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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
- chinese allocishet m/w, she was/is a sex worker and he is from nobility, historical romance and mystery
- this was soooooooo interesting! such a cool interweaving of history, fiction, romance, class issues, mystery, locale, etc.
- felt like the timeplace really came alive here
- and yue-ying is AMAZING!
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first historical romance in Chinese culture. I'd read some fantasy based on old myths, but never anything set in "real life." The culture of the pleasure houses is very vibrant. If the woman is considered a great beauty, she can live a life of ease - hosting grand parties and holding discussions with intellectuals and poets. If the woman is flawed she becomes nothing more than a piece of flesh to buy and sell. Mingyu is a great beauty, but her maidservant Yue-ying is flawed. They are both shocked with the oldest son of a wealthy family, Bai Huang, begins to show an interest in Yue-ying. (I did have a problem with the names at first just because they were very unfamiliar.)
During this time there are two horrible murders in the city, one of which is another courtesan, and Huang finds himself drawn into the investigation for a wide variety of reasons, dragging Yue-ying along with him. This part of the story didn't flow as smoothly as the rest of the story for me. It dragged quite often and slowed down the progress of the book overall. I wish there had been either much more or less about it instead of it hovering uncertainly in the background for much of it. It seemed to just be the excuse to get the two characters to have a conversation instead of a major driving force (which I think it was meant to be).
There is a HEA, but it seemed to be a little forced - but I won't be saying much more on that. The romance was well written and I love how much of the culture was brought into the story. From the clothing and hair accessories, to the family formalities it really brought the story to life.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/05/review-lotus-palace-pingkang-li.html#sthash.lKr9PVOF.dpuf
During this time there are two horrible murders in the city, one of which is another courtesan, and Huang finds himself drawn into the investigation for a wide variety of reasons, dragging Yue-ying along with him. This part of the story didn't flow as smoothly as the rest of the story for me. It dragged quite often and slowed down the progress of the book overall. I wish there had been either much more or less about it instead of it hovering uncertainly in the background for much of it. It seemed to just be the excuse to get the two characters to have a conversation instead of a major driving force (which I think it was meant to be).
There is a HEA, but it seemed to be a little forced - but I won't be saying much more on that. The romance was well written and I love how much of the culture was brought into the story. From the clothing and hair accessories, to the family formalities it really brought the story to life.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/05/review-lotus-palace-pingkang-li.html#sthash.lKr9PVOF.dpuf
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Jeannie Lin has a knack for creating characters that really fit well together, and it's shown in Yue-ying and Lord Bai's story. I liked a lot of this, apart from the rather easy way this ended (considering how far apart their social classes are), and the mystery is really well interwoven. Yue-ying as a character learning to go after what she wants and not just follow, was also really well done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Murder
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A historical romance not set in Regency England? Yes, sign me up!
From the very first page, Jeannie Lin immerses you fully into the atmospheric world of the Pingkang Li, a lantern-lit pleasure quarter filled with tinkling music, ever pouring wine, and abundant festivals, but with a dark undercurrent of secrets and crime. With courtesans, concubines, smugglers, emperors, imperial scholars, and a bit of murder, The Lotus Palace offers a lot of intrigue, but truly shines in its characters.
Yue-ying has got to be one of my favorite heroines. No wilting flowers here. Yue-ying is clear-eyed, realistic, and does her absolute darndest not to get swept up in romance and fantasy that she knows only Bai Huang can afford to get caught up in. Yue-ying is characterized with so much depth and has secrets of her own.
Bai Huang is an equally intriguing character, but I wish he was explored in greater detail. His character felt lightly sketched out and I would have loved a deeper exploration of his sense of familial duty, his addiction to gambling, and his personal reasons for his spy-like role in playing a fool.
As for the romance itself - I have such a soft spot for playboy heroes and heroines that take none of their bullshit. This romance is for all those Mr. Darcy hand flex people out there - it’s all in the furtive looks and what’s left unsaid. It can be slow and understated at first but the depth of feeling backed up by action really makes a girl swoon by the end.
I also loved how The Lotus Palace explores the role of women in this society and how little freedom women had in personal autonomy being themselves but also not being owned by men in one way or another. However, something about the mystery in this book didn’t work for me and I wish there were more clues so that the reader could truly form our own guesses as the story unfolds. The ending felt rushed, with the mystery and the romance being tied up off page and a little too conveniently.
Overall, this book is such a breath of fresh air and is a fantastic start to a series. Onto the next one!
From the very first page, Jeannie Lin immerses you fully into the atmospheric world of the Pingkang Li, a lantern-lit pleasure quarter filled with tinkling music, ever pouring wine, and abundant festivals, but with a dark undercurrent of secrets and crime. With courtesans, concubines, smugglers, emperors, imperial scholars, and a bit of murder, The Lotus Palace offers a lot of intrigue, but truly shines in its characters.
Yue-ying has got to be one of my favorite heroines. No wilting flowers here. Yue-ying is clear-eyed, realistic, and does her absolute darndest not to get swept up in romance and fantasy that she knows only Bai Huang can afford to get caught up in. Yue-ying is characterized with so much depth and has secrets of her own.
Bai Huang is an equally intriguing character, but I wish he was explored in greater detail. His character felt lightly sketched out and I would have loved a deeper exploration of his sense of familial duty, his addiction to gambling, and his personal reasons for his spy-like role in playing a fool.
As for the romance itself - I have such a soft spot for playboy heroes and heroines that take none of their bullshit. This romance is for all those Mr. Darcy hand flex people out there - it’s all in the furtive looks and what’s left unsaid. It can be slow and understated at first but the depth of feeling backed up by action really makes a girl swoon by the end.
I also loved how The Lotus Palace explores the role of women in this society and how little freedom women had in personal autonomy being themselves but also not being owned by men in one way or another. However, something about the mystery in this book didn’t work for me and I wish there were more clues so that the reader could truly form our own guesses as the story unfolds. The ending felt rushed, with the mystery and the romance being tied up off page and a little too conveniently.
Overall, this book is such a breath of fresh air and is a fantastic start to a series. Onto the next one!
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
emotional
medium-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
Vivid historical fiction with a murder mystery and forbidden romance. 3.9 stars
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
There are no words to express how much I adored the characters and the mystery. I had gotten out of a reading funk last year, and I started reading again with this banger of a book.
The book is 40-60 split between murder mystery and romance. I loved the characters in the book so much and I rooted so much for the female lead. Even the side characters were not caricatures.
The book is 40-60 split between murder mystery and romance. I loved the characters in the book so much and I rooted so much for the female lead. Even the side characters were not caricatures.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual violence