Dragon Bones

Red Princess #3

by Lisa See

When the body of an American archaeologist is found floating in the Yangzi River, Ministry of Public Security agent Liu Hulan and her husband, American attorney David Stark, are dispatched to Site 518 to investigate. As Hulan scrutinizes this death�or is it a murder?�David, on behalf of the National Relics Bureau, tries to discover who has stolen from the site an artifact that may prove to the world China�s claim that it is the oldest uninterrupted civilization on earth. This artifact is not only an object of great monetary value but one that is emblematic of the very soul of China. Everyone�from the Chinese government, to a religious cult, to an unscrupulous American art collector�wants this relic, and some, it seems, may be willing to kill to get it. At stake in this investigation is control of China�s history and national pride, and even stability between China and the United States.
The troubled Hulan must overcome her own fears of failure, while David tries desperately to break through the shell that has built up around his wife. As Hulan and David are enmeshed in international schemes for power and the turbulence of their own relationship, these hunters after the truth become the hunted�in a fast-driving narrative set against the backdrop of the building of the Three Gorges Dam, the largest and most expensive project China has undertaken since the Great Wall and the subject of great international debate. It is here, in the heart of the Three Gorges, that David and Hulan will battle their enemies and their own natures to see who will win China�s dragon bones.
Dragon Bones combines ancient myth with contemporary anxieties concerning religious fanaticism and terrorism to tell a story of love, betrayal, history, ecology, greed�and gory murder.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, China, Historical Fiction, Thriller, Asia, Asian Literature

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, The Island of Sea Women, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, The Island of Sea Women, Peony in Love, Shanghai Girls, China Dolls, and Dreams of Joy, which debuted at #1. She is also the author of On Gold Mountain, which tells the story of her Chinese American family’s settlement in Los Angeles. Her books have been published in 39 languages. See was the recipient of the Golden Spike Award from the Chinese Historical Association of Southern California and the History Maker’s Award from the Chinese American Museum. She was also named National Woman of the Year by the Organization of Chinese American Women. You can learn more about her at www.LisaSee.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Reviews

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved early Chinese culture, and adore many of the more popular "current" novels. (The Good Earth Trilogy, Amy Tan's books,) but I've just discovered Lisa See, and I have to say that her books are phenomenal. I
ve been doing a lot of in depth study on the practice of footbinding, and it's development as a perception of beauty in Chinese tradition. You can actually find current photos of footbound women, since the practice continued despite government protest, in the mountainous regions of China until the 1940s and 50's. I have to wonder what psychological effects the practice may have had on the psyche of small girls, and the mothers who subjected them to it. In many "western" traditions that enforce the prevention of as much pain as possible, the idea of subjecting a child to pain, especially at the cost of beauty is ludicrous. However, how far removed is an Eastern ideal of beauty with regards to footbinding, from a parent who makes their child get braces, dental implants, nose jobs, hair extensions, and color and tanning treatments? is one any better or worse than the other?

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read it for a book group.

It is third in a series -- maybe I should have read the first 2? What did I miss? I'll never know as I won't read the first 2.

I like the characterization, and I loved reading about the Gorges and the dam and all the Chinese stuff I know nothing about. Issues are with plotting and pacing and ending. Too many weird things that require willing suspension of disbelief (think tunnels and caves and people showing up in the nick of time)

I'd like to know more about the dam and the effects, without having to read any more fiction about it probably.

[Bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

A complex and detailed story, the writing was dry and I struggled to finish it. The mysteries were layered and kept me guessing. It was a good story but not gripping and it didn't engage me emotionally.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

The back cover promsies "an extraordinarily rich novel" in which "myth mixes treacherously with truth." And, indeed, this is what See delivers. As a reader, you really feel the setting. See avoids easy political shots, taking a more nuanced (and interesting) approach than some might. The murder & mayhem got nasty, but the details are presented as they must be to move the story along, without sliding into the pornography of violence that is common in many thrillers/mysteries; this was a welcome touch. The plot gets a bit convoluted and it was disappointing to see the female lead manipulated and compromised, but that served a purpose, I suppose. All in all, this was a good read.

