Reviews

The Mao Case by Qiu Xiaolong

iroughol's review against another edition

2.0

Not exactly read. Gave up on it a third of the way in after having already renewed it once at the library. Not bad, but didn't grab me.

agenor's review against another edition

2.0

It may have just been my personal interpretation but I enjoyed this less than Inspector Chen's previous outings.

giddypony's review against another edition

3.0

The beginning was excellent, and he weaves Communist China history in very well with the lives of his characters. The mystery part is kind of eh, though and it starts to drag at the end. Inspector Chen is very stalwart, strong and true, as are most of his colleagues, which doesn't ring true when the corruption in modern China is frequently remarked on.

kate_can's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

With this novel set in Shanghai and Beijing, Qui Xiaolong introduces us to cities of growth and contrasts where modern mores sit alongside past rituals. This is a world of art and culture; teahouses and calligraphy; corrupt officials and Triad gangs; opera and poetry; ‘Big Bucks’ and ‘little concubines’; street food and emperor’s places; ballroom dancing and Buddhist scripture. And above or below everything, there is the shadow of Mao and the Cultural Revolution. 

There are five previous outings for Chief Inspector Chen, but this reads perfectly well as a stand-alone novel. Chen is relieved of his regular duties to focus on a special case which may or may not involve Chairman Mao. “A case concerning Mao could have unpredictable consequences, possibly serious ones for the cops involved.” Shang Yunguan was a 1950s movie queen who became one of Mao’s many dancing partners before falling from grace and, with her daughter Qian, being denounced in the Cultural Revolution. Now her daughter, Jiao, is causing suspicion through her affluent lifestyle of parties and painting and it is feared she may be in possession of material that could harm the Party. If Chen doesn’t solve the case soon, Internal Security will become involved, and then it really will be game over. 

Jiao spends a lot of time in the company of older men, which is not in itself exceptional. The practice of ‘Big Bucks’ keeping young women as concubines is commonplace. They party at an old mansion frequented by ‘Old Dicks’ obsessed with the 1930s and English manners. The treatment of women is problematic – a plot point hinges on a young women being used as bait; she will be harmed but the police will gain information so this is acceptable. 

Chen, as a “capable and honest cop” was “a rarity in an age of wide-spread corruption”. He also writes poetry and so is the right person to decipher whether there is anything in the verse Mao wrote which could be personally or politically compromising. The attitude to Mao is an interesting one. The book’s dedication is, ‘For the people that suffered under Mao’. These were indisputably horrific times, and China’s attempt to come to term with this period of its history is one of progress rather than reflection. Chen understands that for the younger generation, who are not personally affected by the horrors and the massacres, Mao is becoming a mythical figure. “The past is now seen as a sort of golden Mao period where there was no gap between the rich and poor, no rampant Party corruption, no organised crime and prostitution, but instead there were free medical insurance, stable pensions, and state-controlled housing.” 

Many things are altering in this new world, from attitudes to buildings. There is apparent affluence, but as in the past, it is not equally distributed. “In the fast-changing city, the gap between the rich and the poor was once again expanding. The newspapers and magazines had started talking about a harmonious society, all of a sudden and all at once, like never-tiring cicadas in the trees.” Chen is disconcerted by the modifications to a city he once knew and doubts they are entirely for the better. 

The novel picks up pace in the final quarter – there are murders to be solved after all – but for most of its length it meanders through poetry and the past, as Chen reflects on his ex-girlfriend and previous experiences. Although the plot feels a little perfunctory, the setting of the novel is clear and precise, and everything is overshadowed by the spectre of Mao and his legacy. 

writerlibrarian's review against another edition

2.0

The weakest of all Inspector Chen books so far. This is the newest one. Centered around Mao and the huge shadow the old president still cast upon China, Chen is given a sensitive case to find out what the grand daughter of an ex-mistress of Mao might have on the dead president. The plot is thin, the resolution is revealed in a hurry and comes from left field.
We learn nothing new about the Inspector, his crew Yu, Yu's wife and Yu's father are only ghosts characters in this tale of madness and shadows.

Disappointing.

stephend81d5's review

3.0

interesting crime read of a political case concerning moa and inspector chen stilll heartbroken after his love gets married to another , books shows chinese culture and also love the twist towards the end but still felt missed something though but a decent read overall though

giddypony's review

3.0

The beginning was excellent, and he weaves Communist China history in very well with the lives of his characters. The mystery part is kind of eh, though and it starts to drag at the end. Inspector Chen is very stalwart, strong and true, as are most of his colleagues, which doesn't ring true when the corruption in modern China is frequently remarked on.