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The Rising Dragon #2
Игри на дракони
Пол загърбва миналото и започва нов живот на остров Лама. Живот, в който има място за любовта към Кристин и радостта, която тя му носи. Кристин, подобно на повечето китайци, не е религиозна, но е суеверна. Затова, когато виден астролог й предсказва мрачно бъдеще, тя е силно разколебана дали да продължи да се вижда с Пол. Той, от своя страна, не вярва във влиянието на планетите и звездите и е огорчен от поведението й.
Кристин получава писмо от брат си – Да Лонг, изчезнал по време на Културната революция. Той се нуждае от помощта й, защото съпругата му е тежко болна. Въпреки лошото си предчувствие, Кристин и Пол заминават за селцето в близост до Шанхай, в което Да Лонг живее.
Голяма част от местните и животните са покосени от мистериозна болест. Пол започва разследване, но разкриването на виновника може да се окаже по-опасно от самата зараза.
Ами ако предсказанието на астролога все пак се сбъдне, поставяйки под съмнение всичко, в което Пол някога е вярвал? И изложи на опасност не само връзката му с Кристин, но и живота им?
Кристин получава писмо от брат си – Да Лонг, изчезнал по време на Културната революция. Той се нуждае от помощта й, защото съпругата му е тежко болна. Въпреки лошото си предчувствие, Кристин и Пол заминават за селцето в близост до Шанхай, в което Да Лонг живее.
Голяма част от местните и животните са покосени от мистериозна болест. Пол започва разследване, но разкриването на виновника може да се окаже по-опасно от самата зараза.
Ами ако предсказанието на астролога все пак се сбъдне, поставяйки под съмнение всичко, в което Пол някога е вярвал? И изложи на опасност не само връзката му с Кристин, но и живота им?
328 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Jan-Philipp Sendker
19 books941 followersJan-Philipp Sendker, born in Hamburg in 1960, and, longing to travel the world, became the American correspondent for Stern from 1990 to 1995, and its Asian correspondent from 1995 to 1999. In 2000 he published Cracks in the Great Wall, a nonfiction book about China. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats is his first novel, and since then, he has written 3 further novels, including a sequel to "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats", "A Well-Tempered Heart". In 2013, he received The indies Choice Honor Award in the category Adult Fiction for "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. He lives in Potsdam with his family and is currently working on the third installment in his China-trilogy.
http://artofhearingheartbeats.com
http://artofhearingheartbeats.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
February 11, 2017
Jan-Philipp Sendker has a way with words. His prose is simply beautiful. Melodic even. He writes about characters whose lives you want to care deeply about. And it is because of this that I truly wanted to love this story. And yet, it left me wanting. I wanted more from Jan-Philipp Sendker. Because I know he has it to give – I witnessed it in his first novel, the Art of Hearing Heartbeats, and I know he is capable. Unfortunately, here – he didn’t deliver. 3.5 Stars.
The Language of Solitude is a beautifully written novel about the intersecting lives of several individuals. The first is Paul, a lonely westerner, who lives in Hong Kong and has previously lost everything, until he meets Christine, a Chinese woman, with whom he finds love and who makes him care about living again.
As a young girl, Christine and her mother fled China to the safety of Hong Kong, where they have remained. Unbeknownst to her, her older brother Da Long (who she thought had passed away,) has been living in China all of these years. In need of help, he summons her to China. Scared to travel alone, she enlists the help of her beloved, Paul and together, they travel to meet her brother and his two children: his daughter Yin-Yin and son Xiau Hu and find that her brother’s wife Min Fang is bed ridden, lame and mute from what has been misdiagnosed as a stroke. Paul, a former journalist, finds that her symptoms trigger memories of story that he investigated long ago - of people who got sick in a village due to a company dumping chemicals into a lake and who were victims of mercury poisoning. He therefore takes it upon himself to do some digging, and he discovers that Min Fang and several others in her village ate fish from a contaminated lake and were unknowingly poisoned. He and Yin-Yin then decide to try and fight the Chinese government and get justice for her family. Yet the laws in China don't work the way they do in the western world and thing run amuck, putting Yin-Yin's life in serious danger. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Christine is fighting her own personal battle, with her mother and Paul. During her struggle, she must come face to face with her past.
In my opinion, it was the simplicity of his first novel, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, (along with the beautiful writing), that made it so special, and that was lacking in this novel. I felt that Jan-Philip Sendker tried to tie together the lives of too many characters and therefore made the storyline complex, which was unnecessary and in doing much was lost v gained.
While the writing here was lovely, it was not enough to save the story itself.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Jan-Philip Sendker for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 2/10/17.
Will be published on Amazon on 5/2/17.
The Language of Solitude is a beautifully written novel about the intersecting lives of several individuals. The first is Paul, a lonely westerner, who lives in Hong Kong and has previously lost everything, until he meets Christine, a Chinese woman, with whom he finds love and who makes him care about living again.
As a young girl, Christine and her mother fled China to the safety of Hong Kong, where they have remained. Unbeknownst to her, her older brother Da Long (who she thought had passed away,) has been living in China all of these years. In need of help, he summons her to China. Scared to travel alone, she enlists the help of her beloved, Paul and together, they travel to meet her brother and his two children: his daughter Yin-Yin and son Xiau Hu and find that her brother’s wife Min Fang is bed ridden, lame and mute from what has been misdiagnosed as a stroke. Paul, a former journalist, finds that her symptoms trigger memories of story that he investigated long ago - of people who got sick in a village due to a company dumping chemicals into a lake and who were victims of mercury poisoning. He therefore takes it upon himself to do some digging, and he discovers that Min Fang and several others in her village ate fish from a contaminated lake and were unknowingly poisoned. He and Yin-Yin then decide to try and fight the Chinese government and get justice for her family. Yet the laws in China don't work the way they do in the western world and thing run amuck, putting Yin-Yin's life in serious danger. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Christine is fighting her own personal battle, with her mother and Paul. During her struggle, she must come face to face with her past.
