A Dream of Red Mansions

A Dream of Red Mansions #2

by Cao Xueqin, Kao Ngo, Yang Xianyi (Translator)

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: Classics, China, Fiction, Literature, Historical Fiction, Chinese Literature, Historical

736 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2001

About the author

Xueqin Cao (Chinese: 曹雪芹; pinyin: Cáo Xuěqín; Wade–Giles: Ts'ao Hsueh-ch'in, 1715 or 1724 — 1763 or 1764) was the pseudonym of a Qing Dynasty Chinese writer, best known as the author of Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.
It has been suggested that his given name was Zhan Cao (曹霑) and his courtesy name is Mengruan (夢阮; 梦阮; literally "Dream about Ruan" or "Dream of Ruan")[...]

Reviews

[Raúl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como el Otoño da paso al Verano, la decadencia empieza a enseñorearse de la casa Ring, cuando la casa Ningg ya ha caído. El Jardín idílico lleno de bellezas que rodean a Baiyu se va despoblando, cubriendo de miserias, tristezas, dolores, violencia. La decadencia económica se suma a la intransigencia y a la traición, hasta llegar al despiadado plan de Xifeng para librarse de la segunda mujer de su marido. Las doncellas son diezmadas y Qiqweng, favorita de Daiyu, es expulsada sin razón y acaba muriendo. La poesía, la escritura, que es representada por el intento de las jóvenes y Daiyu de crear una Academia de Poesía, es lo único que intenta salvaguardar tanta miseria que hace que los personajes positivos del comienzo de la novela acaben mostrando, sobre todo con los personajes de más edad, una crueldad brutal. La muerte de Qiqweng desencadena la redacción de un epitafio de Baiyu. Daiyu, que sorprende la ceremonia, rectifica uno de los versos, que finalmente se convierten en la cifra de su pronta desaparición... En los últimos capítulos ya se nota el revelo de la pluma de Sao Xuaquin a la de Gao E, más dura y explícita, más descarnada. Un cambio de estilo que funciona perfectamente debido al cambio de la marcha de la novela, aunque esta siga el plan de decadencia ya trazado por Caso Xuequin en los primeros vaticinios de los primeros capítulos...
Y sigue la historia...

[James Violand · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have read my review of the first volume of this work, you will know my initial reaction. After finishing this one, I need to add: Nothing of any note takes place. The mundane occurrences in the life of a privileged Chinese youth of the eighteenth century are inexplicably entertaining.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second volume continues the same distinct storytelling and character-building as the first, but with a greater sense of building tragedy. The lyrical, day-by-day nature of the story sometimes means you don't notice the tragedy, but you feel it always there, ready to descend. Gorgeous.

[Grozny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot darkens (vs vol I).

[Aarti]

False

[Alys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considered to be one of the best translations (I also have the Chinese language versions). There are a few misspellings (eg. "wistaria"), but these do not lessen the readability. This comment is for the first edition, hardback, slip-cased edition, published by the Foreign Language Press, Peking, 1978. It uses alternate romanizations (Wade-Giles): Tsao Hsueh-Chin and Kao Ngo, illustrated by Tai Tun-Pang.

[Caroline Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really impressive. HUGE cast of characters. A commentary on the Qing Dynasty - but perhaps things never changed all that much. No differentiation between criminal and civil matters, and even "capital crimes" can be circumvented by paying people - sometimes many people, including the magistrate, but still.

Worth reading.

On to Volume III!

[Carol Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

see review under volume I