katenetz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
Loved being in the wild world of 1990s China, but I couldn't decide if the two main characters were realistic or just kind of annoying. However, about halfway through the mystery really picked up and I liked the combination of police procedural and legal thriller.
skconaghan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Social justice and human rights are at the core of this 90s cross-culture thriller that binds a Chinese inspector and an American lawyer in a web of lies and misinformation that stack layer upon layer to hide the truth about child labour and inhumane conditions in the American factories operating on Chinese soil.
The characters are a mesh of peasants and Red Royalty, privileged city dwellers, hardworking simple farmers, the internationally educated, the indignant, and the benign, peppered with unethical journalism that justifies itself by standing upon pop-righteousness as the voice of amnesty and humanity—and the mystery remains about who is doing the murdering and why…
Political and social issues are raised surrounding the westernisation of China, and the people are divided in their sentiments. The uprising that rails against an oppressive patriarchal legacy bathed in both communism and capitalism, and yet influenced to change by neither, is slowly gathering, despite the opposition. The novel weaves a plot of deception around very real issues that plague both Chinese and American history and current culture, issues that still have relevance these 20+ years beyond the writing of this story. And no one comes out innocent in the exposé.
Looking forward to reading the third instalment in this series.
ronald_schoedel's review against another edition
3.0
An entertaining enough mystery, worth 2.5–3 stars; I’ll forgive some of the plot defects and round up to 3. The observations into the industrializing of China and the pros and cons of this rapid change happening so suddenly after other rapid changes in China are interesting, especially if a reader is not so familiar with this subject.
lisaarnsdorf's review against another edition
4.0
I love the cultural aspects of Lisa See's books. This story focuses on factory laborers in China and the exploitation that happens. I breezed through this book and had trouble putting it down at night. My deduction of one star is for the ending. The explanation and unmasking took way too long. It actually took so long that I had trouble understanding all of the pieces. I'm looking forward to reading the final book in the series.
carrolk3's review against another edition
4.0
Again Lisa See comes through with an interesting mystery about China. The main characters are the same as in her other two Red Princess mysteries. This plot involves an American owned toy factory located in rural China. There are the usual twists and turns while you are learning a bit more about Chinese life. It's a good read for people interested in China who also like mysteries.
biblio_mom's review against another edition
3.0
A fiction-thriller that made me sleepless at night questioning Mioshan and Keith death. Does Mioshan death is a suicide? Keith is ran by a car, but is it accidentaly? Theres a few suspects and Keith death links to The Knight, a toy company owned by Henry that is being sell to The Tartan based in L.A.
The most interesting part is discovering the real story behind Mioshan's death that taught readers of how immoral people can become and how they could go beyond the extent of greediness.
Hulan, the main character, she always cherish her own happiness and stand as an equal to the opposite gender when it came to carrier. David, her fiance, had to beg her to stay and build a family but she has to fulfill her promise to Mioshan's mother, Ling Suchee that believed her only child death was made up. Thats when she decided to disguise and work in the Knight Complex where Mioshan's was working to investigate. It is surely not a pleasant place to work. So does it has anything to do with Mioshan's death which is then leads to another series of "suicide" which is Xiao Yang & Tsai Bing's?
Back to Keith's case. It is sure a scandalous one, followed by both Pearl the reporter and Guy's death in the hotel room.
Many people dies, its an overwhelming reads but thats not the reason Im rating this 3.5⭐ but in between chapters, theres too many story telling of the other characters backgrounds, politic stands, some about reminscing the war, etc that bored me out. But the story line is good and It plays with my imagination very well. I would deffinately read her other books.
The most interesting part is discovering the real story behind Mioshan's death that taught readers of how immoral people can become and how they could go beyond the extent of greediness.
Hulan, the main character, she always cherish her own happiness and stand as an equal to the opposite gender when it came to carrier. David, her fiance, had to beg her to stay and build a family but she has to fulfill her promise to Mioshan's mother, Ling Suchee that believed her only child death was made up. Thats when she decided to disguise and work in the Knight Complex where Mioshan's was working to investigate. It is surely not a pleasant place to work. So does it has anything to do with Mioshan's death which is then leads to another series of "suicide" which is Xiao Yang & Tsai Bing's?
Back to Keith's case. It is sure a scandalous one, followed by both Pearl the reporter and Guy's death in the hotel room.
