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Il palazzo dei piaceri celesti
Cina, 1899. Il declinante impero sta bruciando gli ultimi, tenui fuochi di un passato glorioso. E mentre le potenze occidentali conquistano concessioni commerciali e porzioni di territorio sempre maggiori, nelle campagne, dove la penetrazione straniera è assai meno capillare, i boxer si preparano alla vittoria estendendo la loro influenza sulla popolazione. A Shishan la vita della comunità inglese scorre ancora tranquilla quasi come un tempo, anche se si diffondono a macchia d'olio i sintomi di un crescente fermento sociale. Una giovane di buona famiglia giunta da poco in città, Helen Frances, vi scopre il turbine della passione con Henry Manners, un ufficiale inglese che le fa provare anche l'oppio.
741 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
22 people are currently reading
436 people want to read
About the author
Adam Williams
168 books29 followersThe son of a Hong Kong Taipan, Adam Williams was born and raised in Asia, though educated in the United Kingdom. His family has been in China since the 1880s and he has fulfilled his destiny by joining Jardine Matheson and rising to head its operations in China as well as those of Jardine Fleming. He has undertaken an expedition by camel into the heart of the Taklamaken Desert to seek the lost cities of the Silk Road, and having survived this, competed in the 'Rhino Charge'. He is also an OBE.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 10, 2020
My friend and I found this book in the big BookOff store in Shibuya and the title made me laugh, but when I saw that it was the name of a brothel, I had to have it. (It was 200 yen only.)
So, it turned out to be as cheesy as we expected, but it wasn't bad, it held my attention for more than 600 pages. It's a historical romance which takes place in a fictitious town of Shishan in 1899, during the Boxer Rebellion. The author was born in China in a missionary family, so he knows his stuff, and his sympathy towards the culture and people is obvious.
BUT, the characters are painfully stereotypical - a beautiful and passionate middle-class girl, her lover the dashing spy, her boorish and naive fiance, a bunch of altruistic missionaries, a cruel brothel madam and her psychopathic son, a prostitute with heart of gold, an evil Japanese officer, a wise Chinese mandarin, a (wiser still) Mongolian shepherd... They all resemble marionettes taken out of a dusty box which has the letters "Oriental drama" on it; some of them must have been used by Clavell half a century ago.
The only interesting people are the crazy, fanatical Millward family (especially their eldest son Hiram) and Major Lin who has a shameful secret to hide. BUT the author has a penchant for distorting his characters, both minor and major, and making them act against their nature and their initial motivations. When I read what ultimately happened to Hiram after the rebellion broke out in Shishan, I kind of lost half of my interest in the story, but read on for Major Lin; then as his character got assassinated as well (in a writerly way I mean), I finished the book just because I didn't have much left. I didn't care about Helen Frances and her lover - they were just unrealistic, and the good doctor Airton, well, he was so stupid and whiny I just hoped to see him killed, but alas, the idiot lived to the last page.
As to the brothel, this was the most ridiculous thing of all. The madam who was supposed to be so cunning, together with her son kept torturing the girls and boys randomly. Why? What for? What do they gain out of this? How is it good for business? How does it affect the atmosphere? Does it make the prostitutes work harder? Does it contribute to their skill, effectiveness, or the satisfaction of customers?... I have this dim suspicion that it's got something to do with the author's personal preferences, and that he enjoys writing about sexual sadism, and that's all there is to it. Now don't get me wrong, I think it's totally okay to fantasize about this stuff, or any stuff, that's what imagination is for - but when it comes to putting one's fantasies on paper, it should be done in a plausible, believable, reasonable way. Why? Because the book is for the reader first, and for the author second. The author must seduce the reader, not only pleasure himself.
So, it turned out to be as cheesy as we expected, but it wasn't bad, it held my attention for more than 600 pages. It's a historical romance which takes place in a fictitious town of Shishan in 1899, during the Boxer Rebellion. The author was born in China in a missionary family, so he knows his stuff, and his sympathy towards the culture and people is obvious.
BUT, the characters are painfully stereotypical - a beautiful and passionate middle-class girl, her lover the dashing spy, her boorish and naive fiance, a bunch of altruistic missionaries, a cruel brothel madam and her psychopathic son, a prostitute with heart of gold, an evil Japanese officer, a wise Chinese mandarin, a (wiser still) Mongolian shepherd... They all resemble marionettes taken out of a dusty box which has the letters "Oriental drama" on it; some of them must have been used by Clavell half a century ago.
The only interesting people are the crazy, fanatical Millward family (especially their eldest son Hiram) and Major Lin who has a shameful secret to hide. BUT the author has a penchant for distorting his characters, both minor and major, and making them act against their nature and their initial motivations. When I read what ultimately happened to Hiram after the rebellion broke out in Shishan, I kind of lost half of my interest in the story, but read on for Major Lin; then as his character got assassinated as well (in a writerly way I mean), I finished the book just because I didn't have much left. I didn't care about Helen Frances and her lover - they were just unrealistic, and the good doctor Airton, well, he was so stupid and whiny I just hoped to see him killed, but alas, the idiot lived to the last page.