In my opinion, it was the simplicity of his first novel, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, (along with the beautiful writing), that made it so special, and that was lacking in this novel. I felt that Jan-Philip Sendker tried to tie together the lives of too many characters and therefore made the storyline complex, which was unnecessary and in doing much was lost v gained.
While the writing here was lovely, it was not enough to save the story itself.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Jan-Philip Sendker for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 2/10/17.
Will be published on Amazon on 5/2/17.
January 10, 2017
The Language of Solitude is the story of Paul Leibovitz who travels to a village outside Shanghai with his partner Christine when she receives a letter from her long-assumed-dead brother. There, he uncovers a terrible incident involving the villagers' health and the most powerful chemical company in China. There may be some mild spoilers below.
I struggled with reading this work. I found the characters dislikable and pigeonholed into characteristics and, even worse, stereotypes. The main character Paul, a foreign man who seems to be depicted as incredibly perfect from his flawless Mandarin and Cantonese to his ironclad sense of justice, was unrealistic and upsetting in his hypocrisies. All the Chinese people in the book are painted as passive, cowardly, ignorant, or just blossoming into confidence under Paul's tutelage.
Paul, for whom a huge part of his life seems to be his clingy love for Christine, becomes rapidly (almost unbelievably so) involved with Christine's rediscovered brother's family without discussing with Christine and despite her displeasure and her needing him. He is presumptive and brash, from making decisions concerning Christine's family without discussing with her to refusing to understand Chinese cultural differences (these are more generally portrayed in the novel from a distinctly foreign perspective, despite some sections being written from a Chinese person's view). Despite Christine as being described as a strong woman by Paul, she is crippled by superstition and her character development falls very much to the wayside in spite of it being perfectly set up in earlier chapters - her relationship with these rediscovered family members and how that changes is ignored in favor of Paul's changing relationship with her kin. Yin-Yin, the niece, is painted as a naive, unassuming, aspiring musician who only gains confidence and strength with Paul's help and whose youth and inexperience is emphasized in everything from her emails containing little punctuation and rambling sentences in comparison to Paul's grammatically correct and succinct ones. The other secondary characters are similarly one-dimensional, and any growth the characters experience are sudden and jarring.
The world described in this novel seems more akin to how a thriller would read, where monsters lurk around every corner in the terror that is the mainland China, where people are secreted away and intimidation runs rampant. And perhaps this is not without some merit, but the exact situations also are not written in a particularly believable manner. The story also seems to suffer from a lack of focus, with no particular growth in either the overarching topic or in character development.
All in all, a disappointing read, and a depiction of Chinese people and China that I found not particularly nuanced and or deserving of the hugely complex culture that exists in China. Elements were most definitely included in the novel, representative of the author's stated interaction with China, but the delicate relationships and balances between those aspects seemed presumptive and discordantly written. For me, it is difficult to read a tale where a foreign man come swooping in to try to affect change in Chinese people who are painted as backwardly superstitious, overwhelmingly afraid, and unfashionably unidimensional without him. While I understand that this book is a work of fiction and that it is generally well-written (although rife with frequent philosophical tangents that don't seem to fit the tone of the tale) with a foundation for an interesting plot, this book made me furious and upset.
Thanks to the publisher for an advance digital copy in exchange for a fair review.
I struggled with reading this work. I found the characters dislikable and pigeonholed into characteristics and, even worse, stereotypes. The main character Paul, a foreign man who seems to be depicted as incredibly perfect from his flawless Mandarin and Cantonese to his ironclad sense of justice, was unrealistic and upsetting in his hypocrisies. All the Chinese people in the book are painted as passive, cowardly, ignorant, or just blossoming into confidence under Paul's tutelage.
Paul, for whom a huge part of his life seems to be his clingy love for Christine, becomes rapidly (almost unbelievably so) involved with Christine's rediscovered brother's family without discussing with Christine and despite her displeasure and her needing him. He is presumptive and brash, from making decisions concerning Christine's family without discussing with her to refusing to understand Chinese cultural differences (these are more generally portrayed in the novel from a distinctly foreign perspective, despite some sections being written from a Chinese person's view). Despite Christine as being described as a strong woman by Paul, she is crippled by superstition and her character development falls very much to the wayside in spite of it being perfectly set up in earlier chapters - her relationship with these rediscovered family members and how that changes is ignored in favor of Paul's changing relationship with her kin. Yin-Yin, the niece, is painted as a naive, unassuming, aspiring musician who only gains confidence and strength with Paul's help and whose youth and inexperience is emphasized in everything from her emails containing little punctuation and rambling sentences in comparison to Paul's grammatically correct and succinct ones. The other secondary characters are similarly one-dimensional, and any growth the characters experience are sudden and jarring.
The world described in this novel seems more akin to how a thriller would read, where monsters lurk around every corner in the terror that is the mainland China, where people are secreted away and intimidation runs rampant. And perhaps this is not without some merit, but the exact situations also are not written in a particularly believable manner. The story also seems to suffer from a lack of focus, with no particular growth in either the overarching topic or in character development.
All in all, a disappointing read, and a depiction of Chinese people and China that I found not particularly nuanced and or deserving of the hugely complex culture that exists in China. Elements were most definitely included in the novel, representative of the author's stated interaction with China, but the delicate relationships and balances between those aspects seemed presumptive and discordantly written. For me, it is difficult to read a tale where a foreign man come swooping in to try to affect change in Chinese people who are painted as backwardly superstitious, overwhelmingly afraid, and unfashionably unidimensional without him. While I understand that this book is a work of fiction and that it is generally well-written (although rife with frequent philosophical tangents that don't seem to fit the tone of the tale) with a foundation for an interesting plot, this book made me furious and upset.
