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evenstr's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
stephxsu's review against another edition
The good thing that has come out of my attempt to read this is that I have been made aware of the existence of this Chinese classic and will now be seeking it out to enjoy the original. Perhaps it's actually a problem with the original story, but the writing of this book just felt passionless and unconvincing; the ancient Chinese setting was underdeveloped (if not for its being touted as a reworking of the Chinese classic, and the Chinese names of the characters, I would have been hard pressed to find convincing "Chinese" elements at all); and the characters spoke with such frustratingly laughable unnaturalness.
emjay24's review against another edition
4.0
The Red Chamber is historical fiction, set in 18th Century Beijing. It is a retelling of the classic Dream of the Red Chamber, which I haven't read. Apparently it has a lot more characters and the ending had been lost. When Daiyu's mother dies of consumption, her father listens to the mom's dying wish and sends her to meet her mother's family, who are rich. They have a compound of cousins and wives and the grandmother and the uncle, and we follow along with some of them. At the same time, there is political unrest in the backdrop. I read the first few pages and was unsure. I was expecting something possibly dry or difficult, but as soon as I read a little bit more, the characters and time captured me in. This was a very good story, and it was also hard to remember that it was only set in the 1700's because it seemed more modern. The ending is Chen's original ending, which I liked, but did wish it had gone on more. Great book!
sarah_speaks's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
tkat's review against another edition
5.0
The Red Chamber is an adaptation of the classical Chinese story Dreams of the Red Chamber, originally written in the middle of the 18th century by Cao Xueqin. The basic plot remains the same, the story follows members of the Jia clan, mostly the women, as they go about their daily lives in 18th century China and the rise of the Qing dynasty.
Now the original text has 120 chapters and a host of characters. It supposedly mirrors the life of the original author, and is supposed to pay homage to the women he knew in his life: family, friends and servants. The novel is “remarkable not only for its huge cast of characters and psychological scope, but also for its precise and detailed observation of the life and social structures typical of 18th-century Chinese aristocracy.” At least according to Wikipedia. Dreams of the Red Chamber is considered one of the four great classics in China, and founded Redology, which is the academic study of the book itself.
That’s saying something when an entire field of research is dedicated to your book…
Now the author of The Red Chamber is the first to admit that they took some liberties with the story, mostly with paring down the cast of characters to a more manageable level, as well as some academic license to make the narration flow more smoothly. But it in no way leaves the book feeling like it lacked something or was slapped together.
The Red Chamber is not a feel-good kind of book. The characters, despite most of them being wealthy, face some rather difficult choices and decisions both inside and outside the home. A young woman named Daiyu is orphaned and sent to live with her mother’s relatives, and falls in love with one of her male cousins who is betrothed to someone else. Few people make her feel welcome in her new home, and when the family is left destitute by a petty, grasping emperor, Daiyu falls dangerously ill with consumption and comes a hair’s breathe from death.
The three main character are all cousins to one another: Baoyu, Baochai, and Daiyu. They are the only young people in the story and they live out their life within the pages surrounded by friends and family that love, hate, scorn, and despise them, depending on the member and their particular mood at the time.
You have Lady Jia, the matron of the family who is hard and cold hearted. Lian, her son and paterfamilias, a weak and unambitious man married to Xifeng. Xifeng runs the household and after a year of being childless must vie for the attentions of her husband with her own childhood maid Ping’er. Ping’er is wedded pretty much against her will to Lian after Xifeng fails to produce an heir, and not only must produce an heir but also finds herself drawn into the petty squabbling and political maneuvering of the main family. Baoyu is the eldest surviving son of Lian’s older brother (I forget is name but he’s a good man) and is a disappointment to his family, seen alternately as the best thing that has ever happened to them, as well as the most lazy and useless one of them all. Baochai is shy, repressed, and eager to please young woman in love with Baoyu.
And Daiyu, Daiyu is a simple country girl dropped smack dab in the middle of all this family drama. She draws the affection of Baoyu and must learn the ins and out of aristocratic lifestyle quickly, else see herself drown under the weight of all the secrets and lies.
