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I didn't think I could get into this book at first. I adored Shogun so much and didn't know if I could read another Clavell book that didn't focus on Japan. But wow. I couldn't have been more wrong
Much like Shogun we have another wide cast of characters with competing desires and motivations all competing for the wealth of Hong Kong. Once again we have an intelligent, page turning plot with believable characters and plenty of historical tidbits along the way. It bred in me a new love of this period of history and of sailing ships and trade during this time
Of course, inevitably we have to address how this book reads in 2025. There are definitely a lot of moments of orientalism which do rub off as a bit tasteless at times. It's not a problem for me as I can place the book in it's time (written in 1966) but if this is a sensitive topic to you then there might be plenty of eye rolling passages you'll struggle to get through
I think Tai-Pan written in 2025 would be a very different book. But nonetheless, it's still a fun read and an excellent way to immerse yourself into this time period. I'm looking forward to digging more into the history to find the truth of Hong Kong and the Opium Wars
Much like Shogun we have another wide cast of characters with competing desires and motivations all competing for the wealth of Hong Kong. Once again we have an intelligent, page turning plot with believable characters and plenty of historical tidbits along the way. It bred in me a new love of this period of history and of sailing ships and trade during this time
Of course, inevitably we have to address how this book reads in 2025. There are definitely a lot of moments of orientalism which do rub off as a bit tasteless at times. It's not a problem for me as I can place the book in it's time (written in 1966) but if this is a sensitive topic to you then there might be plenty of eye rolling passages you'll struggle to get through
I think Tai-Pan written in 2025 would be a very different book. But nonetheless, it's still a fun read and an excellent way to immerse yourself into this time period. I'm looking forward to digging more into the history to find the truth of Hong Kong and the Opium Wars