As to the brothel, this was the most ridiculous thing of all. The madam who was supposed to be so cunning, together with her son kept torturing the girls and boys randomly. Why? What for? What do they gain out of this? How is it good for business? How does it affect the atmosphere? Does it make the prostitutes work harder? Does it contribute to their skill, effectiveness, or the satisfaction of customers?... I have this dim suspicion that it's got something to do with the author's personal preferences, and that he enjoys writing about sexual sadism, and that's all there is to it. Now don't get me wrong, I think it's totally okay to fantasize about this stuff, or any stuff, that's what imagination is for - but when it comes to putting one's fantasies on paper, it should be done in a plausible, believable, reasonable way. Why? Because the book is for the reader first, and for the author second. The author must seduce the reader, not only pleasure himself.
October 1, 2022
Orrendo polpettone!
Un così grande ammasso di banalità non merita neanche il piccolo sforzo di un commento.
Un così grande ammasso di banalità non merita neanche il piccolo sforzo di un commento.
April 15, 2024
It's so rare nowadays that I find a book like this one. I never expected to like it that much. After a bit of a slow start in the first few chapters, it just grew more and more on me, until I finally could not put it down in the last third. Granted, some parts were disturbing and disgusting, but to be honest nothing that a true Game of Thrones fan cannot handle.
I loved how diverse and interesting the characters were, and how they made me care about their stories and, eventually, their fates. From inspiring Westers visionaries, introducing the rail transport in China, to beautiful courtesans, hidden in an eery brothel. From a cunning mandarin, juggling between his allies, to a half-crazy priest, looking for his lost son. From a handsome adventurer, having a bit of a bad reputation, to a naive girl, longing for adventures and new sensations.
What was perhaps even better was the way the readers are introduced to the Chinese society from the beginning of 20th century. The fact that the author was born and raised in Asia, complemented by his substantial research when writing this book, really helped draw the reader into the story.
I will definitely try to find more books from this author.
I loved how diverse and interesting the characters were, and how they made me care about their stories and, eventually, their fates. From inspiring Westers visionaries, introducing the rail transport in China, to beautiful courtesans, hidden in an eery brothel. From a cunning mandarin, juggling between his allies, to a half-crazy priest, looking for his lost son. From a handsome adventurer, having a bit of a bad reputation, to a naive girl, longing for adventures and new sensations.
What was perhaps even better was the way the readers are introduced to the Chinese society from the beginning of 20th century. The fact that the author was born and raised in Asia, complemented by his substantial research when writing this book, really helped draw the reader into the story.
I will definitely try to find more books from this author.
June 22, 2011
Oh what a monumental book. If you're finding it hard to get into why not jump about 100 pages in and start from there (oh how dare i say it but hey just do it - it is a bit slow to start, and the beginning pages make more sense when read in hindsight). meanwhile GOSH. Adam has nothing against being bloodthirsty. if you think the sweet and innocent will get away with it think again. It's a massive book with huge scope - covering not just a historical adventure and raunchy romance, but also themes like ethics, values, religion and how they change (or don't) according to our circumstances. And the cross cultural divide of Brits abroad is a theme I will never tire of, and in this book it is tackled brilliantly. Can't wait to start the others in the series.
Once I got into it (which took a good while I have to say) I read the remaining 600 odd pages in about 2 days (and got nothing else done)
Once I got into it (which took a good while I have to say) I read the remaining 600 odd pages in about 2 days (and got nothing else done)
October 6, 2018
Na můj vkus bohužel příliš mnoho romantiky a málo historie, bylo to docela zklamání. Prostě, pokud se chcete něco bližšího dozvědět o boxerském povstání, najděte si jinou knihu.
Pokud vás zajímá romantický a dobrodružný příběh rozdychtěné anglické panny, která se dostala v nepravý čas na nepravé místo, vybrali jste si naopak správně.
Adam Williams v Číně žije, manželku má Číňanku, žili tam už jeho rodiče atd. a určitě o téhle zemi ví první poslední, já si ale, až budu příště chtít číst román z asijské historie, vezmu raději něco od Clavella.
Pokud vás zajímá romantický a dobrodružný příběh rozdychtěné anglické panny, která se dostala v nepravý čas na nepravé místo, vybrali jste si naopak správně.
Adam Williams v Číně žije, manželku má Číňanku, žili tam už jeho rodiče atd. a určitě o téhle zemi ví první poslední, já si ale, až budu příště chtít číst román z asijské historie, vezmu raději něco od Clavella.
April 10, 2024
Now one of my favourite books. Will one day read it again if I get time. Historical fiction based on true events in China when foreigners (barbarian devils)were infiltrating their empire with railways, trade, opium and religion. The Boxer revolution brought to life. Great plot development. Lots of intrigue. Sex. Drugs. Violence. Great characters. The lot! Wow! What a read! Didn't want it to end.
January 12, 2008
I learned a lot about the Boxer Rebellion from this book - very interesting cast of characters too.
February 27, 2025
Muy buena historia. Para mí gusto le han sobrado algunas páginas que describen batallas y asaltos pero por lo demás está bastante bien.
February 22, 2019
Wow! I really enjoyed this book.
It took me about a week to read even though I had not had lots of reading time available at the time. This book is a little ... well, quite massive. It made it harder to get it started since the size was so daunting. And honestly, the first chapter is dull. However, by Chapter 2 I was interested.
This is quite the romance/action/adventure/historical fiction novel. I would say of all the historical fiction I have ever read, I liked this one best. The writing is well done. There is a rolling, meandering way to it. The bit with letters broke up the writing. I see why he included it for story-telling and also because he wanted to borrow from his friend's family, but I think it should have been written another way. Or letters should have been included from the beginning.
