July 1, 2015
Part tragic fairy tale, part historical overview, this novel is based on the life of legendary Chinese courtesan Jinhua, who's already been the subject of Chinese operas, ballets, and plays. Atmospheric but unsettled, Curry's debut develops the tale of an orphan girl sold into prostitution at age 7 into a larger, more poetic portrait of her struggles with destiny as a grown woman in an era of political upheaval. Jinhua's beloved father is beheaded on the emperor's orders as the story opens. Her mother is also dead, and pitiless First Wife sells the innocent girl to monstrous Lao Mama, who puts her to work as a prostitute, with broken feet and compliant manners when it comes to "bed business." The only solace Jinhua finds is in the care of her maid, Suyin. The two girls comfort each other in the bleak brothel where Jinhua will spend the next six years, until bought by Sub-chancellor Hong to be his courtesan, under the disapproving eye of his wife. When Hong is sent on a diplomatic mission to Vienna, Jinhua goes too, opening herself to the experience, learning German, and falling in love with a dashing Prussian count. But there is no happy ending. Three years later, Jinhua reappears in Peking running an upscale brothel for foreigners, with the aid of Suyin, until the Boxer uprising destroys almost everything. Curry's storytelling glides over mysteries and gaps-in keeping, perhaps, with the Jinhua legend, which has many versions. The overall effect is intriguing yet inconsistent, with Jinhua's times and circumstances vividly evoked but her own personality remaining indistinct. The patchy but brightly detailed story of a woman's efforts to be "curious and virtuous and wise" despite the oppressive forces surrounding her.
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August 1, 2015
Curry's debut is the first English-language novel about the controversial courtesan Sai Jinhua, whose unusual life path reached a crisis during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion. At seven, after her mandarin father's execution, she is sold to a cruel brothel-mistress, who trains her as a money tree (prostitute). You do not own yourself, the maid Suyin warns her, and their sisterly bond helps them survive. Surprisingly, an official makes Jinhua his concubine, bringing her to Vienna just as Europeans, hated for their corrupt influence, are dismantling the Chinese empire. Buoyant with curiosity about Austro-Hungarian culture, Jinhua discovers her Western sympathies have a price. The smooth-as-silk prose, flavored with details of Chinese customs and Jinhua's favorite mythological stories, heightens the sense that we're hearing a legend retold. At the same time, her pain and heartbreak anchor the telling in reality. Multiple viewpoints add dimension and depth. The later sections feel rushed, and the novel doesn't fully address the reasons for her celebrity, but this creative and haunting interpretation spurs interest in the real Sai Jinhua.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)
Starred review from June 15, 2015
Curry's first novel is based on the life of Sai Jinhua (1872-1936), a legendary courtesan from the reign of China's Empress Dowager Cixi. Jinhua's life as a pampered only child ends with her father's execution. Her mother having died in childbirth, seven-year-old Jinhua is sold by First Wife to a brothel. The brutal Lao Mama binds Jinhua's feet and trains her for "bed business." She survives with the friendship of a crippled maid and the memory of her father. When Jinhua turns 12, her life as a "money tree" begins, but she is soon taken as a concubine by a high official. When Master Hong is sent as an emissary to Europe, Jinhua accompanies him to Vienna. There she gets a glimpse of freedom and the very different culture of the West. Returning home, Jinhua is painted as a collaborator during the Boxer Rebellion. VERDICT Curry offers a fascinating glimpse into China at the moment foreign influences are sweeping through the country. Narrated from various characters' points of view, this is not only the story of Jinhua but that of China itself. Highly recommended for fans of Lisa See and Amy Tan. [See Prepub Alert, 3/30/15.]--Catherine Coyne, Mansfield P.L., MA
Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
April 15, 2015
One of the publisher's biggest 2015 debuts, this historical portrays famed Qing dynasty courtesan Sai Jinhua, forced into a brothel as a young orphan and eventually married to a diplomat, which allowed her to experience the intoxicating freedoms of fin de siecle Vienna.
Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
June 15, 2015
Curry's first novel is based on the life of Sai Jinhua (1872-1936), a legendary courtesan from the reign of China's Empress Dowager Cixi. Jinhua's life as a pampered only child ends with her father's execution. Her mother having died in childbirth, seven-year-old Jinhua is sold by First Wife to a brothel. The brutal Lao Mama binds Jinhua's feet and trains her for "bed business." She survives with the friendship of a crippled maid and the memory of her father. When Jinhua turns 12, her life as a "money tree" begins, but she is soon taken as a concubine by a high official. When Master Hong is sent as an emissary to Europe, Jinhua accompanies him to Vienna. There she gets a glimpse of freedom and the very different culture of the West. Returning home, Jinhua is painted as a collaborator during the Boxer Rebellion. VERDICT Curry offers a fascinating glimpse into China at the moment foreign influences are sweeping through the country. Narrated from various characters' points of view, this is not only the story of Jinhua but that of China itself. Highly recommended for fans of Lisa See and Amy Tan. [See Prepub Alert, 3/30/15.]--Catherine Coyne, Mansfield P.L., MA
Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.