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The Shanghai Wife
Forbidden friendship, political conspiracy and incendiary passion draw Australian woman Annie Brand deep into the glamour and turmoil of 1920s Shanghai.
Shanghai, 1925: Leaving behind the loneliness and trauma of her past in country Australia, Annie Brand arrives to the political upheaval and glittering international society of Shanghai in the 1920s. Journeying up the Yangtze with her new husband, the ship's captain, Annie revels in the sense of adventure but when her husband decides the danger is too great and sends her back to Shanghai, her freedom is quickly curtailed. Against her will, Annie finds herself living alone in the International Settlement, increasingly suffocated by the judgemental Club ladies and their exclusive social scene: one even more restrictive than that she came from. Sick of salacious gossip and colonial condescension, and desperate to shake off the restrictions of her position in the world, Annie is slowly drawn into the bustling life and otherness of the real Shanghai, and begins to see the world from the perspective of the local people, including the servants who work at her husband's Club. But this world is far more complex and dangerous than the curious Annie understands and unknowingly, she becomes caught in a web of intrigue and conspiracy as well as a passionate and forbidden love affair she could not have predicted: one with far–reaching consequences…
Shanghai, 1925: Leaving behind the loneliness and trauma of her past in country Australia, Annie Brand arrives to the political upheaval and glittering international society of Shanghai in the 1920s. Journeying up the Yangtze with her new husband, the ship's captain, Annie revels in the sense of adventure but when her husband decides the danger is too great and sends her back to Shanghai, her freedom is quickly curtailed. Against her will, Annie finds herself living alone in the International Settlement, increasingly suffocated by the judgemental Club ladies and their exclusive social scene: one even more restrictive than that she came from. Sick of salacious gossip and colonial condescension, and desperate to shake off the restrictions of her position in the world, Annie is slowly drawn into the bustling life and otherness of the real Shanghai, and begins to see the world from the perspective of the local people, including the servants who work at her husband's Club. But this world is far more complex and dangerous than the curious Annie understands and unknowingly, she becomes caught in a web of intrigue and conspiracy as well as a passionate and forbidden love affair she could not have predicted: one with far–reaching consequences…
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2018
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340 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
March 13, 2019
An interesting look into 1920's Shanghai from the point of view of a newly married young Australian woman, Annie. Her husband is the captain of a Yangtze river boat, and she accompanies him on a voyage, but soon he receives news that there is unrest, and promptly packs her back off to Shanghai. Back amongst the expat community she finds the company judgemental and feels trapped, with few real friends.
Annie, finding life tedious, is drawn to someone she shouldn't be, and the liaison soon spirals events that are out of her control. With political unrest in Shanghai, gangs and communists alike trying to take control, Annie soon finds herself in more danger than she could ever have imagined.
I did enjoy this book, reading it in a day. The descriptions of Shanghai brought the city to life. The characters were for the most part believable, Annie herself being refreshingly young and somewhat naïve in a hostile environment. But really, how much sadness can one woman go through! The ending wasn't particularly satisfying for me, but for the most part it was realistic. Recommended for lovers of Historical Fiction.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Annie, finding life tedious, is drawn to someone she shouldn't be, and the liaison soon spirals events that are out of her control. With political unrest in Shanghai, gangs and communists alike trying to take control, Annie soon finds herself in more danger than she could ever have imagined.
I did enjoy this book, reading it in a day. The descriptions of Shanghai brought the city to life. The characters were for the most part believable, Annie herself being refreshingly young and somewhat naïve in a hostile environment. But really, how much sadness can one woman go through! The ending wasn't particularly satisfying for me, but for the most part it was realistic. Recommended for lovers of Historical Fiction.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
April 30, 2018
Review to be published. Some notes based on an uncorrected proof:
- Interesting setting (China, 1925) and some lovely descriptions of traveling on a boat along China’s rivers
- Plot isn’t hugely complicated, but enough happens to keep the page turning (at times too much, tbh)
- Some minor Chinese characters have accented dialogue -- Note that I have been advised that this has since been updated in Netgalley and the final version after feedback from readers
- No POV from Chinese characters
- Heroine tries to be sympathetic to the plight of Chinese workers but never really tries to understand the culture beyond her social class
- She keeps trying to save people, who end up worse off as a result
- There’s a romance, but it’s pretty lukewarm and underdeveloped given that it’s interracial, there’s class disparity, and she’s so incredibly unprepared to deal with any of those issues
- Ending is rushed, the mystery about her past didn’t really go anywhere, and I’m not really sure what the overarching theme of the book is
- Vivid descriptions of trauma, but they did feel a bit out of place in the story, to the point of being gratuitous towards the end
- Interesting setting (China, 1925) and some lovely descriptions of traveling on a boat along China’s rivers
- Plot isn’t hugely complicated, but enough happens to keep the page turning (at times too much, tbh)
- Some minor Chinese characters have accented dialogue -- Note that I have been advised that this has since been updated in Netgalley and the final version after feedback from readers
- No POV from Chinese characters
- Heroine tries to be sympathetic to the plight of Chinese workers but never really tries to understand the culture beyond her social class
- She keeps trying to save people, who end up worse off as a result
- There’s a romance, but it’s pretty lukewarm and underdeveloped given that it’s interracial, there’s class disparity, and she’s so incredibly unprepared to deal with any of those issues
- Ending is rushed, the mystery about her past didn’t really go anywhere, and I’m not really sure what the overarching theme of the book is
- Vivid descriptions of trauma, but they did feel a bit out of place in the story, to the point of being gratuitous towards the end
August 20, 2018
I found this book unbelievably badly written. It was difficult to feel anything for Annie, other than irritation at her, mainly idiotic, decisions to take action; when she wasn't quivering with terror which immobilised her. What could have been an interesting look at a very important piece of Chinese history, provided instead a cliched, pedestrian novel. I regret wasting my time on it.
September 29, 2021
I really enjoyed the book’s opening section in which Annie travels along the Yangtze river on the working boat captained by her husband, Alec. In fact, I was as disappointed as Annie when, because of the fear of attack by pirates, she is forced to return to Shanghai and the relative safety of the International Settlement, the part of the city not under Chinese control. (The author’s Historical Note provides more information on the political situation in Shanghai during the period in which the book is set.)
The Shanghai Wife provides a vivid insight into the growing unrest in Shanghai in the 1920s, although this is almost exclusively seen from the point of view of the foreign inhabitants living securely within the confines of the International Settlement. In particular, the ladies of the Shanghai Maritime Club are largely oblivious to what is going on in the old city, more interested as they are in their bridge parties, preparations for the next Club ball or when tea will be served. Only Annie senses a growing apprehensiveness as she travels around the city. ‘This was more than the edginess of summer heat; there was fresh tension in the streets’. That tension will shortly erupt into violence.