It took me about a week to read even though I had not had lots of reading time available at the time. This book is a little ... well, quite massive. It made it harder to get it started since the size was so daunting. And honestly, the first chapter is dull. However, by Chapter 2 I was interested.
This is quite the romance/action/adventure/historical fiction novel. I would say of all the historical fiction I have ever read, I liked this one best. The writing is well done. There is a rolling, meandering way to it. The bit with letters broke up the writing. I see why he included it for story-telling and also because he wanted to borrow from his friend's family, but I think it should have been written another way. Or letters should have been included from the beginning.
April 30, 2013
One of my favourite books!
October 20, 2017
IMHO Williams was very good at Chinese characterization - which makes sense seeing how long he has lived there plus the fact he has a Chinese wife.
For the history (I had never even heard of the Boxer Revolution), the portrayal of Chinese culture, the seemingly accurate portrayal of life in the early 1900s - all 4+ stars. I particularly liked how there was a deeper side to the Mandrin and all the different layers of all the Chinese characters. Very dead on. Truly well done.
I am not a blood and guts girl, though I can stomach it when appropriate (as it was here), but, even knowing my own proclivities, they were still breached. Too much. As several have mentioned, the darker side of whore-dom and man's nature took up more words than I ever care to read again. The mob murders of foreigners were brutal, vicious, and described in excruciating detail--though I can see the reason for that, a little less eye-witness sensation would have suited me better. I can only assume on the murders that Williams did not want to hide the horrifying truth. And he succeeded. Man as base, worse than any animal could ever be. It was sickening. As it was sickening in real life. So I don't fault Williams his descriptions. He was as gut-wrenching as television news coverage. Just not sure of any benefit from having read how horrible it was.
As for the brothel scenes.... again, entirely plausible, no doubt accurate, sadly. But also again, why eye witness the trauma? Dark literature. I don't see it's purpose. Allusion suits me better and I more than get the gist. Although. I will admit, If you are wanting to create revulsion in an effort to keep such behavior from ever rising again, this is an effective way to do it. My argument against that sentiment is I don't think you ever will; horror continues to exist. I don't see the point in muddying my own sensibilities when no change for the good will come of it.
In regard to the Brits, for all the complexities, there was a one-dimensionality to all the British characters. This was particularly acute in the case of Henry and Helen Francis (HF). Tom's character pulled through in the end, and the doctor and his wife were passable, but there was a disjointedness to Manners and HF that never jived. They were ghosts of themselves, lived too much in their minds, had no true connection to either themselves or others. Consequently their characters (the MAIN characters) never drew me in. In some books I want to shake a character. I didn't even want that. I basically wanted to put them on the shelf. But the other aspects of the story held me. Even so, I skimmed from Mongolia to the end. I didn't miss much, as those parts were more character driven and I don't think that is where Williams shows his spark.
For the history (I had never even heard of the Boxer Revolution), the portrayal of Chinese culture, the seemingly accurate portrayal of life in the early 1900s - all 4+ stars. I particularly liked how there was a deeper side to the Mandrin and all the different layers of all the Chinese characters. Very dead on. Truly well done.
I am not a blood and guts girl, though I can stomach it when appropriate (as it was here), but, even knowing my own proclivities, they were still breached. Too much. As several have mentioned, the darker side of whore-dom and man's nature took up more words than I ever care to read again. The mob murders of foreigners were brutal, vicious, and described in excruciating detail--though I can see the reason for that, a little less eye-witness sensation would have suited me better. I can only assume on the murders that Williams did not want to hide the horrifying truth. And he succeeded. Man as base, worse than any animal could ever be. It was sickening. As it was sickening in real life. So I don't fault Williams his descriptions. He was as gut-wrenching as television news coverage. Just not sure of any benefit from having read how horrible it was.
As for the brothel scenes.... again, entirely plausible, no doubt accurate, sadly. But also again, why eye witness the trauma? Dark literature. I don't see it's purpose. Allusion suits me better and I more than get the gist. Although. I will admit, If you are wanting to create revulsion in an effort to keep such behavior from ever rising again, this is an effective way to do it. My argument against that sentiment is I don't think you ever will; horror continues to exist. I don't see the point in muddying my own sensibilities when no change for the good will come of it.
In regard to the Brits, for all the complexities, there was a one-dimensionality to all the British characters. This was particularly acute in the case of Henry and Helen Francis (HF). Tom's character pulled through in the end, and the doctor and his wife were passable, but there was a disjointedness to Manners and HF that never jived. They were ghosts of themselves, lived too much in their minds, had no true connection to either themselves or others. Consequently their characters (the MAIN characters) never drew me in. In some books I want to shake a character. I didn't even want that. I basically wanted to put them on the shelf. But the other aspects of the story held me. Even so, I skimmed from Mongolia to the end. I didn't miss much, as those parts were more character driven and I don't think that is where Williams shows his spark.
August 24, 2018
WHOA. I mean, before getting into this book you realize it's meant to be a very dramatic historical fiction account, a romance of epic proportions. But Williams took it far....NO ONE is safe, very Game of Thrones-esque in its gore, violence, blood, sex, no details spared. It can be hard to read at times, in the way that you're cringing and/or crying and want to throw the book across the room BUT.YOU.JUST.CAN'T.PUT.IT.DOWN.
