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Bureau for Eternal Prosperity #1
Hundred Ghost Soup
A Beijing orphan is nearly eighteen. He wants a family and a name, if only for a while. He hacks adoption papers to get them.
He also gets: a long train ride into an empty station in a ghost town. Ghosts. Their leaders, calling themselves Mr. and Mrs. Vulpin, are his new parents. They are illusion-casting fox spirits, glamorous, clever, and trapped. They need him to free themselves of the ghosts.
Our hero works for them and accepts their flaws so long as they pretend to be a family. But then he discovers their wonderful meals are illusory. Are the Vulpins up to no good? And the People's Republic of China will never allow spirits to possess a town. To save them all, he must travel back to Beijing, rifle the Politburo's files, and find a Minister's secrets. When he kindles the wrath of the People's Liberation Army and the Minister of Fate himself, he must penetrate layers of illusions, decide whom he can trust, and learn to cook.
And then there is the matter of the soup's main ingredient: him.
He also gets: a long train ride into an empty station in a ghost town. Ghosts. Their leaders, calling themselves Mr. and Mrs. Vulpin, are his new parents. They are illusion-casting fox spirits, glamorous, clever, and trapped. They need him to free themselves of the ghosts.
Our hero works for them and accepts their flaws so long as they pretend to be a family. But then he discovers their wonderful meals are illusory. Are the Vulpins up to no good? And the People's Republic of China will never allow spirits to possess a town. To save them all, he must travel back to Beijing, rifle the Politburo's files, and find a Minister's secrets. When he kindles the wrath of the People's Liberation Army and the Minister of Fate himself, he must penetrate layers of illusions, decide whom he can trust, and learn to cook.
And then there is the matter of the soup's main ingredient: him.
278 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2016
19 people are currently reading
270 people want to read
About the author
Robert Chansky
4 books4 followersMr. Chansky was born in the US, attended college at UC Santa Cruz and Edinburgh University, and now makes his home beneath the shadow of Pike's Peak in Colorado Springs, CO. As his day job he works at modeling and simulation for the Naval War College. He can often be found writing in one of many fine cafes in the Springs.
He and his wife adopted their daughter from China, and from that emotional center comes this work.
He and his wife adopted their daughter from China, and from that emotional center comes this work.
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December 12, 2017
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
A month away from him 18th birthday a Beijing orphan learns someone wants to adopt him, even though his papers say he has no hands. Leaving behind his older twin brother, he travels on the train to his new parents all in the hopes of obtaining a name and a family. Instead he finds two fox spirits and a construction site full of ghosts and some kind of plot that he's now at the center of. Add in a mysterious Bureau for Eternal Prosperity, a jealous bureaucrat and the wronged Minister of Fate and he finds himself maneuvering through a whole soup of problems.
No blurb can really do this book justice. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would! I would read it again too, there aren't many books I can say that about...
First, I really loved Jimo! He felt totally and unequivocally Chinese. It radiated in every interaction, twined through the plot and spoke off the page. I loved how being an orphan totally informed every decision he made and the motivations behind why. I loved how he'd talk about lying and learning to deceive, its a Chinese aspect that wove into Jimo so naturally. This was character building at its best! He was at the center of every interaction. Yes, most writers try to do this with their plot and many times it comes off contrived but Jimo really was at the heart of what was going on. He was needed and essential in a way writers could really learn from. I loved how each and every plot point became complicated in such real ways. Jimo just walked off the page for me. I was totally rooting for him to succeed in each and every endeavor.
If you love culture then this is the book for you! It is as totally and unequivocally Chinese as Jimo. I love how I never forgot that the setting was in Dongxi and Beijing, China. I totally thought this was translated from a Chinese written story because it felt so real and accurate to Chinese culture and mythology. I myself know a lot about Asian culture and to feel such authenticity was incredible. It bled through every detail. From the rituals and manners to the fox spirits and ghosts to the emissaries from Heaven to the milk name and needing an adult name! Everything. I loved all the illusions and tricks and tests.