Annie is well-meaning but impulsive and rather naive, as a result of which she frequently puts herself – and others – at risk, on occasions with deadly consequences. Even Annie admits at one point that ‘she had made a terrible mess of things’. From the beginning, there are hints of a traumatic event in Annie’s past the nature of which is only revealed at the end of the book but goes some way to explaining her instinct to try to rescue others in danger. Despite expressing a desire to learn more about the daily lives of the Chinese people and railing against the racist attitudes of the Club ladies, Annie demonstrates a degree of hypocrisy, relying as she does on servants whose names are never used, referred to merely as ‘houseboy’ or ‘wash amah’.
Chow, the maitre d’hotel of the Club, is the exception; he’s a living, breathing individual not just one more ‘Chinaman’. Annie welcomes his attentive attitude and kindness towards her, especially when events leave her feeling lonely and isolated. Their friendship is frowned upon by other less enlightened members of the International Settlement; interracial relationships definitely being a no-go area. Nevertheless, Chow tries to respond to Annie’s wish to experience the ‘real’ Shanghai, not all of which she finds attractive. He chides her, ‘This is my Shanghai, Mrs Brand, the vitality and the poverty, but perhaps you are not ready. Remember, please, that your standards are not ours, do not judge what you don’t understand.’ It turns out the city is a place of hidden dangers leading to some dramatic events towards the end of the book.
If you long for a combination of mystery, romance and melodrama set in a fascinating location, then The Shanghai Wife may be just the book for you.
The Shanghai Wife provides a vivid insight into the growing unrest in Shanghai in the 1920s, although this is almost exclusively seen from the point of view of the foreign inhabitants living securely within the confines of the International Settlement. In particular, the ladies of the Shanghai Maritime Club are largely oblivious to what is going on in the old city, more interested as they are in their bridge parties, preparations for the next Club ball or when tea will be served. Only Annie senses a growing apprehensiveness as she travels around the city. ‘This was more than the edginess of summer heat; there was fresh tension in the streets’. That tension will shortly erupt into violence.
Annie is well-meaning but impulsive and rather naive, as a result of which she frequently puts herself – and others – at risk, on occasions with deadly consequences. Even Annie admits at one point that ‘she had made a terrible mess of things’. From the beginning, there are hints of a traumatic event in Annie’s past the nature of which is only revealed at the end of the book but goes some way to explaining her instinct to try to rescue others in danger. Despite expressing a desire to learn more about the daily lives of the Chinese people and railing against the racist attitudes of the Club ladies, Annie demonstrates a degree of hypocrisy, relying as she does on servants whose names are never used, referred to merely as ‘houseboy’ or ‘wash amah’.
Chow, the maitre d’hotel of the Club, is the exception; he’s a living, breathing individual not just one more ‘Chinaman’. Annie welcomes his attentive attitude and kindness towards her, especially when events leave her feeling lonely and isolated. Their friendship is frowned upon by other less enlightened members of the International Settlement; interracial relationships definitely being a no-go area. Nevertheless, Chow tries to respond to Annie’s wish to experience the ‘real’ Shanghai, not all of which she finds attractive. He chides her, ‘This is my Shanghai, Mrs Brand, the vitality and the poverty, but perhaps you are not ready. Remember, please, that your standards are not ours, do not judge what you don’t understand.’ It turns out the city is a place of hidden dangers leading to some dramatic events towards the end of the book.
If you long for a combination of mystery, romance and melodrama set in a fascinating location, then The Shanghai Wife may be just the book for you.
April 11, 2018
I received an 'uncorrected proof' copy of this book at my local bookstore's Bookclub. This novel is loosely based on the author's Grandmother's experiences while living in Shanghai with her husband in the 1920's. It is set during the time of the political upheavals during that time in Shanghai and how strong the the then young woman was during those turbulent times. Annie the main character has a difficult time fitting in with the ladies of the Club within the International Settlement. She does not agree with the way the matriarch of the group Mrs Marsden and the other ladies as a whole, treat the coolies who are Chinese lower class servants. This causes her to be a bit of an outcast.
At the beginning her husband is working on the Yangtze River on his boat and sends her home as it's becoming too dangerous for her with pirates along the way. She meets Chow in the International Settlement who is one of the leading head servants at the Club and they have a connection with each other in the way he helps her and advises her on how things work in the Settlement. Annie is still not content and wants to see the poorer areas of Shanghai and reluctantly Chow takes her there. What happens along the way changes the course of the whole story and it does make you want to read on and on to see what transpires. At the end we finally find out the reason why she left her home in Australia in the first place and without doing spoilers here I feel you should read this book to find out for yourself. This is a debut novel for this author and I will look out for any more she writes. She has done a lot of research along with the stories her Grandmother told her which gives us a good insight to those times in China. There are a lot of unexpected twists in this story which I think those interested in an easy read will enjoy.
At the beginning her husband is working on the Yangtze River on his boat and sends her home as it's becoming too dangerous for her with pirates along the way. She meets Chow in the International Settlement who is one of the leading head servants at the Club and they have a connection with each other in the way he helps her and advises her on how things work in the Settlement. Annie is still not content and wants to see the poorer areas of Shanghai and reluctantly Chow takes her there. What happens along the way changes the course of the whole story and it does make you want to read on and on to see what transpires. At the end we finally find out the reason why she left her home in Australia in the first place and without doing spoilers here I feel you should read this book to find out for yourself. This is a debut novel for this author and I will look out for any more she writes. She has done a lot of research along with the stories her Grandmother told her which gives us a good insight to those times in China. There are a lot of unexpected twists in this story which I think those interested in an easy read will enjoy.
July 11, 2018
Read this book in one sitting and enjoyed it. I liked Annie very much, she was a sympathetic character, the descriptions were so evocative and visual and the plot was like a thriller! I also think it would make a good movie with such an exotic setting.
Impressive debut novel!!
Impressive debut novel!!
July 13, 2018
Did not enjoy at all. The writing was quite juvenile / pedestrian. Also find it hard to be sympathetic to a self absorbed character.
October 29, 2020
The background setting was the main reason I picked up this book. Shanghai in the 20s setting for an Australian main character? Yes, please!
This was a lovely story about Annie Brand, a newlywed from Australia who ran away from her past to make a new living in Shanghai with a new husband who was a Sea Captain. She was buoyed by the romanticised version of Shanghai in 1925.
As expected, this was a fish-out-of-water story. Annie had to learn the hard way that everything wasn't as it seemed. I quite enjoyed the historical events and political atmosphere integrated to the book (although I can't speak to their accuracy. However, the Author did include a note at the end of the book about her historical research of the era, so I believe they would be quite accurate), but Annie's 'innocence' annoyed me in some places. For someone who had a 'dark' past (which wasn't explained till the end of the book), I couldn't believe that she could be so oblivious to the 'real' Shanghai.
