I read this as part of my Nebula finalist packet, and obtained a copy from my local library.
The Water Outlaws is a wild romp in the spirit of classic I read this as part of my Nebula finalist packet, and obtained a copy from my local library.
The Water Outlaws is a wild romp in the spirit of classic martial arts movies, but with a strong feminist twist. There are trigger warnings galore here, as women are abused in various ways, but it's never done gratuitously or to please the male gaze. No, Huang describes the wrongs and then establishes a cast of strong, savvy women and queer folks with a craving to survive and find justice. This is an incredibly satisfying read in that regard--a touch predictable, perhaps, but in the way of a cozy with a dark bent. Great book....more
A fascinating book about mythical shapeshifting foxes and set in the waning years of the Qing Empire. Snow is a fox-woman on a quest for revenge. GoveA fascinating book about mythical shapeshifting foxes and set in the waning years of the Qing Empire. Snow is a fox-woman on a quest for revenge. Governed by a code of morals--unlike most of her kind--she follows in pursuit of the Manchurian photographer who killed her child. In parallel is the tale of Bao, a private investigator who can tell if anyone lies; a case involving a woman found dead leads him to tales about another woman who seems to be tracking a related suspect. The book is heavily steeped in the realities of cusp-of-the-20th-century northern China and Japan, with industrialization and potential revolution very present. A trigger warning is necessary as well: Snow endures near-constant threats of sexual violence because of her tenuous position in society, but it never is graphic or gratuitous or titillating.
I found this to be a quick, enthralling read, as both perspectives were relatable and immersive. I think my only real complaint is that the way everything came together felt convenient and inevitable. The book uses the intervention of fate as an excuse several times, but that doesn't adequately excuse the tidiness. Still, highly recommended for anyone interested in fox spirits and a setting of history that isn't often explored in western lit....more
I found the start to be slow and the narrative bogged down by excessive details at time, but overall the book kept me engaged enough to read through aI found the start to be slow and the narrative bogged down by excessive details at time, but overall the book kept me engaged enough to read through almost 600 pages in a few days. That is largely due to the compelling nature of the protagonist, Shen Tai. After his father, a celebrated general, dies, Shen decides to go a different path than most during his required mourning period. He ventures to a distant, isolated area where his father once fought a battle where thousands upon thousands died--and their ghosts linger there yet, howling each night over their unsettled, bleached bones. Shen spends two years burying the long-dead and setting ghosts at rest, and for that he's granted a surprising reward: 250 practically-divine horses. That sounds like a fine deal, except this comes from an enemy country, and his own country is on the verge of civil war. This gift could easily be a death sentence as people kill him for the horses or other, more personal reasons. But Shen is brilliant, and he surrounded by likewise smart, vivid characters.
There were some odd points in the book. The narrator sometimes takes on the point of view of a distant historian, which felt weird. There are many good, well-rounded women in the book, but they never get a chance to truly shine. Shen's sister goes through some major travails, but she mostly follows orders instead of acting on her own agency, and in the end her plot line peters off to nothing. The plot thread of Shen's true love is likewise important through much of the book, to also peter off into an info dump along the lines of "and this is what happened for the rest of her life." Really?
Shen's story is strong enough to save the book, even with the other annoyances. I was really loving the book through the middle, but those awkward resolutions at the end dampened my enthusiasm....more
I read this for research purposes, but I soon discovered a deeply personal element to connect me to the book: Joseph Needham first ventured to China bI read this for research purposes, but I soon discovered a deeply personal element to connect me to the book: Joseph Needham first ventured to China by traveling over "the Hump" to Kunming during the same period when my grandpa served there during World War II. This delighted me. As Needham explored China and fell more deeply in love with the place, I couldn't help but think of my grandpa and wonder if he experienced many of the same things.
Needham was quite a quirky individual. A leftist nudist with an open marriage, his passion for his Chinese mistress led him to China in the thick of war. He traveled thousands of miles as he assisted scattered professors and scientists continue their studies during horrible circumstances, all while his own major idea germinated: to write an in-depth study on how China discovered many innovations first, sometimes centuries before they were 'invented' by the west.
As with all Winchester's works, this is an incredibly easy read--both intellectual and accessible....more
**spoiler alert** I heard a lot of buzz about this book. Skybright is a handmaiden who was found as a baby. She believes she's quite normal until she **spoiler alert** I heard a lot of buzz about this book. Skybright is a handmaiden who was found as a baby. She believes she's quite normal until she is sixteen, when at night the lower part of her body changes to that of a giant snake. She does her best to hide her monstrous nature from her beloved mistress, even as more monsters and undead begin to appear in the surrounding countryside... and she begins to fall for a young man training with nearby monks.
