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Das Haus der tausend Blüten
Malaysia, 1936: Die schöne Lu See flieht mit ihrem Dienstmädchen Sum Sum aus ihrer Heimat, um gegen den Willen ihrer Familie ihre große Liebe zu heiraten. Als sie bald darauf schwanger wird, scheint Lu Sees Glück vollkommen. Aber all ihre Träume und Hoffnungen zerschlagen sich auf tragische Weise. Nur die innige Freundschaft zu Sum Sum bewahrt die junge Frau vor dem endgültigen Zusammenbruch. Dann jedoch verschwindet die Freundin spurlos. Doch sie hinterlässt Lu See ein Geschenk, das ihrer beider Leben für immer verändert …
544 pages, Paperback
First published February 18, 2013
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735 people want to read
About the author
Julian Lees
9 books319 followers Julian Lees was born and raised in Hong Kong.
He currently lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with his wife and children.
The great-grandson of a high-ranking Cossack officer who served under the last Tsar of Russia, Julian is a writer who draws from his family's rich history.His novels are set in a world where East meets West, a cross-cultural world which he captures bewitchingly and dramatically in his fiction
THE BONE RITUAL, the first in a crime series set in contemporary Jakarta and introducing detective Ruud Pujasumarta, has been nominated for the CWA Gold Dagger Award 2017. It was published in October 2016 by Little, Brown Books on the Constable list. Publishing director Krystyna Green says: “We are delighted with this two-book acquisition as the exotic location and vast cast of local characters is original and colourful, and a far cry from the dark thrillers of Scandinavia or inner cities of the UK.”
Julian is also the author of the novels THE FAN TAN PLAYERS (entered for the 2010 MAN Asian Literary Prize) and THE HOUSE OF TREMBLING LEAVES, published in February 2013 by Sandstone Press in the UK and by Blanvalet/Random House in Germany.
His novels have been translated into five languages.
Represented by Kate Hordern of the Kate Hordern Literary Agency he is also a contributor to writing blogs and magazines.
From Cambridge to Malaysia and a nunnery in the mountains of Tibet across the twentieth century, THE HOUSE OF TREMBLING LEAVES is the story of two mothers and one daughter, of war and survival. Rosy Thornton, author of NINEPINS and THE TAPESTRY OF LOVE, calls it "a compelling novel about the power of female friendship, transcending war, time and separation".
Praise for THE HOUSE OF TREMBLING LEAVES:
“No one can accuse Julian Lees of being a stick in the mud for story locations. His last book, THE FAN TAN PLAYERS was set in Macau and now he's gone for a quadruple siting, taking us to Malaysia, Cambridge, Tibet and India in the comfort of our own homes and some superlative writing.”
The Bookbag
“This is a book with a nice flowing style, well rounded major characters, all with a story to tell... It's the sort of book where you just keep wanting to read 'one more chapter'.”
The Little Reader Library
“THE HOUSE OF TREMBLING LEAVES gave me the sense that I was onto a good read from the very first pages... The array of colourful distinctive characters is what makes the story so engaging and powerful...it's an excellent read.” Book Diva
He currently lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with his wife and children.
The great-grandson of a high-ranking Cossack officer who served under the last Tsar of Russia, Julian is a writer who draws from his family's rich history.His novels are set in a world where East meets West, a cross-cultural world which he captures bewitchingly and dramatically in his fiction
THE BONE RITUAL, the first in a crime series set in contemporary Jakarta and introducing detective Ruud Pujasumarta, has been nominated for the CWA Gold Dagger Award 2017. It was published in October 2016 by Little, Brown Books on the Constable list. Publishing director Krystyna Green says: “We are delighted with this two-book acquisition as the exotic location and vast cast of local characters is original and colourful, and a far cry from the dark thrillers of Scandinavia or inner cities of the UK.”
Julian is also the author of the novels THE FAN TAN PLAYERS (entered for the 2010 MAN Asian Literary Prize) and THE HOUSE OF TREMBLING LEAVES, published in February 2013 by Sandstone Press in the UK and by Blanvalet/Random House in Germany.
His novels have been translated into five languages.
Represented by Kate Hordern of the Kate Hordern Literary Agency he is also a contributor to writing blogs and magazines.
From Cambridge to Malaysia and a nunnery in the mountains of Tibet across the twentieth century, THE HOUSE OF TREMBLING LEAVES is the story of two mothers and one daughter, of war and survival. Rosy Thornton, author of NINEPINS and THE TAPESTRY OF LOVE, calls it "a compelling novel about the power of female friendship, transcending war, time and separation".
Praise for THE HOUSE OF TREMBLING LEAVES:
“No one can accuse Julian Lees of being a stick in the mud for story locations. His last book, THE FAN TAN PLAYERS was set in Macau and now he's gone for a quadruple siting, taking us to Malaysia, Cambridge, Tibet and India in the comfort of our own homes and some superlative writing.”