It's really well written! Some might call the narrative heavy or hard to follow. It really isn't but the cultural influences are really obvious and since they aren't familiar to most Americans may take getting used to, the same can be said of the narrative. If you persist you quickly become used to the way Jimo talks and it becomes easy to follow. Another thing that effects this is that there are so many puzzles and tricks, etc. Since we are following Jimo, like him we are trying to work out exactly what is happening. We aren't told but are shown something and then we have to wait while Jimo figures it out. It's quite complex but the author does an excellent job following up with each and every interaction and having Jimo explain what had been going on. So there are times when you are a little puzzled while you are at the center of the action but all comes to light. I loved though even more than this the way things were described and talked about, like this about Uncle:
I remembered exactly who Uncle was the entire time because of this description which seems to highlight the important bits about him while making it seem it all came from Jimo. And love how details like this make the story believable:
The plot though was really masterful, something is always happening even when you don't realize it is, the twists are not twists for twists sake but real changes in perspective or revealed tricks or illusions. I loved the part history played in the story and how we got the same back history twice but that it didn't feel repetitive for a moment and I never grew bored. Loved the supernatural aspect to the story as well, from the fox spirits and their illusions to the ghosts and the calling of the Minister of Fate. We even got a little bit about how the government works as well as a bit of modern technology of which Jimo excelled.
The ending was so good... I won't ruin a moment of it by referring to a single bit of it but I loved it! So satisfying, tied up all sorts of loose ends you didn't even realize where loose! I ended up feeling about Mr. and Mrs. Vulpin the same way that Jimo did, they were so unique as parents... This ending is so balanced, its the kind of balance all stories are looking for between a happy ending but also based on the reality that happiness doesn't mean everything is perfect or we get everything we want.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Premise & World Building
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cover & Title
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Development & Storycraft
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing & Narrative
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Relationships
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Feelings
BOTTOM LINE: A Chinese boy's journey to finding his name and family.
Thanks to NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my special perspective at the bottom of my reviews under the typewriter...
A month away from him 18th birthday a Beijing orphan learns someone wants to adopt him, even though his papers say he has no hands. Leaving behind his older twin brother, he travels on the train to his new parents all in the hopes of obtaining a name and a family. Instead he finds two fox spirits and a construction site full of ghosts and some kind of plot that he's now at the center of. Add in a mysterious Bureau for Eternal Prosperity, a jealous bureaucrat and the wronged Minister of Fate and he finds himself maneuvering through a whole soup of problems.
No blurb can really do this book justice. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would! I would read it again too, there aren't many books I can say that about...
First, I really loved Jimo! He felt totally and unequivocally Chinese. It radiated in every interaction, twined through the plot and spoke off the page. I loved how being an orphan totally informed every decision he made and the motivations behind why. I loved how he'd talk about lying and learning to deceive, its a Chinese aspect that wove into Jimo so naturally. This was character building at its best! He was at the center of every interaction. Yes, most writers try to do this with their plot and many times it comes off contrived but Jimo really was at the heart of what was going on. He was needed and essential in a way writers could really learn from. I loved how each and every plot point became complicated in such real ways. Jimo just walked off the page for me. I was totally rooting for him to succeed in each and every endeavor.
If you love culture then this is the book for you! It is as totally and unequivocally Chinese as Jimo. I love how I never forgot that the setting was in Dongxi and Beijing, China. I totally thought this was translated from a Chinese written story because it felt so real and accurate to Chinese culture and mythology. I myself know a lot about Asian culture and to feel such authenticity was incredible. It bled through every detail. From the rituals and manners to the fox spirits and ghosts to the emissaries from Heaven to the milk name and needing an adult name! Everything. I loved all the illusions and tricks and tests.