Annie herself as the main protagonist wasn't fully 'likeable' IMO. Her views seemed to be quite progressive, but her actions were quite ignorant, and she kept causing troubles everywhere she went. At some point in the book, she also strongly encouraged a woman to leave her husband because he couldn't have a child (imagine if it was the other way around!) - although later, she did say she wouldn't push her opinion even though she disagreed. I appreciated that she was a 'broken' character and she wasn't perfect, so it could be the intended character design.
At the end of the day, I liked the overall atmosphere of the story. And it was great for a debut! I wouldn't mind checking out more books from the Author.
Last but not least, how gorgeous is the cover!
See my bookstagram review.
This was a lovely story about Annie Brand, a newlywed from Australia who ran away from her past to make a new living in Shanghai with a new husband who was a Sea Captain. She was buoyed by the romanticised version of Shanghai in 1925.
As expected, this was a fish-out-of-water story. Annie had to learn the hard way that everything wasn't as it seemed. I quite enjoyed the historical events and political atmosphere integrated to the book (although I can't speak to their accuracy. However, the Author did include a note at the end of the book about her historical research of the era, so I believe they would be quite accurate), but Annie's 'innocence' annoyed me in some places. For someone who had a 'dark' past (which wasn't explained till the end of the book), I couldn't believe that she could be so oblivious to the 'real' Shanghai.
Annie herself as the main protagonist wasn't fully 'likeable' IMO. Her views seemed to be quite progressive, but her actions were quite ignorant, and she kept causing troubles everywhere she went. At some point in the book, she also strongly encouraged a woman to leave her husband because he couldn't have a child (imagine if it was the other way around!) - although later, she did say she wouldn't push her opinion even though she disagreed. I appreciated that she was a 'broken' character and she wasn't perfect, so it could be the intended character design.
At the end of the day, I liked the overall atmosphere of the story. And it was great for a debut! I wouldn't mind checking out more books from the Author.
Last but not least, how gorgeous is the cover!
See my bookstagram review.
August 26, 2018
The first 50 pages were beyond boring but then by page 60 I was intrigued and by page 100 I was hooked! The ending and the last half of the book was epic and unexpected!!
September 23, 2021
This book is set in Shanghai in the 1920's , now I have absolutely no idea what it looked like but the way it is described in the book I can definitely close my eyes and picture it.
The book has some totally unexpected moments in it (I won't spoil it for you!) , there story is loosely based on things Emma's Grandma had told her from living in Shanghai in that era for a year. Everything was described beautifully, the storyline was well written and kept you wanting to read on and on ... the only things I didn't like was the main character I kind of instantly disliked her ... can't like every main character! Cant wait to read more from this author
The book has some totally unexpected moments in it (I won't spoil it for you!) , there story is loosely based on things Emma's Grandma had told her from living in Shanghai in that era for a year. Everything was described beautifully, the storyline was well written and kept you wanting to read on and on ... the only things I didn't like was the main character I kind of instantly disliked her ... can't like every main character! Cant wait to read more from this author
September 6, 2018
Interesting setting in a location and time I know nothing about. Great debut novel.
However, the heroine was quite a frustrating character who seemed to bring unhappiness to most of those around her.
Will be looking out for the next instalment with anticipation and hoping for a different protagonist.
However, the heroine was quite a frustrating character who seemed to bring unhappiness to most of those around her.
Will be looking out for the next instalment with anticipation and hoping for a different protagonist.
September 3, 2023
The premise and setting was very interesting and the book cover was beautiful unfortunately the execution of the book wasn't great so it was quite disappointing.
I find it hard to get through the whole book and just decided to rush past the end because the last few chapters especially was quite tedious to read. After the part where annie got off the boat the pacing was just odd, it was too fast on some parts and lingering on others which made the plot quite boring.
I find annie very stubborn and annoying as a character. It's quite difficult to sympathize with her because she just feels very self absorbed and kind of giving off pick me vibes. In spite of liking being in shanghai and defending the local people she makes no effort in learning more about the culture, the laws and politics nor the people there but keeps acting rash which led her to various kinds of terrible situations which could probably have been avoided had she been more careful. She also feels very dumb as she really can't put two and two together throughout the whole book even though she was given a mountainous amount of evidence that something was off. The rest of the characters were forgettable since they weren't quite fleshed out before disappearing or getting killed.
I also think that the setting of shanghai 1925 is not utilized very well in the story and it feels quite irrelevant. Like if this were set in england with english gangsters, it wouldn't have made too much of a difference in the plot which is very disappointing as this was a part of what got me into reading in the first place. There was also just too many parts where annie is just being annoyed at having to mingle with the other foreigners and it just drags on forever.
The romance wasn't really that good despite having a romance heavy plot. Alec getting killed off felt like it was just so annie could get together with chow. And i couldn't even grief his death because i just didn't care enough for the character and so did annie apparently since she immediately got with the next guy a couple months after. It feels like his whole character was just pointless in the book. The chemistry with chow was also meh. I don't really know why they really liked each other so the affair felt quite superficial.
The ending was really messy i didn't even know what was happening anymore, the plot was all over the place and i never even know what happened to chin feng she just got left there like wth. At the end nothing really changed except annie's just more depressed now, she went back to her homeland, there were no repercussions explained after the events that happened in shanghai, the gangsters didn't really do anything to find her even though she already knows too much. Honestly i am never against a sad ending but this one just doesn't feel quite right.
Overall the writing could be improved. The characters were too superficial to like. The plot was okay but the pacing was too weird to follow. There was some heavy topics that could've been handled with more care to really make an impact. I do feel like the book could've been much shorter if not for the unnecessary proses.
I find it hard to get through the whole book and just decided to rush past the end because the last few chapters especially was quite tedious to read. After the part where annie got off the boat the pacing was just odd, it was too fast on some parts and lingering on others which made the plot quite boring.
I find annie very stubborn and annoying as a character. It's quite difficult to sympathize with her because she just feels very self absorbed and kind of giving off pick me vibes. In spite of liking being in shanghai and defending the local people she makes no effort in learning more about the culture, the laws and politics nor the people there but keeps acting rash which led her to various kinds of terrible situations which could probably have been avoided had she been more careful. She also feels very dumb as she really can't put two and two together throughout the whole book even though she was given a mountainous amount of evidence that something was off. The rest of the characters were forgettable since they weren't quite fleshed out before disappearing or getting killed.
I also think that the setting of shanghai 1925 is not utilized very well in the story and it feels quite irrelevant. Like if this were set in england with english gangsters, it wouldn't have made too much of a difference in the plot which is very disappointing as this was a part of what got me into reading in the first place. There was also just too many parts where annie is just being annoyed at having to mingle with the other foreigners and it just drags on forever.