Thanks to the publisher for an advance digital copy in exchange for a fair review.
February 1, 2024
Not as eloquent as some of his earlier books, and a bit harder to get into the story. Still it was a wonderful story and I am glad that I forged ahead. The scenes in China, and especially Shanghai were wonderful, and ever so accurate. The ending seemed a bit abrupt, but possibly because I didn’t want it to end.
June 22, 2017
3.5
A somewhat familiar tale: foreigner with perfect Chinese-language skills and a fixation on Asian women. Throw in a theme of present day corruption as China strives to put a wide-screen TV in every apartment and proliferating cars obliterate the landscape. Well, what's left of the landscape after it was deforested and polluted.
The main character Paul's self fixation doesn't end and one is almost continuously treated to overwritten angst as he dissects his every move and emotion but remains insensitive to others'. This must be the new touchy-feely male. Spare me. Give me a cultured but competent male who knows how to tie a tie and shoot a gun, not pages of getting in touch with yourself.
A further annoyance: supporting characters simply disappear in the end, their outcomes missing. This prompted a re-read of the final two chapters to be sure dozing off hadn't led to losing track of aything. No, they simply vanished.
A somewhat familiar tale: foreigner with perfect Chinese-language skills and a fixation on Asian women. Throw in a theme of present day corruption as China strives to put a wide-screen TV in every apartment and proliferating cars obliterate the landscape. Well, what's left of the landscape after it was deforested and polluted.
The main character Paul's self fixation doesn't end and one is almost continuously treated to overwritten angst as he dissects his every move and emotion but remains insensitive to others'. This must be the new touchy-feely male. Spare me. Give me a cultured but competent male who knows how to tie a tie and shoot a gun, not pages of getting in touch with yourself.
A further annoyance: supporting characters simply disappear in the end, their outcomes missing. This prompted a re-read of the final two chapters to be sure dozing off hadn't led to losing track of aything. No, they simply vanished.
June 2, 2017
3.5. I don't think this book was as good as his previous two books, it lacked the poignancy of The Art of Hearing Heartbeats and A Well Tempered Heart.
August 22, 2016
Dragon Games Jan-Philipp Sendker
5 unequivocal stars!!
The diverse realities of modern day China, brought to life
Sendker has done it again! When I was asked to review Whispering Shadows earlier this year I was blown away by the power of his writing. I was mesmerised by the fully rounded plot line and the quality of the writing, and delighted to be offered this to review.
In this book, we revisit the relationship between Paul Leibovitz and his Chinese girlfriend Christine; since Whispering Shadows they have become closer and could be on the cusp of making their lives together permanent. Then Christine receives a sudden letter that turns both their lives upside down.
Sendker is such a great writer; not only does he create fully formed characters and a complex plot line, but his knowledge of Hong Kong and China, and of the beliefs, fears and traditions of the Chinese people brings the whole story to life. Not only this, but he differs from many writers in being completely empathic in his understanding of how people deal with the troubles which affect every one of us.
The story takes us deep into mainland China where much remains unchanged from how things were during the Cultural Revolution; the ordinary people still fear the authorities and the power they yield, and with good reason; corruption is everywhere.
Paul and Christine visit her brother and his family and discover a village beset with problems which have devastating effects on the local cats as well as the villagers. Being used to the more open societies of New York and Hong Kong, Paul attempts to unravel what is happening and to get justice for those who have been stricken with a mystery sickness. But China isn't open, the people are not free, and this goes equally for foreigners who choose to visit; Paul finds himself and those he cares about are not beyond the long and merciless arms of the law.
If you like a good crime thriller and are interested in the Orient, this will be right up your street! Make time to read this 'un-put-downable' novel which I guarantee you will enjoy.
Pashtpaws
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
5 unequivocal stars!!
The diverse realities of modern day China, brought to life
Sendker has done it again! When I was asked to review Whispering Shadows earlier this year I was blown away by the power of his writing. I was mesmerised by the fully rounded plot line and the quality of the writing, and delighted to be offered this to review.
In this book, we revisit the relationship between Paul Leibovitz and his Chinese girlfriend Christine; since Whispering Shadows they have become closer and could be on the cusp of making their lives together permanent. Then Christine receives a sudden letter that turns both their lives upside down.
Sendker is such a great writer; not only does he create fully formed characters and a complex plot line, but his knowledge of Hong Kong and China, and of the beliefs, fears and traditions of the Chinese people brings the whole story to life. Not only this, but he differs from many writers in being completely empathic in his understanding of how people deal with the troubles which affect every one of us.
The story takes us deep into mainland China where much remains unchanged from how things were during the Cultural Revolution; the ordinary people still fear the authorities and the power they yield, and with good reason; corruption is everywhere.
Paul and Christine visit her brother and his family and discover a village beset with problems which have devastating effects on the local cats as well as the villagers. Being used to the more open societies of New York and Hong Kong, Paul attempts to unravel what is happening and to get justice for those who have been stricken with a mystery sickness. But China isn't open, the people are not free, and this goes equally for foreigners who choose to visit; Paul finds himself and those he cares about are not beyond the long and merciless arms of the law.
If you like a good crime thriller and are interested in the Orient, this will be right up your street! Make time to read this 'un-put-downable' novel which I guarantee you will enjoy.
Pashtpaws
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
March 22, 2019
Uvek sam voleo filmove koji su nam dolazili sa dalekog istoka. Bilo da je u pitanju Kina, Japan ili neka treća zemlja, njihova kultura me je fascinirala. To je bio glavni razlog kupovine ove knjige.
