A review by alenaski
Bride of the Rat God, by Barbara Hambly
It was difficult to decide how to rate this book. It is incredibly well written and researched and I've read some of Barbara Hambly's other books and really enjoyed them. But, especially for a book that was written in the 1990s, it utilizes a lot of exoticism about China and there are plenty of cultural stereotypes in the book that verge on caricature.
This book is about an actress and her sister-in-law who get caught up in a cursed Chinese necklace. Ms. Hambly sets the stage incredibly well--this book feels so well-researched and so full of local color and detail that it really did feel like I was getting a chance to see Los Angeles of yore. The plot pulled me and was very engaging.
BUT, I really didn't like how Chinese-Americans and American views of Chinese mysticism were included in the book. I kept asking myself why Ms. Hambly made the decisions that she did regarding the use of Chinese mysticism. It felt pulpy and like something I would expect from the time period. Not from seventy-years later. Chinese-Americans in the book are relegated to exotic and mysterious figures. The three main characters are white. There are period-relevant references to the prejudice against Chinese-Americans (as well as other people of color). And I just kept asking myself why and not coming up with a good answer.
This book is about an actress and her sister-in-law who get caught up in a cursed Chinese necklace. Ms. Hambly sets the stage incredibly well--this book feels so well-researched and so full of local color and detail that it really did feel like I was getting a chance to see Los Angeles of yore. The plot pulled me and was very engaging.
BUT, I really didn't like how Chinese-Americans and American views of Chinese mysticism were included in the book. I kept asking myself why Ms. Hambly made the decisions that she did regarding the use of Chinese mysticism. It felt pulpy and like something I would expect from the time period. Not from seventy-years later. Chinese-Americans in the book are relegated to exotic and mysterious figures. The three main characters are white. There are period-relevant references to the prejudice against Chinese-Americans (as well as other people of color). And I just kept asking myself why and not coming up with a good answer.