The Red Chamber is a fascinating, wonderful book. And the funny thing is, the three main characters you become attached to have all these dreams that they want to accomplish in their lifetimes, most of them involve wedding one or the other, but none of them truly come true. But in the end, despite their dreams becoming ashes in their mouths, the three young people of the story wind up getting what they truly need from life, and for the most part living happily ever after.
A bitter sweet ending without a doubt, but one that nonetheless leaves you satisfied and almost happy for them.
Now the original text has 120 chapters and a host of characters. It supposedly mirrors the life of the original author, and is supposed to pay homage to the women he knew in his life: family, friends and servants. The novel is “remarkable not only for its huge cast of characters and psychological scope, but also for its precise and detailed observation of the life and social structures typical of 18th-century Chinese aristocracy.” At least according to Wikipedia. Dreams of the Red Chamber is considered one of the four great classics in China, and founded Redology, which is the academic study of the book itself.
That’s saying something when an entire field of research is dedicated to your book…
Now the author of The Red Chamber is the first to admit that they took some liberties with the story, mostly with paring down the cast of characters to a more manageable level, as well as some academic license to make the narration flow more smoothly. But it in no way leaves the book feeling like it lacked something or was slapped together.
The Red Chamber is not a feel-good kind of book. The characters, despite most of them being wealthy, face some rather difficult choices and decisions both inside and outside the home. A young woman named Daiyu is orphaned and sent to live with her mother’s relatives, and falls in love with one of her male cousins who is betrothed to someone else. Few people make her feel welcome in her new home, and when the family is left destitute by a petty, grasping emperor, Daiyu falls dangerously ill with consumption and comes a hair’s breathe from death.
The three main character are all cousins to one another: Baoyu, Baochai, and Daiyu. They are the only young people in the story and they live out their life within the pages surrounded by friends and family that love, hate, scorn, and despise them, depending on the member and their particular mood at the time.
You have Lady Jia, the matron of the family who is hard and cold hearted. Lian, her son and paterfamilias, a weak and unambitious man married to Xifeng. Xifeng runs the household and after a year of being childless must vie for the attentions of her husband with her own childhood maid Ping’er. Ping’er is wedded pretty much against her will to Lian after Xifeng fails to produce an heir, and not only must produce an heir but also finds herself drawn into the petty squabbling and political maneuvering of the main family. Baoyu is the eldest surviving son of Lian’s older brother (I forget is name but he’s a good man) and is a disappointment to his family, seen alternately as the best thing that has ever happened to them, as well as the most lazy and useless one of them all. Baochai is shy, repressed, and eager to please young woman in love with Baoyu.
And Daiyu, Daiyu is a simple country girl dropped smack dab in the middle of all this family drama. She draws the affection of Baoyu and must learn the ins and out of aristocratic lifestyle quickly, else see herself drown under the weight of all the secrets and lies.
The Red Chamber is a fascinating, wonderful book. And the funny thing is, the three main characters you become attached to have all these dreams that they want to accomplish in their lifetimes, most of them involve wedding one or the other, but none of them truly come true. But in the end, despite their dreams becoming ashes in their mouths, the three young people of the story wind up getting what they truly need from life, and for the most part living happily ever after.
A bitter sweet ending without a doubt, but one that nonetheless leaves you satisfied and almost happy for them.
medea_jade's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. I found is fascinating and educational. There are very few books available in English about historical China and many of them are convoluted and difficult to read, but this one was great. It's definitely written by a native English speaker, but if you are reading as someone who speaks English as a first language that just makes it an easier read. I particularly liked that it had a section the explained pronunciations of Chinese names. Added a level of authenticity to the book as a whole.
jordynnguyen's review against another edition
5.0
This adaptation of the classic novel is wonderfully written. I read the book in a day because I couldn’t put it down. It’s written in a way that is incredibly easy to digest, without being too watered down. I love reading about life from the perspective of women and I also am very interested in class diversity in literature and this book contains both. I couldn’t stop thinking about questions I had about the story for days after reading it. It’s one of those stores that lingers for a long time.
nannahnannah's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. This is ... one heck of a story filled in 381 pages. It's the kind of drama and twist-filled story I could maybe compare to a long Netflix or AMC series, only with less violence and misogyny on behalf of the writers.