The romance wasn't really that good despite having a romance heavy plot. Alec getting killed off felt like it was just so annie could get together with chow. And i couldn't even grief his death because i just didn't care enough for the character and so did annie apparently since she immediately got with the next guy a couple months after. It feels like his whole character was just pointless in the book. The chemistry with chow was also meh. I don't really know why they really liked each other so the affair felt quite superficial.
The ending was really messy i didn't even know what was happening anymore, the plot was all over the place and i never even know what happened to chin feng she just got left there like wth. At the end nothing really changed except annie's just more depressed now, she went back to her homeland, there were no repercussions explained after the events that happened in shanghai, the gangsters didn't really do anything to find her even though she already knows too much. Honestly i am never against a sad ending but this one just doesn't feel quite right.
Overall the writing could be improved. The characters were too superficial to like. The plot was okay but the pacing was too weird to follow. There was some heavy topics that could've been handled with more care to really make an impact. I do feel like the book could've been much shorter if not for the unnecessary proses.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2018
Juvenile prose
November 10, 2018
The Shanghai Wife is the debut historical fiction novel of Australian author, Emma Harcourt. While Emma has said this is a work of fiction, it is loosely based on the life of her grandmother. Emma’s grandmother was a woman who was born in Australia and moved to Shanghai for a year with her husband, a captain on the Yangtze River, experiencing life in Shanghai from 1925-1926. With this premise, I was immediately drawn in. I knew very little about this period in China and I had just finished reading the epic A Place To Remember by Jenn J. McLeod so I thought this would be the perfect read.
Stepping into Annie Brands shoes in 1925, I found her to be a young, newly married woman who had left Australia to become a reluctant member of international society in Shanghai. With her little known husband, Alec, as captain, she relishes the opportunity to travel the Yangtze River, escaping society and hoping to become better acquainted with the new man in her life. Like Annie, I found myself taking to life on board the boat, enjoying the unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells of a new culture. Only to find myself and Annie back on the shores of Shanghai when Alec deems it to unsafe for her to be aboard the boat with political unrest rife. I raged like Annie did and my heart ached for her when she fulfilled the role expected of her by society in the glittering 20s. Like me, she didn’t fit into high society, nor did she believe that the Asian community should be treated so poorly by the British. I applauded Annie for the many small things changes she made as she tried to make a difference in the lives of others. Like real life, Annie did not always make the right choices and often her interference made things worse. It made for a refreshing change to read about an ordinary, every day woman who was not ahead of her time as many are in fiction today. With her husband away, I realised that Annie was becoming enamoured with another, most unexpected man. While I too, admired and thought this man was the perfect gentleman for Annie, societies views and expectations didn’t allow Annie to get happily ever after. Life threw many curveballs her away and while she was still standing one year later, Annie is no longer the naïve bride I met at the beginning of it all.
If you are looking for a quick, easy read at 286 pages, this is your next book. However, this didn’t really allow Emma to reach the full potential I felt The Shanghai Wife had and needed to make it stand out amongst the many historical fiction novels out there.
#AWWC#
Stepping into Annie Brands shoes in 1925, I found her to be a young, newly married woman who had left Australia to become a reluctant member of international society in Shanghai. With her little known husband, Alec, as captain, she relishes the opportunity to travel the Yangtze River, escaping society and hoping to become better acquainted with the new man in her life. Like Annie, I found myself taking to life on board the boat, enjoying the unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells of a new culture. Only to find myself and Annie back on the shores of Shanghai when Alec deems it to unsafe for her to be aboard the boat with political unrest rife. I raged like Annie did and my heart ached for her when she fulfilled the role expected of her by society in the glittering 20s. Like me, she didn’t fit into high society, nor did she believe that the Asian community should be treated so poorly by the British. I applauded Annie for the many small things changes she made as she tried to make a difference in the lives of others. Like real life, Annie did not always make the right choices and often her interference made things worse. It made for a refreshing change to read about an ordinary, every day woman who was not ahead of her time as many are in fiction today. With her husband away, I realised that Annie was becoming enamoured with another, most unexpected man. While I too, admired and thought this man was the perfect gentleman for Annie, societies views and expectations didn’t allow Annie to get happily ever after. Life threw many curveballs her away and while she was still standing one year later, Annie is no longer the naïve bride I met at the beginning of it all.
If you are looking for a quick, easy read at 286 pages, this is your next book. However, this didn’t really allow Emma to reach the full potential I felt The Shanghai Wife had and needed to make it stand out amongst the many historical fiction novels out there.
#AWWC#
November 22, 2021
This is the story of Annie Brand, an Australian woman who has run from her family and her past to start a new life for herself. Annie is a woman who seems to crave adventure and excitement and is drawn to Shanghai where she meets and marries a captain.
Initially we meet the happy couple on a boat which is travelling down the Yangtze river, Annie is enjoying the adventure and is happy to be away from the women's club in the city where she does not feel she fits in or belongs.
Her husband soon decides that the river voyage is too dangerous and with things reportedly settling down in Shanghai sends Annie back home much to her dismay.
Annie is quite innocent in most things and overall wasn't that likable of a character. I do think her heart was in the right place but she often puts herself in situations that really make you shake your head at her.
She doesn't think about the consequences of her actions at all and is very much a fish out of water when it comes to the politics and way of life in Shanghai.
She's ignorant to the culture and way of life and in a lot of cases very much like a child when she does not get her own way. She causes a lot of trouble throughout the story, harming others (unintentionally) and falling in love with the wrong people.
I loved the atmosphere that was built throughout the story. The descriptions were fantastic and all very visual, I had no trouble imagining the city and the characters at all.
I also enjoyed the historical events portrayed within the story and there is a note on the history at the end of the book which is very interesting and obviously well researched.
Overall I thought this was a very good debut, I enjoyed the story and wasn't bored at any stage. I wasn't all that keen on the way the author chose to end the story... to me it actually felt unpolished? Unfinished? I'm not sure if there will be another book or not but maybe the intent is there and that is why she choose to end it the way she did.
Initially we meet the happy couple on a boat which is travelling down the Yangtze river, Annie is enjoying the adventure and is happy to be away from the women's club in the city where she does not feel she fits in or belongs.
Her husband soon decides that the river voyage is too dangerous and with things reportedly settling down in Shanghai sends Annie back home much to her dismay.
Annie is quite innocent in most things and overall wasn't that likable of a character. I do think her heart was in the right place but she often puts herself in situations that really make you shake your head at her.
She doesn't think about the consequences of her actions at all and is very much a fish out of water when it comes to the politics and way of life in Shanghai.