It's really well written! Some might call the narrative heavy or hard to follow. It really isn't but the cultural influences are really obvious and since they aren't familiar to most Americans may take getting used to, the same can be said of the narrative. If you persist you quickly become used to the way Jimo talks and it becomes easy to follow. Another thing that effects this is that there are so many puzzles and tricks, etc. Since we are following Jimo, like him we are trying to work out exactly what is happening. We aren't told but are shown something and then we have to wait while Jimo figures it out. It's quite complex but the author does an excellent job following up with each and every interaction and having Jimo explain what had been going on. So there are times when you are a little puzzled while you are at the center of the action but all comes to light. I loved though even more than this the way things were described and talked about, like this about Uncle:
"Rumors are the blood that flows through China. The superstitious say his name is how he hides from demons. They say he runs the Bureau for Eternal Prosperity. He leads a thousand men, reporting directly to the Central Committee. What this Bureau does no one can say. For her part, Clerk Tin dealt with him with disapproval on her face, as if she wished she could do without him, but could not."
I remembered exactly who Uncle was the entire time because of this description which seems to highlight the important bits about him while making it seem it all came from Jimo. And love how details like this make the story believable:
"Though hardly a bureaucrat, the fox who is a mouse has an instinct for this sort of thing. He has led us to a shelf of papers smudged at the edges by years of obsessive fingers. The shelf is devoted to Uncle and his Bureau."
The plot though was really masterful, something is always happening even when you don't realize it is, the twists are not twists for twists sake but real changes in perspective or revealed tricks or illusions. I loved the part history played in the story and how we got the same back history twice but that it didn't feel repetitive for a moment and I never grew bored. Loved the supernatural aspect to the story as well, from the fox spirits and their illusions to the ghosts and the calling of the Minister of Fate. We even got a little bit about how the government works as well as a bit of modern technology of which Jimo excelled.
The ending was so good... I won't ruin a moment of it by referring to a single bit of it but I loved it! So satisfying, tied up all sorts of loose ends you didn't even realize where loose! I ended up feeling about Mr. and Mrs. Vulpin the same way that Jimo did, they were so unique as parents... This ending is so balanced, its the kind of balance all stories are looking for between a happy ending but also based on the reality that happiness doesn't mean everything is perfect or we get everything we want.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Premise & World Building
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cover & Title
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Development & Storycraft
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing & Narrative
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Relationships
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Feelings
BOTTOM LINE: A Chinese boy's journey to finding his name and family.
Thanks to NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my special perspective at the bottom of my reviews under the typewriter...
December 18, 2016
Hundred Ghost Soup (Bureau for Eternal Prosperity #1) by Robert Chansky is certainly one of the oddest fantasy ghost books I have read, which doesn't make it bad, just unique. It was entertaining, strange, confusing at times, full of ghosts, uncertainties, twists, and magic. It was written in a strange way that when I finished reading it my mind was still in that mode and was still mind-speaking like the book! Weird. The whole book was strange. A boy in a crazy orphanage that has him listed as having no hands, but he does, and adopted a month before he is 18 yrs old by someone he has never seen. Rides a train to a place that the train has never stopped before. The new parents, well, you have to read it for yourself to see just how down the rabbit hole it gets! At the end of the book, I wasn't even sure what I thought of it, but I thought of it a lot, and kept thinking of the strange things in it so it must have left an impression on me. I can thank NetGalley for suggesting this book.
December 16, 2016
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair review. I have to warn you that I'm a sucker for this kind of thing, so salt as necessary. As far as I could tell it was well researched.
Okay, this isn't Barry Hughart. But if you love Barry Hughart, you won't leave this book too disappointed. I mean, you'll curse the publishing industry, take a deep breath, and enjoy the read anyway. That kind of disappointment.
If you don't know Barry Hughart, well. This is a twisty story in which a Loki-like character comes up with a plot to fool the gods, all the bureaucracy of modern China, some ghosts, and a pair of orphan boys. It would take the exact length of the book to describe this plot, and I'm not exaggerating by much.
