Unreadable!
Fans of "Snow Flower and The Secret Fan" and "Dragon Bones" will no doubt be disappointed by this horribly written novel, from a writer who is capable of creating some remarkable literature!
The concept behind the novel is indeed interesting, as the story of a lovesick unmarried daughter mimics that of the heroine of her favorite opera in 17th century China. There is a supernatural element to the novel, which explores Chinese beliefs in the afterlife (at that time/place in history), and ancestral worship where ghosts affect (and are affected by) their living ancestors and "soulmates."
What bothered me was how terrible the writing was, especially after having LOVED the two earlier works mentioned above, and thinking that her writing style and ability to evoke emotion from the reader were extremely powerful. It seems like she started out with a great idea for a novel and then wrote it in one day without even bothering to edit.
Without ruining the novel for anyone, it was simply missing too much - in terms of explanations, background details, character development, and tying together really choppy scenes, that it felt amateurish, trite and unmoving.
I can not recommend this novel and can't even imagine how anyone could like it, especially after the widespread success of "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan." My recommendation: skip this book entirely and enjoy her other works instead.