Sinopsis ove knjige vrlo malo govori o onome što se u njoj dešava. Zapravo, samo zagrebe površinu. Radnja jeste zanimljva, ali ne od prve stranice. Kad sam počeo da je čitam, prva 3 ili 4 poglavlja su mi bila teška, stil mi se nije dopadao i mislio sam da neću da stignem ni do polovine knjige (inače, ne volim da knjige ostavljam nedovršene). No vremenom se to menja.
Prvo upoznajemo stanje jedne bolesne žene koja je nepokretna i ne može da govori. Sledeće poglavlje je iz ugla Pola koji naizgled nema nikakve veze sa bolesnom ženom. Tek se nekoliko poglavlja kasnije uspostavlja ta veza. I dok se to ne desi sve deluje (barem je tako meni bilo) pomalo neodređeno i mlitavo.
Sama priča obiluje sa dosta ljudskih pitanja koja možemo da postavimo sami sebi. Takođe se bavi pitanjem kako ići protiv moćnog neprijatelja - države, kada znate da država zna za tajnu koja uništava njen narod. Možda se može povući i neka paralela sa Srbijom.
Na momente postaje veoma napeta i stranice se gutaju, a opet ume da bude i dosadnjikava. Nekako taj tempo kreni-stani uništava tu draž. Opet, možda je pisac hteo da dočara Kinu i kako kod njih nema tog brzanja i eksplozivnog izražavanja emocija i da se vode unutrašnjim mirom pa otud ta razvučenost.
Ipak, knjiga se čita lako. Preko stranica se brzo prelazi, radnja nikad nije monotona. Knjiga ima dosta unutrašnjih monologa koji čitaoca mogu da podstaknu na razmišljanje. Ne mislim da bi trebali svi da pročitaju ovu knjigu, ali osobe koje vole Kinu bi mogle. Posebno što je ovo Kina iz ne tako lepog ugla.
Sinopsis ove knjige vrlo malo govori o onome što se u njoj dešava. Zapravo, samo zagrebe površinu. Radnja jeste zanimljva, ali ne od prve stranice. Kad sam počeo da je čitam, prva 3 ili 4 poglavlja su mi bila teška, stil mi se nije dopadao i mislio sam da neću da stignem ni do polovine knjige (inače, ne volim da knjige ostavljam nedovršene). No vremenom se to menja.
Prvo upoznajemo stanje jedne bolesne žene koja je nepokretna i ne može da govori. Sledeće poglavlje je iz ugla Pola koji naizgled nema nikakve veze sa bolesnom ženom. Tek se nekoliko poglavlja kasnije uspostavlja ta veza. I dok se to ne desi sve deluje (barem je tako meni bilo) pomalo neodređeno i mlitavo.
Sama priča obiluje sa dosta ljudskih pitanja koja možemo da postavimo sami sebi. Takođe se bavi pitanjem kako ići protiv moćnog neprijatelja - države, kada znate da država zna za tajnu koja uništava njen narod. Možda se može povući i neka paralela sa Srbijom.
Na momente postaje veoma napeta i stranice se gutaju, a opet ume da bude i dosadnjikava. Nekako taj tempo kreni-stani uništava tu draž. Opet, možda je pisac hteo da dočara Kinu i kako kod njih nema tog brzanja i eksplozivnog izražavanja emocija i da se vode unutrašnjim mirom pa otud ta razvučenost.
Ipak, knjiga se čita lako. Preko stranica se brzo prelazi, radnja nikad nije monotona. Knjiga ima dosta unutrašnjih monologa koji čitaoca mogu da podstaknu na razmišljanje. Ne mislim da bi trebali svi da pročitaju ovu knjigu, ali osobe koje vole Kinu bi mogle. Posebno što je ovo Kina iz ne tako lepog ugla.
November 9, 2017
This novel details the adventures of a German ex-pat Paul who becomes embroiled in discovering the mystery of a debilitating illness caused by a polluted lake in China. Rampant political corruption makes it nearly impossible to bring justice to the community and endangers Paul and his girlfriend's long-lost family. Throughout the novel, characters struggle with deep loss, falling in love, and moving on after a tragedy.
The novel's central mystery made my gall rise; mostly because issues highlighted in the novel still exist in the world today. The beginning story arc of a fortune teller's enigmatic prediction adds an extra layer of trepidation to the story because I really wanted everyone to have a happy ending. After everything that happens in the novel, the resolution is unexpected and almost unlikely (I say almost), but it's a relief after everything the characters went through.
What really made me enjoy this book was the well-written, layered and realistic characters. Sendker's characters had believable motivations and were complex- they seemed like people I would meet on the street, or acted in ways I might act myself. After reading many stories with simplistic protagonists and villains, these multi-faceted characters were fascinating to read. Sendker also writes elegantly and deeply about compassion and heartache in ways that really resonated with me. Overall, Sendker's writing style is expressive without being overly wordy, which I really admire.
4.5 stars!
The novel's central mystery made my gall rise; mostly because issues highlighted in the novel still exist in the world today. The beginning story arc of a fortune teller's enigmatic prediction adds an extra layer of trepidation to the story because I really wanted everyone to have a happy ending. After everything that happens in the novel, the resolution is unexpected and almost unlikely (I say almost), but it's a relief after everything the characters went through.
What really made me enjoy this book was the well-written, layered and realistic characters. Sendker's characters had believable motivations and were complex- they seemed like people I would meet on the street, or acted in ways I might act myself. After reading many stories with simplistic protagonists and villains, these multi-faceted characters were fascinating to read. Sendker also writes elegantly and deeply about compassion and heartache in ways that really resonated with me. Overall, Sendker's writing style is expressive without being overly wordy, which I really admire.
