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Mr Chen's Emporium
Mr Chen's Emporium is an enchanting tale of forbidden love and following one's heart...
In 1872, seventeen-year-old Amy Duncan arrives in the Gold Rush town of Millbrooke, having spent the coach journey daydreaming about glittering pavilions and gilded steeples. What she finds is a dusty main street lined with ramshackle buildings.
That is until she walks through the doors of Mr Chen's Emporium, a veritable Aladdin's cave, and her life changes forever. Though banned from the store by her dour clergyman father, Amy is entranced by its handsome owner, Charles Chen ...
In present-day Millbrooke, recently widowed artist Angie Wallace has rented the Old Manse where Amy once lived. When her landlord produces an antique trunk containing Amy's intriguingly diverse keepsakes - both Oriental and European - Angie resolves to learn more about this mysterious girl from the past.
And it's not long before the lives of two very different women, born a century apart, become connected in the most poignant and timeless ways.
In 1872, seventeen-year-old Amy Duncan arrives in the Gold Rush town of Millbrooke, having spent the coach journey daydreaming about glittering pavilions and gilded steeples. What she finds is a dusty main street lined with ramshackle buildings.
That is until she walks through the doors of Mr Chen's Emporium, a veritable Aladdin's cave, and her life changes forever. Though banned from the store by her dour clergyman father, Amy is entranced by its handsome owner, Charles Chen ...
In present-day Millbrooke, recently widowed artist Angie Wallace has rented the Old Manse where Amy once lived. When her landlord produces an antique trunk containing Amy's intriguingly diverse keepsakes - both Oriental and European - Angie resolves to learn more about this mysterious girl from the past.
And it's not long before the lives of two very different women, born a century apart, become connected in the most poignant and timeless ways.
343 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2012
9 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
Deborah O'Brien
15 books13 followersDeborah O’Brien is an Australian writer, visual artist and teacher. She is the author of four novels for Penguin Random House: the bestselling 'Mr Chen’s Emporium', its sequels, 'The Jade Widow' and 'A Place of Her Own', plus 'The Trivia Man'.
Her latest novel, 'The Rarest Thing' is set in the Victorian High Country in 1966 and is published by Lomandra Press. The signed gift edition print book is available from www.lomandrapress.com.au and the ebook from Kobo.
Together with her family and two dogs, Deborah divides her time between a house in Sydney and a country cottage on the outskirts of a heritage-listed Gold Rush town, overlooking a creek frequented by platypuses. It is her dream to own a small herd of alpacas.
http://www.deborahobrien.com.au
Her latest novel, 'The Rarest Thing' is set in the Victorian High Country in 1966 and is published by Lomandra Press. The signed gift edition print book is available from www.lomandrapress.com.au and the ebook from Kobo.
Together with her family and two dogs, Deborah divides her time between a house in Sydney and a country cottage on the outskirts of a heritage-listed Gold Rush town, overlooking a creek frequented by platypuses. It is her dream to own a small herd of alpacas.
http://www.deborahobrien.com.au
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
January 4, 2016
This was a nice piece of historical fiction set in an Australian gold town. Both main characters are strong women with interesting lives and I liked the way they are linked by Ange's historical research. Books which tell two stories alternately can sometimes become unbalanced to one character or the other but this one kept the parallel stories equally interesting. Overall this was a pleasant, easy read which I did enjoy.
November 27, 2017
This is a really great Australian example of historical fiction, with the dual narrative structure that I love, and two good, strong female characters at its heart. Angie is a recently-widowed Sydney artist who relocates to a former goldrush town in country NSW on a bit of a whim. She decides to rent The Manse on a try-before-you buy basis. Her landlord Richard, equally mysterious as he is eccentric, introduces her to a young Scottish woman named Amy Duncan, an occupant of the house in the 1870s, by way of a treasure box of keepsakes found in the house. Amy herself, is a woman ahead of her time. Her moral compass is rock solid and she has the strength to rise above the xenophobia aimed at the Chinese prospectors prevalent in the town at the time. The book is about how Angie uncovers Amy's story, while coming to terms with her own changed circumstances.
This book has been languishing on my Kindle for quite a while, but now I'm keen to get hold of the sequel and find out what happens to both of these amazing women next.
This book has been languishing on my Kindle for quite a while, but now I'm keen to get hold of the sequel and find out what happens to both of these amazing women next.
October 20, 2015
This is my second book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book is told in two time frames. One is 1872 and tells the story of Amy, daughter of Reverend Duncan and her return to her family who have moved to the gold rush town of Millbrooke. Amy has come home to help care for her mother and take over some of her duties. Prior to this, Amy had been staying with her aunt Molly in Sydney while finishing her schooling. The other story introduces the reader to Angie who is struggling with grief after the death of her husband. To the consternation of her friends, Angie elects to move to the town of Millbrooke and rent the Old Manse before deciding if she will make the move permanent or not.
In Millbrooke Amy meets Mr Chen, A Chinese man who owns the emporium, which to Amy is like an Aladdin’s cave of treasures. I really enjoyed getting to know Amy, Mr Chen and Eliza and the Miller family. Amy’s father Reverend Duncan is a character with few redeeming qualities and one who lets his prejudices affect so much of life. I agreed with Amy at one point where she says of her father that he may be a reverend but he is certainly not a Christian. The theme of racism, prejudice and making judgements about others are strong throughout the book, and integral to the story. But there are also those who are prepared to accept people for who they are rather than where they come from or what they look like.
I also liked the way the author managed to weave her fascination with the platypus into the story. Our unique little Australian creature added an extra layer to this novel. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes Australian books, historical fiction, romance and stories that deal with issues that, sadly, still exist in our world today.
In Millbrooke Amy meets Mr Chen, A Chinese man who owns the emporium, which to Amy is like an Aladdin’s cave of treasures. I really enjoyed getting to know Amy, Mr Chen and Eliza and the Miller family. Amy’s father Reverend Duncan is a character with few redeeming qualities and one who lets his prejudices affect so much of life. I agreed with Amy at one point where she says of her father that he may be a reverend but he is certainly not a Christian. The theme of racism, prejudice and making judgements about others are strong throughout the book, and integral to the story. But there are also those who are prepared to accept people for who they are rather than where they come from or what they look like.