She's ignorant to the culture and way of life and in a lot of cases very much like a child when she does not get her own way. She causes a lot of trouble throughout the story, harming others (unintentionally) and falling in love with the wrong people.
I loved the atmosphere that was built throughout the story. The descriptions were fantastic and all very visual, I had no trouble imagining the city and the characters at all.
I also enjoyed the historical events portrayed within the story and there is a note on the history at the end of the book which is very interesting and obviously well researched.
Overall I thought this was a very good debut, I enjoyed the story and wasn't bored at any stage. I wasn't all that keen on the way the author chose to end the story... to me it actually felt unpolished? Unfinished? I'm not sure if there will be another book or not but maybe the intent is there and that is why she choose to end it the way she did.
August 22, 2018
It was absolutely fantastic. Can’t wait for Emma’s next book
July 7, 2018
Couldn’t put it down! Started it at 330pm and finished it by 330am the next day. Slow build up as Annie absorbs life travelling on the river and getting to know her new husband. The pace quickens in accordance with her move to the political unrest and social constructions in the city.
The detail puts you right there, with enough plot twists and intrigue to keep you reading for 11.5 hours straight (had to eat!)
I’m calling it - this book will become a movie.
The detail puts you right there, with enough plot twists and intrigue to keep you reading for 11.5 hours straight (had to eat!)
I’m calling it - this book will become a movie.
April 14, 2021
Emma Harcourt turns the stories passed down of her grandmother’s life into an exciting and provocative novel set in 1920’s China.
I picked this novel up from a little free library in Mt Martha and although it took me a long time to get into (the reading slump was real friends) I’m glad I read this novel because I have very little knowledge about Chinese history and the struggles Chinese people have been through.
I understand that reading a novel about an Australian woman’s experience in the gated international community written by an Australian woman is not the ideal way to learn about Chinese history but it piqued my interest in topics I had no idea about and has given me a great place to start my learning.
The novel itself was a little all over the place heading from one dramatic turn of events to another before you could process what has just happened. For the most part the novel was interesting and I really enjoyed the balls and parties Annie attended at her fancy club, it gave me strong Bridgertom vibes that I was craving after finishing the series twice through.
Annie’s character has a lot to be desired. I enjoy that despite being based on her grandmother the author is not afraid to show how Annie’s naivety and meddling, despite thinking she’s a hero for feeling sympathetic for the Chinese people and treating the staff as humans, is actually making the locals lives worse and that they do not need a foreign woman to solve their problems for them (aka all of colonialism ever).
This was a good read to have picked out of a little free library, but not the best book I’ve ever read. I would definitely read more novels by Emma Harcourt in the future for her unfiltered views and imperfect characters.
I picked this novel up from a little free library in Mt Martha and although it took me a long time to get into (the reading slump was real friends) I’m glad I read this novel because I have very little knowledge about Chinese history and the struggles Chinese people have been through.
I understand that reading a novel about an Australian woman’s experience in the gated international community written by an Australian woman is not the ideal way to learn about Chinese history but it piqued my interest in topics I had no idea about and has given me a great place to start my learning.
The novel itself was a little all over the place heading from one dramatic turn of events to another before you could process what has just happened. For the most part the novel was interesting and I really enjoyed the balls and parties Annie attended at her fancy club, it gave me strong Bridgertom vibes that I was craving after finishing the series twice through.
Annie’s character has a lot to be desired. I enjoy that despite being based on her grandmother the author is not afraid to show how Annie’s naivety and meddling, despite thinking she’s a hero for feeling sympathetic for the Chinese people and treating the staff as humans, is actually making the locals lives worse and that they do not need a foreign woman to solve their problems for them (aka all of colonialism ever).
This was a good read to have picked out of a little free library, but not the best book I’ve ever read. I would definitely read more novels by Emma Harcourt in the future for her unfiltered views and imperfect characters.
July 27, 2018
The cover is beautiful as is the title but the writing is very ordinary. I hope Emma Harcourt will write a second novel. I look forward to seeing her grow and develop in her skill as an author.
June 26, 2018
Just as the story went in one direction something dramatic would happen to Annie and send me off in a different direction. This made the storyline a bit choppy, but I enjoyed the setting of Shanghai and the multilayers of life there. The ending is very open, perhaps another story is waiting to be told?
February 10, 2019
Shanghai Wife is set during a fascinating period in history when China was on the brink of huge changes. Unfortunately, despite the potential this novel was a big disappointment with clumsy writing, a risible plot and awkward ending. It could have been much better with editorial support to refine the writing and structure.
September 24, 2021
I was very eager to be on the tour for this book, as this is a time period and setting that I know very little about, and one of the great joys for me in reading is learning. I have to say, this book really opened my eyes to a fascinating time and place in history and am now keen to read more about it. You can’t ask much more from a book than inspiring curiosity in you whilst it entertains.
This book is an intriguing mix of history, social commentary and thriller, and I was drawn into the exquisitely drawn setting as soon as I started to read. The book opens with a young wife, Annie, as she travels up the Yangtze river with her new husband, a boat captain. The couple are still getting to know one another, and the scenes between them are sweet and tender. However, China in the 1920s is a place of political upheaval and danger, with rioting in the cities and banditry in the hills, and Alec, fearing that the journey is too dangerous for his wife and sends her back to the relative safety of the International Settlement in Shanghai.
Annie is an unusual character in the community, young and rebellious, having run away from home in Australia, she does not fit in easily with the constraining social rules of ex-pat society in China, and she displays an unseemly (in the eyes of the other women) interest in the local issues and grows too close to some of the Chinese community. She is very naive, and meddles in things she doesn’t really understand, whilst out of her husband’s immediate supervision, and ends up in a dangerous situation.
I found Annie’s story fascinating. From the perspective of a modern woman, I can sympathise with her feelings, and understand her frustrations, whilst recognising how inappropriate and unwise her actions are. You can see that the situation is not going to end well, and, boy, is this author cruel to her protagonist. This book is an emotional rollercoaster that the reader is propelled along with Annie by the power and beauty of the author’s writing. She has painted a rich and exotic world here, that you can practically touch through the pages and it feels very alive. I absolutely loved being caught up in the machinations of the ex-pat community in Shanghai at this time.
If I had any criticism of the book, it would be that the final segment unravelling the thriller aspect of the plot felt a little rushed, and I got slightly confused. I felt that the author had really luxuriated in the historical and romantic aspects of the plot earlier on, but was less invested in this aspect and just wanted it sorting out. It didn’t feel as richly developed as I would have liked, and it gave the book an uneven cadence in the final quarter. I also didn’t really understand what was the issue between Annie and her father, and this didn’t get resolved to my satisfaction.
