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Unpredictable Winds
Love is a strength despite the pain.
Shanghai, 1940s: during Sino-Japanese war. By day, Lee De-Chang serves as the general manager at Bayer Pharmaceuticals, and at night he operates a secret gun-part factory. In public, he is engaged to Lily, the daughter of a wealthy businessman from Hong Kong. In private, he longs for Mei, his beautiful housekeeper from Suzhou, who works to repay her husband's debt. His German stepmother, Elke, meets Lily and tries to hide her impressions of her; after all, she wants her stepson to be happy. She sees Mei around Lee's house and likes her but realizes that she is already married. Mei feels guilty that she lives in the comfort zone in the posh French concession while her husband fights in the battles. She uses her spare time to improve herself but inadvertently forms a relationship that haunts her for many years.
Unpredictable Windsis a story of unrequited love, secrets, desire, and an unintended friendship that leads to devastating consequences.
Shanghai, 1940s: during Sino-Japanese war. By day, Lee De-Chang serves as the general manager at Bayer Pharmaceuticals, and at night he operates a secret gun-part factory. In public, he is engaged to Lily, the daughter of a wealthy businessman from Hong Kong. In private, he longs for Mei, his beautiful housekeeper from Suzhou, who works to repay her husband's debt. His German stepmother, Elke, meets Lily and tries to hide her impressions of her; after all, she wants her stepson to be happy. She sees Mei around Lee's house and likes her but realizes that she is already married. Mei feels guilty that she lives in the comfort zone in the posh French concession while her husband fights in the battles. She uses her spare time to improve herself but inadvertently forms a relationship that haunts her for many years.
Unpredictable Windsis a story of unrequited love, secrets, desire, and an unintended friendship that leads to devastating consequences.
355 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 27, 2022
4 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 30, 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: TouchPoint Press
Pub. Date: June 27, 2022
Mini-Review
"Unpredictable Winds" transports the reader back to Shanghai in the 1940s, during the horrifying time Japan overtook the city. Unlike a flat history book, Chin explores both pre- and post-communist China engagingly. The characters are well-developed. You will meet three women and one man. It is impressive how well a male author could write in a female voice. Lee is a businessman with wartime secrets, his fiancée Lily. And Zhou, who works as Lee's maid as she waits for her husband to return from the war. I found Lily to be a fascinating character. If I say more, it would be a spoiler. Plenty of romance is mixed with the history, complete with a love triangle. This novel allowed me to learn history while immersing myself in a captivating story. I strongly recommend Thomas T. Chin’s debut novel.
I received this novel at no cost from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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Publisher: TouchPoint Press
Pub. Date: June 27, 2022
Mini-Review
"Unpredictable Winds" transports the reader back to Shanghai in the 1940s, during the horrifying time Japan overtook the city. Unlike a flat history book, Chin explores both pre- and post-communist China engagingly. The characters are well-developed. You will meet three women and one man. It is impressive how well a male author could write in a female voice. Lee is a businessman with wartime secrets, his fiancée Lily. And Zhou, who works as Lee's maid as she waits for her husband to return from the war. I found Lily to be a fascinating character. If I say more, it would be a spoiler. Plenty of romance is mixed with the history, complete with a love triangle. This novel allowed me to learn history while immersing myself in a captivating story. I strongly recommend Thomas T. Chin’s debut novel.
I received this novel at no cost from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://books6259.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com
https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
https://www.amazon.com
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/c...
March 12, 2024
Thomas T. Chin’s “Unpredictable Winds” is a poignant narrative set against the tumultuous backdrop of wartime Shanghai, where the characters grapple with the harsh realities of occupation, sacrifice, and the unpredictable twists of fate. The protagonist, Lee De-Chang, leads a dual life, working as a general manager by day and operating a covert gun-parts factory by night—an inherently perilous endeavor given the Japanese army’s presence in Shanghai during the 1940s. Chin skillfully weaves a tale of secrecy and danger, immersing readers in the complex and dangerous world that Lee inhabits.
The narrative takes an unexpected turn when Lee’s parents arrange a marriage with Lily, a woman from a similar background. However, Mei, a young woman in need, enters Lee’s life and alters its course. Mei’s desperate plea for assistance, her tragic circumstances, and the ensuing bond between Mei and Lee form the core of the story.
Chin delves into themes of love, sacrifice, and the weight of guilt that burdens Mei. The characters navigate a web of emotions, societal expectations, and the harsh realities of wartime survival. The author masterfully depicts Mei’s internal struggle, torn between her desire for a family with Lee and the guilt stemming from her acquaintance with Aoki, a Japanese army captain.
The story is underscored by a sense of impending reckoning, with the government’s call for those associated with the enemy to surrender. Mei’s internal conflict, depicted through nights of agonizing contemplation, adds depth and complexity to her character.
As the narrative unfolds, the suspense builds, leading to a tragic and unforeseen climax that shatters the lives of the characters. The heartbreaking twist, marked by Mei’s surrender and the subsequent accident, serves as a poignant reminder of the unpredictable nature of life during wartime.
“Unpredictable Winds” is a captivating exploration of love, desire, unintended friendships, and the devastating consequences that arise in the crucible of war. Thomas T. Chin’s narrative skillfully captures the human experience amidst the chaos of history, delivering a tale that resonates long after the final page. Readers seeking a heartfelt and emotionally charged historical drama will find “Unpredictable Winds” to be a compelling and thought-provoking read.
The narrative takes an unexpected turn when Lee’s parents arrange a marriage with Lily, a woman from a similar background. However, Mei, a young woman in need, enters Lee’s life and alters its course. Mei’s desperate plea for assistance, her tragic circumstances, and the ensuing bond between Mei and Lee form the core of the story.
