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Bezig met laden... De bloem van Beijing (1997)door Lisa See
Bezig met laden...
Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek. En un lago de Pekín aparece muerto el hijo del embajador norteamericano. El espinoso caso es asignado a una inspectora china y a un fiscal de Los Ángeles... Una impactante novela de intriga que recrea el conflicto entre dos países diametralmente opuestos cuando sus gobiernos se ven obligados a colaborar en pie de igualdad. Lisa See’s first novel, published in 1997, is a murder mystery set in Beijing and Los Angeles. A female police detective in China, Liu Hulan, and an American attorney, David Stark, must work together to solve two related murders. The victims are the son of the American Ambassador to China and the son of a wealthy Chinese businessman. Hulan and David were previously in a relationship when she lived in the US for her legal education. I enjoyed the cultural and historical elements, particularly the way Americans miss some of the subtleties of Chinese social interactions. Except for Hulan, the characters are somewhat wooden. The romance seems superfluous. Much of the dialogue is created to inform the reader (many lines begin with “as you know…”). There are a few parts that are particularly gruesome. It is a decent mystery, but I much prefer the author’s later works of historical fiction. This was Lisa See's debut novel, and not really up to the standards of her later books. Interesting premise: two young men die of a strange and unique poison. One man is American and is found in China. The other man is Chinese and is found in America. Both countries have an interest in solving the murders. The plot was good, the dialogue and character development weren't. There was an interesting line about tensions over Hong Kong. So similar to recent current events I had to go back to look at the original publication date: 1997. I guess some things haven't changed much in the 25 years since then. Digital audiobook narrated by Elaina Davis (abridged) From the book jacket: In the depths of a Beijing winter, the U.S. ambassador’s son is found dead – his body entombed in a frozen lake. Around the same time, aboard a ship adrift off the coast of Southern California, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Stark discovers the corpse of a Red Prince, a scion of China’s political elite. The Chinese and American governments suspect that the deaths are connected, and they join forces to see justice done. In Beijing, David teams up with the female police detective Liu Hulan, in an investigation that takes them to every corner of China and sparks an intense attraction between the two. My reaction Before she rocketed to fame with Snow Flower and the Secret Fan See wrote a short series of mysteries, of which this is the first. What I liked most about this book was the look at China – from karaoke bars to the neighborhoods housing the working class, from high-powered businessmen to prostitutes, See gave the reader a look under the blanket of the typical tourist-friendly experience. The plot is convoluted and full of twists and turns, as much political intrigue as murder mystery. Liu Hulan is an interesting and conflicted character. Having been educated in the U.S. she seems a logical choice to partner with the U.S. attorney for the investigation. But their previous relationship and the personal issues between them kept distracting me from the central mystery. Elaina Davis does a good job of narrating the audiobook, but it wasn’t until after I had listened to about half of it that I realized it was an abridged version. Fortunately, I had the text as well so could read the full book, which meant I got much more of Liu Hulan explaining Chinese culture to David than action. geen besprekingen | voeg een bespreking toe
Onderdeel van de reeks(en)Red Princess (1) Is opgenomen inIs verkort inPrijzen
Fiction.
Literature.
Mystery.
Thriller.
HTML:??Lisa See begins to do for Beijing what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did for turn-of-the-century London or Dashiell Hammett did for 1920s San Francisco: She discerns the hidden city lurking beneath the public facade.? ??The Washington Post Book World In the depths of a Beijing winter, during the waning days of Deng Xiaoping??s reign, the U.S. ambassador??s son is found dead??his body entombed in a frozen lake. Around the same time, aboard a ship adrift off the coast of Southern California, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Stark makes a startling discovery: the corpse of a Red Prince, a scion of China??s political elite. The Chinese and American governments suspect that the deaths are connected and, in an unprecedented move, they join forces to see justice done. In Beijing, David teams up with the unorthodox police detective Liu Hulan. In an investigation that brings them to every corner of China and sparks an intense attraction between the two, David and Hulan discover a web linking human trafficking to the drug trade to governmental treachery??a web reaching from the Forbidden City to the heart of Los Angeles and, like the wide flower net used by Chinese fishermen, threatening to ensnare all within its reach. ??A graceful rendering of two different and complex cultures, within a highly intricate plot . . . The starkly beautiful landscapes of Beijing and its surrounding countryside are depicted with a lyrical precision.? ??Los Angeles Times Book Review ??Murder and intrigue splash across the canvas of modern Chinese life. . . . A vivid portrait of a vast Communist nation in the painful throes of a sea change.? ??People ??Fascinating . . . that rare thriller that enlightens as well as it entertains.? ??San Diego Union-Tribune A Finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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Google Books — Bezig met laden... GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:
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The Chinese and American governments suspect that the deaths are later., and in an unprecedented move, they join forces to get things done. In Beijing, David teams up with the unorthodox police detective Liu Hulan. ( )