4.5 stars!
November 14, 2019
I stopped reading The Language of Solitude at around page fifty. The story was weak. Jan Philipp displayed poor writing skills. If I deleted every adverb used in the text, the book would be twenty pages shorter.
Jan Philipp saturated the story with adverbs and words considered as writing taboo. The piece needed a talented developmental editor to correct the issues prior to hitting the shelves.
Jan Philipp saturated the story with adverbs and words considered as writing taboo. The piece needed a talented developmental editor to correct the issues prior to hitting the shelves.
January 5, 2018
Probably anyone could sit down and ink out a story if they put their mind to it. But there are only those most talented who can show as story as well as tell in language that penetrates beyond the emotional word. Sendker offers that excellence in this suspenseful of a journey of discovery in a world of Chinese politics.
Reviewed in: http://www.djadamson.com/le-coeur-de-...
Reviewed in: http://www.djadamson.com/le-coeur-de-...
March 8, 2024
A bit slow to start and dare-I-say boring at times, but the third act really brought it home for me. The third act was absolutely heartwrenching and made me feel like I understood and felt the characters' grief and tragic struggle against their circumstances in a way that I never thought I could. That was really powerful and emotional for me, which bumped this book up to 4 stars.
I found the characters in this book to be oddly same-y, which gave it a weird quality. Every major character, with the exception of Christine and Yin-Yin (the younger women), is portrayed as an emotional hard-ass who is only moved by specific people/grief. Perhaps that's a very Chinese way of being, but it's interesting that all the characters perceive each other as inscrutable, despite all of them being inscrutable in the exact same way.
Christine almost feels superfluous to the book, which is weird given that she is literally the catalyst for the whole thing. It's her family that Paul inserts himself into and gets emotionally invested in. Towards the end, I almost forgot that all of the revelations about Da Long and his father were also revelations about her brother and father. It was so weird that she was disconnected from most of the action of the story.
I also generally found it strange to have this Western ex-pat criticizing China and its lack of democracy/rule of law. I know these are problems, and this book definitely reminded me of the China I visited in the early 2000s, but it feels weird when a Westerner is doing the criticism (and is being centered as the book's protagonist). Even the book acknowledges this tension at multiple points, pointing out the difference between Chinese and Western cultures and approaches to justice. It even points out that Paul is being a bit self-righteous about his indignation without suffering any of the consequences that the Wu family suffers. But at the end of the day, I am most sympathetic to the Western point of view and I rooted for justice most viscerally than I thought that I would. I'm amazed at this book's capacity to remind me of my own Western values and how much I actually do care about the rule of law and accountability.
I liked how the device of Chinese astrology is used as a bit of dramatic irony throughout the novel. It's an ancient Greek device, used surprisingly effectively in a modern story. I'm surprised that it didn't seem hokey and it really did heighten the suspense in the last few pages of the novel as you're wondering if/how all of the prophecies will come true. Turns out I am also more superstitious than I thought.
This novel taught me about myself in unexpected ways. That must deserve at least some credit.
I found the characters in this book to be oddly same-y, which gave it a weird quality. Every major character, with the exception of Christine and Yin-Yin (the younger women), is portrayed as an emotional hard-ass who is only moved by specific people/grief. Perhaps that's a very Chinese way of being, but it's interesting that all the characters perceive each other as inscrutable, despite all of them being inscrutable in the exact same way.
Christine almost feels superfluous to the book, which is weird given that she is literally the catalyst for the whole thing. It's her family that Paul inserts himself into and gets emotionally invested in. Towards the end, I almost forgot that all of the revelations about Da Long and his father were also revelations about her brother and father. It was so weird that she was disconnected from most of the action of the story.
I also generally found it strange to have this Western ex-pat criticizing China and its lack of democracy/rule of law. I know these are problems, and this book definitely reminded me of the China I visited in the early 2000s, but it feels weird when a Westerner is doing the criticism (and is being centered as the book's protagonist). Even the book acknowledges this tension at multiple points, pointing out the difference between Chinese and Western cultures and approaches to justice. It even points out that Paul is being a bit self-righteous about his indignation without suffering any of the consequences that the Wu family suffers. But at the end of the day, I am most sympathetic to the Western point of view and I rooted for justice most viscerally than I thought that I would. I'm amazed at this book's capacity to remind me of my own Western values and how much I actually do care about the rule of law and accountability.
I liked how the device of Chinese astrology is used as a bit of dramatic irony throughout the novel. It's an ancient Greek device, used surprisingly effectively in a modern story. I'm surprised that it didn't seem hokey and it really did heighten the suspense in the last few pages of the novel as you're wondering if/how all of the prophecies will come true. Turns out I am also more superstitious than I thought.
This novel taught me about myself in unexpected ways. That must deserve at least some credit.
October 6, 2020
Jan-Philipp Sendker writes in German about Asia. I have now read 3 books by him and this one is his best.
Paul Liebowitz has lived in Hong Kong for 40 years and speaks both Mandarin and Hong Kong Chinese fluently. He has lost his 12 year old son to illness and is now in a relationship with Christine Wu, a 41 year old Chinese woman who fled China with her mother when she was 5 and now works in a travel agency. They do not live together but their relationship seems to be getting stronger when she receives a letter from her brother, Da Long, who lives in China and has never contacted her before. He asks for her help but will only explain when she comes to the tiny village he lives in. Christine is terrified to travel to China so Paul says he will come with her. When they arrive it appears that Da Long was under the impression that Christine was a doctor who could help him with his very ill wife. All the doctors in China have diagnosed her with brain damage or something similar. Christine returns to Hong Kong the next day but Paul decides to stay on because he is not satisfied that Da Long is getting the best treatment for his wife. He befriends Lin Lin, Da Long's daughter and begins to check out her mother's illness. He very soon learns that the fish she loved to eat comes from a lake nearby contaminated due to chemical dumping by a huge conglomerate and that others have fallen ill in the same way as her mother. He encourages Lin Lin to put the story of the coverup on the internet, never realizing how different China is from the West. He soon learns.