A supernatural caper story that works on multiple levels. You should read this.
Okay, this isn't Barry Hughart. But if you love Barry Hughart, you won't leave this book too disappointed. I mean, you'll curse the publishing industry, take a deep breath, and enjoy the read anyway. That kind of disappointment.
If you don't know Barry Hughart, well. This is a twisty story in which a Loki-like character comes up with a plot to fool the gods, all the bureaucracy of modern China, some ghosts, and a pair of orphan boys. It would take the exact length of the book to describe this plot, and I'm not exaggerating by much.
A supernatural caper story that works on multiple levels. You should read this.
September 19, 2016
I am tempted to write this review in the same, stilted language that the author choose to write the whole book in.
First sister would like to say that reading this book was made more difficult by the stilted language that most honored narrator used, when making this story for our noble readers to enjoy and partake in.
Yeah, like that.
But as much as that drove me crazy for a whole book, I would not subject that to you for a review.
Suffice it to say, this book has a good concept, a fox spirit wants to do, something, and needs a human to do so. So, the narrator, an orphan, is adapted to perform this task.
Problem is, this fox spirit is a trickster, and an illusionist, so we, as readers, and the protagonist, as narrator go through whole chapters not knowing what was real or not.
We are kept in suspense on that, as well as what it is the fox spirit intends to do.
I was so frustrated reading this because whole thing could have been done as a long short story.
However, it is getting three starts because sometimes there are some very clever lines.
Or
So, if you like paranormal stories, and eloquent, language, written as though the author believes a Chinese speaker would speak, then this would be the book for you.
But, if you are looking for something with diversity in it, and a look at another culture, from one inside, then there are other books out there, gentle reader, that would suite your purposes much more.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
First sister would like to say that reading this book was made more difficult by the stilted language that most honored narrator used, when making this story for our noble readers to enjoy and partake in.
Yeah, like that.
But as much as that drove me crazy for a whole book, I would not subject that to you for a review.
Suffice it to say, this book has a good concept, a fox spirit wants to do, something, and needs a human to do so. So, the narrator, an orphan, is adapted to perform this task.
Problem is, this fox spirit is a trickster, and an illusionist, so we, as readers, and the protagonist, as narrator go through whole chapters not knowing what was real or not.
We are kept in suspense on that, as well as what it is the fox spirit intends to do.
I was so frustrated reading this because whole thing could have been done as a long short story.
However, it is getting three starts because sometimes there are some very clever lines.
I am left alone to ferment, until the wine of adrenalin has turned to the vinegar of tired desperation, until I have only the weary metaphor to draw on
Or
Such is life for a fox: dig a hole, live there a while and too soon, one must leave. It is the same for mortals, though our time comes, we are forgiven the effort of digging our last hole. Usually someone is about to dig it for us.
So, if you like paranormal stories, and eloquent, language, written as though the author believes a Chinese speaker would speak, then this would be the book for you.
But, if you are looking for something with diversity in it, and a look at another culture, from one inside, then there are other books out there, gentle reader, that would suite your purposes much more.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
November 14, 2016
It took me forever to read this book. For.Ev.Er. Forever! Because for as prettily as it's written, it's sloooooow. And the characters seem to know things without the reader seeing how they learned it. And no one seems to have any kind of emotional reaction to anything. Oh, you plan to EAT ME? Ok. As a reader, I was just kind of like, "Um, no, not ok."
The writing is pretty. I liked the characters, and by the time I finally dragged myself to the end, I found I'd liked it. But it was a slog to get there. The book felt a lot longer than 278 pages.
The writing is pretty. I liked the characters, and by the time I finally dragged myself to the end, I found I'd liked it. But it was a slog to get there. The book felt a lot longer than 278 pages.