The book creates a vivid setting inspired by ancient China and I loved the details about the food, festivals, and demons. That said, I didn't feel the main romance (it felt very insta-romance) and I was surprised by the sexual content that develops. For some reason I went into this expecting it to be more middle grade than young adult, even though I knew Skybright was sixteen. The ending is something of a cliffhanger, too. ...more
I found this book to be a bright and pleasant introduction or refresher to those seeking insight into Chinese-American cultural celebrations. I could I found this book to be a bright and pleasant introduction or refresher to those seeking insight into Chinese-American cultural celebrations. I could see this book being a fabulous gift for someone who is marrying into a Chinese family, or someone who is Chinese but hasn't been raised along strict traditions or had the rituals explained. Gong plainly states what food is served or not served, what food and flowers and numbers symbolize, the history and mythologies behind rituals, and includes incredibly useful timelines on how to plan and purchase items for a celebration. There are also numerous recipes; some of the ingredients might be a challenge to obtain unless you live near a Chinatown or a well-stocked international grocery, but it still makes for fascinating reading. ...more
My reaction to this is mixed. First of all, that subtitle "The American Soldier of Fortune Who Became a God in China" is horribly cringe-worthy and miMy reaction to this is mixed. First of all, that subtitle "The American Soldier of Fortune Who Became a God in China" is horribly cringe-worthy and misleading, and is contradicted by the explanation within the book. The publisher should not have used such a sensational subtitle.
The events here are absolutely fascinating: the true historical escapades of an American man who ventures to China as a freelance soldier, battled the rebellious pseudo-Christian Taipings on behalf of the Manchu government, and died in battle. Frederick Townsend Ward sounds like a truly intriguing fellow. The problem is, almost all the information about him has been destroyed. His family correspondence was purposely destroyed by his sister-in-law (gah!) and his shrine, grave, and written material in China was destroyed in waves through revolutions, the Japanese invasion, and then the Communist government. Carr still created a fascinating narrative, but it does often read as tedious with unavoidable gaps of data. The Chinese names used are a different transliteration than I am used to, so that made it more frustrated to keep track of who was who, and there are a lot of names thrown in here of Chinese, British and French soldiers, and Americans. At several points I debated whether to continue reading, but I kept on because I wanted to find out how events played out. I did make a few notes for my research interests, too....more
A few things to preface this review: the book is older, with this edition published in 1990. It's also intended as a college textbook or scholarly resA few things to preface this review: the book is older, with this edition published in 1990. It's also intended as a college textbook or scholarly resource. That said, it wasn't a terrible or slow read, though it definitely was not an enthralling creative nonfiction piece in the modern style.
I read with the hopes of more research data for my forthcoming book series, which meant my focus was on the Chinese and Japanese in America at the turn of the 20th century. At the start, Daniels stated that he wanted to avoid creating a "negative history," wherein the emphasis is on what is done TO the minority people, rather than what they did. This meant that the material on a century ago was more sparse. I have read a number of other books on Chinese-Americans in this period that go into a lot more detail because there were so many wretched things done to combat the perceived "Yellow threat." The advantage Daniels has in this book is that he also brings in the experiences of the Japanese and contrasts that with the Chinese, and shows how their lives fluctuated through the 20th century.
This book is especially strong and detailed on the travails of Japanese Americans during World War II. This wasn't relevant to my research, but was fascinating in its horribleness. I have read about Japanese internment camps before, but Daniels brought in information about the divides within the Japanese community and what happened to those who resisted internment. The final chapters are about the efforts to compensate those who were interred (an effort that the author was involved in) and how the Chinese were treated after the Revolution and how things changed again after 1970s ping-pong diplomacy.
This isn't a "fun" read, but it serves a necessary purpose, and I can see why it was cited in other books I have read....more
I read this with the hopes of data I could use in my novel research, and I ended up delighted with the book overall. This is one of several great trav I read this with the hopes of data I could use in my novel research, and I ended up delighted with the book overall. This is one of several great travelogues/historical explorations I have read in recent years (Children of Kali by Kevin Rushby is worthy of note here). Meyer approaches the book with an American perspective, but as an American who is quite happy to immerse himself in other cultures. He lived for a year in his wife's native Manchurian village of Wasteland, while his wife is elsewhere, and explored the region by bus and rail.