These niggles aside, this book is a beautiful exploration of an experience in history that is ripe for story-telling and provides the reader with a feast for all of the senses. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would not hesitate to pick up another novel by this author. If you love historical fiction, you will want to give this a go.
This book is an intriguing mix of history, social commentary and thriller, and I was drawn into the exquisitely drawn setting as soon as I started to read. The book opens with a young wife, Annie, as she travels up the Yangtze river with her new husband, a boat captain. The couple are still getting to know one another, and the scenes between them are sweet and tender. However, China in the 1920s is a place of political upheaval and danger, with rioting in the cities and banditry in the hills, and Alec, fearing that the journey is too dangerous for his wife and sends her back to the relative safety of the International Settlement in Shanghai.
Annie is an unusual character in the community, young and rebellious, having run away from home in Australia, she does not fit in easily with the constraining social rules of ex-pat society in China, and she displays an unseemly (in the eyes of the other women) interest in the local issues and grows too close to some of the Chinese community. She is very naive, and meddles in things she doesn’t really understand, whilst out of her husband’s immediate supervision, and ends up in a dangerous situation.
I found Annie’s story fascinating. From the perspective of a modern woman, I can sympathise with her feelings, and understand her frustrations, whilst recognising how inappropriate and unwise her actions are. You can see that the situation is not going to end well, and, boy, is this author cruel to her protagonist. This book is an emotional rollercoaster that the reader is propelled along with Annie by the power and beauty of the author’s writing. She has painted a rich and exotic world here, that you can practically touch through the pages and it feels very alive. I absolutely loved being caught up in the machinations of the ex-pat community in Shanghai at this time.
If I had any criticism of the book, it would be that the final segment unravelling the thriller aspect of the plot felt a little rushed, and I got slightly confused. I felt that the author had really luxuriated in the historical and romantic aspects of the plot earlier on, but was less invested in this aspect and just wanted it sorting out. It didn’t feel as richly developed as I would have liked, and it gave the book an uneven cadence in the final quarter. I also didn’t really understand what was the issue between Annie and her father, and this didn’t get resolved to my satisfaction.
These niggles aside, this book is a beautiful exploration of an experience in history that is ripe for story-telling and provides the reader with a feast for all of the senses. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would not hesitate to pick up another novel by this author. If you love historical fiction, you will want to give this a go.
September 17, 2021
I´ve read quite a few history books set in China during the first half of the last century, particularly the 1920s and the 1940s, but not too many novels. Given my wellknown reluctance to historical novels, it makes sense, but this year I decided to give more chances to literary creativity set in specific timeframes of the past. Thus, my decision to read and review The Shanghai Wife, the debut novel by Australia-based Emma Harcourt.
The book was inspired by the author´s grandmother story that lived in Shanghai in the mid 1920s and the beginning of the 1930s, times for tremendous changes and turmoil in this part of the world too, as everywhere in the world. The imagined Shanghai of the book is reflecting the usual descriptions of the city in other non-fictional accounts as well: multicultural, booming with businesses, with a penchant for opium - which was a lucrative endeavour as well.
The ambiance descriptions are so vivid and genuine that you feel transported in that specific time and moment and place without ever leaving your home.
But the most important element of the book is, definitely the story. Annie Brand arrives from Australia in the international Shanghai with her husband, a ship captain. He leaves her alone to face the hardship of being abroad in a foreign world and even if the language is not an issue, the difficult political and social environment as well as the complexities of the expat life in Shanghai was taking its toll.
The narrative builds up slowly, brick by brick, but one step further and we reached a different level of complexity and, sometimes, danger too. Annie is a strong and complex character with a big taste for adventure but the situations she is getting involved in are out of her control sometimes. Her everyday life seems to be in sync with the unfolding events on the streets of Shanghai and this double dynamism makes the story even more attractive.
The Shanghai Wife has all the good ingredients for a suspenseful and action-filled read: there is conspiracy, political mystery, forbidden love and dramatic romance. All put together in good wording which makes you curious to find out more about the history of Shanghai and especially of its people, locals or internationals that made its everyday history not so long ago.
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of a book tour, but the opinions are, as usual, my own
The book was inspired by the author´s grandmother story that lived in Shanghai in the mid 1920s and the beginning of the 1930s, times for tremendous changes and turmoil in this part of the world too, as everywhere in the world. The imagined Shanghai of the book is reflecting the usual descriptions of the city in other non-fictional accounts as well: multicultural, booming with businesses, with a penchant for opium - which was a lucrative endeavour as well.
The ambiance descriptions are so vivid and genuine that you feel transported in that specific time and moment and place without ever leaving your home.
But the most important element of the book is, definitely the story. Annie Brand arrives from Australia in the international Shanghai with her husband, a ship captain. He leaves her alone to face the hardship of being abroad in a foreign world and even if the language is not an issue, the difficult political and social environment as well as the complexities of the expat life in Shanghai was taking its toll.
The narrative builds up slowly, brick by brick, but one step further and we reached a different level of complexity and, sometimes, danger too. Annie is a strong and complex character with a big taste for adventure but the situations she is getting involved in are out of her control sometimes. Her everyday life seems to be in sync with the unfolding events on the streets of Shanghai and this double dynamism makes the story even more attractive.
The Shanghai Wife has all the good ingredients for a suspenseful and action-filled read: there is conspiracy, political mystery, forbidden love and dramatic romance. All put together in good wording which makes you curious to find out more about the history of Shanghai and especially of its people, locals or internationals that made its everyday history not so long ago.
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of a book tour, but the opinions are, as usual, my own
July 18, 2023
This is a novel about a disillusioned young woman who travels from Australia to Shanghai to make a new life for herself in the 1920's.
An interesting historical novel, with some good characterisation and world-building.
Blurb:
Shanghai, 1925
Leaving behind the loneliness and trauma of her past in country Australia, Annie Brand arrives to the political upheaval and glittering international society of Shanghai in the 1920s. Journeying up the Yangtze with her new husband, the ship's captain, Annie revels in the sense of adventure but when her husband sends her back to Shanghai, her freedom is quickly curtailed.
Against her will, Annie finds herself living alone in the International Settlement, increasingly suffocated by the judgemental Club ladies and their exclusive social scene: one even more restrictive than that she came from. Sick of salacious gossip and foreign condescension, and desperate to shake off the restrictions of her position in the world, Annie is slowly drawn into the bustling life and otherness of the real Shanghai, and begins to see the world from the perspective of the local people, including the servants at her husband's Club.
But this world is far more complex and dangerous than the curious Annie understands, and, unknowingly, she becomes caught in a web of intrigue and conspiracy as well as a passionate forbidden love affair she could not have predicted: one with far-reaching consequences...
I liked the premise of the novel, but had issues with its execution.