September 30, 2016
The first thing I did after reading Robert Chansky's 100 Ghost Soup (Curiosity Quills Press, 2016) was look up Mr. Chansky on-line to see if he were Chinese. I admit, that's a rather odd reaction, but 100 Ghost Soup is the most Chinese book I have ever read, even compared to The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin. Mr. Chansky does not appear to be Chinese. But he evokes China as thoroughly as if he spent a few past lives there.
It 's not the landscape. The story takes place primarily in a pile of construction rubble left behind from a failed development project in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes it moves to a nightmarish maze inside a bureaucratic office complex. And yet there is a spirit of China (not to mention numerous Chinese spirits) in every scene.
The story starts with an orphan. He's been lonely all his life. His nickname (for he does not yet have a real name) says it all: Jimo which translates to Lonely He's received an offer of adoption. He recognizes that the offer is suspicious; who would adopt an orphan one month before he comes of age? And why does he have to go to the wilds of Donxi, a town not on the map? A town where even the train will not stop, according to the conductor? But he is so desperate for a home, for a name, that he throws away all of what little life he has to go. And when he arrives, the train does stop.
He steps off, into a different world. Dongxi is not just haunted. The town itself is a ghost, a psychic relic of a place that vanished a thousand years before. The residents are not just ghosts, they are ghosts in disguise. Some are spirits pretending to be ghosts, and some are ghosts pretending to be humans. Some are humans pretending to be cows. Some of the ghosts use magic. Some are hiding from magic. Some are hiding from angry gods.
Nothing is real. Everything is illusion. Illusion, however, can be weighty and binding. Jimo feasts each night on delicious meals, and wakes each morning so hungry he scavenges through the construction rubble, searching for scraps. Nonetheless, these nonexistent dinners are so solid that he learns to cook watching his adopted mother prepare them.
Most of his life so far has been illusory anyway. He's an orphan with no known parents, and yet he has a brother. He's a nobody, but his keepers at the orphanage spy on him obsessively. His records state that he has no hands. A fortune teller told him he would die before he was thirty, by a gunshot to the head. He's never even seen a gun.
Jimo's adopted father may starve him, but he values him. He has a purpose for him. Except that purpose is hard to discern. It is intertwined with other purposes, buried under a thousand complications and obligations, and threatened by the cross-purposes of people he has never met. Everything in China is complicated and double edged, from the brewing of tea to the mountains of paperwork,. Reality often proves more difficult to penetrate than magic.
The reader should be warned that this book is not a fast, light read. It's not a good choice for killing an hour at the airport or for using as a sun-shield while dozing at the beach. The full story is solid and satisfying but it depends on a network of tiny elements too convoluted for synopsis. It requires full attention. Take your time with it. Let yourself wonder about odd details. Remember that bad manners are always important. Enjoy.
It 's not the landscape. The story takes place primarily in a pile of construction rubble left behind from a failed development project in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes it moves to a nightmarish maze inside a bureaucratic office complex. And yet there is a spirit of China (not to mention numerous Chinese spirits) in every scene.
The story starts with an orphan. He's been lonely all his life. His nickname (for he does not yet have a real name) says it all: Jimo which translates to Lonely He's received an offer of adoption. He recognizes that the offer is suspicious; who would adopt an orphan one month before he comes of age? And why does he have to go to the wilds of Donxi, a town not on the map? A town where even the train will not stop, according to the conductor? But he is so desperate for a home, for a name, that he throws away all of what little life he has to go. And when he arrives, the train does stop.
He steps off, into a different world. Dongxi is not just haunted. The town itself is a ghost, a psychic relic of a place that vanished a thousand years before. The residents are not just ghosts, they are ghosts in disguise. Some are spirits pretending to be ghosts, and some are ghosts pretending to be humans. Some are humans pretending to be cows. Some of the ghosts use magic. Some are hiding from magic. Some are hiding from angry gods.
