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book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
Digital audiobook narrated by Elaina Davis (abridged)
From the book jacket: In the depths of a Beijing winter, the U.S. ambassador’s son is found dead – his body entombed in a frozen lake. Around the same time, aboard a ship adrift off the coast of Southern California, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Stark discovers the corpse of a Red Prince, a scion of China’s political elite. The Chinese and American governments suspect that the deaths are connected, and they join forces to see justice done. In Beijing, David teams up with the female police detective Liu Hulan, in an investigation that takes them to every corner of China and sparks an intense attraction between the two.
My reaction
Before she rocketed to fame with Snow Flower and the Secret Fan See wrote a short series of mysteries, of which this is the first. What I liked most about this book was the look at China – from karaoke bars to the neighborhoods housing the working class, from high-powered businessmen to prostitutes, See gave the reader a look under the blanket of the typical tourist-friendly experience. The plot is convoluted and full of twists and turns, as much political intrigue as murder mystery.
Liu Hulan is an interesting and conflicted character. Having been educated in the U.S. she seems a logical choice to partner with the U.S. attorney for the investigation. But their previous relationship and the personal issues between them kept distracting me from the central mystery.
Elaina Davis does a good job of narrating the audiobook, but it wasn’t until after I had listened to about half of it that I realized it was an abridged version. Fortunately, I had the text as well so could read the full book, which meant I got much more of Liu Hulan explaining Chinese culture to David than action.
From the book jacket: In the depths of a Beijing winter, the U.S. ambassador’s son is found dead – his body entombed in a frozen lake. Around the same time, aboard a ship adrift off the coast of Southern California, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Stark discovers the corpse of a Red Prince, a scion of China’s political elite. The Chinese and American governments suspect that the deaths are connected, and they join forces to see justice done. In Beijing, David teams up with the female police detective Liu Hulan, in an investigation that takes them to every corner of China and sparks an intense attraction between the two.
My reaction
Before she rocketed to fame with Snow Flower and the Secret Fan See wrote a short series of mysteries, of which this is the first. What I liked most about this book was the look at China – from karaoke bars to the neighborhoods housing the working class, from high-powered businessmen to prostitutes, See gave the reader a look under the blanket of the typical tourist-friendly experience. The plot is convoluted and full of twists and turns, as much political intrigue as murder mystery.
Liu Hulan is an interesting and conflicted character. Having been educated in the U.S. she seems a logical choice to partner with the U.S. attorney for the investigation. But their previous relationship and the personal issues between them kept distracting me from the central mystery.
Elaina Davis does a good job of narrating the audiobook, but it wasn’t until after I had listened to about half of it that I realized it was an abridged version. Fortunately, I had the text as well so could read the full book, which meant I got much more of Liu Hulan explaining Chinese culture to David than action.
purpleowl6's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
extrememochi's review against another edition
3.0
**abridged audiobook version**
I didn't realise it was abridged til I was already well into it :(
I liked that this was set in China, the cultural notes were very interesting. I liked too that this followed two detective type protagonists since it made a change from most mysteries I've read. However, the ending felt pretty disappointing to me and the romance was contrived and actually a bit disturbing.
I didn't realise it was abridged til I was already well into it :(
I liked that this was set in China, the cultural notes were very interesting. I liked too that this followed two detective type protagonists since it made a change from most mysteries I've read. However, the ending felt pretty disappointing to me and the romance was contrived and actually a bit disturbing.
meghanheidmann's review against another edition
3.0
It was okay, it was okay enough for me to read the rest of the series.
barbaraskalberg's review against another edition
3.0
I was disappointed to discover this was a murder mystery and not a historical (or even current) fiction. I've enjoyed Lisa See's books for their Chinese culture insights. The only thing that saved this one for me (b/c I don't read much crime drama anymore) was the Chinese portion of the story. I will probably eventually finish the trilogy b/c I do enjoy learning and reading about different cultures.
blogginboutbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I've enjoyed several of Lisa See's historical novels, so I thought I'd give this one - her fiction debut - a go. It's obvious that her skill as a novelist has grown over the years because FLOWER NET is definitely not her best effort. While the topic of smuggled wildlife is interesting, the rest of the book is pretty slow and boring. Hulan and David are likable characters in that they're fighting for justice. However, neither one is developed well enough to feel like a real person. And their insta-love after 12 years apart? NOT convincing. The plot is predictable and melodramatic. See's prose is clunky and amateurish. I did finish the book, but I had to push myself to do so. Needless to say, I won't be reading the sequels.
maryehavens's review against another edition
1.0
I don't know if it was the narrator or there was too much going on. I was interested in the actual mystery of what toxin or whatever caused the black teeth and internal disintegration but I was completely uninterested in whatever See was trying to do with the main characters. She was giving romantic back story, Chinese upper class citizenry, prison pasts and more. It felt clumsy at best and "I'm going to make a series" at worst. I mean, she made a little series out of this so that's a thing. It's a little cart before the horse writing; "I'm going to make a movie out of this story!"
See is better than this writing and if she was just experimenting, good on her! It was just not my thing.
I might also have book hangover from "Olga Dies Dreaming" which had masterful character development.
See is better than this writing and if she was just experimenting, good on her! It was just not my thing.
I might also have book hangover from "Olga Dies Dreaming" which had masterful character development.
christinavarela's review against another edition
3.0
These books were written before her historical fiction but I can definitely see in them the Lisa See I've come to love over the years. I enjoyed reading about Los Angeles (my home town) and China were I spent two amazing weeks years ago, including a bike ride and lunch in the Hutongs.
micheleheather's review against another edition
3.0
A murder mystery overlaid with Chinese history and culture. The detectives are a US District Attorney and a Chinese official with a past romantic relationship, and the action takes place across LA and Shanghai.
Some of the murders are gruesome, but much of the book is a page-turner. Everything is tied up nicely at the end, like most mysteries, but the ending, also like most mysteries, seems pretty pat, if not quite forced.
Interesting characters. Enjoyed the Chinese culture and history lessons.
Some of the murders are gruesome, but much of the book is a page-turner. Everything is tied up nicely at the end, like most mysteries, but the ending, also like most mysteries, seems pretty pat, if not quite forced.
Interesting characters. Enjoyed the Chinese culture and history lessons.
dckathleen's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
I finished it, but two weeks later I couldn't reconstruct the plot for you...much of which was convoluted.