I also liked the way the author managed to weave her fascination with the platypus into the story. Our unique little Australian creature added an extra layer to this novel. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes Australian books, historical fiction, romance and stories that deal with issues that, sadly, still exist in our world today.
June 29, 2025
5 ⭐️s
Wow! So good!
Wow! So good!
November 12, 2014
After reading the sequel to this book last year (not realising that it was a sequel), I thought I should probably add the first book to my TBR. And this was as delightful read as the second (The Jade Widow) was.
This book is written in one of my favourite styles - following dual story lines in days gone by and present day, and I felt that it was very well done. The author would introduce something - a letter, a book, a photo etc - in the 1872 scene and soon after we would be re-introduced to the same item in the present day - seen in a museum exhibit by the main present-day character, or found in an old trunk, or found online, and so on.
This was a very easy read and thoroughly enjoyable - I am now looking forward to the third in the series!
This book is written in one of my favourite styles - following dual story lines in days gone by and present day, and I felt that it was very well done. The author would introduce something - a letter, a book, a photo etc - in the 1872 scene and soon after we would be re-introduced to the same item in the present day - seen in a museum exhibit by the main present-day character, or found in an old trunk, or found online, and so on.
This was a very easy read and thoroughly enjoyable - I am now looking forward to the third in the series!
March 23, 2023
Sweet read… ending wasn’t quite as tidy as I’d like…
November 5, 2021
I adored this book! First book in a long time that I couldn’t put down. I loved the fictional historical aspect to this book and the parallels between the two eras.
September 18, 2012
In the present day, newly widowed Angela makes an impulsive decision to escape the city and move to Millbrooke during a weekend trip to the country. Intrigued by the history of her new home, the 'Old Manse', Angie is thrilled to discover a cache of keepsakes that likely belonged to the young woman that once lived there.
More than a century before, eighteen year old Amy Duncan locked away her most treasured possessions before eloping from her family home with the man she loved. A 'chinaman' raised by a local wealthy white family, Mr Charles Chen won her heart on her first visit to his Emporium in Millbrooke's main street.
In Deborah O'Brien's debut novel, Mr Chen's Emporium, Angie's and Amy's parallel stories of loss, heartbreak, passion and love unfold.
It is the story of Amy, a bright young woman coming of age in 1872, that I found the most appealing in Mr Chen's Emporium. The daughter of a clergyman, Amy returns to her family, living in the small Gold Rush town of Millbrooke, after several years spent with her aunt, in order to help her ailing mother. I liked Amy's mix of spirit and innocence, naive and dutiful she had an unexpected core of strength and passion that is appealing. Though her father demands plain modesty and piety, Amy is delighted by the exotic wares she discovers in Mr Chen's Emporium, and is as equally as fascinated by it's owner. Despite the prejudices of both her father and many in the wider community, Amy falls in love with Charles Chen, and he with her. I would have liked to have learnt more about Amy and her relationship with Charles immediately following their marriage, and the repercussions of her choice which are glossed over in favour of a summary of sorts.
As a new widow, Angie is still grieving the sudden loss of her husband when she decides a change of scenery could offer her peace of mind. She rents the Old Manse with a view to buy, and begins to renovate it as well as teach art classes in the dining room. I was sympathetic to Angie's need to fill her days, and even understood her deciding to take on a boarder, Jack, for both practical and emotional reasons. Unfortunately it was Angie's relationship with Jack that soured me on her character. While I can see how the author perhaps felt the societal disapproval between Amy's love for Charles and Angie's dalliance with Jack could compare, I didn't find it an appropriate parallel. Angie's behaviour crosses a line for me, even though she may be able to wield the excuse of her grief and his wife's distance.
Though there are broad points of synchronicity within the dual narratives of Angie and Amy the links are mainly conceptual rather than concrete. I would have liked to have seen the author create a stronger connection between the two women, for example Amy could have been a budding painter, or Angie's deceased husband could have had Chinese heritage. I did appreciate the structure of the story, framed by the seasons and moving clearly between Now and Then, though again I felt the opportunity to draw more obvious parallels between the lives of the women were missed.
However the novel does have its charms, the modern day Millbrooke comes alive and the historical period of the late 1800's on the goldfields, though only briefly sketched, is fascinating. The supporting characters in both eras are well drawn, I especially liked the ambitious Eliza, determined to study medicine in a time when such a thing was thought unbecoming, and Richard even though his reclusive manner branded him a little odd. I also enjoyed the idle chatter of Angie's painting class ladies, and I love platypi, such interesting creatures!
I find it interesting that O'Brien plans a sequel to Mr Chen's Emporium and I am curious to see what happens next in Millbrooke. Mr Chen's Emporium, is a light, engaging novel which I think would particularly appeal to readers of historical and romantic fiction.
More than a century before, eighteen year old Amy Duncan locked away her most treasured possessions before eloping from her family home with the man she loved. A 'chinaman' raised by a local wealthy white family, Mr Charles Chen won her heart on her first visit to his Emporium in Millbrooke's main street.
In Deborah O'Brien's debut novel, Mr Chen's Emporium, Angie's and Amy's parallel stories of loss, heartbreak, passion and love unfold.
It is the story of Amy, a bright young woman coming of age in 1872, that I found the most appealing in Mr Chen's Emporium. The daughter of a clergyman, Amy returns to her family, living in the small Gold Rush town of Millbrooke, after several years spent with her aunt, in order to help her ailing mother. I liked Amy's mix of spirit and innocence, naive and dutiful she had an unexpected core of strength and passion that is appealing. Though her father demands plain modesty and piety, Amy is delighted by the exotic wares she discovers in Mr Chen's Emporium, and is as equally as fascinated by it's owner. Despite the prejudices of both her father and many in the wider community, Amy falls in love with Charles Chen, and he with her. I would have liked to have learnt more about Amy and her relationship with Charles immediately following their marriage, and the repercussions of her choice which are glossed over in favour of a summary of sorts.
As a new widow, Angie is still grieving the sudden loss of her husband when she decides a change of scenery could offer her peace of mind. She rents the Old Manse with a view to buy, and begins to renovate it as well as teach art classes in the dining room. I was sympathetic to Angie's need to fill her days, and even understood her deciding to take on a boarder, Jack, for both practical and emotional reasons. Unfortunately it was Angie's relationship with Jack that soured me on her character. While I can see how the author perhaps felt the societal disapproval between Amy's love for Charles and Angie's dalliance with Jack could compare, I didn't find it an appropriate parallel. Angie's behaviour crosses a line for me, even though she may be able to wield the excuse of her grief and his wife's distance.