Nothing is real. Everything is illusion. Illusion, however, can be weighty and binding. Jimo feasts each night on delicious meals, and wakes each morning so hungry he scavenges through the construction rubble, searching for scraps. Nonetheless, these nonexistent dinners are so solid that he learns to cook watching his adopted mother prepare them.
Most of his life so far has been illusory anyway. He's an orphan with no known parents, and yet he has a brother. He's a nobody, but his keepers at the orphanage spy on him obsessively. His records state that he has no hands. A fortune teller told him he would die before he was thirty, by a gunshot to the head. He's never even seen a gun.
Jimo's adopted father may starve him, but he values him. He has a purpose for him. Except that purpose is hard to discern. It is intertwined with other purposes, buried under a thousand complications and obligations, and threatened by the cross-purposes of people he has never met. Everything in China is complicated and double edged, from the brewing of tea to the mountains of paperwork,. Reality often proves more difficult to penetrate than magic.
The reader should be warned that this book is not a fast, light read. It's not a good choice for killing an hour at the airport or for using as a sun-shield while dozing at the beach. The full story is solid and satisfying but it depends on a network of tiny elements too convoluted for synopsis. It requires full attention. Take your time with it. Let yourself wonder about odd details. Remember that bad manners are always important. Enjoy.
September 25, 2018
Love that this book incorporated cultural beliefs (value of a name, etc). Very unique story. Protagonist is well developed and you can't help but feel for him. I would def recommend this book and reread it.
December 28, 2016
First of all thank you Curiosity Quills Press for approving my request even after the book was published and just barely making the archive date! (I had a day before the book went to archive so I got really lucky!)
I'll be honest and say what really drew me in was the cover. I mean look at it! it's just so beautiful I wish I had a physical copy for my bookshelf. The synopsis sounded really intriguing and I love the idea of spirits, spirit towns and not to mention Chinese style paranormal creatures. Going into this I had some sort of weird Spirited Away feeling and as the book progressed I found myself getting deeply invested.
As for the author, I will be completely honest in saying I had no idea he was not Chinese until I finished Hundred Ghost Soup. This book oozed whimsical and magical Chinese folklore that was weaved seamlessly into the story. Every time I got a new bit of cultural information I gobbled it up like a starving child. I've only read a few books on China and even fewer on Chinese supernatural/paranormal (that's what I view this as, I mean ghosts = paranormal in my book. But at times I viewed this more of a Urban Fantasy so perhaps its a bit of both.) so I can't say that this is better or at the top of that genre but in my opinion I found this to be amazingly well written and thoroughly researched.
As for what happens, I'll keep that a secret since I tend to keep my reviews spoiler free. Just know that I HIGHLY enjoyed this book!
I'll be honest and say what really drew me in was the cover. I mean look at it! it's just so beautiful I wish I had a physical copy for my bookshelf. The synopsis sounded really intriguing and I love the idea of spirits, spirit towns and not to mention Chinese style paranormal creatures. Going into this I had some sort of weird Spirited Away feeling and as the book progressed I found myself getting deeply invested.
As for the author, I will be completely honest in saying I had no idea he was not Chinese until I finished Hundred Ghost Soup. This book oozed whimsical and magical Chinese folklore that was weaved seamlessly into the story. Every time I got a new bit of cultural information I gobbled it up like a starving child. I've only read a few books on China and even fewer on Chinese supernatural/paranormal (that's what I view this as, I mean ghosts = paranormal in my book. But at times I viewed this more of a Urban Fantasy so perhaps its a bit of both.) so I can't say that this is better or at the top of that genre but in my opinion I found this to be amazingly well written and thoroughly researched.
As for what happens, I'll keep that a secret since I tend to keep my reviews spoiler free. Just know that I HIGHLY enjoyed this book!
