Pauline A. Chen
Hardcover | Pages: 386 pages Rating: 3.91 | 1674 Users | 239 Reviews
Particularize Containing Books The Red Chamber
| Title | : | The Red Chamber |
| Author | : | Pauline A. Chen |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 386 pages |
| Published | : | July 10th 2012 by Knopf (first published 2012) |
| Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Cultural. China. Fiction. Asia. Literature. 18th Century |
Ilustration Toward Books The Red Chamber
In this lyrical reimagining of the Chinese classic Dream of the Red Chamber, set against the breathtaking backdrop of eighteenth-century Beijing, the lives of three unforgettable women collide in the inner chambers of the Jia mansion. When orphaned Daiyu leaves her home in the provinces to take shelter with her cousins in the Capital, she is drawn into a world of opulent splendor, presided over by the ruthless, scheming Xifeng and the prim, repressed Baochai. As she learns the secrets behind their glittering façades, she finds herself entangled in a web of intrigue and hidden passions, reaching from the petty gossip of the servants’ quarters all the way to the Imperial Palace. When a political coup overthrows the emperor and plunges the once-mighty family into grinding poverty, each woman must choose between love and duty, friendship and survival.In this dazzling debut, Pauline A. Chen draws the reader deep into the secret, exquisite world of the women’s quarters of an aristocratic household, where the burnish of wealth and refinement mask a harsher truth: marriageable girls are traded like chattel for the family’s advancement, and to choose to love is to risk everything.
Declare Books During The Red Chamber
| Original Title: | The Red Chamber |
| ISBN: | 0307701573 (ISBN13: 9780307701572) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Rating Containing Books The Red Chamber
Ratings: 3.91 From 1674 Users | 239 ReviewsAssess Containing Books The Red Chamber
The Red Chamber is a grandiose piece of literature. A famous Chinese story, Dream of the Red Chamber, retold, Pauline Chen takes the reader into a world unlike any other. The novel is slow going, as the reader is introduced to the many characters and at times, it's hard to keep everyone straight. I had to write names down on an index card so that I could easily move it nearby as I read, but there is a family tree at the beginning of the book. The Red Chamber follows three women in a world whoseRead This Review & More Like It On My Blog!4.5 out of 5After a bit of a slow start that was almost soap operatic in nature due to the sheer amount of secrets, lies, betrayals and affairs abounding, The Red Chamber impressed me with its scope and tragedy. Though I had anticipated an impending Tragedy with overtones of Old Timey Romantical Problems, this novel is far more than just love-triangles in powerful family. Based on one of China's Four Great Classical Novels, the 18th-century The
Holy anachronisms, Batman. This hugely entertaining, if not particularly well-written reimagining of Cao Xueqin's 18th century classic, is full of clunky phrases like "Pan had killed someone. Could he actually escape scot-free?" (it must be noted that "scot-free" shows up not once but TWICE. Does Knopf not hire editors or what?) and hilariously unsubtle observations like "She feels oppressed by the weight of being the perfect daughter". At one point, the phrase "adieu" is used in a riddle, and
The Red Chamber is based on the 18th century China's classic novel, "Dreams of the Red Chamber." Author, Pauline Chen has taken some of the original characters from the book to weave an intriguing tale of life in the opulent women's quarters of a privileged Beijing family of that era. The story follows the lives of three strong women who forge a friendship in a world where they are at the mercy, not only of their husbands, but their older female relatives as well.For anyone wishing to understand
I enjoyed this book. Even though it was long, it kept my attention. It's my understanding that it's an updated version of an old story, which may explain the "clunkiness" of some of the character development. The ending was particularly sad and poignant, with Daiyu moving on with her life and the boy never getting over his guilt.
After reading the Intro I put off reading this book, as I thought it was going to be a difficult read- rather like the Russians since it is based on the 18th Century Chinese Classic and also within structures and sensibilities/mores very different than the West. But it was a quick, clean and easy read. This had DRAMA. Short, direct words convey precise nuance. It takes place primarily within a closed environment of a wealthy home of one of the Emperor's ministers. 150-200 people live in this
This condensation and adaption of Cao Xuequin's The Story of the Stone or the Dream of the Red Chamber is actually much better than I thought it would be. Set in eighteenth century China, poor cousin Daiyu arrives at the Jia family home in Beijing and a series of events are set up, chronicling the apogee and downfall of the Jias. What I liked the best is that the author was able to make these people from another time and place very accessable. Recommended for those who like exotic settings, or
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