Manchuria is one of the places that is always noted in World War II narratives as the place where Japan began their foray into mainland Asia. Meyer does an excellent job of showing a place with a vital role in history--the Manchu dynasty originated there--that was caught in a terrible 20th century tug-of-war between China, Japan, Russia, and Korea. Communism and the Cultural Revolution destroyed--and built--much more. Wasteland is undergoing a dramatic change in recent years as the home of a powerful rice corporation. The village is becoming something more, with the farmers of the past 50 years being nudged into massive apartment blocks so that their old, kang-heated shacks can become more rice paddies.
Meyer's chapters are easy to read, and the book goes by fast. I loved the historical information and how he portrayed it, but I was surprised to find myself falling in love with Wasteland and its residents. It's remote and bitterly cold much of the year (Siberia is right next door), but also a place of beauty that is even shown by the actions of a elderly local who plots where to sneakily plant her beloved poppy seeds along the main thoroughfare after the rice corporation repaves and modernizes the road....more
This book is an interesting study of the Chinatowns within Portland, Oregon. So many other books focus on San Francisco. Portland was unique in that iThis book is an interesting study of the Chinatowns within Portland, Oregon. So many other books focus on San Francisco. Portland was unique in that it escaped much of the anti-Chinese fervor that overtook California and Tacoma in Washington. The urban arrangement of Portland was part of the reason for this. The Chinese weren't segregated into their own "ghetto," but had buildings scattered across portions of downtown, as well as many gardens that provided produce for the city. The historical maps of downtown Portland are especially good in this book. There is nothing comparable online.
Wong is very detailed in her analysis (sometimes it feels a wee bit exhaustive) and there are many footnotes in the back. The first portions of the book covered more general issues of the Chinese experience in the western United States, and as that was material I had read in other books, I was impatient for more on Portland. I did like a section that explored the process of immigration, both legal and illegal, since that discussed things I hadn't encountered before.
This was a great book for my research needs....more
This is an extremely well-written book about horrible things. I really had to push myself through the last hundred pages because I felt the increasingThis is an extremely well-written book about horrible things. I really had to push myself through the last hundred pages because I felt the increasing need to go back in time and punch people for being so ignorant and cruel. I have been reading a great deal about the experiences of Chinese in America at the turn of the 20th century, but this is by far the most graphic, the most detailed, when it comes to the matter of the pogroms and massacres that occurred throughout California and north to Washington.
It's a hard read. It made me angry and frustrated. I'm a native Californian. The more I research, the more I realize how poorly educated I was about real history. In my hometown of Hanford, we were taught to celebrate our pioneer heritage and be proud of China Alley, and history books pretty much said "Chinese were treated badly." That was it. I didn't know that 30 minutes away, Tulare's Chinatown was razed, repeatedly, and the Chinese run out of town. That the same happened in nearby Fresno and Visalia, with Chinese murdered in vineyards as they worked. I called up my mom, who was born and raised in the heart of the state. She had never heard of those incidents, either. I bet 99% of people born and raised in Central California don't know.
Pfaelzer did an excellent job on this book. At times, the details felt a bit too exhaustive--I wanted to know more about incidents outside of Truckee and Humboldt county--but that may have been because of my own emotional exhaustion at reading about inexcusable brutality.
If you want to know about a hidden history of California and the west, seek out this book. Just be sure to pause in reading to go hug kittens or seek out pleasant things, though. I definitely need a lighter read after this....more
I read this for research purposes and found it very useful in that regard, though overall it's not a book that I liked. However, Lu Hsun must be lookeI read this for research purposes and found it very useful in that regard, though overall it's not a book that I liked. However, Lu Hsun must be looked at within the context of the time period in which he wrote: around 1920, in China. The particular edition of the book that I have was actually printed in China in the late 1970s; the author apparently later became a favorite of the communist party and Mao Zhedong.
Some of the stories are in a more feudal setting, while others are quite clearly contemporary. The day-to-day life details are fantastic: what they ate, how they dressed, but people behaved toward one another. The portrayals of women were... dismal. There is a recurring theme of wives abandoning their husbands, and just being generally unpleasant. Again, though, this has to be regarded in context. If this had been a modern book, I would have stopped reading early on....more
Swallowing Clouds is an approachable, engaging book about the evolution of Chinese language as shown through food. It's a bold concept that works wellSwallowing Clouds is an approachable, engaging book about the evolution of Chinese language as shown through food. It's a bold concept that works well. Zee is a true storyteller. It's as though you are both sitting in comfy chairs and sipping tea as he talks. He features many common Chinese characters (he notes that a study observed if you can read 500 words in Chinese, you can read 69% of typical reading material), how they might be shown on a Chinese menu, and how the character evolved over time in both history and form. It's a shame I don't have any good Chinese places (bleh Panda Express!) nearby; this would be an awesome book to take along and translate the menu.