April 16, 2018
I really don't know how to feel about this book. Did I like it? Not really. Did I dislike it? Not really. It wasn't bad, but there wasn't anything that really made it stand out, really made it pop in my mind. It just kind of floated along like dandelion fluff, as empty as Mrs. Vulpin's meals. I never felt like I wanted to stop reading, yet at the same time I was fairly bored and kind of wished it would just end until about 85% completion. By the end, I did care about the fate of Jimo and Mr. Vulpin and the ghosts, but not enough as I might have with other books, other characters. The characters were all fairly empty for me, the action too slow and weak. Not that it was badly written, it just had no real excitement, no substance. And the ending seemed to drag a little---though I admit, Jimo's revelation at the end was surprising, I wonder if I should have seen it coming. Do I regret reading it? Not at all. Would I recommend it to anyone else? Probably not. I've given it a tentative three stars, but for me it's really more like two and a half.
March 13, 2026
100 Ghost Soup by Robert Chansky is an unusual story told in the tradition of a Chinese folk tale or legend. Chansky’s style and tone make the reading almost musical at times, and is particularly suited to reading aloud. This delightfully entertaining tale is written as if it could go on forever. Just when you think the story is finished, you find that there is still more – not an unpleasant surprise.
This book is quite long, but it is a well written, easy read which is very entertaining. The Chinese tone of both words and character, the tricks and puzzles, the obvious that it so well hidden it must be pointed out all work together to make me feel that I’ve just read an ancient Chinese folktale in a modern setting.
Read my full review of "100 Ghost Soup" on my blog: https://kayelynnebooth.wordpress.com/...
This book is quite long, but it is a well written, easy read which is very entertaining. The Chinese tone of both words and character, the tricks and puzzles, the obvious that it so well hidden it must be pointed out all work together to make me feel that I’ve just read an ancient Chinese folktale in a modern setting.
Read my full review of "100 Ghost Soup" on my blog: https://kayelynnebooth.wordpress.com/...
October 24, 2017
I really enjoyed this story. It's unique, well-paced, and resonates with many of our searches for belonging.
December 20, 2017
This book is well written - although there are enough typos for me to find distracting. My problem with this book is it is such a slog. OMG, I felt like it would never end - and not in a good way. It seems to give you a look into the meeting point of modern Chinese life and its long history of myths and spirits. The plot was good - an orphan adopted one month before he reaches the age of majority - and all the mystery that surrounds him as he finds himself caught in the middle of an ancient feud between two spirits. But it moves so slowly to the actual climax, and then it keeps going - and the ending does nothing to make you feel it was all worth it. Again, interesting insight into Chinese mainland life and the history - but if you are looking for a fun (or quick) read - this isn't it.
December 22, 2016
Thanks to Curiosity Quills Press for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Against the orphanage’s advice, determined to find a home and a name, teenager Bei Jimo accepts the mysterious Vulpins as adoptive parents. His desperate trek propels him into an eerie otherworld in the ghost town of Dongxi, where spirits manifest themselves and display special powers. Mr. Chansky’s lush prose enfolds the reader much as the shadow world engulfs Jimo, weaving Chinese folklore and modern-day China into a spiritual journey that is perilously real. On the way, Jimo encounters fox spirits, Tiananmen Square, the People’s Liberation Army and a truly superb cup of tea, before ending up figuratively and literally in the soup! An enchanting tale told with warmth and deep respect for the Asian culture.
Against the orphanage’s advice, determined to find a home and a name, teenager Bei Jimo accepts the mysterious Vulpins as adoptive parents. His desperate trek propels him into an eerie otherworld in the ghost town of Dongxi, where spirits manifest themselves and display special powers. Mr. Chansky’s lush prose enfolds the reader much as the shadow world engulfs Jimo, weaving Chinese folklore and modern-day China into a spiritual journey that is perilously real. On the way, Jimo encounters fox spirits, Tiananmen Square, the People’s Liberation Army and a truly superb cup of tea, before ending up figuratively and literally in the soup! An enchanting tale told with warmth and deep respect for the Asian culture.