Many people dies, its an overwhelming reads but thats not the reason Im rating this 3.5⭐ but in between chapters, theres too many story telling of the other characters backgrounds, politic stands, some about reminscing the war, etc that bored me out. But the story line is good and It plays with my imagination very well. I would deffinately read her other books.
leighryks's review against another edition
4.0
The Interior: A Red Princess Mystery (Red Princess Mysteries) by Lisa See (2007)
quinnster's review against another edition
3.0
I don't know why, but I just don't enjoy Lisa See's mystery novels as much as I enjoyed her historical fiction books. Which coming from me is bizarre as I don't particularly like historical fiction, but love mysteries! Still, I love getting lost in the Chinese culture and descriptions of the country.
anjanette's review against another edition
4.0
One of this novel's focuses is on how Western companies would set up sweatshops in Far Eastern countries. I really enjoy See's writing, although I had a major problem with one of the plot twists at the end. I am looking forward to the next in the series.
stefhyena's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this one a whole, whole lot better than the flower net, because it centred Hulan more and portrayed Stark as a bumbling incompetent mainly as soon as he is out of his white boys' club. Well I am oversimplifying but it wasn't all about him. I still felt irritated at their relationship but there were signs that even Hulan was a little bit ambivalent about it.
I had a love-hate relationship with all the contradictions in the book. Hulan's actions in the past, during the war are still troubling, as is the scene where she (quite pointlessly since it is probably going to happen anyway incites restributive torture and mob violence against a man who has not had a trial). These are portrayed besides American practices that get diluted down and are only criticised when excessive (American capitalism is shown as fantastic for China except when people go too far and cut corners). I can't say more on that without spoilers.
I wanted a bit more admission of how colonialism and capitalism are linked and are not just open to the odd problem but in many ways ARE the problem itself. Also I would cope better with the harshness toward Chines culture if there was more honesty about American culture, rather than seeing possible critiques as just stemming from Chinese exotic ways of being. It's sort of there but too often diluted or apologised for (and the ending undercuts most of the critique).
The very negative view of Chines history and Chines culture are probably in large part based in fact, on the other hand a friend of mine who grew up in China and has only recently come to Australia stared at me in bemusement when I tried to ask her about the facts...maybe this is partly due to the fact this book is two decades old, but also maybe it's an outsider's view. I get the impression the author is more American than Chinese (although she fought well against her bias).
The best thing about the book was that it was genuinely interesting. I wish we had found out what happens to Peanut and Siang ultimately, I strongly connected with those characters, as well as Stark's Chinese assistant. I read the whole thing pretty fast despite going back to work and having limited time because it was a super interesting page-turner of a read. Hulan is strong and courageous and contradictory enough for me to like her as a heroine and Stark has calmed the hell down.
I think I will read the third one sometimes. I may read other things from Lisa See. Despite the things I have criticised I really liked having a Chinese heroine and a relatively diverse cast.
I had a love-hate relationship with all the contradictions in the book. Hulan's actions in the past, during the war are still troubling, as is the scene where she (quite pointlessly since it is probably going to happen anyway incites restributive torture and mob violence against a man who has not had a trial). These are portrayed besides American practices that get diluted down and are only criticised when excessive (American capitalism is shown as fantastic for China except when people go too far and cut corners). I can't say more on that without spoilers.
I wanted a bit more admission of how colonialism and capitalism are linked and are not just open to the odd problem but in many ways ARE the problem itself. Also I would cope better with the harshness toward Chines culture if there was more honesty about American culture, rather than seeing possible critiques as just stemming from Chinese exotic ways of being. It's sort of there but too often diluted or apologised for (and the ending undercuts most of the critique).
The very negative view of Chines history and Chines culture are probably in large part based in fact, on the other hand a friend of mine who grew up in China and has only recently come to Australia stared at me in bemusement when I tried to ask her about the facts...maybe this is partly due to the fact this book is two decades old, but also maybe it's an outsider's view. I get the impression the author is more American than Chinese (although she fought well against her bias).
The best thing about the book was that it was genuinely interesting. I wish we had found out what happens to Peanut and Siang ultimately, I strongly connected with those characters, as well as Stark's Chinese assistant. I read the whole thing pretty fast despite going back to work and having limited time because it was a super interesting page-turner of a read. Hulan is strong and courageous and contradictory enough for me to like her as a heroine and Stark has calmed the hell down.
I think I will read the third one sometimes. I may read other things from Lisa See. Despite the things I have criticised I really liked having a Chinese heroine and a relatively diverse cast.