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A review by left_coast_justin
A Loyal Character Dancer by Qiu Xiaolong
2.0
I was deeply unimpressed with the first of these Inspecter Chen books that I read, which was the fifth in the series. However, I resolved to read one of the earlier books, which were apparently better received. And indeed, "Loyal Character Dancer," the second book in the series, was much more successful on the atmosphere / cultural level, even if Qiu really doesn't seem to understand how to write crime fiction.
As a strategy, using whodunits to introduce an English-speaking audience to Shanghainese society might have been a canny move. But given the ineptness of the plotting in both of his books that I've read, I really think it's time for Qiu to tackle a straightforward novel about real adults in real situations in Shanghai. That's one I might be tempted to read. These Inspector Chen books? No, thank you.
As a strategy, using whodunits to introduce an English-speaking audience to Shanghainese society might have been a canny move. But given the ineptness of the plotting in both of his books that I've read, I really think it's time for Qiu to tackle a straightforward novel about real adults in real situations in Shanghai. That's one I might be tempted to read. These Inspector Chen books? No, thank you.