The Bookbag
“This is a book with a nice flowing style, well rounded major characters, all with a story to tell... It's the sort of book where you just keep wanting to read 'one more chapter'.”
The Little Reader Library
“THE HOUSE OF TREMBLING LEAVES gave me the sense that I was onto a good read from the very first pages... The array of colourful distinctive characters is what makes the story so engaging and powerful...it's an excellent read.” Book Diva
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 1, 2017
The feud between the Woo clan and Lu See’s family had been ongoing for many years and the day of the festival was no different. But the catastrophic explosion and subsequent flooding of Lu See’s little village beside the Juru river sent shock waves through the community. To top that off, Lu See was directed by her father to marry a man who disgusted her – the object was to marry into his wealth. But of course the strong-willed and determined young woman refused.
It was Malaysia, 1936 when Lu See fled her home with her Tibetan maid and best friend, Sum Sum and headed for England. Her dream was to graduate from Cambridge University; she was also joining her lover Adrian whom she had met at home. Both Lu See and Sum Sum were fascinated by the country and how different it all was. But tragedy struck Lu See, and then Sum Sum disappeared. Lu See had no choice but to return home…
As the years passed, the innate strength of Lu See saw them through the occupancy of the Japanese and the Communist reign – but she was unhappy; she felt something was missing. She had never heard from Sum Sum again; she had no idea if she was even alive – but she knew she needed desperately to find her. Would she? Could she?
The House of Trembling Leaves by Julian Lees is a fascinating and emotional insight into Malaysia and its troubles in the early part of the twentieth century. It’s also the story of enduring friendship, love, inner strength and survival. Sum Sum had an irrepressible spirit and humour; Lu See an inner determination and compassion which would get her through many troubles. An intriguing and profound novel, The House of Trembling Leaves is one I recommend highly.
It was Malaysia, 1936 when Lu See fled her home with her Tibetan maid and best friend, Sum Sum and headed for England. Her dream was to graduate from Cambridge University; she was also joining her lover Adrian whom she had met at home. Both Lu See and Sum Sum were fascinated by the country and how different it all was. But tragedy struck Lu See, and then Sum Sum disappeared. Lu See had no choice but to return home…
As the years passed, the innate strength of Lu See saw them through the occupancy of the Japanese and the Communist reign – but she was unhappy; she felt something was missing. She had never heard from Sum Sum again; she had no idea if she was even alive – but she knew she needed desperately to find her. Would she? Could she?
The House of Trembling Leaves by Julian Lees is a fascinating and emotional insight into Malaysia and its troubles in the early part of the twentieth century. It’s also the story of enduring friendship, love, inner strength and survival. Sum Sum had an irrepressible spirit and humour; Lu See an inner determination and compassion which would get her through many troubles. An intriguing and profound novel, The House of Trembling Leaves is one I recommend highly.
October 8, 2019
I'm as enthusiastic about this story story as I was lukewarm about The Fan-Tan Players. This novel just sparkles. The characters, even the minor ones, are alive and beautifully drawn, both physically and emotionally, and I really cared about them. Unlike the multitude of detailed descriptions in Fan-Tan, which I found rather gratuitous and unnecessary, the descriptions here are appropriate and add to the reader's experience of the narrative; there are no glaring typos or examples of awkward usage, just clean, lovely prose. One reviewer called it a page-turner, and it is.
A lovely novel. How about another story, Julian?
A lovely novel. How about another story, Julian?
June 26, 2013
This novel begins in colonial Malaya in the 1930s and moves on to Cambridge, back to Malaysia and ends in Tibet in the 50s. It focuses on the lives of two women and their friendship, which survives war, personal hardship and suffering and much political upheaval.
September 13, 2014
Interesting historical novel set mostly in Malaya (now Malaysia) with some chapters in Cambridge, England, and Tibet, during the turbulent times of WWII, the ending of the British Empire, and Mao's China.
July 31, 2015
I adored this story, possibly one of the best stories written about friendship. I loved the main characters' Lu See and Sum Sum... very touching in places and steeped in History too. I love all things historical, so definitely my genre. A truly wonderful read.
November 3, 2015
The House of Trembling Leaves is a wonderful Historical Fiction set in Malay (now Malaysia) during the Japanese Occupation, fall of the British Empire and Malay's fight against Communist rebels. I found that once I started this book, I could not put it down.
January 8, 2016
Julian, when will you have the next book ready for us?
January 5, 2016
Not so much historical drama, as racy romp set in the early part of this century. A fun read but nothing too sophisticated...