SPOILERS
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Everyone Annie loves, dies. That's it in a nutshell. Her husband, and her lover (I won't spoil who her new partner was...) both pass, more for obvious plot development than anything else. And that's a shame. I think it would have been more realistic if her husband had remained alive so that Annie had more of a struggle of conscience to develop a relationship with her lover, but, hey... And it all tied up too neatly at the end.
Thanks to #ABoS A Box of Stories for sending me this - an interesting read, but not one that I would keep. I'll pass it on to someone who will love it more.
An interesting historical novel, with some good characterisation and world-building.
Blurb:
Shanghai, 1925
Leaving behind the loneliness and trauma of her past in country Australia, Annie Brand arrives to the political upheaval and glittering international society of Shanghai in the 1920s. Journeying up the Yangtze with her new husband, the ship's captain, Annie revels in the sense of adventure but when her husband sends her back to Shanghai, her freedom is quickly curtailed.
Against her will, Annie finds herself living alone in the International Settlement, increasingly suffocated by the judgemental Club ladies and their exclusive social scene: one even more restrictive than that she came from. Sick of salacious gossip and foreign condescension, and desperate to shake off the restrictions of her position in the world, Annie is slowly drawn into the bustling life and otherness of the real Shanghai, and begins to see the world from the perspective of the local people, including the servants at her husband's Club.
But this world is far more complex and dangerous than the curious Annie understands, and, unknowingly, she becomes caught in a web of intrigue and conspiracy as well as a passionate forbidden love affair she could not have predicted: one with far-reaching consequences...
I liked the premise of the novel, but had issues with its execution.
SPOILERS
.
.
.
.
.
Everyone Annie loves, dies. That's it in a nutshell. Her husband, and her lover (I won't spoil who her new partner was...) both pass, more for obvious plot development than anything else. And that's a shame. I think it would have been more realistic if her husband had remained alive so that Annie had more of a struggle of conscience to develop a relationship with her lover, but, hey... And it all tied up too neatly at the end.
Thanks to #ABoS A Box of Stories for sending me this - an interesting read, but not one that I would keep. I'll pass it on to someone who will love it more.
August 13, 2018
At the commencement of The Shanghai Wife, we join Annie and her husband Captain Alec Brand aboard a working river boat sailing the Yangtse River in China. Annie is very comfortable in the presence of her husband, but for her own safety is sent back to Shanghai to life in the International Settlement and await his return. Annie is not one to easily conform to the restrictive lifestyle and conformist views of the ladies of the International Settlements’ exclusive social scene, and it is not long before she bucks trends and befriends the hired help; Chinese folk who are employed to serve the Europeans, those who are apparently of higher social standing. Friendships form and Annie is eager to experience Shanghai as the locals see it. This introduces her to a world of wonder but also brings with it danger and devastation.
I found the final storyline to be quite upsetting and a surprising twist as I couldn’t understand the thoughts of Annie and the decisions she had made. However, I was particularly taken with the detailed events the author was able to portray. The descriptions of persons, places and emotions enabled me to clearly imagine what the character Annie was going through. I was interested to learn that the story in this book is inspired by the story of the authors grandmother, I can only imagine what an interesting and life she led.
Thank you to Emma Harcourt for writing this lovely book, and to HQ Fiction and Beauty and Lace Book Club for the opportunity to read this very interesting story.
I found the final storyline to be quite upsetting and a surprising twist as I couldn’t understand the thoughts of Annie and the decisions she had made. However, I was particularly taken with the detailed events the author was able to portray. The descriptions of persons, places and emotions enabled me to clearly imagine what the character Annie was going through. I was interested to learn that the story in this book is inspired by the story of the authors grandmother, I can only imagine what an interesting and life she led.
Thank you to Emma Harcourt for writing this lovely book, and to HQ Fiction and Beauty and Lace Book Club for the opportunity to read this very interesting story.
March 5, 2019
I really enjoyed Emma Harcourt's first novel. It showed some history of what was happening in China in the 1920's and how even to this day not a lot has changed regarding antagonism between the Chinese and the western world. I do hope though, that we have moved on from the Imperial snobbery of the 1920's.
Shanghai 1925 - leaving behind the loneliness and trauma of her past country, Australia, Annie Brand arrives to the political upheaval and glittering international society of Shanghai in the 1920's. Journeying the Yangtze with her new husband, the ship's captain, Annie revels in the sense of adventure but when her husband sends her back to Shanghai, her freedom is quickly curtailed.
Against her will, Annie finds herself living alone in the International Settlement, increasingly suffocated by the judgemental Club ladies and their exclusive social scene: one even more restrictive than that she came from. sick of salacious gossip and foreign condescension, and desperate to shake off the restrictions of her position in the world, Annie is slowly drawn into the bustling life and otherness of the real Shanghai, and begins to see the world from the perspective of the local people, including the servant's who work at her husband's Club.
But this world is far more complex and dangerous than the curious Annie understands and, unknowingly, she becomes caught in a web of intrigue and conspiracy as well as a passionate forbidden love affair she could not have predicted: one with far-reaching consequences........
Shanghai 1925 - leaving behind the loneliness and trauma of her past country, Australia, Annie Brand arrives to the political upheaval and glittering international society of Shanghai in the 1920's. Journeying the Yangtze with her new husband, the ship's captain, Annie revels in the sense of adventure but when her husband sends her back to Shanghai, her freedom is quickly curtailed.
Against her will, Annie finds herself living alone in the International Settlement, increasingly suffocated by the judgemental Club ladies and their exclusive social scene: one even more restrictive than that she came from. sick of salacious gossip and foreign condescension, and desperate to shake off the restrictions of her position in the world, Annie is slowly drawn into the bustling life and otherness of the real Shanghai, and begins to see the world from the perspective of the local people, including the servant's who work at her husband's Club.
But this world is far more complex and dangerous than the curious Annie understands and, unknowingly, she becomes caught in a web of intrigue and conspiracy as well as a passionate forbidden love affair she could not have predicted: one with far-reaching consequences........
September 20, 2021
Absolutely flew through this! After what felt like a bit of a slow start on the Yangtze River, the pace soon picked up as our protagonist, Annie returns to Shanghai.
Annie becomes embroiled in social politics, unhappy with the way her fellow expats are treating the locals who serve them, and forms an allegiance and friendship with handsome head waiter Chow, and mysterious and outspoken Russian Natalia. However not all is as it seems...
I didn't know much about this time period in Chinese history, and felt like the political unrest was delicately and sympathetically explored - the attitudes toward the native people being generally what it always seems to be when Europeans invade, with an arrogance and complete disregard for the locals, their ways of life and traditions.
I can't pretend I loved Annie- she was flawed and could honestly be incredibly ignorant and dumb, although I appreciated that next to the other women in this book she at least was a critical thinker. She certainly got herself (and others) into some pretty dangerous situations with her naivety.