Though there are broad points of synchronicity within the dual narratives of Angie and Amy the links are mainly conceptual rather than concrete. I would have liked to have seen the author create a stronger connection between the two women, for example Amy could have been a budding painter, or Angie's deceased husband could have had Chinese heritage. I did appreciate the structure of the story, framed by the seasons and moving clearly between Now and Then, though again I felt the opportunity to draw more obvious parallels between the lives of the women were missed.
However the novel does have its charms, the modern day Millbrooke comes alive and the historical period of the late 1800's on the goldfields, though only briefly sketched, is fascinating. The supporting characters in both eras are well drawn, I especially liked the ambitious Eliza, determined to study medicine in a time when such a thing was thought unbecoming, and Richard even though his reclusive manner branded him a little odd. I also enjoyed the idle chatter of Angie's painting class ladies, and I love platypi, such interesting creatures!
I find it interesting that O'Brien plans a sequel to Mr Chen's Emporium and I am curious to see what happens next in Millbrooke. Mr Chen's Emporium, is a light, engaging novel which I think would particularly appeal to readers of historical and romantic fiction.
April 9, 2014
Ein kleines Geheimnis
Das Cover mit dem Mädchen, welches die Vögel aus dem Käfig befreit, passt als Metapher zu diesem Buch sehr gut. Genau wie Amy die im 19 Jahrhundert lebt und sich aus ihrem goldenen Käfig befreit, welches ihr Vater der ein streng gläubiger Reverend ist, ihr auferlegt. In diesem Buch geht es um zwei Frauen, einmal Amy die ihm 19 Jahrhundert lebt und Angie aus der Gegenwart. Zwei Frauen, die versuchen ihren Weg zu finden. Eines Tages muss Amy von Sydney, wo sie bei ihrer Tante Molly gelebt hat, nach Milllbrooke um ihrer Mutter zu helfen. Bei Besorgungen in der Stadt, sieht sie zufällig das Warenhaus, von Charles Chen, welches so voller Magie scheint, die im restlichen Millbrooke fehlt. Als sie es zaghaft betritt, kann sie sich dem Zauber, den fremden Gerüchen, den exotischen Stoffen und dem Charme des attraktiven Charles nicht mehr entziehen.
Die Witwe Angie führt ein kurzer Ausflug mit ihren Freundinnen nach Millbrooke, wo sie sich sofort in das alte Pfarrhaus, wo Amy einst gelebt hatte, verliebt. Daraufhin beschließt sie das Haus, von dem mürrischen wie eigenwilligen Richard zu mieten. Schon bald nachdem sie einen alten Koffer mit Amys Schätzen erhält, erforscht sie deren Leben. Stück für Stück findet sie Amys Geheimnis raus.
Die Geschichte ist wunderbar aufgebaut und die Autorin verfolgt einen roten Faden, den man gut nachvollziehen kann. Auch das hin und herspringen, zwischen damals und heute, ist anschaulich und nachvollziehbar gestaltet. So das man keine Mühe hat, der Geschichte zu folgen. Dennoch hat mich Angies klischeebehaftete Geschichte ein wenig gelangweilt, ich wollte immer wissen wie es mit Amy weitergeht.
Mir hätte ein Buch allein über Amy besser gefallen. Ihre Geschichte war traurig schön, romantisch und ich habe mich gefühlt, als sei ich mit ihr dort, in diesem magischen Warenhaus.
Ein leichtes Buch für ein paar ruhige Lesestunden. Trotz vieler Klischees, derer sich die Autorin hier bedient, lesenwert, wenn man ein Buch ohne viel Tiefgang und großer Emotionen sucht.
Gut gefallen haben mir auch die kurzen Zitate aus L'histoire d'Aladdin und die Zeichnungen, die das Buch in Abschnitten, der jeweiligen Jahreszeiten unterteilt.
Das Cover mit dem Mädchen, welches die Vögel aus dem Käfig befreit, passt als Metapher zu diesem Buch sehr gut. Genau wie Amy die im 19 Jahrhundert lebt und sich aus ihrem goldenen Käfig befreit, welches ihr Vater der ein streng gläubiger Reverend ist, ihr auferlegt. In diesem Buch geht es um zwei Frauen, einmal Amy die ihm 19 Jahrhundert lebt und Angie aus der Gegenwart. Zwei Frauen, die versuchen ihren Weg zu finden. Eines Tages muss Amy von Sydney, wo sie bei ihrer Tante Molly gelebt hat, nach Milllbrooke um ihrer Mutter zu helfen. Bei Besorgungen in der Stadt, sieht sie zufällig das Warenhaus, von Charles Chen, welches so voller Magie scheint, die im restlichen Millbrooke fehlt. Als sie es zaghaft betritt, kann sie sich dem Zauber, den fremden Gerüchen, den exotischen Stoffen und dem Charme des attraktiven Charles nicht mehr entziehen.
Die Witwe Angie führt ein kurzer Ausflug mit ihren Freundinnen nach Millbrooke, wo sie sich sofort in das alte Pfarrhaus, wo Amy einst gelebt hatte, verliebt. Daraufhin beschließt sie das Haus, von dem mürrischen wie eigenwilligen Richard zu mieten. Schon bald nachdem sie einen alten Koffer mit Amys Schätzen erhält, erforscht sie deren Leben. Stück für Stück findet sie Amys Geheimnis raus.
Die Geschichte ist wunderbar aufgebaut und die Autorin verfolgt einen roten Faden, den man gut nachvollziehen kann. Auch das hin und herspringen, zwischen damals und heute, ist anschaulich und nachvollziehbar gestaltet. So das man keine Mühe hat, der Geschichte zu folgen. Dennoch hat mich Angies klischeebehaftete Geschichte ein wenig gelangweilt, ich wollte immer wissen wie es mit Amy weitergeht.
Mir hätte ein Buch allein über Amy besser gefallen. Ihre Geschichte war traurig schön, romantisch und ich habe mich gefühlt, als sei ich mit ihr dort, in diesem magischen Warenhaus.
Ein leichtes Buch für ein paar ruhige Lesestunden. Trotz vieler Klischees, derer sich die Autorin hier bedient, lesenwert, wenn man ein Buch ohne viel Tiefgang und großer Emotionen sucht.