Sendker is not a great writer. I did not stop to enjoy the way he wrote like I do with, say James Lee Burke, but he gets his message across and I enjoyed the book.
Paul Liebowitz has lived in Hong Kong for 40 years and speaks both Mandarin and Hong Kong Chinese fluently. He has lost his 12 year old son to illness and is now in a relationship with Christine Wu, a 41 year old Chinese woman who fled China with her mother when she was 5 and now works in a travel agency. They do not live together but their relationship seems to be getting stronger when she receives a letter from her brother, Da Long, who lives in China and has never contacted her before. He asks for her help but will only explain when she comes to the tiny village he lives in. Christine is terrified to travel to China so Paul says he will come with her. When they arrive it appears that Da Long was under the impression that Christine was a doctor who could help him with his very ill wife. All the doctors in China have diagnosed her with brain damage or something similar. Christine returns to Hong Kong the next day but Paul decides to stay on because he is not satisfied that Da Long is getting the best treatment for his wife. He befriends Lin Lin, Da Long's daughter and begins to check out her mother's illness. He very soon learns that the fish she loved to eat comes from a lake nearby contaminated due to chemical dumping by a huge conglomerate and that others have fallen ill in the same way as her mother. He encourages Lin Lin to put the story of the coverup on the internet, never realizing how different China is from the West. He soon learns.
Sendker is not a great writer. I did not stop to enjoy the way he wrote like I do with, say James Lee Burke, but he gets his message across and I enjoyed the book.
September 23, 2020
Oh no! My favorite author that wrote the ART OF HEARING HEARTBEATS didn't impress! First of all, I had no idea this was a triology. The book doesn't say on the outside it is a 2nd of 3. Therefore I am reading them out of order which I don't like. I had actually bought the first one and it also doesn't say it is part of a group-- so I am now reading #1 but was shocked when the character had the same name!
The book is much more simple than the ART OF HEARING HEARTBEATS which is one of the best developed love stories- poetically written- that I have ever read. This book reminds me more of something written by a mystery or political action novel that is much more mainstream and simple in its recipe.
The best part of it was the character development of the parents that live in Yiwu and their love story and actions/thoughts throughout the book. The other characters aren't deep, the mystery is something that you figure out yourself easily, and the outcome is also not surprising so I found this read to be much more bland. Maybe a redeeming quality is a peek through a small window into the culture of China/Hong Kong.
Christine, one of the main characters is just not developed at all and she is left out of much of the story- her son being such a side character that I am not even sure why he was included.
Disappointed. Hard to have a favorite all time book and then read something by the same author and think-- I can't believe he also wrote this.
The book is much more simple than the ART OF HEARING HEARTBEATS which is one of the best developed love stories- poetically written- that I have ever read. This book reminds me more of something written by a mystery or political action novel that is much more mainstream and simple in its recipe.
The best part of it was the character development of the parents that live in Yiwu and their love story and actions/thoughts throughout the book. The other characters aren't deep, the mystery is something that you figure out yourself easily, and the outcome is also not surprising so I found this read to be much more bland. Maybe a redeeming quality is a peek through a small window into the culture of China/Hong Kong.
Christine, one of the main characters is just not developed at all and she is left out of much of the story- her son being such a side character that I am not even sure why he was included.
Disappointed. Hard to have a favorite all time book and then read something by the same author and think-- I can't believe he also wrote this.
August 23, 2017
The Cultural Revolution in China left scars deeper than our Civil War. In easy prose, but with great detail of Hong Kong, Shanghai and Chinese villages, this is an intrigue, a romance, and a story of family healing after the horrors of Mao's nightmarish regime. Think of A Civil Action, but in a place where asking questions can get a whole family in deep trouble.
We see Chinese culture through the eyes and filter of Paul, an American who has lived in China for decades. He gets involved in solving a problem for his Chinese girlfriend's family, and that leads him and the family into some dangerous territory, challenging big industry and the politicos who protect it.
I liked his characters and his conversations between characters. Sometimes they didn't work out well, and often that was because western and eastern ways of thinking and sharing are so different. Sometimes people take a dislike to each other and their conversations don't give in to the reader's desire to have them end in hugs. Some people refuse to help Paul's just cause because of their rational fears.
The ending, though predictable and somewhat melodramatic (a wild ride through rough water in a rickety boat), it worked to warm my heart.
We see Chinese culture through the eyes and filter of Paul, an American who has lived in China for decades. He gets involved in solving a problem for his Chinese girlfriend's family, and that leads him and the family into some dangerous territory, challenging big industry and the politicos who protect it.
I liked his characters and his conversations between characters. Sometimes they didn't work out well, and often that was because western and eastern ways of thinking and sharing are so different. Sometimes people take a dislike to each other and their conversations don't give in to the reader's desire to have them end in hugs. Some people refuse to help Paul's just cause because of their rational fears.
The ending, though predictable and somewhat melodramatic (a wild ride through rough water in a rickety boat), it worked to warm my heart.
July 29, 2020
A really interesting insight into life in China and Hong Kong although through a novelised prism and set in the recentish past.
Although the author is German, rather than Chinese, anyone who has read ‘Wild Swans’ will recognise the accuracy of much of what this book says about the disastrous effect which the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution had on inter-generational relationships in China. The novel doesn’t cover the one child policy, which is a shame but I thought that overall it was very interesting in terms of political insight.