This is a lot more than a how-to-read Chinese book. It also delves into mythology through food, the influences of Islam and Hinduism, and how American-Chinese food is very different than the real thing. It was a slow and steady read to me, but fascinating all the way through. It's one I'll be keeping for writing research... and to bring along whenever I do get a good chance for Chinese food. ...more
I loved the heck out of this. I've read over a hundred urban fantasy novels and it's so easy for me to pick one up now and think, "I think I've read sI loved the heck out of this. I've read over a hundred urban fantasy novels and it's so easy for me to pick one up now and think, "I think I've read something really close to this before." Not so with The Dragons of Heaven. It feels like a combination of martial arts movie and superhero tale and urban fantasy, and that blend works very well.
Missy Masters is a superhero on the streets of San Francisco. Her heroic alter-ego is actually the hero Mr. Mystic--the persona created by her grandfather. She's quite familiar with Chinatown and its denizens (human and spiritual), but also has intimate knowledge of the spiritual plain in China. That's because she went there to seek out the master who trained her grandfather--and life became a whole lot more complicated as a result.
The full novel hops between Then and Now; Then being her training in China, and Now being the new worldwide peril that is a consequence of her actions. Right at beginning, the switches jarred me, but I was soon engaged by the twining plot lines. There were plenty of surprises along the way. There were some major details Missy never thought on in the Now plot that struck me as odd when the reveals finally came in the end; she was a more unreliable narrator than I expected.
Overall, though, it was great fun. With the stress of the past week, I really needed a book that I could drop into like a nice hot bubble bath. The Dragons of Heaven was perfect....more
French pieces together the events of a murder that scandalized Peking on the brink of a full Japanese invasion. Pamela Werner was days away from turniFrench pieces together the events of a murder that scandalized Peking on the brink of a full Japanese invasion. Pamela Werner was days away from turning twenty when her body was found at the base of the Fox Tower. Her father, a disgraced and eccentric British man, looked to the joint investigation of Chinese and British officials to bring justice to his only child's death. However, those officials are undermined by various governments and internal political issues and no conclusion was reached. Her heart-broken father continued his own investigation, even after the Japanese took over the city.
French created a masterful work. Not only does he recreate Pamela as a bright young lady who simply wanted to go skating with friends, but he also makes Peking a character in its own right. It was a city devastated several times over through the 19th century, and then on the verge of new turmoil, the international quarter continued its decadent ways. It was refuge for White Russians and European Jews and so many struggling Chinese from the countryside. Japanese soldiers and spies were already in the city, though they had not formally occupied it. Everyone knew that was coming. Pamela's death occurred at a terrible time--as if there is any choice time to be murdered--and would have been utterly forgotten if not for French's book. I can see why this won the Edgar Award....more
I've been researching a great deal into the history of the Chinese in California over the past two years, and read several books on the subject. Most I've been researching a great deal into the history of the Chinese in California over the past two years, and read several books on the subject. Most mentions tend to be in a more negative regard--through the lens of San Francisco, and the tong wars, and the years of plague. Samfow was refreshingly different and informative. Foremost, the book is from the Chinese perspective and is an intimate portrait of the city of Stockton and San Joaquin county. It doesn't shy away from the negative--the issues with tongs, gambling, and prostitution are documented--but it's much more balanced on the issues that immigrants faced.
For the sake of my research, I really liked the information on business structures (complete with floor plans!) and matters of doctoring and how bodies were handled after death. I knew from other books that, ideally, the dead were sent to China for their final rest, but I couldn't find anymore information on that subject until now. Books succeed were Google fails.
I also appreciated the emphasis on Stockton. I'm from Hanford in the nearby San Joaquin Valley. The dynamics of the places were/are different--Stockton being on the delta and a major port--but there were also similarities. Hanford was even mentioned throughout, including a citation from the local paper (still in print) from the 1890s that implored young women to learn to cook so they wouldn't rely on Chinese labor. Ouch. That, quite literally, hits close to home.
I purchased my copy of this book from the Taoist Temple Museum Gift Shop in Hanford. I should obviously go there more often on my trips home--this book is a definite keeper....more
I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program.
This is a rare case where reading this as a galley doesn't really give an adequaI received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program.
This is a rare case where reading this as a galley doesn't really give an adequate picture of the book. Hsu has penned a book that's part memoir, part genealogy quest, part history lesson on China. As he says at one point, trying to explain Chinese history is like trying to get a drink while drowning. The beginning of the books has placeholders for maps and charts, and that content would have helped immensely to understand the geography and the convoluted connections within Hsu's family (which often confuses and surprises the author as well).