Overall, besides those previous details, I loved it. It's an epic story that jumps from one catastrophe and character to the next, in the exotic location of the imaginary "Shishan" town of northeast China. It's a little slow-going to start but once you get into it, you'll probably finish the 600 odd pages in a day and it will disrupt your schedule and peace of mind completely. The characters are BRILLIANT, favorite part of the writing. Each of the many with their own arc and journey throughout the story, and the book jumps from one perspective to another without it seeming confusing (except at the beginning). I have to admit some things are a little cheesy and over-the-top in the plot, and some characters are too evil for no reason...but most of the characters are shown in an interesting light that reveals the flaws and moral failings of even the most "good" characters. In that way, there aren't any truly good or bad characters, which makes the story realistic despite taking place in a fictional town and the occasional mumbo jumbo (like who the hell is actually the blind priest?? Was he necessary except to add drama and suspense?)
Adam Williams has very intimate knowledge about China and Chinese people, and it was really interesting to hear that his own family's history in China was part of his inspiration to write the novel. I learned a lot about this crazy time in Chinese history (terrifying, being a foreigner in China myself) while becoming completely immersed and emotionally attached to all the characters. It's great how his story, although focused on a group of foreigners, seeks to describe what drove the peasants of northern china to develop such radical thinking and revolt in the way they did.
If you're not squeamish... would definitely recommend!
Overall, besides those previous details, I loved it. It's an epic story that jumps from one catastrophe and character to the next, in the exotic location of the imaginary "Shishan" town of northeast China. It's a little slow-going to start but once you get into it, you'll probably finish the 600 odd pages in a day and it will disrupt your schedule and peace of mind completely. The characters are BRILLIANT, favorite part of the writing. Each of the many with their own arc and journey throughout the story, and the book jumps from one perspective to another without it seeming confusing (except at the beginning). I have to admit some things are a little cheesy and over-the-top in the plot, and some characters are too evil for no reason...but most of the characters are shown in an interesting light that reveals the flaws and moral failings of even the most "good" characters. In that way, there aren't any truly good or bad characters, which makes the story realistic despite taking place in a fictional town and the occasional mumbo jumbo (like who the hell is actually the blind priest?? Was he necessary except to add drama and suspense?)
Adam Williams has very intimate knowledge about China and Chinese people, and it was really interesting to hear that his own family's history in China was part of his inspiration to write the novel. I learned a lot about this crazy time in Chinese history (terrifying, being a foreigner in China myself) while becoming completely immersed and emotionally attached to all the characters. It's great how his story, although focused on a group of foreigners, seeks to describe what drove the peasants of northern china to develop such radical thinking and revolt in the way they did.
If you're not squeamish... would definitely recommend!
February 1, 2024
First off, you can ignore the reviews which say they learnt something from this book. While the Boxer Rebellion *did* occur, the portrayal of it in this book is nothing short of fantasy, and I mean that quite literally.
That's not an insult. Williams didn't set out to write a history book.
This is a fairly engaging historical fiction with a slight tilt to the fantastic and a heavy tilt to the romantic. There is a complex web of characters each of whose actions affects each of the others. It's a little Austen in that way.
There is a *lot* of bloodthirstiness in these books, and a great deal of sex - mostly rape. All of it is described in detail. To put it bluntly, this book crosses lines by including children in both.
Now, let's list pros and cons.
Pro: prose. It's well written, definitely. Language use is deliberate and interesting.
Pro: story. It was thoroughly engaging.
Pro: characters. The characters all seemed quite different to one another, making for a truly diverse cast.
Con: writing conventions. Williams clearly had Chekhov's gun in mind while writing, because the foreshadowing was cast by a floodlight. I did not find myself surprised much in this book. However he also made propitious use of Deus ex Machina, particularly towards the end of the book.
Con: character assassination. Characters are canny or credulous with no in betweens, and no way of knowing which they will be when you begin the scene. Trust is allocated blindly by people we have been led to believe are logical. Characters talk blatantly around the truth, going against their own interests, so long as it serves the story.
Of note: There were hundreds of spelling, typographical, grammatical, and punctuation errors. They worsen as the book goes on, as do all the faults of the book. My copy is a first printing, so I hope this is repaired in later editions.
Also of note, my copy is printed on extremely thin paper - almost rice paper. Possibly this is a deliberate nod to the culture it's about. The paper is thin enough that you can feel the thickness of the ink as you run your hands over the page.
All in all, I enjoyed this book, but I'm not going to reread it. If I see a Williams book at the fair I'll walk past it.
That's not an insult. Williams didn't set out to write a history book.
This is a fairly engaging historical fiction with a slight tilt to the fantastic and a heavy tilt to the romantic. There is a complex web of characters each of whose actions affects each of the others. It's a little Austen in that way.
There is a *lot* of bloodthirstiness in these books, and a great deal of sex - mostly rape. All of it is described in detail. To put it bluntly, this book crosses lines by including children in both.
Now, let's list pros and cons.
Pro: prose. It's well written, definitely. Language use is deliberate and interesting.
Pro: story. It was thoroughly engaging.
Pro: characters. The characters all seemed quite different to one another, making for a truly diverse cast.