January 16, 2017
I read this book fast and I am not a fast reader. That is always a good sign. It was action packed and philosophical. At times, the plot seemed to float through details like the ghosts in the story. I admit I was confused. However, new layers of the story were constantly being discovered and all was revealed in good time. I didn't always understand what was going on but this seemed to just propell me forward in the story to try and find out more.
I know nothing of Chinese culture, and, honestly, never had much interest in it before. However, this ended up being my favorite part of book. I loved the mix of new and old, the importance of a name, respect for elders, and so many more things. I loved it and I want more!
I know nothing of Chinese culture, and, honestly, never had much interest in it before. However, this ended up being my favorite part of book. I loved the mix of new and old, the importance of a name, respect for elders, and so many more things. I loved it and I want more!
October 2, 2016
Hundred Ghost Soup is the story of a lonely orphan who gets an offer to be adopted for the last month of his childhood. Trouble is, the couple lives in a ghost town in the middle of nowhere, and as the boy arrives, he discovers that 'ghost town' isn't just a turn of phrase. The town is full of ghosts, and the the adoptive couple is a lot more than meets the eye.
Set in China and rooted in Chinese folklore/myth, it's about the longing for family and rooted belonging, about the journey to adulthood, and what it means to be a son. (Also, there are ghosts! Fox spirits! Emissaries of the Heavens! Shapechanging!)
Suitable for YA and Middle Grade readers, but adults will love it, too.
Set in China and rooted in Chinese folklore/myth, it's about the longing for family and rooted belonging, about the journey to adulthood, and what it means to be a son. (Also, there are ghosts! Fox spirits! Emissaries of the Heavens! Shapechanging!)
Suitable for YA and Middle Grade readers, but adults will love it, too.
June 15, 2020
This is the tale of a Chinese orphan, the younger of twins, searching for a family and most importantly, a name. After some computer hacking, he receives an invite for an adoption which he accepts, not knowing that fox spirits have plans for him. During the course of his time, he learns to cook, appreciate the little things in life, but also has to be nimble and quick on his feet to avoid ending up in the soup. Chansky provides a look at Chinese folklore through a modern lens that has an interesting outcome. A name is given, plenty of curses as well, and the ground is laid for future adventures.
July 12, 2017
Unlike anything that I have ever read before.
I loved this book. The characters were likeable and some, not so much. What a creative mind this author has, to have come up with such an interesting and captive story. I love when I am lucky enough to find a unique book, that not only draws me in, but keeps me invested in both the characters and the storyline. Give this one a chance. I am an avid reader and was fully vested in this book.
I loved this book. The characters were likeable and some, not so much. What a creative mind this author has, to have come up with such an interesting and captive story. I love when I am lucky enough to find a unique book, that not only draws me in, but keeps me invested in both the characters and the storyline. Give this one a chance. I am an avid reader and was fully vested in this book.
September 23, 2019
adorable book. love it. YA, 1st person, present tense. almost 18 year old orphan navigates ghosts, curses, Taoist pantheon, fox spirits, and communist China bureaucracy when he is unexpectedly adopted. voice is spot on for young Chinese man, at least to this mature American ear. I didn't love the present tense, but understand that is how YA things are done. this is independent press book, yet the production values are first rate. Good job, copy editor, graphics people, and book design crew.
Want to Read
October 1, 2016I won a copy of this book on Goodreads
October 31, 2016
This is a ghost story with none of the cliches of a ghost story. It is like nothing I have read before. The protagonist is a seemingly hopeless case leaving you wondering, "What's going to happen next? How can he possibly get out of this one?" And then, you realize, maybe that's not the point of the story. So many mysterious characters whose flaws and strengths are eventually revealed through twists and turns -- sometimes leaving you satisfied, and sometimes leaving you deliciously unsatiated. While it's not a difficult read, the storyline is substantial, and there is plenty of room to delve more deeply into the passages. The story runs at a steady pace, and I had a hard time putting the book down. 100 Ghost Soup is a delightful addition to my home library.
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