I do wish Ilma was involved more, particularly at the end, I just found her intriguing and wanted to know more. Also I wanted to know what became of Chin Feng, she just stopped being mentioned!
Overall this was a good historical fiction read, with the descriptions of balls and dances, some romance but also heavy political unrest, gang involvement and some tough and grey moments.
Annie becomes embroiled in social politics, unhappy with the way her fellow expats are treating the locals who serve them, and forms an allegiance and friendship with handsome head waiter Chow, and mysterious and outspoken Russian Natalia. However not all is as it seems...
I didn't know much about this time period in Chinese history, and felt like the political unrest was delicately and sympathetically explored - the attitudes toward the native people being generally what it always seems to be when Europeans invade, with an arrogance and complete disregard for the locals, their ways of life and traditions.
I can't pretend I loved Annie- she was flawed and could honestly be incredibly ignorant and dumb, although I appreciated that next to the other women in this book she at least was a critical thinker. She certainly got herself (and others) into some pretty dangerous situations with her naivety.
I do wish Ilma was involved more, particularly at the end, I just found her intriguing and wanted to know more. Also I wanted to know what became of Chin Feng, she just stopped being mentioned!
Overall this was a good historical fiction read, with the descriptions of balls and dances, some romance but also heavy political unrest, gang involvement and some tough and grey moments.
September 27, 2021
When The Shanghai Wife opens, Annie Brand, and her new husband, Alec, are on board a river boat travelling along the Yangtze river but following the news of significant unrest, Annie is advised to get off the boat, leaving her husband, as the boat’s captain, to continue with the dangerous journey alone with his crew.
However, returning to Shanghai isn’t what Annie had in mind but with no choice other than to do what’s expected of her, she soon finds that waiting for Alec's return, and living her life alone, in Shanghai, isn’t going to be easy. Annie soon finds that rather than be part of the gossipy nature of her fellow expats, she is drawn ore sympathetically towards the lives of the local people. However, as she gets drawn deeper into the real Shanghai, so Annie finds herself caught up in intrigue, danger and forbidden friendships.
The story flows well and the author brings everything to life with imaginative flair and a sympathetic look at the vagaries of history. I particularly enjoyed discovering what life was like in Shanghai in 1925, and there is much to discover about the political implications of this particular time in China’s troubled past. I enjoyed how the author based the story of The Shanghai Wife on her grandmother’s experiences and so, with her authentic descriptions, 1920s Shanghai comes alive in this interesting historical novel.
However, returning to Shanghai isn’t what Annie had in mind but with no choice other than to do what’s expected of her, she soon finds that waiting for Alec's return, and living her life alone, in Shanghai, isn’t going to be easy. Annie soon finds that rather than be part of the gossipy nature of her fellow expats, she is drawn ore sympathetically towards the lives of the local people. However, as she gets drawn deeper into the real Shanghai, so Annie finds herself caught up in intrigue, danger and forbidden friendships.
The story flows well and the author brings everything to life with imaginative flair and a sympathetic look at the vagaries of history. I particularly enjoyed discovering what life was like in Shanghai in 1925, and there is much to discover about the political implications of this particular time in China’s troubled past. I enjoyed how the author based the story of The Shanghai Wife on her grandmother’s experiences and so, with her authentic descriptions, 1920s Shanghai comes alive in this interesting historical novel.
December 31, 2021
Moving to 1920's Shanghai is a big stretch for Annie, having to deal with the curious and judgemental creatures called ex-pat - throwbacks of the old world on the cusp of change and a new awakening. Thrust into the gossipy world full of sharp retorts and a visible shallowness, Annie starts to reach out into her new surroundings, but encounters more than she ever thought possible.
I imagine it will appear to many that Annie is impulsive and naïve in her actions. Her desire to learn, to help and discover her surroundings is dangerous to the observer, and yet it is completely in keeping with her societal position and her heritage. It's called white saviour complex, which although is still prevalent today, was and is very much a product of colonialism. She is fearsome in certain situations and simultaneously convinced her position and her good intent will keep her safe. The invisible bubble of privilege if you will.
Harcourt draws the reader in with the vivid imagery and historical setting, to the point where the more adventurous aspect becomes the obstacle, the dam that keeps the other genre voices slightly tamed.
It's a story driven by the vivid imagery, the accurate settings and the due diligence given to the characters. The author blends and weaves to create a riveting tale of self-discovery and times gone by.
I imagine it will appear to many that Annie is impulsive and naïve in her actions. Her desire to learn, to help and discover her surroundings is dangerous to the observer, and yet it is completely in keeping with her societal position and her heritage. It's called white saviour complex, which although is still prevalent today, was and is very much a product of colonialism. She is fearsome in certain situations and simultaneously convinced her position and her good intent will keep her safe. The invisible bubble of privilege if you will.
Harcourt draws the reader in with the vivid imagery and historical setting, to the point where the more adventurous aspect becomes the obstacle, the dam that keeps the other genre voices slightly tamed.
It's a story driven by the vivid imagery, the accurate settings and the due diligence given to the characters. The author blends and weaves to create a riveting tale of self-discovery and times gone by.
November 21, 2018
Turn back the clock to a time where there was social etiquette that was to be followed. Annie had left Australia for a better life, falling in love with a boatman and moving to Shanghai. This is in the time where there was a large international presence in the city with designated international area.
Their life together starts out on a journey up the Yangtse river, on his boat but when the threat of pirates get too great, her husband sends Annie back to Shanghai to wait for his return and join in the social events held there.
Annie isn’t quite as well groomed or in the belief that she is of a better people than the Chinese like some, most, in the international district & club. She tries to fit in but would prefer to find the real Shanghai, understand exactly what is going on in the city surrounding her, not just the news that is published and adjusted to suit the course of the international governing authorities. Little does she realise that her passions and interests and the want to help the unfortunate Chinese that are swept into the gang culture will lead to such changes in her life.
Its got it all, romance, politics, mystery, controversy, forbidden love and death. A great read, travel back to Shanghai in the 1920s and enjoy!
Their life together starts out on a journey up the Yangtse river, on his boat but when the threat of pirates get too great, her husband sends Annie back to Shanghai to wait for his return and join in the social events held there.
Annie isn’t quite as well groomed or in the belief that she is of a better people than the Chinese like some, most, in the international district & club. She tries to fit in but would prefer to find the real Shanghai, understand exactly what is going on in the city surrounding her, not just the news that is published and adjusted to suit the course of the international governing authorities. Little does she realise that her passions and interests and the want to help the unfortunate Chinese that are swept into the gang culture will lead to such changes in her life.
Its got it all, romance, politics, mystery, controversy, forbidden love and death. A great read, travel back to Shanghai in the 1920s and enjoy!
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