Gut gefallen haben mir auch die kurzen Zitate aus L'histoire d'Aladdin und die Zeichnungen, die das Buch in Abschnitten, der jeweiligen Jahreszeiten unterteilt.
October 14, 2012
This was ok, although it was somewhat different to what I had expected. The description was quite promising: two women from Sydney arrive in the Australian gold rush town of Millbroke, Amy in 1872, Angie in the present day. Alternating between the two storylines, Angie, who rents the house Amy used to live in, sets out to piece together Amy's life. This could have been really good, and it had some interesting and captivating elements, for the most part though it turned out to be just chick lit - not bad, but simplistic. That said, it was a quick and easy fun read, and it held my interest sufficiently to have me finish it within a day.
January 26, 2017
I hadn't expected to like this as much as I did. Two strong women, two centuries apart, in small town Australia, battle societal expectations. I am a bit over non-linear plots but I liked this.
March 1, 2022
A nice light read, with some interesting background on how the Chinese were regarded on the gold fields and in Society in the 1870s. I had the feeling that 'Millbrooke' might be Hill End or Sofala...The switching back and forth between Amy in the past and Angie in the present was well balanced; and there's a question as to whether Angie is becoming interested in Amy to block out her own grief or because she is really interested in the history of the sleepy little town with its gold-rush past glories. Not overly taxing or sentimental and the romance elements are in context with the story, rather than being over-done.
May 9, 2023
Loved this book the historical information the prejudice in Australia around the goldfields. Unfortunately it also brought out the hypocrisy and unfair treatment of Charles by her clergyman father Amy held to her beliefs and the love she felt for Charles. Years later angie who moves into the house that Amy had been brought up in what's to find out the mystery surrounding Angie.. loved it and will be looking for her next book
December 1, 2024
This was a charming read with a dual narrative. Set in Australia in the late 1800s and modern times. It explores a young woman’s relationship with a Chinese immigrant in the past and a recent widows relocation to the country. Both interconnecting stories were beautifully and simply told with a heartfelt connection and dialogue. I would highly recommend this book and will look for more from this author.
April 4, 2020
Amy, Charles and Eliza are fascinating and likeable characters. I really enjoyed reading their story and want to hear more, particularly about Eliza. What remarkable characters!
The modern day story wasn't quite as enjoyable, though still not a bad read, but I struggled to relate to the main character or become invested in her life.
The modern day story wasn't quite as enjoyable, though still not a bad read, but I struggled to relate to the main character or become invested in her life.
April 8, 2022
Lovely story set in a small town, the story line moves between 1830 Amy, a woman ahead of her times and Ange who in the current day ends up living in Amy's cottage. The discovery of an old trunk leads Ange on a journey of interest to the gold rush days.
Themes of prejudice, loss, love, coming through grief.
Themes of prejudice, loss, love, coming through grief.
February 5, 2018
Flipping between the 1870s and modern day, this novel is based around two strong female characters and the approach they take to life. It was a good, easy-to-read book and I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could. It loses half a star for being seriously twee in places!
September 13, 2023
An enjoyable read, where the characters really grow on you. I like the dual timeline but I actually felt the author wrote Angie's story better than Amy's. It seemed to flow more seamlessly.
Overall an enjoyable read. 3 and a half stars.
Overall an enjoyable read. 3 and a half stars.
October 15, 2012
In 1872, Miss Amy Duncan is 17. Having enjoyed some time living with her Aunt Molly in Sydney, finishing her education, she finds herself recalled to her family in Millbrooke, a small mining town as her mother is ill and requires her help. Amy is reluctant, she doesn’t see eye to eye with her strict Reverend father and she enjoyed her life in Sydney with her aunt. She has romantic notions of what the mining town will be like but what she gets is a dusty street.
Each morning, Amy must buy bread early for the family and on her way home she passes Mr Chen’s Emporium, an exotic store for the Chinese working on the goldfields, stocking the teas, silks and ornaments that remind them of home. Amy is immediately fascinated by the beautiful smells and the wonderful stock and she’s even more taken by the store’s handsome owner, Mr Charles Chen, a Chinese man who was raised by a local family after the death of his father when he was a boy.
In the present time, Angie is in need of a change. Recently widowed, her friends drag her to Millbrooke for a weekend away and she falls in love with the small town and with the Old Manse, a house up for sale, the one that Amy lived in with her family all those years ago. Her landlord who owns the grandest house in Millbrooke tells her of a trunk containing Amy’s old belongings and Angie becomes fascinated with the young girl, trying to find out what happened to her. She is also taken with the miniature of Mr Charles Chen in the local museum and is surprised to find out that the lives of the two people that fascinate her were inextricably linked.
Shifting between the harsh times of 1872 and the present day, Mr Chen’s Emporium is the story of daring to follow your dreams and your passions in a time when women did no such thing. It is a story of finding yourself and healing after a devastating loss. It’s a mix of the Oriental exotic and the dusty outback, the city and the small country town and most of all, forbidden and new love.
Mr Chen’s Emporium struck me as something I had to read from the moment I was first offered the chance to review it. I don’t read enough books that are set in Australian history, particularly the times of the Goldrush. That’s when the Chinese came to Australia in droves to try their luck and it’s what Charles Chen’s father does in this book. He is killed in an accident when Charles is just 10 but a local family take him in and raise him as a part of their family. Now, in 1872, the local ‘white’ community is half raising up in an attempt to banish the Chinese from the goldfields. It’s a dangerous time to be Chinese and also to be a Chinese that acts more white than not, one who isn’t afraid to stand up and talk about how he feels, about his people and their right to be there just as much as the other prospectors. Charles is so much a character to be admired – handsome, faultlessly polite, possessed of strong convictions and a gentle, generous nature. It’s no wonder that Amy is drawn to him from the first time she meets him and they fall in love, despite the expectations of Charles’ mother back in China for him to go back and marry a bride she has picked, and despite the fact that Amy’s father is a bible-bashing racist, horrified when Charles comes asking for Amy’s hand. She risks everything to be with the man she loves, unafraid of the consequences. I was so invested in their story! I really liked them both – Amy was smart, well-read, a good and dutiful daughter but also very much her own woman. I appreciated that.