So for the plot itself. This theme has been covered more often in American dramas, of the likes of Erin Brockivitch but I felt that the unusual setting, the wrestling with quite different cultural and political norms and the tension between China and Hong Kong, really elevated this book. It is a really interesting, thoughtful and multi-layered novel which I have mean-spiritedly docked half a star from as I felt that it seemed to lose power at the end. 4.5⭐️
Although the author is German, rather than Chinese, anyone who has read ‘Wild Swans’ will recognise the accuracy of much of what this book says about the disastrous effect which the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution had on inter-generational relationships in China. The novel doesn’t cover the one child policy, which is a shame but I thought that overall it was very interesting in terms of political insight.
So for the plot itself. This theme has been covered more often in American dramas, of the likes of Erin Brockivitch but I felt that the unusual setting, the wrestling with quite different cultural and political norms and the tension between China and Hong Kong, really elevated this book. It is a really interesting, thoughtful and multi-layered novel which I have mean-spiritedly docked half a star from as I felt that it seemed to lose power at the end. 4.5⭐️
July 4, 2021
Tikėjausi, kad antrą dalis bus stipresnė nei pirmoji "Šešėlių kuzdesys", tačiau knyga labai panaši.. Nero jokio gilesnio vaizdo į knygos herojus, aprašoma vėlgi situacija labai panaši į pirmosios dalies, galima jau nuspėti ko tikėtis, ko laukti. Nepaliko didelio sužavėjimo.
Autorius, palikęs įspūdį su pirmosiomis savo knygomis, kurios buvo labai gilios, jausmingos. Su šiomis labai nuvylė..
Baigiant skaityti šią knygą, jautėsi ir ne išpildymo momentai, norįs sužinoti daugiau vaizdo o kaip kas buvo, kaip susidėliojo žmonių gyvenimai ir pan. Visos knygos aprašytas siužetas apibendrinimų kas nutiko susidėjo į vieną pastraipą, kas labai nuvylė, aprašyta paviršutiniškai.. Trūksta užbaigimo momentų, pasakojimo kaip baigėsi herojų likimas ar bent kur nuvedė, kokias išvadas padarė, bet nėra nieko, paviršutinės užuomazgos be jokių paaiškinimų.
Kas nori meilės, dramų, išgyvenimų nei pirma nei ši dalis toilkia nėra, tad net nežinau ar galėčiau šias knygas pavadinti romanais. Labiau pusiau detektyvas, su nelabai vykusiais meilės momentais.
Autorius, palikęs įspūdį su pirmosiomis savo knygomis, kurios buvo labai gilios, jausmingos. Su šiomis labai nuvylė..
Baigiant skaityti šią knygą, jautėsi ir ne išpildymo momentai, norįs sužinoti daugiau vaizdo o kaip kas buvo, kaip susidėliojo žmonių gyvenimai ir pan. Visos knygos aprašytas siužetas apibendrinimų kas nutiko susidėjo į vieną pastraipą, kas labai nuvylė, aprašyta paviršutiniškai.. Trūksta užbaigimo momentų, pasakojimo kaip baigėsi herojų likimas ar bent kur nuvedė, kokias išvadas padarė, bet nėra nieko, paviršutinės užuomazgos be jokių paaiškinimų.
Kas nori meilės, dramų, išgyvenimų nei pirma nei ši dalis toilkia nėra, tad net nežinau ar galėčiau šias knygas pavadinti romanais. Labiau pusiau detektyvas, su nelabai vykusiais meilės momentais.
July 10, 2017
I really enjoyed this novel of Hong Kong through the eyes of an expat who has lived there for decades but is caught in the sorrow of losing his child. His love for Christine, a Chinese woman from the mainland, and their trip to her native village to see her estranged brother form the knot that holds this lovely story together. There's a lot of Chinese government involvement over an environmental disaster that has destroyed the community and eventually violence against her niece and nephew. What made this book stand out is how the characters are really Chinese, not the Chinese Westerners envision. I'm guessing it's from a combination of a talented author and excellent translator. Good book, good read.
September 7, 2018
This is the second book in this series that features Paul Leibovitz, a German ex-pat who lives in Hong Kong. In this story, after a visit to mainland China, Paul believes he can help a family to uncover the mystery surrounding the sudden health crisis, and life-threatening illnesses, of several in their village. As he delves deeper and deeper into the possible environmental poisoning that may be occurring, Paul is shocked, and then appalled at his own naivety, in thinking that the Chinese government would be responsive to the cause of these villagers. This story highlights the danger of asking questions, of presenting any kind of challenge, in a totalitarian state. As with the first book in the series, the writing is excellent.
January 4, 2020
Sendker's earlier novel, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats - One of my very favorite stories so the bar was high for this novel. I like that the heartbeat is also commented on in this Sendker novel.
Plot- How China and the people of China has changed or not changed. This is also a Love story, teaches what in life truly matters, and the value of music.
Characters- strong diverse characters, didnt think Paul's and Yin Yin's decisions were always realistic, but it made the story.
Scene -Like the compare/ contract of life in old China, "Modern China", Hong Kong, the Island of Lamma and the USA.
Tension- liked the tension flow of this story, up and down and great climax at the end
Climax - great climax, I was almost "afraid" to read the ending.... had to push myself.
Plot- How China and the people of China has changed or not changed. This is also a Love story, teaches what in life truly matters, and the value of music.
Characters- strong diverse characters, didnt think Paul's and Yin Yin's decisions were always realistic, but it made the story.
Scene -Like the compare/ contract of life in old China, "Modern China", Hong Kong, the Island of Lamma and the USA.
Tension- liked the tension flow of this story, up and down and great climax at the end
Climax - great climax, I was almost "afraid" to read the ending.... had to push myself.