Con: writing conventions. Williams clearly had Chekhov's gun in mind while writing, because the foreshadowing was cast by a floodlight. I did not find myself surprised much in this book. However he also made propitious use of Deus ex Machina, particularly towards the end of the book.
Con: character assassination. Characters are canny or credulous with no in betweens, and no way of knowing which they will be when you begin the scene. Trust is allocated blindly by people we have been led to believe are logical. Characters talk blatantly around the truth, going against their own interests, so long as it serves the story.
Of note: There were hundreds of spelling, typographical, grammatical, and punctuation errors. They worsen as the book goes on, as do all the faults of the book. My copy is a first printing, so I hope this is repaired in later editions.
Also of note, my copy is printed on extremely thin paper - almost rice paper. Possibly this is a deliberate nod to the culture it's about. The paper is thin enough that you can feel the thickness of the ink as you run your hands over the page.
All in all, I enjoyed this book, but I'm not going to reread it. If I see a Williams book at the fair I'll walk past it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2020
I've had this book for ages and it's taken me so long to get around to picking it up, but I'm so glad that I waited and I picked it up now.
I really enjoyed reading this epic adventure story taking place between 1899 and 1900 China, where the British have come on missionary trips to try and convert Chinese people to Christianity. But this hasn't gone down well. There is conflict between the two sides not understanding each other's cultures or religion. And I mean to be fair, who asked the British to come and try to convert the Chinese people to Christianity?
But I digress! In this book we follow a few different people over about a year as the tensions between the sides increases until the Boxers start attacking villages, they attack both Chinese people and British/foreigners alike, mainly they are attacking Christians. But at the centre of everyone is the brother the Palace of Heavenly Pleasure run by Mother Liu and her vicious son Ren Ren.
Some parts of this book are incredibly difficult to read because of the details that Williams went into so I had to put it down for a while after I read those passages. But I can see how those parts of the book are important to the overall story.
When Helen Frances arrives in China visiting her father, she seems to be the catalyst for a lot of the events that happen, her unwavering curiosity finds her attracted to Henry Manners who has questionable morals and an excellent understanding of people. The connection between these two is undeniable and with Helen Frances curiosity she wants to know more about this curious and secretive Henry Manners.
This is an adventure story, interspersed with a love story. I could honestly go on and on about this book because there are so many characters and stories to follow along with, but I don't want to give anything away.
I really enjoyed reading this epic adventure story taking place between 1899 and 1900 China, where the British have come on missionary trips to try and convert Chinese people to Christianity. But this hasn't gone down well. There is conflict between the two sides not understanding each other's cultures or religion. And I mean to be fair, who asked the British to come and try to convert the Chinese people to Christianity?
But I digress! In this book we follow a few different people over about a year as the tensions between the sides increases until the Boxers start attacking villages, they attack both Chinese people and British/foreigners alike, mainly they are attacking Christians. But at the centre of everyone is the brother the Palace of Heavenly Pleasure run by Mother Liu and her vicious son Ren Ren.
Some parts of this book are incredibly difficult to read because of the details that Williams went into so I had to put it down for a while after I read those passages. But I can see how those parts of the book are important to the overall story.
When Helen Frances arrives in China visiting her father, she seems to be the catalyst for a lot of the events that happen, her unwavering curiosity finds her attracted to Henry Manners who has questionable morals and an excellent understanding of people. The connection between these two is undeniable and with Helen Frances curiosity she wants to know more about this curious and secretive Henry Manners.
This is an adventure story, interspersed with a love story. I could honestly go on and on about this book because there are so many characters and stories to follow along with, but I don't want to give anything away.
July 8, 2017
Picking up this book I had high expectations. Adam Williams does not only have a background in business, but his family also has a history that is deeply entwined with China since the 1880ths. That he is on top married to one of my favorite Chinese literates did not lower my anticipation either.
In my most optimistic expectations, I hoped for a read in the ballpark of James Clavell's Taipan saga.
I think Adam Williams had similar ambitions with this book, he definitely aimed at creating an epic.
"The Palace of Heavenly Pleasure" is not a terrible read, else I would not have made it through the 640 pages. The overall plot is not bad (despite the rather anticlimactic end) and the period of the Boxer Uprising makes for a fascinating backdrop for an adventure epic. What I take issue with, though, is the stereotypical character design that borderlines to racism and the totally unnecessarily detailed display of sexual and physical violence.
The character's, especially the Chinese ones, could have definitely benefited from a bit more generosity. With the exception of a few Christian convertites, the Chinese characters in the book are pretty uniformly nasty. And some of the sex scenes in "The Palace of Heavenly Pleasure" read as if they are taken straight out of Marquis de Sade's "Justine," which not necessarily has to be a bad thing in itself, it's just not terribly helpful to the story.
At the end stands a two-star rating, as the ambitious book, in my opinion, just as too many flaws to be anywhere near the classics of the genre.
In my most optimistic expectations, I hoped for a read in the ballpark of James Clavell's Taipan saga.
I think Adam Williams had similar ambitions with this book, he definitely aimed at creating an epic.
"The Palace of Heavenly Pleasure" is not a terrible read, else I would not have made it through the 640 pages. The overall plot is not bad (despite the rather anticlimactic end) and the period of the Boxer Uprising makes for a fascinating backdrop for an adventure epic. What I take issue with, though, is the stereotypical character design that borderlines to racism and the totally unnecessarily detailed display of sexual and physical violence.