In the modern day story we have Angie, a woman in her 50s who was recently widowed in unexpected circumstances. Seeking a change she rents a dilapidated cottage in Millbrooke that was once the home of Amy and her family which she begins to slowly spruice up, a room at a time. She finds a niche for herself in the town, meeting other women when she holds a painting class, establishing a rather offbeat friendship with her eccentric landlord Richard and becoming fascinated with Amy and Charles when she learns of their identities. It takes her some time before she realises the two were deeply connected and Angie is as invested in their story as I was as she tries to find out what happened to them. The only aspect of the story that I didn’t connect with came through Angie’s relationship with a man she takes in as a lodger, which I just couldn’t warm to even given the casual circumstances.
Mr Chen’s Emporium is a wonderful debut novel, rich with history and packed full of stories that I just couldn’t get enough of. I was so thankful when I learned thanks to a Q&A in the back of the book that there’s going to be a sequel featuring Angie. I feel as though a lot of Angie’s journey is still ahead of her so I’m glad that O’Brien is continuing her story. I really enjoyed all of the people in Millbrooke that she became friends with were funny and interesting and I can’t wait to hear more about them as well. And Richard. I loved Richard in all his eccentricity.
Can recommend this one for fans of both contemporary and historical fiction and those who love to read about country Australia.
Each morning, Amy must buy bread early for the family and on her way home she passes Mr Chen’s Emporium, an exotic store for the Chinese working on the goldfields, stocking the teas, silks and ornaments that remind them of home. Amy is immediately fascinated by the beautiful smells and the wonderful stock and she’s even more taken by the store’s handsome owner, Mr Charles Chen, a Chinese man who was raised by a local family after the death of his father when he was a boy.
In the present time, Angie is in need of a change. Recently widowed, her friends drag her to Millbrooke for a weekend away and she falls in love with the small town and with the Old Manse, a house up for sale, the one that Amy lived in with her family all those years ago. Her landlord who owns the grandest house in Millbrooke tells her of a trunk containing Amy’s old belongings and Angie becomes fascinated with the young girl, trying to find out what happened to her. She is also taken with the miniature of Mr Charles Chen in the local museum and is surprised to find out that the lives of the two people that fascinate her were inextricably linked.
Shifting between the harsh times of 1872 and the present day, Mr Chen’s Emporium is the story of daring to follow your dreams and your passions in a time when women did no such thing. It is a story of finding yourself and healing after a devastating loss. It’s a mix of the Oriental exotic and the dusty outback, the city and the small country town and most of all, forbidden and new love.
Mr Chen’s Emporium struck me as something I had to read from the moment I was first offered the chance to review it. I don’t read enough books that are set in Australian history, particularly the times of the Goldrush. That’s when the Chinese came to Australia in droves to try their luck and it’s what Charles Chen’s father does in this book. He is killed in an accident when Charles is just 10 but a local family take him in and raise him as a part of their family. Now, in 1872, the local ‘white’ community is half raising up in an attempt to banish the Chinese from the goldfields. It’s a dangerous time to be Chinese and also to be a Chinese that acts more white than not, one who isn’t afraid to stand up and talk about how he feels, about his people and their right to be there just as much as the other prospectors. Charles is so much a character to be admired – handsome, faultlessly polite, possessed of strong convictions and a gentle, generous nature. It’s no wonder that Amy is drawn to him from the first time she meets him and they fall in love, despite the expectations of Charles’ mother back in China for him to go back and marry a bride she has picked, and despite the fact that Amy’s father is a bible-bashing racist, horrified when Charles comes asking for Amy’s hand. She risks everything to be with the man she loves, unafraid of the consequences. I was so invested in their story! I really liked them both – Amy was smart, well-read, a good and dutiful daughter but also very much her own woman. I appreciated that.
In the modern day story we have Angie, a woman in her 50s who was recently widowed in unexpected circumstances. Seeking a change she rents a dilapidated cottage in Millbrooke that was once the home of Amy and her family which she begins to slowly spruice up, a room at a time. She finds a niche for herself in the town, meeting other women when she holds a painting class, establishing a rather offbeat friendship with her eccentric landlord Richard and becoming fascinated with Amy and Charles when she learns of their identities. It takes her some time before she realises the two were deeply connected and Angie is as invested in their story as I was as she tries to find out what happened to them. The only aspect of the story that I didn’t connect with came through Angie’s relationship with a man she takes in as a lodger, which I just couldn’t warm to even given the casual circumstances.
Mr Chen’s Emporium is a wonderful debut novel, rich with history and packed full of stories that I just couldn’t get enough of. I was so thankful when I learned thanks to a Q&A in the back of the book that there’s going to be a sequel featuring Angie. I feel as though a lot of Angie’s journey is still ahead of her so I’m glad that O’Brien is continuing her story. I really enjoyed all of the people in Millbrooke that she became friends with were funny and interesting and I can’t wait to hear more about them as well. And Richard. I loved Richard in all his eccentricity.
Can recommend this one for fans of both contemporary and historical fiction and those who love to read about country Australia.
July 11, 2017
An easy read book - really enjoyed the historical storyline
June 11, 2020
Found this delightful book at the op shop. Really enjoyed the then and now format.
Most reviews tell you the story.
Looking forward to reading the next book which I have been able to source.
Most reviews tell you the story.
Looking forward to reading the next book which I have been able to source.
November 17, 2021
Die Geschichte ist an sich schön aber ich bin nicht richtig in den Lesefluss gekommen und gefühlt hat sich die Geschichte sehr gezogen.
Read
December 30, 2025DNF
September 12, 2012
Mr Chen’s Emporium is the debut novel by Australian teacher and visual artist Deborah O’Brien. Moving between the present day and the Gold Rush era in rural New South Wales, O’Brien weaves a comfortingly old-fashioned tale of love, loss and self-discovery.
In 1872, 17 year old Amy Duncan is struggling to spread her wings in the dusty town of Millbrooke. Oppressed by the rules of her strict clergyman father and a passive mother preoccupied with the difficulties of childbirth and childrearing so common for women of the period, Amy escapes into the pages of Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice, wishing for her own chance to be swept off her feet. When the family attends a local barn dance, Amy imagines herself swirling around a ballroom; her notions of love and marriage are naïve and romantic. She has a shock in store when she comes across the handsome Mr Chen and the Aladdin’s cave of treasures stocked in his little shop.