Hsu is American-born and raised in Utah. He had to deal with frustrating comments from other people--the compliments on his English, the way he stood out in lily-white Mormon Utah--but also didn't fit in with his Chinese family. He was largely ignorant of the language and history. Even so, he's fascinated by stories of his mother's family and of the wealth of porcelain they once had, and he takes a job in China at a volatile uncle's company so he can find out more.
The beginning of the story is a bit whiny as he describes China as it is now (it sure doesn't make me want to travel to Shanghai), even as the content is intriguing from the start. Hsu brings a great perspective; readers are likely to be ignorant of China as it is now or was in the past, and I felt like I got to learn along with him. Once it started to delve into the past and the often contradictory stories within his family, it became a gripping book. Hsu isn't searching for buried treasure to get rich. It's more of a sense to recover something lost. His mother's family struggled through all the turbulence of the 20th century, from the Sino-Japanese War through World War II through communist and the horrible whims of Mao. His grandmother escaped some of the worst by being a teacher in missionary schools and then immigrating from the mainland, but other cousins were not so fortunate. The book does a good job of showing the terrible nature of Mao and what he put the people through, and Hsu with his American sensibilities struggles to understand how they endured. It's not just that the porcelain was lost. Almost all family pictures, books, and artifacts were also lost in immigration or through cultural purges.
There's also the historical thread about porcelain itself, how it was made and where, and how that industry has so drastically changed.
I liked the book much more as I read, even as I had to utterly give up on keeping track of who was who. I have trouble remembering names in English, so the similarity of the Chinese names--and that some people had a few names--was utterly confusing. Maps would have been an enormous help as Hsu travels all over China, and also describes where his family was and is now.
If you have any interest in China, seek for this book when it's out in March. At heart, it's about a genealogical search for self, an it's a fascinating journey....more
This Chinese bestseller has earned tremendous buzz with this translation into English. It's a deep work, unafraid to delve into Chinese politics, the This Chinese bestseller has earned tremendous buzz with this translation into English. It's a deep work, unafraid to delve into Chinese politics, the devastating emotional toll of the Cultural Revolution, and hefty physics. The story fascinated me from the start as I wondered what would come of Ye Wenjie's loss and isolation. It took me more time to adjust to Wang Miao, who comes across as a kind of Every Man who is pulled into an odd tug-of-war between the government and a sect, and then falls into a virtual reality game called Three-Body Problem.
The insights into Chinese history and culture fascinated me. What lost me were the deep explorations of physics. I'm a science fiction writer, but I prefer the more social scifi. Trying to parse deep mathematical and scientific revelations is just going to befuddle me. This especially became an issue for me nearer the end of the book. However, I pressed on, and the good news is that things were explained in more simple terms and even more the consequences of the physics were clear.
The science fiction may be harder than my preference, but I'm intrigued about the next two books in the trilogy and what will become of humanity....more
This completes the set of parallel stories about the Boxer Rebellion. Between the two graphic novels, Yang weaves a complex story about rural China, CThis completes the set of parallel stories about the Boxer Rebellion. Between the two graphic novels, Yang weaves a complex story about rural China, Christian missionaries, war, and spirituality. I found this book, the longer of the two at 325 pages, to be enthralling and disturbing all at once. It follows young Bao as he encounters he foments rebellion against the foreign devils, all while channeling the old gods of China Bao has loved in opera. Like any war, it's a heart-breaking scenario. There are no clear good guys and bad guys. That's one advantage of reading both books in the set--you see it from both angles (Four isn't a full Christian convert through her story, but she still shows the good that they do)....more
This is part of a set of graphic novels. I started with this one. They explore the Boxer Rebellion in China, an incident little known in the modern weThis is part of a set of graphic novels. I started with this one. They explore the Boxer Rebellion in China, an incident little known in the modern west. In this 170-page graphic novel, Four-Girl is raised within her uncaring family. She is the fourth girl and the only to live, and thus is only known by her number--which in Chinese, means death. She grows up as rather disturbed, desperate to fit in, to find her own identity. After feigning an illness, she's sent to a local acupuncturist, who is a Christian. Four doesn't care much about the faith, but catechism gets her aware from her family and the doctor's wife makes good cookies. About this same time she starts to see visions of Joan of Arc. It's curious how Yang sets up the story, because Joan of Arc appears to be a true vision there to guide Four as people rise up against Chinese Christians and Westerners.
I bought the books to help to gauge the mindset and culture of China at the turn of the 20th century. It was enlightening in that way, though I can't fully judge the this book until I have read the companion....more