The character's, especially the Chinese ones, could have definitely benefited from a bit more generosity. With the exception of a few Christian convertites, the Chinese characters in the book are pretty uniformly nasty. And some of the sex scenes in "The Palace of Heavenly Pleasure" read as if they are taken straight out of Marquis de Sade's "Justine," which not necessarily has to be a bad thing in itself, it's just not terribly helpful to the story.
At the end stands a two-star rating, as the ambitious book, in my opinion, just as too many flaws to be anywhere near the classics of the genre.
August 18, 2017
English review below
***
Ik heb van dit boek genoten. Het was heel spannend, en dit was zeker een geval waarin dingen eerst slecht (heel erg slecht) moeten worden voordat ze weer beter worden. De tijdsperiode en locatie waren erg interessant, en ik vond de meeste personages goed. Het duurde tot zo'n beetje het einde van het boek voordat ik Henry Manners mocht, maar Helen Frances heb ik het hele boek een hekel aan gehad, doordat ze zo weinig zelfbeheersing had. Het duidelijk beschreven (seksuele) geweld was schokkend en ik vond het te veel, maar ik vind het knap hoe de auteur het in zich heeft (geliefde) personages te doden. Ondanks dat het meer dan 600 pagina's zijn, zorgde het spannende plot met hartverscheurende wendingen dat ik het snel uit had. Alles bij elkaar was dit een plezierig, spannend boek over een erg interessante tijd in de Chinese geschiedenis.
***
I enjoyed this book. It was very exciting, and this was definitely a case in which things had to get worse (a lot worse) before they got better. The time period and location were very interesting, and I enjoyed most of the characters. Henry Manners grew on me, but I disliked Helen Frances because of her lack of self control. The graphic (sexual) violence threw me off and I felt it was too much, though I do like how the author was not afraid to kill off (beloved) characters. Despite that's over 600 pages, the exciting plot with its heart-wrenching twists and turns made me finish it quickly. All in all, an enjoyable, exciting read about a very interesting time in Chinese history.
***
Ik heb van dit boek genoten. Het was heel spannend, en dit was zeker een geval waarin dingen eerst slecht (heel erg slecht) moeten worden voordat ze weer beter worden. De tijdsperiode en locatie waren erg interessant, en ik vond de meeste personages goed. Het duurde tot zo'n beetje het einde van het boek voordat ik Henry Manners mocht, maar Helen Frances heb ik het hele boek een hekel aan gehad, doordat ze zo weinig zelfbeheersing had. Het duidelijk beschreven (seksuele) geweld was schokkend en ik vond het te veel, maar ik vind het knap hoe de auteur het in zich heeft (geliefde) personages te doden. Ondanks dat het meer dan 600 pagina's zijn, zorgde het spannende plot met hartverscheurende wendingen dat ik het snel uit had. Alles bij elkaar was dit een plezierig, spannend boek over een erg interessante tijd in de Chinese geschiedenis.
***
I enjoyed this book. It was very exciting, and this was definitely a case in which things had to get worse (a lot worse) before they got better. The time period and location were very interesting, and I enjoyed most of the characters. Henry Manners grew on me, but I disliked Helen Frances because of her lack of self control. The graphic (sexual) violence threw me off and I felt it was too much, though I do like how the author was not afraid to kill off (beloved) characters. Despite that's over 600 pages, the exciting plot with its heart-wrenching twists and turns made me finish it quickly. All in all, an enjoyable, exciting read about a very interesting time in Chinese history.
July 30, 2022
Enjoyed this tale set in the fictional city of Shishan, Northern China at the end of the 19th century. The title of the book is the name of the brothel in the city run by a cruel Chinese madam and her sado-masochistic son. The foreign characters are in China due to their occupation as diplomats, missionaries, railway developers and merchants (alkaline/soap), getting caught up in the Boxer rebellion and massacre described in gory detail. I didn’t know anything about this period of history and it prompted me to have a read on Wikipedia, so felt I learnt a little too.
August 28, 2020
It took me ages to read this book. I found it extremely long and with big chunks of it that could have been left out as they added nothing to the story.
I started skim-reading it halfway through and *still* took me months!
To think I even have the sequel!!
I started skim-reading it halfway through and *still* took me months!
To think I even have the sequel!!
December 18, 2020
Very deep.. Very moving.. An epic journey into an unknown world.. Quite hard going at times, and with several twists and turns.
August 10, 2021
Nice read, adventurous historical novel about the boxers in China round 1900. A lot of things I didn't know about. A bit long-winded at times for my taste, so I skipped some pages.
October 19, 2021
I've read this book twice now. It is thoroughly enjoyable and I knew virtually nothing about the boxer rebellion prior to reading it. Definitely worth a read
July 4, 2023
Muy entretenido e interesante para conocer la forma de pensar de los chinos y parte de su historia.
December 9, 2023
Historical backdrop to the adventure story featuring Christian migration to China in 1900 with the bloodthirsty boxer uprising that took many innocent lives. Epic!