September 10, 2018
En västerländsk medelåldersman bosatt i Hong Kong som förlorat sin son går naivt in i sin flickväns släkts tragedi och försöker ”hjälpa dem” men istället blir konsekvensen allt annat än bra.
Kinesiska ordspråk staplas uppå varandra utan slut och sensmoralen är Rikedomen finns inom dig osv osv osv.
Tyvärr inte i närheten av författarens tidigare verk som givit mig harmoni och glimtar av lycka.
Frågor boken dock ändå givit mig, visar kineser inte känslor? Betyder pengar allt i Kina men i så fall hur fungerar detta med kommunismen?
Trevlig detalj är att författaren beskriver in detalj hur maten i berättelsen lagas vilket gör en mycket hungrig och intresserad av kinesisk matlagning.
Kinesiska ordspråk staplas uppå varandra utan slut och sensmoralen är Rikedomen finns inom dig osv osv osv.
Tyvärr inte i närheten av författarens tidigare verk som givit mig harmoni och glimtar av lycka.
Frågor boken dock ändå givit mig, visar kineser inte känslor? Betyder pengar allt i Kina men i så fall hur fungerar detta med kommunismen?
Trevlig detalj är att författaren beskriver in detalj hur maten i berättelsen lagas vilket gör en mycket hungrig och intresserad av kinesisk matlagning.
May 9, 2018
Without giving too much away, this reminded me of a Chinese version of Erin Brockovich (one of my favorite movies) dealing with an environment scandal here in the US. There are lots of hidden messages in the Chinese proverbs of I Ching, including coping with life to the best of our abilities. The differences between Chinese and Western cultures are apparent. But Sendker counters the harsh realities of the Cultural Revolution and the after-effects, with a tender love story, providing balance to yet another enjoyable book by a talented writer.
June 4, 2017
I was not sure what to expect from this book but have to say I very much enjoyed it. It reminded me in ways of Sarah's Key. I enjoyed seeing the differences and at different times clashes of culture. It was a great reminder of differences between not just individuals but also customs and how sometimes the law does not always protect those that need it and is at time a guideline depending on the circumstances.
I would definitely recommend this book.
I would definitely recommend this book.
January 5, 2018
Set in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and in a very small village outside of Shanghai, this book has several stories and messages. The character descriptions are not long and yet I felt I knew their core beings. The writing is average as is the action but I could not put this book down because the characters were intriguing. Differences in western and Chinese cultures were highlighted to the detriment of neither.
July 12, 2017
This book amazed me -- mostly because I have never enjoyed reading about China before, and because of the beauty of the writing, which was extraordinary. The story was one of Chinese politics and the attempted cover-up of an environmental disaster. The characters were magnificently described and none was unimportant. There was tragedy, deceit, and great love -- this book absolutely had it all. I have not read this author before, but I intend to now. This was just wonderful.
September 14, 2017
This author is one of the best i have ever read. This author fills your heart and soul with words and images through his amazing storytelling. I will read every book he ever writes just to hear with what words he writes next.
This story itself was amazing. It was about China and the Communist party and a little village and the hardships they faced and makes you understand through the story that love and sadness and joy are what makes people have some of the sameness.
This story itself was amazing. It was about China and the Communist party and a little village and the hardships they faced and makes you understand through the story that love and sadness and joy are what makes people have some of the sameness.
November 7, 2017
I almost stopped reading The Language of Solitude because I felt the politics and environmental issues were getting in the way of the relationships of the characters. It was Sendker's characterizations that I loved in The Art of Hearing Heartbeats and A Well-Tempered Heart. However, Sendker's fluid writing style and his careful unveiling of each personage's actions, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses kept me reading. I came to appreciate the backstory of China then and now and of course the nuances of the relationships or lack thereof in each of the people I met in his story.
November 24, 2017
It's a glimpse of a different side to China.
I hear people in HK have concern for their future when it returns to China in 30 years. Even though C looks similar to HK in terms of capitalism, the govt is not a free govt.
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There were a couple of lines (wish I read it in digital to mark them as I came across them) that I enjoyed as profound.
I hear people in HK have concern for their future when it returns to China in 30 years. Even though C looks similar to HK in terms of capitalism, the govt is not a free govt.
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There were a couple of lines (wish I read it in digital to mark them as I came across them) that I enjoyed as profound.
July 24, 2020
Helt middels.
Om kulturrevolusjonen og tiden etterpå i Kina, men bare middels fengende. Sendker legger opp til en forbrytelse/et slags mysterium uten at det er en krim. Han forsøker å ta opp historie og politikk og samtidig følge opp et kjærlighetsforhold. Med andre ord, Sendker prøver på for mye, med det resultat at historien blir tynn og ingenting fungerer helt.
Gikk tilbake og så på vurderingen min av den første boka i trilogien, og ser at jeg hadde akkurat samme innvending da.
Om kulturrevolusjonen og tiden etterpå i Kina, men bare middels fengende. Sendker legger opp til en forbrytelse/et slags mysterium uten at det er en krim. Han forsøker å ta opp historie og politikk og samtidig følge opp et kjærlighetsforhold. Med andre ord, Sendker prøver på for mye, med det resultat at historien blir tynn og ingenting fungerer helt.
Gikk tilbake og så på vurderingen min av den første boka i trilogien, og ser at jeg hadde akkurat samme innvending da.
March 24, 2017
A bit sick of the whole trope "White man who likes asian women who happens to be fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese and English and German who can literally do anything"
But this is actually a great book, gives a great insight into Chinese culture and government, and the main character was surprisingly likeable.
But this is actually a great book, gives a great insight into Chinese culture and government, and the main character was surprisingly likeable.
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