[Nae · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with every single book of hers that I have read this is a compelling and exciting one to read. Lisa See's gift for painting indelible pictures of a country and people of such mystery to me is a true talent. "On Gold Mountain" was the first of her books I ever read and from the first page she had me hooked. I think I have now finally read everything of hers that is published and just cannot wait for what she writes next.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Archaeological mystery that I could not put down. Race to save the ancient Chinese artifacts before flooding the Chinese landscape. One more time, Lisa See's research is thorough and accurate. I became even more fascinated when I looked up the dig site on line.

[Annalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this third Red Princess book even more than the first two in the series. I'll certainly miss the gutsy, stubborn Liu Hulan and her lovely husband David! Unique and very interesting trilogy; more novels than murder mysteries and I learned much about China, its culture and history.

[Katherine 黄爱芬 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liu Hulan adalah inspektur yg ditugaskan menyelidiki kematian seorang Kaukasia yg tenggelam. Sang korban diketahui bernama Brian, seorang mahasiswa cerdas yg berkutat pd bidang arkeologi. Dari penyelidikan tsb menarik Hulan dan suaminya, David Stark ke situs 518 yg dikenal sbg lokasi zaman Kaisar Yu, pendiri Dinasti Xia. Ternyata korban bertambah lagi dgn tewasnya seorang kurator yg diduga pacar Brian. Makin rumit lagi dgn adanya Sekte rahasia Masyarakat Patriotis yg dipimpin orang yg mengaku bernama Xiao Da. Sekte ini sdh tidak menyukai kehadiran Hulan dan begitu pula sebaliknya. Hulan dan David berusaha keras memecahkan siapakah dalang dibalik semua ini walaupun hal ini mengancam keselamatan jiwa mereka.

Ini pertama kalinya saya membaca karya Lisa See dan tidak mengecewakan. Alur cerita lumayan teratur dan rapi, sehingga tidak membosankan. Misteri yg dikemas juga cukup baik dan baru terbuka pada ending-nya. Kekurangannya hanya penokohan kurang kuat dan kurang dramatis. Ada beberapa bagian yg sering diulang juga. Dan utk terjemahannya, walau cukup baik tapi ada yg sangat mengganggu saya, kata Mr sebaiknya tidak perlu diterjemahkan menjadi "pak" seperti bahasa Indonesia. Saya risih koq bule dipanggil Pak Stark, Pak Miller dsb.

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been fascinated by the orient since 1967, when I met a college classmate from Hong Kong. I met his father in HK in 1975, and my (Navy) visit to HK that year reaffirmed my fascination and interest in all things Chinese. But life had taken me in different directions since then.

So I picked up this book by Lisa See, not from any recommendation but from that long ago interest. This book was very enjoyable to read. Lisa See captures the sense and scenes of life in China through intrigue, murder, and ordinary life for millions. Her character depictions are believable, engaging, and complicated. As she explores aspects of China often hidden from the western world, she also explores the heart and motivations, as well as intentions and the sometimes frustrating inability to communicate with others exactly what is going on inside.

Well done, well worth reading.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really more like 3.5 stars. After reading Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, I was not expecting a detective/mystery story. That is what Dragon Bones is--a mystery book with Chinese history, politics, and legends woven in. At times, it was a bit boring, but at other times, it flew right through interesting sections without going into enough detail. Although some of the book was predictable, I think the rest was written well enough where you weren't 100% sure which way things would go.

If you are interested in Chinese-based fiction and mystery stories, check this book out. Just be prepared to skim over several pages from the middle of the book on.

[Kimberly · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a mystery, a contemporary analysis of China, and a love story all in one. Sadly, sometimes the whole is less than the sum of its parts and that is the case with this book. It is almost painful to watch how the author attempts to tie these elements into one story. I wanted it to work, because I like intelligent mysteries, but it couldn't provide intellectual engagement OR mindless escapism.

[Trista · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written by an author I really admire. It is the third book in a series that involves Liu Hulan. It is set in China and Liu is sent to investigate the deaths of some people at an archaeological dig site. I really had to think while reading this book as many things that the author describes were not familiar to me.

[Luanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third in a set of mysteries that Lisa See wrote. Every book I have read of hers has been excellent. This follows Liu Hulan in China as an Inspector solving a murder case. This also follows Hulan's personal life with her marriage to an American attorney. I learn so much about China from See's books.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as it pains me to say it, I didn't like this one much. The last third of the book helped a lot, though. I absolutely adore Lisa See, but this was her weakest book. Even though I love mysteries, I just wasn't feeling the trilogy. I will certainly continue to devour her historical fiction, though!

[Suellen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Never grabbed me.

[Marcy Heller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book because I thought my daughter, an archaeologist, had put it in our Kindle library. I was at first put off by the title (why do authors insist on writing series when their books can stand alone), but I was hooked from page one. I hadn't realized at first that 'Dragon Bones' was written by the same Lisa See whose books (Shanghai Girls, Gold Mountain, Dreams of Joy, Peony in Love) I had enjoyed reading about the Chinese-American experience.

Dragon Bones is a crime mystery, and a different genre than other books I've read by See, but no less interesting. See's detective is a native Chinese woman who spent part of of her life in the USA and who is married to an American attorney. The two are tasked with using their unique skills to unravel the murder of a 'stranger' (non-Chinese) killed during archaeological digs taking place while the Three Gorges Dam was being built. The dichotomy of the pair's marriage is as challenging as China itself--a longstanding culture made schizophrenic by the demands of Communism and modernism. The denouement of the plot introduces the reader to myriad characters, beautiful descriptions of scenery, interesting ancient myths and modern-day travails. A great rainy-day read.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the last Red Princess book, it takes Hulan and David to the three gorges, each with different assignments. She is investigating the death of a young archaeologist and he is trying to follow up on some lost artifacts. Early on they see a relationship between these crimes. They are also trying to recover the relationship they have lost since the death of their daughter. This was an exciting book with several twists and also presented some Chinese history. It helped me to relate to some of what is going on between China and the US today.

[Molly Wynen · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF about halfway through. Interesting idea but Hulan is not written as a great investigator. The writing is very dry with too much emphasis on minor details just dragging the story along. I do always love how See works to intertwine fiction with political history and mores but I could not get excited about Site 518. Definitely different from other Lisa See books I have read….maybe I should have read the rest of the series first 🫣

[Sandy Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read many Lisa See and Amy Tan books and I’ve read other Chinese authors. I learn something new about China with every book. This was my first mystery that takes place in China. It was interesting and I had no idea who the villain was or what the murders had to do with each other. Kept me guessing and the archeology was very interesting.

[Martha Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first two. It was a bit too gruesome for me. Lisa See is still one of my favorite authors but this one was a miss for me.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I continue to enjoy books by this author ... but this one took me a while to get through.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the cultural aspects but the plotting, pacing and unbelievable parts made me almost abandon this. For instance, the guy has five broken ribs, 30 stitches, and a concussion; yet he’s reading a journal and running down the street?

[Margaret Hodgson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisa See never disappoints.

[Kyla Mosienko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to get into at first but by the end I was hooked. When I bought it I didn't realize it was a series but plan on reading the first 2 books.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have previously read the first of the Red Princess Mysteries, and was not overly thrilled. Somehow, I’ve missed book two. So I started this third book with misgiving which were quickly blown away. Set in the early 2000’s, the book followed the building of the world’s largest dam in China which would also destroy cultural geographical landmarks and archeology digs. Well worth reading for the history and for the mystery.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel really captured and held on to my interest. The action didn't cease and the plot line moved along fluidly. I thought the cultural and political tie ins were fascinating. Even the description of the setting was done well.
The only thing that might have been improved upon would be to have an appendix. As I am a "gap" reader, each time I came back to this book I had to remind myself what some of the items and concepts were that were discussed among the characters and used in the book.

[Sharon Apple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrilling!! Gives more Insight into the world's largest dam, as well as enticingly scratches the surface of: the origin of Chinese language; Chinese thought on domestic control and global political dominance; and, among other things, archeological treasures.

[Stemsofred · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was an ongoing saga of Liu Hulan; I read this one out of order. I may have enjoyed it more if I started with the first book.

[Sudha Bellamkonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like all Lisa See novels, this novel is hugely informative about China - both past and present. I also love her characters. The plot though is a little too fantastic. Enjoyable read nevertheless.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Critical reviews of See's books do not represent common readers. Her stories are vibrant, historical, and intriguing. Avid readers of China and it's history and mystery will like this book.