In the author's note, Pauline Chen says The Red Chamber is inspired by an 18th Century book that's widely thought to be the most important book in Chinese literature: Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xuequin.
In Pauline Chen's version, she focuses on the three main female characters and their lives in 18th Century Beijing, where "women lacked power and were pitted against one another by the system of concubinage".
1. Lin Daiyu lives in the South after her mother "left the family" to marry for love. After her mother dies, Daiyu is sent to live with her cousins in Rongguo. There, she becomes involved with the large Jia family (and let's be honest, all its drama).
2. Wang Xifeng (wife of the cousin of the heir of the Jia family, whew) basically runs the Jia household. She makes sure everyone has their tea, runs the finances, is in charge of all the servants, etc. A strong and complicated woman, educated and intelligent, but unfortunately, can't give her husband an heir. And in that time period ... that doesn't bode well for her as a wife and first daughter-in-law.
3. Lastly, Xue Baochai, another cousin of the Jia heir, who lives with the Jias. She often hides her emotions behind what Xhifeng calls a "porcelain mask".
I'm not even sure what to say about this book. It's written in such a beautiful, wonderfully-crafted style, and Pauline Chen's storytelling kept me up till 3:00am. Character development was so masterfully done, too. It's just such a huge piece of work, I still can't believe it was all done within such a small amount of pages.
Anyway, this story is so full of betrayals, love stories, twists, and surprises. If you want something thick you can really sink your teeth into, this would be a good thing to read. It probably won't be something I'll really remember 10 years from now, but It's still really, really good.
In the author's note, Pauline Chen says The Red Chamber is inspired by an 18th Century book that's widely thought to be the most important book in Chinese literature: Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xuequin.
In Pauline Chen's version, she focuses on the three main female characters and their lives in 18th Century Beijing, where "women lacked power and were pitted against one another by the system of concubinage".
1. Lin Daiyu lives in the South after her mother "left the family" to marry for love. After her mother dies, Daiyu is sent to live with her cousins in Rongguo. There, she becomes involved with the large Jia family (and let's be honest, all its drama).
2. Wang Xifeng (wife of the cousin of the heir of the Jia family, whew) basically runs the Jia household. She makes sure everyone has their tea, runs the finances, is in charge of all the servants, etc. A strong and complicated woman, educated and intelligent, but unfortunately, can't give her husband an heir. And in that time period ... that doesn't bode well for her as a wife and first daughter-in-law.
3. Lastly, Xue Baochai, another cousin of the Jia heir, who lives with the Jias. She often hides her emotions behind what Xhifeng calls a "porcelain mask".
I'm not even sure what to say about this book. It's written in such a beautiful, wonderfully-crafted style, and Pauline Chen's storytelling kept me up till 3:00am. Character development was so masterfully done, too. It's just such a huge piece of work, I still can't believe it was all done within such a small amount of pages.
Anyway, this story is so full of betrayals, love stories, twists, and surprises. If you want something thick you can really sink your teeth into, this would be a good thing to read. It probably won't be something I'll really remember 10 years from now, but It's still really, really good.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest
note: they're cousins - time period specificsilver_lass48's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoy books about chinese tradition and what life was like in historical China. The Red Chamber was great to read in terms of it's descriptions of life for the upper class in the 1750's. The characters were not entirely likeable, and I didn't make emotional connections with them, in spite of the hardships they faced. I enjoyed the book from the perspective of a reader who enjoys this genre. When I read a book, I enjoy "rooting" for the characters, watching them evolve. Aside from Dayiu, I didn't have that feeling throughout this book. It is worth a read though if you enjoy reading about Chinese culture.