Originally posted at: A Girl that Likes BooksFast as the wind, slow as the forest, swift and devastating as fire, still as the mountainWhy I read this book?This book was recommended to me by my aunt. She loved it so much that it inspired her to visit China.What's the book about?In the early 1920s Elvira receives a letter informing her that her husband has died in Shanghai. Accompanied by her niece, Fernanda, she travels to China only to discover that he didn't died out of sickness but most likely he was killed and left behind nothing but debt. At the same time she will find herself with her hands on a mysterious box that will take her on a journey across China trying to find a long lost hidden treasure and maybe, find her own peace of mind.What about the characters?Elvira is meant to be a strong willed character, particularly when you consider the time where the story is settled. However sometimes it will feel more like stubbornness than strong character. Granted, it would be easy to feel mad often surrounded by the condescendence that she sees towards women once in China, but sometimes her dismissive attitude towards Chinese medicine or culture in general was a bit much for me to swallow. It was gratifying to see her adopting some ideas towards the end, at least.We got married out of interest [...] once our objectives fullfield, our marriage was a lovely story of friendship.Fernanda was insufferable. Since she has had a shielded life this 16 year old thinks that she is better than anyone and will not let others forget it. Writing this lines I realize that the 3 main characters (Lao Jiang being the third one) are stubborn and consider they view of the world as the only right one...for most of the book. Is probably this dynamic, everyone pulling from each side that allows the author to give so much information about tradition and how it is looked upon by a foreign.Final thoughtsFor a book in which I didn't particularly like any of the characters I was surprised as to how much I liked the book as a whole. It is the story and the history that take the protagonist role in this novel. Asensi describes the surroundings in a beautiful way, yet is not overwhelming; it gives you a picture to set the story without taking importance from it. I found the dialogues a bit stiff, but I couldn't point out if it was because it was meant to be that way as people didn't like each other most of the time, or if I am out of practice reading in Spanish.An excited mind by out of control emotions, in a tired body and with agitated senses is an invitation to misery and sickness.
Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec Le Pays sous le Ciel? "C'est toujours grâce aux Editions Charleston, dont ce livre est la nouvelle publication, que j'ai découvert cette histoire."Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire... "Elvira est un chemin pour la Chine, un pays dont elle ignore tout, pour régler les affaires de son mari qui vient d'y mourir. Mais en arrivant sur place, elle va découvrir qu'il ne lui y a pas laissé que de bons souvenirs."Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous? "Je ne savais pas trop à quoi m'attendre avec ce livre et j'avoue que dès le départ j'ai été agréablement surprise. Il s'agit à la fois d'un récit autour du voyage et de la Chine mais également de mystère et de chasse au trésor. On y apprend énormément de choses sur les traditions et l'histoire chinoise, sur le Feng Shui et le Taï Chi, sur les premiers Empereurs et j'ai beaucoup aimé toutes ces parties là. Après, il m'est arrivé de trouver quelques longueurs qui sont imputables selon moi aux chapitres très longs, seulement 5 pour presque 500 pages! On peut sûrement se poser la question de la vraisemblance également, les protagonistes dénichant plutôt facilement des trésors que tout le monde cherche depuis des centaines d'années. Ce n'est donc pas un coup de cœur mais une lecture enrichissante, certainement."Et comment cela s'est-il fini? "Je ne veux pas en dire trop mais au fur et à mesure du récit, je m'interrogeais quand même sur la décision prise sans scrupule d'aller piller le tombeau d'un Empereur. C'est quelque chose qui, de toutes façons, et je ne vais pas me faire des amis chez les archéologues, me gêne toujours. Du coup, la fin m'a parue être la bonne solution à tout cela, même si pour moi, le mieux est encore de laisser les morts là où ils sont."http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
Do You like book Todo Bajo El Cielo (2007)?
An old-fashioned treasure hunt peppered with brainy challenges celebrates China’s multifaceted history and culture. In 1923 expatriate Spanish painter Elvira Aranda leaves France, her teenage niece Fernanda in tow, when word arrives of her husband’s death in Shanghai. Unfortunately, Rémy died horribly in debt, leaving Elvira destitute and in trouble. Then a mysterious chest concealing the location of the First Emperor’s treasure-laden secret tomb propels them on a madcap adventure, accompanied by a crafty antiquarian, an Irish journalist, and a gifted Chinese servant boy. Their grueling, fast-paced quest—thugs from Shanghai’s Mafia pursue them relentlessly—covers miles and centuries. Solving each progressive riddle (and avoiding booby traps) requires knowledge of the game of Go, Taoist philosophy, ancient dynasties, and other obscure, fascinating historical tidbits. Elvira’s unfamiliarity with China renders her a less-than-active intellectual participant, though her determination, sarcastic wit, and growing appreciation for her surroundings brighten her jaunty narrative. Exciting and unabashedly over-the-top, it should inspire readers to do more armchair adventuring in imperial China.It was really a fun read and a great reminder of the depth and breadth of Chinese history.
—Shannon
Elvira De Poulain, a Spanish painter in Paris in the 1920s, has to leave for Shanghai with her recently orphaned niece Fernanda, because her estranged husband Rémi died there.Turns out Rémi has left Elvira nothing but debts, and that he was actually killed by the Green Gang as they were looking for an artifact he kept hidden in his house. The artifact contains an old story, outlining how to find three pieces of an ancient text that will lead the way to the tomb of the first emperor of China.Unfo
—Claudia
La acción y la aventura son elementos claves de esta novela que se adentra en los misterios ancestrales chinos. Vale la pena la lectura gracias a las descripciones de los escenarios, la profundidad de la investigación sobre la cultura y de la región, así como la capacidad de Asensi para presentar un relato tan fantástico. Para los amantes de la cultura china o quienes tengan interés en imaginar más sobre sus misterios, la historia habla sobre Elvira, una pintura española que viaja a Shanghai acompañada de su sobrina al recibir la noticia de la muerte de su esposo en esta ciudad. Al llegar, la aventura las toma por sorpresa y las lleva a descubrir ciudades y los secretos más profundos del país. - Ana Pau Encuentra más reseñas en nuestro sitio: http://oddcatrina.com/category/capric...
—Odd Catrina