Read
July 16, 2024DNF
May 29, 2014
Ci sono libri che finiscono negli scaffali della tua libreria senza un apparente motivo. Lo fanno di nascosto, in silenzio, e quando te ne accorgi, il giorno che li vedi lì belli pomposi nella loro posizione ormai guadagnata da tempo, non ti ricordi neppure per quale motivo siano arrivati. È il caso di questo Il palazzo dei piaceri celesti dalle considerevoli dimensioni molto simili a quelle di un mattone in terracotta: non ricordo come mai lo comprai, se ne avessi letto chissà quale recensione positiva o se semplicemente ne fui attratto dalla copertina in tinte sfumate e dal nome vagamente esotico ed echeggiante avventure erotiche di tipo orientale. Quello che posso dire a fine lettura è che la copertina in effetti rimane bella, anche se il volume del libro lo rende difficile da trasportare a destra e a sinistra per leggerlo in qualsiasi momento, mentre il suo contenuto, comprensivo degli ipotetici episodi di natura sessuale, lascia alquanto a desiderare. Non c’è infatti nessun affondo carnale di una certa rilevanza, e quando due personaggi si avventurano nell’intimo di un rapporto questi due personaggi sono sempre e solo due occidentali, quindi anche l’ombra dei rituali orientali va a farsi friggere (un particolare davvero prodigioso visto che il palazzo che dà il titolo al romanzo è un bordello). La storia è essenzialmente incentrata sulla rivoluzione Boxer avvenuta in Cina ai primi del ‘900, una sommossa popolare che in Europa non ha avuto molto richiamo e che io personalmente non avevo mai sentito nominare. Si parla di una missione umanitaria intenta a cercare di convertire gli indigeni al cattolicesimo; si parla di un amore clandestino tra una giovane ragazza e un soldato di ventura; si parla di intrighi di potere di palazzo e rivoluzionari; si parla del tentativo di modernizzare la Cina con la prima linea ferroviaria. Si parla di molto ma poi in fondo non si parla di niente. Quello che rimane a fine lettura sono alcuni nei che proprio non sei riuscito a mandare giù e che non hanno reso credibili alcuni personaggi. Uno fra tutti è la protagonista femminile, la quale si intestardisce a fare determinate azioni solo per il semplice fatto di far proseguire la trama secondo una strada un po’ forzata (si potrebbe anche scrivere che decide con i lombi e poi cerca di giustificare, se stessa e chi è stato insieme a lei).
Non so di preciso cosa mi aspettassi a inizio lettura, ormai non me lo ricordo più, ma arrivi alla fine e non hai niente. L’autore esegue il compitino senza sbavature, scrivendo in modo scorrevole e senza appesantire inutilmente l’incedere dei fatti (alla fine si prova anche un certo vago e vergognoso attaccamento nei confronti dei vari personaggi, ma è piuttosto facile in un romanzo di così tante pagine) anche se arrivati a 600 pagine si ha l’impressione che anche lui abbia deciso di tirare corto e cominciare a tagliare non riuscendo più a trattenersi dal vedere lui stesso la fine.
Lo smacco maggiore, almeno a mio avviso, risiede però nelle note finale, nelle quali l’autore spiega che il suo intento era quello di cercare di capire da dove era nato il movimento dei Boxer che lui, nato in Cina da padre inglese e madre cinese, aveva sempre sentito nominare dai parenti autoctoni. Ciò che strida con queste dichiarazioni è che nel libro non vi è traccia di questa curiosità, non c’è neppure il minimo segno del desiderio di indagine di questo movimento: il libro inizia con i Boxer già alle porte della città e finisce.. beh, finisce senza neppure viverlo in modo diretto.
Un peccato, perché a parità di pagine e di scomodità di trasporto, avrei potuto benissimo leggere Contro il giorno di Pynchon e a quest’ora sarei qui a parlare di ben altro.
Non so di preciso cosa mi aspettassi a inizio lettura, ormai non me lo ricordo più, ma arrivi alla fine e non hai niente. L’autore esegue il compitino senza sbavature, scrivendo in modo scorrevole e senza appesantire inutilmente l’incedere dei fatti (alla fine si prova anche un certo vago e vergognoso attaccamento nei confronti dei vari personaggi, ma è piuttosto facile in un romanzo di così tante pagine) anche se arrivati a 600 pagine si ha l’impressione che anche lui abbia deciso di tirare corto e cominciare a tagliare non riuscendo più a trattenersi dal vedere lui stesso la fine.
Lo smacco maggiore, almeno a mio avviso, risiede però nelle note finale, nelle quali l’autore spiega che il suo intento era quello di cercare di capire da dove era nato il movimento dei Boxer che lui, nato in Cina da padre inglese e madre cinese, aveva sempre sentito nominare dai parenti autoctoni. Ciò che strida con queste dichiarazioni è che nel libro non vi è traccia di questa curiosità, non c’è neppure il minimo segno del desiderio di indagine di questo movimento: il libro inizia con i Boxer già alle porte della città e finisce.. beh, finisce senza neppure viverlo in modo diretto.
Un peccato, perché a parità di pagine e di scomodità di trasporto, avrei potuto benissimo leggere Contro il giorno di Pynchon e a quest’ora sarei qui a parlare di ben altro.
December 5, 2013
Primo consiglio in assoluto, se decidete di leggere questo romanzo, armatevi di passione e tanta tanta pazienza, perché scrivo questo. Il Palazzo dei Piaceri Celesti è un libro lunghissimo dove tra passioni, sentimenti e molta crudeltà si entra in una fase storica intensa. Quando ho cominciato a leggerlo la prima impressione è stata: "questo romanzo non mi piace", troppe descrizioni, troppi discorsi, lunghi e a volte noiosi, ma proseguendo al lettura ho notato che nonostante ciò, volevo conoscere, volevo sapere come proseguisse, come sarebbe terminato se tragicamente o no (non ve lo dico naturalmente). Innanzitutto va detto in un'analisi dettagliata che ci molti personaggi che compaiono con un loro ruolo specifico, di conseguenza non è semplice ricordarli, ma l'autore sin dalla prima pagina crea un indice di tutti, presentandoli in base alla loro provenienza e grado sociale.
Come avrete sicuramente letto nella trama, siamo in Cina, in quella parte del mondo non ancora civilizzata secondo i canoni europei (più che altro inglesi). Cosa succede, le innovazioni tecnologiche vengono non solo presentate ma attivate sul territorio, come la costruzione della ferrovia, vista dai contadini e soprattutto dai difensori della tradizione come pura stregoneria dello straniero giunto in quella parte del mondo per colonizzare e civilizzare un popolo. Non voglio scendere nei particolari, anche perché questo romanzo potrebbe sembrarvi pesante e invece non lo è. Dentro la storia nasce un'altra storia (scusate il gioco di parole), è quella di una donna, in parte ancora bambina, che arriva in Cina, con occhi innocenti, con sguardi ancora incoscienti, il suo mondo si scontra con una realtà molto diversa. Helen è promessa a Tom, lui la segue in questo lungo viaggio, per presentarsi al padre, ma l'incontro con Henry le fa conoscere nuove sensazioni. Servono a poco i discorsi, le lunghe passeggiate, un fuoco interno dilaga fino sfociare in una passione insostenibile. Le scelte di questa giovane donna e del suo amante si ripercuoteranno su tutto il romanzo e su tutti i personaggi che girano intorno.
Bello, struggente, passionale, crudele per le molte descrizioni, Il Palazzo dei Piaceri Celesti ti introduce in un mondo sensuale ma chiuso, in un mondo di dolore e sacrificio.
http://labibliotecadellibraio.blogspo...
Come avrete sicuramente letto nella trama, siamo in Cina, in quella parte del mondo non ancora civilizzata secondo i canoni europei (più che altro inglesi). Cosa succede, le innovazioni tecnologiche vengono non solo presentate ma attivate sul territorio, come la costruzione della ferrovia, vista dai contadini e soprattutto dai difensori della tradizione come pura stregoneria dello straniero giunto in quella parte del mondo per colonizzare e civilizzare un popolo. Non voglio scendere nei particolari, anche perché questo romanzo potrebbe sembrarvi pesante e invece non lo è. Dentro la storia nasce un'altra storia (scusate il gioco di parole), è quella di una donna, in parte ancora bambina, che arriva in Cina, con occhi innocenti, con sguardi ancora incoscienti, il suo mondo si scontra con una realtà molto diversa. Helen è promessa a Tom, lui la segue in questo lungo viaggio, per presentarsi al padre, ma l'incontro con Henry le fa conoscere nuove sensazioni. Servono a poco i discorsi, le lunghe passeggiate, un fuoco interno dilaga fino sfociare in una passione insostenibile. Le scelte di questa giovane donna e del suo amante si ripercuoteranno su tutto il romanzo e su tutti i personaggi che girano intorno.
Bello, struggente, passionale, crudele per le molte descrizioni, Il Palazzo dei Piaceri Celesti ti introduce in un mondo sensuale ma chiuso, in un mondo di dolore e sacrificio.
http://labibliotecadellibraio.blogspo...
June 2, 2008
This was an enlightening book that was a step beyond my normal sphere of crime fiction. It was quite a hard read at times, but when there was some action, the pace quickened for me, which I like about a book.
For anyone who loves history and/or who likes descriptive narrative, this is a must. Whilst it took me a long time to read, it was a heck of a lot shorter thatn the five years it took to write!
I also have The Emperor's Bones by Adam Williams, so I will look forward to this in due course.
For anyone who loves history and/or who likes descriptive narrative, this is a must. Whilst it took me a long time to read, it was a heck of a lot shorter thatn the five years it took to write!
I also have The Emperor's Bones by Adam Williams, so I will look forward to this in due course.
December 16, 2009
This one caught my eye on the shelf at the library. I selected it mostly because it was set during the Boxer Rebellion, about which I knew very little and was curious. I did learn about the outlines of the Boxer Rebellion (who was involved, what the motivations were, what generally happened, etc.), so in that sense I got what I wanted to out of the book.
As a novel, it was fairly so-so. Good enough to keep me reading for about 650 pages, which I guess is saying something. But nothing spectacular, or particularly remarkable.
As a novel, it was fairly so-so. Good enough to keep me reading for about 650 pages, which I guess is saying something. But nothing spectacular, or particularly remarkable.
June 12, 2012
Though it was very interesting to read about the uprising of the Boxers in 1900 China, and even though it was horrible in a magnificent kind of way to see executions described in such a "sèc" way, I felt the book lacked a spine (excuse the word play). It was interesting, but not nearly interesting enough to make me want to recommend this book to friends. The last 2 chapters felt weird too. Almost as if an extra ending had been made up just to give the readers what they really wanted: a happy ending for Helen Frances and Henry. It's a decent book, but not one of the better ones.
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