Shanghai in the year 1920 was becoming invaded by the drug trade - opium mostly. No one guessed that the drug word was getting really big and prosperous.
We see a local dock worker who grew up admiring his city now fearing what is going to happen in Shanghai. Will the city be taken over by the drug traffickers?
The author really knew how to show us the representation of drugs in Shanghai. He did a great job of giving the feeling of the times and how such addiction plummeted.
This is a very good read. I recommend this book.
I received this book from the author for an honest review.
I received this book from the author for an honest review.
It was pretty cool, it immerses you in a mystery and coil around yourself like a serpent. the plot is very interesting and nothing is like it seems at the end and it has some huge plot twists that make me feel like I was going insane.
The book is a perfect fiction for anyone who enjoy a little fantasy now and then and want to get on a mystery thrill of discover the culprit at the end of the day.
I can assure you, by the end you will begin to question some things in your head too.
In the interest of full disclosure, I was somewhat involved in the writing of this book due to involvement in the facebook group.
This is a very interesting tale set in 1920s Shanghai. I'm not sure if it was meant to be entirely historically accurate, of if it was meant to be a bit steampunkish. Some of the tech seemed out of place for 1920s China, so I'm guessing he played with the steampunk thing at least slightly. (There's a pretty cool opium smoking device for example.) Some of the colloquial terms probably weren't being used in that time period, but it didn't take me out of the story. (I personally have been accused of not using historically accurate dialogue, so I know all about the pitfalls of such.)
Overall I really enjoyed this one. The author did a great job of presenting a chinese town overrun by the spread of opium, complete with an everyman hero and a dastardly villain. There was plenty of action, as well as some character development. There was also a huge twist near the end that I never saw coming, and I won't divulge here.
Ive read other work from Mr. Bienvenue, and one thing I like about his work is how it really speaks to the reader. It almost reads like Justin is sitting right there telling you the story, as it seems to be in his own voice.
Overall if you like stories set in early 20th century China, with some steampunk elements tossed in, check this one out. It's a fun ride!
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It kept me turning the pages, and was just fun to read. The characters were well thought out, and the way he painted his opium induced illusions were thought provoking. Not to mention, I felt he did a fairly good job of putting me in the era. Showing what used to be a prosperous city being brought down by a plague of addiction. A good quick read. *I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