In present day Millbrooke, Angie Wallace, a recently widowed artist, has rented the Old Manse, where Amy used to live. She comes across an antique trunk, filled with European and Chinese bits and bobs, and slowly pieces together the story of the house’s former occupants. Meanwhile, Millbrooke itself is in a state of flux as tension brews between mining interests, a proposal for a new historical tourist attraction and local residents who prefer the quiet life.
This novel taps into the widespread interest in genealogy and local history popularised in recent years by programs such as Who Do You Think You Are? As a former museum curator myself, I relished the way O’Brien approached the topic of research in this novel: the difficulties of tracing people from a period where records were incomplete, for example, and the challenges involved in maintaining a local museum in the face of restrictive funding. Millbrooke is a fictional place, but the author has used her research cleverly to recreate a very typical Gold Rush town, with all the characteristics and situations common to the time.
One of the defining issues of the Gold Rush period was the relationship between the Anglo-Irish population and the large community of Chinese migrants who came to work the goldfields. This is one of the earliest examples of Australia’s struggle with ‘multiculturalism’, and in this time of intolerance and fear of anyone visibly ‘different’ there were many examples of racist attacks against the Chinese. To fall in love with a Chinese man would mean choosing life as a social outcast. Amy must decide how willing she is to make this choice.
In the present day, Angie has no interest in romance, having lost the true love of her life. But with her adult children getting on with their lives, and her head filled with the details of this other historical love story, Angie too surprises herself by finding a companion in the most unlikely of circumstances.
Mr Chen’s Emporium is the story of two brave and resilient women, who are willing to stand up for their beliefs and who manage to recreate themselves and their lives in the wake of tragedy. If you are familiar with the stories of Austen or the Brontes – or indeed Downton Abbey! – you will recognise the brooding, misunderstood heroes, as well as the sweet-talking cads, who make up this novel’s love interests. The strong women, quick-witted and independent except when it comes to love, will also resonate for fans of a good period drama. Importantly, all this romance is presented alongside some key moments in Australian history, demonstrating the struggles with migration and gender roles that continue, in varying ways, in the present day.
An extended review can be read at http://thischarmingmum.com
In 1872, 17 year old Amy Duncan is struggling to spread her wings in the dusty town of Millbrooke. Oppressed by the rules of her strict clergyman father and a passive mother preoccupied with the difficulties of childbirth and childrearing so common for women of the period, Amy escapes into the pages of Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice, wishing for her own chance to be swept off her feet. When the family attends a local barn dance, Amy imagines herself swirling around a ballroom; her notions of love and marriage are naïve and romantic. She has a shock in store when she comes across the handsome Mr Chen and the Aladdin’s cave of treasures stocked in his little shop.
In present day Millbrooke, Angie Wallace, a recently widowed artist, has rented the Old Manse, where Amy used to live. She comes across an antique trunk, filled with European and Chinese bits and bobs, and slowly pieces together the story of the house’s former occupants. Meanwhile, Millbrooke itself is in a state of flux as tension brews between mining interests, a proposal for a new historical tourist attraction and local residents who prefer the quiet life.
This novel taps into the widespread interest in genealogy and local history popularised in recent years by programs such as Who Do You Think You Are? As a former museum curator myself, I relished the way O’Brien approached the topic of research in this novel: the difficulties of tracing people from a period where records were incomplete, for example, and the challenges involved in maintaining a local museum in the face of restrictive funding. Millbrooke is a fictional place, but the author has used her research cleverly to recreate a very typical Gold Rush town, with all the characteristics and situations common to the time.
One of the defining issues of the Gold Rush period was the relationship between the Anglo-Irish population and the large community of Chinese migrants who came to work the goldfields. This is one of the earliest examples of Australia’s struggle with ‘multiculturalism’, and in this time of intolerance and fear of anyone visibly ‘different’ there were many examples of racist attacks against the Chinese. To fall in love with a Chinese man would mean choosing life as a social outcast. Amy must decide how willing she is to make this choice.
In the present day, Angie has no interest in romance, having lost the true love of her life. But with her adult children getting on with their lives, and her head filled with the details of this other historical love story, Angie too surprises herself by finding a companion in the most unlikely of circumstances.
Mr Chen’s Emporium is the story of two brave and resilient women, who are willing to stand up for their beliefs and who manage to recreate themselves and their lives in the wake of tragedy. If you are familiar with the stories of Austen or the Brontes – or indeed Downton Abbey! – you will recognise the brooding, misunderstood heroes, as well as the sweet-talking cads, who make up this novel’s love interests. The strong women, quick-witted and independent except when it comes to love, will also resonate for fans of a good period drama. Importantly, all this romance is presented alongside some key moments in Australian history, demonstrating the struggles with migration and gender roles that continue, in varying ways, in the present day.
An extended review can be read at http://thischarmingmum.com
January 10, 2015
Amys Geheimnis ist ein Roman von Deborah O’Brien. Er ist am 13. September 2013 im List Verlag als Taschenbuch erschienen und umfasst 384 Seiten. Das englischsprachige Original Mr. Chen’s Emporium erschien am 18. September 2012 bei Bantam.
Inhalt
Zwei Frauen, eine lang vergessene Geschichte und die unstillbare Sehnsucht nach Glück
Ein Ausflug führt die kürzlich verwitwete Angie in das verschlafene ehemalige Goldgräberdorf Millbrooke. Sie verliebt sich sofort in den Ort und zieht in das alte Pfarrhaus. Dort nahm vor langer Zeit das Schicksal eines jungen Mädchens seinen Lauf, dem Angie sich nun nicht mehr entziehen kann …
Als die 17-jährige Amy 1872 nach Millbrooke kam, erwarteten sie leergefegte Straßen – und harte Arbeit. Bis sie den Laden von Charles entdeckte, eine wahre Schatzkammer an exotischen Stoffen und Gerüchen, die Amy mindestens genauso verzauberte wie Charles selbst …
(Klappentext)
Erster Satz
„Amy Duncan hatte gerade einmal die Hälfte ihrer Reise hinter sich und sehnte sich bereits nach Sydney und dem kühlen Lüftchen im Hafen.“
Meinung
Das Cover finde ich persönlich sehr hübsch. Es ist mir gleich ins Auge gesprungen, als ich es gesehen habe und fällt meiner Meinung nach auch auf. Es könnte aber für manche durchaus zu kitschig sein.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin gefällt mir ganz gut. Sie beschreibt die Szenen sehr detailliert und hat die Handlung gut durchdacht. Gerade die Kunstwerke und die Architektur werden hier besonders gut herausgehoben und genau dargestellt. Durch den Wechsel und die Verflechtung der Geschichten schafft die Autorin eine gewisse Spannung, die den Leser fesselt.