September 2, 2016
I found this a very uneven book. The first part dragged and didn't give an authentic sense of the time in which it was supposedly set. Looking back I can't see that much of it was necessary to the rest of the book. The second part was much better and seemed much more historically accurate in its tone and the events were compelling. Overall, I enjoyed the story of Lu See and Sum Sum's friendship but a lot of the other characters (such as Lu See's family) seemed like cartoon characters. If they were designed to inject humour then this jarred with some of the other tragic events that occurred.
May 18, 2014
Took me a while to warm to it until Mabel needs to be saved, then the story turned into a page turner. Nice to know mire of the independence of Malaysia and the frictions between ethnicities which we still can perceive daily.
June 2, 2024
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Beautifully written. The author is able to transport you so realistically into the different environments in Malaysia, India Tibet and China. While describing communist uprisings and revolutions. It is a story of love and friendship surviving over years and separation and the turbulence of revolutions. Of a Mother separated from her daughter at birth and rescued and mothered by her great friend. Full of surprising twists this story will have you mesmerized to the end it is brilliantly researched. Highly recommended.
October 15, 2015
What an interesting and thought-provoking book! Thanks, Julian, for writing this!
Lu See and her Tibetan maidservant Sum Sum run away from their home in Malaya in 1936, attempting to escape an arranged marriage for Lu See. They arrive in Cambridge in high hopes that Lu See will be able to attend university there. What follows is a years-long saga for the two women spanning more than two decades, and several countries.
After tragedy strikes them in the UK, they are separated by Sum Sum's decision to flee secretly for Tibet and Lu See's return to her home in Malaya, where the Japanese occupy the country. The story is complex and mesmerizing as they struggle to make meaningful lives for themselves in war-torn countries, always remembering their loving friendship and the sacrifices each has made in her own life. Sum Sum's independent and quirky spirit sets her on a course fraught with danger as the Chinese take over Tibet in the 50s.
It's interesting to note that the early section of the book sets us up to see the characters as almost Roaring 20s-type characters, in their interest in popular culture in the US and the UK. The dialogue is snappy, amusing and quirky. But then things get heavy as life and current events sweep them up and they struggle to survive and to find each other.
A lovely story and a most enjoyable read!
Lu See and her Tibetan maidservant Sum Sum run away from their home in Malaya in 1936, attempting to escape an arranged marriage for Lu See. They arrive in Cambridge in high hopes that Lu See will be able to attend university there. What follows is a years-long saga for the two women spanning more than two decades, and several countries.
After tragedy strikes them in the UK, they are separated by Sum Sum's decision to flee secretly for Tibet and Lu See's return to her home in Malaya, where the Japanese occupy the country. The story is complex and mesmerizing as they struggle to make meaningful lives for themselves in war-torn countries, always remembering their loving friendship and the sacrifices each has made in her own life. Sum Sum's independent and quirky spirit sets her on a course fraught with danger as the Chinese take over Tibet in the 50s.
It's interesting to note that the early section of the book sets us up to see the characters as almost Roaring 20s-type characters, in their interest in popular culture in the US and the UK. The dialogue is snappy, amusing and quirky. But then things get heavy as life and current events sweep them up and they struggle to survive and to find each other.
A lovely story and a most enjoyable read!
September 13, 2014
As a story line this is good and some of the characters are incredibly well drawn. We see the 20th century and some of it's major events from an entirely new perspective to me - that of Malayan Chinese. The story spans several continents and a wide variety of lives. All of this I really enjoyed, but the story was spoilt for me by the enormous jumps in time that the author makes and then has to lead you back through. I just don't like this format and I start to lose interest. This will not stop me reading something else by the author when this technique is not used.
October 3, 2017
Malaya in the 1930s to the 1950s with side trips to England and Tibet. The Woos and the family of Lu See have been feuding for generations. Foreign countries fight for control of Malaya. Partisans fight for their country, then become Communists. There are a number of strong characters whose lives intertwine throughout the story. Fascinating insight into history I knew nothing about.
June 11, 2017
Interesting,if convoluted. I selected this novel as my Southeast Asia task in the 2016 Read Harder challenge, which I didnt finish until Feb 2017. Through Nextdoor I met another avid reader nearby and passed the book on to her.
May 8, 2013
4.5 stars actually...
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Want to read
September 14, 2015Recommended by Silvanna
October 1, 2016
A lovely piece of historical fiction, set in Malaysia, UK and Tibet. Well drawn, likeable characters.
November 29, 2016
A moving novel of love, friendship, and courage.
August 3, 2024
The literary work demonstrated a high level of craftsmanship, featuring well-developed characters that resonated with the reader. The narrative incorporated subtle yet impactful plot twists, effectively showcasing the historical context and generational conflicts. Despite these positive aspects, the excessive length of the book and the predictability of the twists resulted in a three-star rating.
April 11, 2017
this is a book that keeps the reader interested from beginning to end. It sweeps across continents and cultures has love, hate and mystery in it,
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews