Point Books Toward The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel
| Original Title: | The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel: A Novel |
| ISBN: | 1596917032 (ISBN13: 9781596917033) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Maureen Lindley
Paperback | Pages: 304 pages Rating: 3.41 | 1653 Users | 203 Reviews
Declare Based On Books The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel
| Title | : | The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel |
| Author | : | Maureen Lindley |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 304 pages |
| Published | : | September 1st 2009 by Bloomsbury USA (first published 2008) |
| Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Fiction. Cultural. China. Asia. Japan. Literature. Asian Literature |
Description In Pursuance Of Books The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel
An electrifying epic, based on the incredible true story of a Chinese princess turned spy.Peking, 1914. When the eight-year-old princess Eastern Jewel is caught spying on her father's liaison with a servant girl, she is banished from the palace, sent to live with a powerful family in Japan. Renamed Yoshiko Kawashima, she quickly falls in love with her adoptive country, where she earns a scandalous reputation, taking fencing lessons, smoking opium, and entertaining numerous lovers. Sent to Mongolia to become an obedient wife, Yoshiko mounts a daring escape and eventually finds her way back to Peking high society—this time with orders from the Japanese secret service.
Based on the true story of a rebellious woman who earned a controversial place in history, The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel is a vibrant reimagining of a thrilling life—a rich historical epic of palace intrigue, sexual manipulation, and international espionage.
Rating Based On Books The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel
Ratings: 3.41 From 1653 Users | 203 ReviewsCommentary Based On Books The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel
I requested this book based on the cover--I didn't know who Eastern Jewel was, which makes me wonder if I should somehow be ashamed to not know the history of my own race? Anyway. I asked for it, received it, and read it.I have to admit, it took me a while to finish. Not because I didn't enjoy the book, but because the subject's life--while it must have been entertaining and adventurous to her--made me feel sad that she was as exploited as she was, and how willingly she participated in her ownI have a feeling that this is going to be one of those books that everyone else will rave about, and I simply thought was OK ...Which is not to say it wasn't interesting. This is the story of Princess Eastern Jewel, whose father was of the Qing Dynasty in China, and whose mother was one of the father's concubines. The book begins in Peking, in 1914, when 8-year-old Eastern Jewel is caught spying on her father and a servant girl having what is politely referred to as a "liaison." She is banished
Ugh - I had so much trouble getting through this book. I made it about halfway through my advanced copy. The descriptions are beautifully done and the book is well-written. However, the character is just simply unlikeable. At first I had sympathy for her but it became painful to read. Every few pages contains a graphic sex scene, most of which involved rough, aggressive sex bordering on BDSM. This is not something I'd choose to read (to each his/her own, no judgement, but not my thing)...but I
This book feels more like the authors sexual fantasy than an actual memoir of Eastern Jewel, which it pretends to be. Theres a lot of rough sex in there and not much more. The book goes pretty much like this: EJ meets a guy, has sex, wants more (repeat) in a number of different locations. Yes, she moves around and becomes a spy somewhere in between but this book presents it more as a background to her sexcapades. I fail to believe that Eastern Jewel was truly so one-dimensional. I also didnt get
I really wanted to like this book. The back cover had everything I usually like - spies, intrigue, based on a true story, Asia, WWII, strong female character.But the execution did not go as planned. I looked up some real sources for the woman known as Eastern Jewel and the author seemed to take some extreme liberties with her story, liberties that were unnecessary since her real life sounded so interesting. There was a surprising amount of non-con sex in this book and while it tried to play it
This book was quite a fascinating insight into other lives and challenged my feminist ideals from a modern perspective.
This book was written as if Eastern Jewel was writing a memoir. At the end, I wondered why I didn't have a feel for who Eastern Jewel was as a person. I didn't know her motivations, her abandonment issues, her attachment to Japan, or disgust for China. After reading a person's journal for 300 pages, I expect to know a little more! Why didn't Eastern Jewel get more upset about being sterilized after the abortion? Wasn't she scared of the abuse of her stepfather and stepgrandfather? She didn't
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