Das Buch besteht aus 15 Kapiteln und einem Epilog. Außerdem sind noch weitere Abschnitte vorhanden, die mehrere Kapitel beinhalten. Sie beginnen mit dem „Herbst“, gehen dann die anderen Jahreszeiten chronologisch durch und enden mit dem „Herbst“ ein Jahr darauf. Auf der Titelseite dieser Abschnitte ist auch immer ein passendes – frei übersetztes – Zitat aus der „Histoire d’Aladdin ou la lampe merveilleuse“ gedruckt. Die Geschichte selbst ist in zwei Handlungsstränge eingeteilt: Amys Geschichte und Angies. Pro Kapitel beginnt das Buch immer mit der Vergangenheit und somit Amys Leben und geht dann in die Gegenwart zu Angie über.
Die Handlung ist jetzt nicht besonders spannend, fesselt den Leser aber trotzdem ganz gut ans Buch. Besonders gut gefallen hat mir, dass beide Handlungsstränge nachher mehr und mehr zueinander führen und man teilweise Dinge über Amy in der Handlung von Angie erfährt. Außerdem gibt es unvorhersehbare Wendungen, die die Geschichte interessant machen. Es geht hier um so viele verschiedene Themen, die alle zur Sprache kommen. So zum Beispiel der „Rassismus“ in der Vergangenheit, bei dem es um die einheimischen Familien in Millbrooke gegen die Chinesen geht. Es dreht sich um Liebe, die über die Grenzen geht und es geht darum, die Vergangenheit in der Gegenwart wieder zu entdecken und daraus zu lernen. Alles in allem hat das Buch für mich sehr lesenswert gemacht. Schade hingegen finde ich jedoch, dass das Ende relativ offen gehalten wird. Hier hätte ich mir doch noch etwas mehr Details gewünscht.
Fazit
Ein schöner Roman, in dem Vergangenheit und Gegenwart ineinander übergehen und der durch unterschiedliche Themen überzeugt.
Inhalt
Zwei Frauen, eine lang vergessene Geschichte und die unstillbare Sehnsucht nach Glück
Ein Ausflug führt die kürzlich verwitwete Angie in das verschlafene ehemalige Goldgräberdorf Millbrooke. Sie verliebt sich sofort in den Ort und zieht in das alte Pfarrhaus. Dort nahm vor langer Zeit das Schicksal eines jungen Mädchens seinen Lauf, dem Angie sich nun nicht mehr entziehen kann …
Als die 17-jährige Amy 1872 nach Millbrooke kam, erwarteten sie leergefegte Straßen – und harte Arbeit. Bis sie den Laden von Charles entdeckte, eine wahre Schatzkammer an exotischen Stoffen und Gerüchen, die Amy mindestens genauso verzauberte wie Charles selbst …
(Klappentext)
Erster Satz
„Amy Duncan hatte gerade einmal die Hälfte ihrer Reise hinter sich und sehnte sich bereits nach Sydney und dem kühlen Lüftchen im Hafen.“
Meinung
Das Cover finde ich persönlich sehr hübsch. Es ist mir gleich ins Auge gesprungen, als ich es gesehen habe und fällt meiner Meinung nach auch auf. Es könnte aber für manche durchaus zu kitschig sein.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin gefällt mir ganz gut. Sie beschreibt die Szenen sehr detailliert und hat die Handlung gut durchdacht. Gerade die Kunstwerke und die Architektur werden hier besonders gut herausgehoben und genau dargestellt. Durch den Wechsel und die Verflechtung der Geschichten schafft die Autorin eine gewisse Spannung, die den Leser fesselt.
Das Buch besteht aus 15 Kapiteln und einem Epilog. Außerdem sind noch weitere Abschnitte vorhanden, die mehrere Kapitel beinhalten. Sie beginnen mit dem „Herbst“, gehen dann die anderen Jahreszeiten chronologisch durch und enden mit dem „Herbst“ ein Jahr darauf. Auf der Titelseite dieser Abschnitte ist auch immer ein passendes – frei übersetztes – Zitat aus der „Histoire d’Aladdin ou la lampe merveilleuse“ gedruckt. Die Geschichte selbst ist in zwei Handlungsstränge eingeteilt: Amys Geschichte und Angies. Pro Kapitel beginnt das Buch immer mit der Vergangenheit und somit Amys Leben und geht dann in die Gegenwart zu Angie über.
Die Handlung ist jetzt nicht besonders spannend, fesselt den Leser aber trotzdem ganz gut ans Buch. Besonders gut gefallen hat mir, dass beide Handlungsstränge nachher mehr und mehr zueinander führen und man teilweise Dinge über Amy in der Handlung von Angie erfährt. Außerdem gibt es unvorhersehbare Wendungen, die die Geschichte interessant machen. Es geht hier um so viele verschiedene Themen, die alle zur Sprache kommen. So zum Beispiel der „Rassismus“ in der Vergangenheit, bei dem es um die einheimischen Familien in Millbrooke gegen die Chinesen geht. Es dreht sich um Liebe, die über die Grenzen geht und es geht darum, die Vergangenheit in der Gegenwart wieder zu entdecken und daraus zu lernen. Alles in allem hat das Buch für mich sehr lesenswert gemacht. Schade hingegen finde ich jedoch, dass das Ende relativ offen gehalten wird. Hier hätte ich mir doch noch etwas mehr Details gewünscht.
Fazit
Ein schöner Roman, in dem Vergangenheit und Gegenwart ineinander übergehen und der durch unterschiedliche Themen überzeugt.
February 28, 2017
I read this book in two days, such an easy read, but at the same time i HAD to find out how it was going to end. Set in Australia in the past and the present, both stories were well put together.
