrest. He has to negotiate the power of the Party, an internet campaign and a new potential romance. Dramatised by John Harvey.
Director: David Hunter
"Enigma of China" is the eighth of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen novels, all 9 of which have been dramatised for BBC Radio 4. They have sold over 1million copies and been translated into 20 languages.
"Witty and thrilling" The Daily Telegraph
"A welcome alternative to Scandi-noir" The Observer.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b39pgr
arwy's review
5.0
I loved this book. It's full of references to classic Chinese literature, like the Dream of Red Mansions, which is L.'s and my favourite book. It's a great detective story set in modern Shanghai. I've asked L. Wenhui newspaper and "shanggui" do exist in modern China. I'm sure if he read it, he would recognize the streets and places, maybe even the people. But the most charming part for me was not svn a compelling detective story set in modern China. Most charming part for me was the storytelling, such a beautiful, poetic prose. And when I finished reading the story I felt like I parted with an old friend, reluctant to let him go and willing to see him again immediately. I was smitten off my feet by this calm, beautiful, peaceful story.
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