One of those books that you fall in love with the Characters and dont want it to end :)
One of those books that you fall in love with the Characters and dont want it to end :)
July 30, 2016
A beautifully crafted debut novel , that moves perfectly between past and present storylines. The first is set in 1872 in the town of Millbrooke NSW during the gold rush era. 17 year old Amy Duncan has recently arrived from Scotland to join her Minister Father and family in the town. She finds herself exploring the dusty roads in town and comes across a little shop unlike any other she has seen before, an Aladdin’s cave of sorts, called Mr Chen’s Emporium. In a shop filled with mysterious ornaments and spices, Amy befriends the shop’s owner, the charming Charles Chen and this marks the beginning of a forbidden love story. Intertwined with the past thread, is the present story of Angie, a widower and artist who takes up residence in the town of Millbrooke. She comes across an antique chest that once belonged to Amy filled with Oriental and Western relics and she resolves to uncover Amy’s fate, while discovering a few things about herself along the way. I found this book utterly enchanting. For a debut novel, Deborah O’Brien has married the past and present narratives perfectly. I loved the characters in this novel, especially Amy who I greatly admired for her strength, resilience and determination, a pioneering woman of the era. The moral dilemmas and racial tensions faced by the main characters was heartbreaking and gave insight into the thinking of people in gold rush times Australia. What really stood out to me about this novel was both the setting and the beautiful love story the merged with just the right amount of mystery. This was aided by Angie’s present day search for Amy’s story. I enjoyed the scenes where Amy would take forbidden visits to Charles Shop and the simmering love tension that built up on every visit was a page turner, I only wish there were a few more of these scenes before they got together! Highly recommended for those who love a historical love story and parallel storylines.
September 28, 2012
The book opens with young Amy Duncan travelling from the thriving city of Sydney to the Gold Rush town of Millbrooke. She has been summoned there by her very strict, very narrow-minded father who is the town clergyman. For Amy, this means an end to a life with her aunt who lets her read scandalous novels (one of my favourite aspects of the book), buy pretty dresses and attend charming entertainments. In her new life, she will be expected to work hard by her mother's side looking after her siblings, acting as a type of governess to another young girl in the town and to behave properly at all times.
Life starts as expected but Amy is given a glimpse into a more exotic life when she visits Mr Chen's Emporium. He gives her some tea but like so much of her life, spirited Amy must hide this gift from her father who has a very poor opinion of men like Charles Chen. This is because Charles and his brother are of Chinese origin. Charles is a little different to some of the other Chinese in town because he was in effect adopted by one of the most influential families in town and so he has the benefit of a good English education as well as his Chinese ethnicity.
To read more of my thoughts on this book head to
http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2012...
3.5/5
Life starts as expected but Amy is given a glimpse into a more exotic life when she visits Mr Chen's Emporium. He gives her some tea but like so much of her life, spirited Amy must hide this gift from her father who has a very poor opinion of men like Charles Chen. This is because Charles and his brother are of Chinese origin. Charles is a little different to some of the other Chinese in town because he was in effect adopted by one of the most influential families in town and so he has the benefit of a good English education as well as his Chinese ethnicity.
To read more of my thoughts on this book head to
http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2012...
3.5/5
July 11, 2013
Mr Chen's Emporium is set in a small Goldrush town in outback New South Wales. The novel contrasts the Millbrooke of 1870 with the Millbrooke of today. In 1870 Amy Chen has been recalled to Millbrooke to care for her ailing mother. She is young, romantic, and somewhat stifled by her strict clergyman father. She meets Mr Chen who runs an Emporium in the township and despite her fathers disapproval and the towns predjudice against the 'celestials' falls in love.
In the present day Angie has come to visit Millbrooke with her girlfriends. She is mourning the loss of her husband and discovers Millbrooke as a refuge in which to restart her life. She falls in love with the Manse which is where Amy's family lived and despite the concerns of her sons and friends makes the move. As she becomes a part of the community she finds a few of Amy's things hidden away and forms a connection.
The two stories are beautifully intertwined. Without ever knowing each other the two women become important to each other and as readers we see the parallels between their lives.
This book was a joy to read. It was funny and sad and uplifting and in the end compelling. I really needed to know what happened to both of these women. I became invested in their lives just as Angie became invested in Amy's.
In the present day Angie has come to visit Millbrooke with her girlfriends. She is mourning the loss of her husband and discovers Millbrooke as a refuge in which to restart her life. She falls in love with the Manse which is where Amy's family lived and despite the concerns of her sons and friends makes the move. As she becomes a part of the community she finds a few of Amy's things hidden away and forms a connection.
The two stories are beautifully intertwined. Without ever knowing each other the two women become important to each other and as readers we see the parallels between their lives.
This book was a joy to read. It was funny and sad and uplifting and in the end compelling. I really needed to know what happened to both of these women. I became invested in their lives just as Angie became invested in Amy's.
March 12, 2015
Mr Chen's Emporium is set in a small Goldrush town in outback New South Wales. The novel contrasts the Millbrooke of 1870 with the Millbrooke of today. In 1870 Amy Chen has been recalled to Millbrooke to care for her ailing mother. She is young, romantic, and somewhat stifled by her strict clergyman father. She meets Mr Chen who runs an Emporium in the township and despite her fathers disapproval and the towns predjudice against the 'celestials' falls in love.
In the present day Angie has come to visit Millbrooke with her girlfriends. She is mourning the loss of her husband and discovers Millbrooke as a refuge in which to restart her life. She falls in love with the Manse which is where Amy's family lived and despite the concerns of her sons and friends makes the move. As she becomes a part of the community she finds a few of Amy's things hidden away and forms a connection.
The two stories are beautifully intertwined. Without ever knowing each other the two women become important to each other and as readers we see the parallels between their lives.
This book was a joy to read. It was funny and sad and uplifting and in the end compelling. I really needed to know what happened to both of these women. I became invested in their lives just as Angie became invested in Amy's.
Note: Although this is an adult novel I would offer it to YA without hesitation.
In the present day Angie has come to visit Millbrooke with her girlfriends. She is mourning the loss of her husband and discovers Millbrooke as a refuge in which to restart her life. She falls in love with the Manse which is where Amy's family lived and despite the concerns of her sons and friends makes the move. As she becomes a part of the community she finds a few of Amy's things hidden away and forms a connection.
The two stories are beautifully intertwined. Without ever knowing each other the two women become important to each other and as readers we see the parallels between their lives.
This book was a joy to read. It was funny and sad and uplifting and in the end compelling. I really needed to know what happened to both of these women. I became invested in their lives just as Angie became invested in Amy's.
Note: Although this is an adult novel I would offer it to YA without hesitation.
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