Chin delves into themes of love, sacrifice, and the weight of guilt that burdens Mei. The characters navigate a web of emotions, societal expectations, and the harsh realities of wartime survival. The author masterfully depicts Mei’s internal struggle, torn between her desire for a family with Lee and the guilt stemming from her acquaintance with Aoki, a Japanese army captain.
The story is underscored by a sense of impending reckoning, with the government’s call for those associated with the enemy to surrender. Mei’s internal conflict, depicted through nights of agonizing contemplation, adds depth and complexity to her character.
As the narrative unfolds, the suspense builds, leading to a tragic and unforeseen climax that shatters the lives of the characters. The heartbreaking twist, marked by Mei’s surrender and the subsequent accident, serves as a poignant reminder of the unpredictable nature of life during wartime.
“Unpredictable Winds” is a captivating exploration of love, desire, unintended friendships, and the devastating consequences that arise in the crucible of war. Thomas T. Chin’s narrative skillfully captures the human experience amidst the chaos of history, delivering a tale that resonates long after the final page. Readers seeking a heartfelt and emotionally charged historical drama will find “Unpredictable Winds” to be a compelling and thought-provoking read.
August 3, 2022
That Thomas Chin is an artist and an art teacher is readily apparent in his debut novel, Unpredictable Winds, “the novel as painting” with Chin carefully painting each scene. At times, this epic tale has the “look and feel” one might expect in a Merchant Ivory film.
A carefully crafted work of art, portions read like a painting – descriptively so – taking the reader back to a place and time that is figuratively and literally foreign, at least to most American readers. Each of Chin’s characters is on a voyage of self-discovery – and so is the reader as one enters the world of each character and the history of 1940s China. Love and happiness, timeless themes, are explored, and we experience them through the lens of each character. There’s a longing and at times an emptiness and a desire in the characters that’s palpable – a searching and Chin is our guide as master painter of not only the look and feel of Shanghai in the 1940s but of what is going through the minds of each of these characters during what proves to be not one but two pivotal moments in Chinese history, to say nothing of the defining moments of each of their lives.
Each character, like each of us, is searching. Mei’s never had a friend and desperately wants to be a mother. Mr. Lee is on a quest to love and to be loved, Captain Aoki is focused on understanding and experiencing China for the country it is, not to vanquish it in war. The characters are all experiencing so much, in some cases for the first time – love, war, friendship, political change, educating oneself, loyalty, service, and saving face. The ideas of the simple and the good are powerfully explored as is the theme of our each being a product of our environments and our upbringing, which perhaps determines our fate. One gradually gets to not only know but to care for each character, in ways that make this an extraordinarily satisfying read.
A carefully crafted work of art, portions read like a painting – descriptively so – taking the reader back to a place and time that is figuratively and literally foreign, at least to most American readers. Each of Chin’s characters is on a voyage of self-discovery – and so is the reader as one enters the world of each character and the history of 1940s China. Love and happiness, timeless themes, are explored, and we experience them through the lens of each character. There’s a longing and at times an emptiness and a desire in the characters that’s palpable – a searching and Chin is our guide as master painter of not only the look and feel of Shanghai in the 1940s but of what is going through the minds of each of these characters during what proves to be not one but two pivotal moments in Chinese history, to say nothing of the defining moments of each of their lives.
Each character, like each of us, is searching. Mei’s never had a friend and desperately wants to be a mother. Mr. Lee is on a quest to love and to be loved, Captain Aoki is focused on understanding and experiencing China for the country it is, not to vanquish it in war. The characters are all experiencing so much, in some cases for the first time – love, war, friendship, political change, educating oneself, loyalty, service, and saving face. The ideas of the simple and the good are powerfully explored as is the theme of our each being a product of our environments and our upbringing, which perhaps determines our fate. One gradually gets to not only know but to care for each character, in ways that make this an extraordinarily satisfying read.
August 5, 2023
When I was contacted by the author, Thomas Chin, to ask if I would consider reading and reviewing a copy of his debut novel, Unpredictable Winds, I didn’t know what to expect, but wow, what an amazing book with a beautiful story.
Unpredictable Winds begins at the outbreak of WWII in Shanghai, China, and whilst WWII is predominantly in the background, the story focuses on the civil war, which ended in 1949 with Communist control and how the characters in the story are affected by this.
Ultimately, this is a complicated love story with many twists and turns and a case of - Will the man get the girl? The author conveys such exquisite imagery throughout the book as the story spans tragedy, heartbreak, love and death.
I’m sure many of Thomas Chin’s readers will know little or nothing about the culture of which he writes so beautifully, and I was definitely amongst them. I may have done a small amount of Googling as I read the book, as I was so interested in what he was writing about and my husband got bored with me asking questions! I learnt about the change from nationalism to communism in China in 1949. Something I knew nothing about before and it made me research a little more.
One of the many topics in the book that intrigued me was Confucianism. Something else I had heard of but knew nothing about. This is what Google told me - Confucianism believes in ancestor worship and human-centred virtues for living a peaceful life. The golden rule of Confucianism is “Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you.” Maybe we should all take a leaf out of Confucius’ book. The world might be a less violent and happier place.
I would highly recommend Thomas Chin’s debut novel to anyone with an interest in historical fiction and I would love to read more from this author.
Thank you to Thomas Chin for the opportunity to read and review Unpredictable Winds.
Unpredictable Winds begins at the outbreak of WWII in Shanghai, China, and whilst WWII is predominantly in the background, the story focuses on the civil war, which ended in 1949 with Communist control and how the characters in the story are affected by this.
Ultimately, this is a complicated love story with many twists and turns and a case of - Will the man get the girl? The author conveys such exquisite imagery throughout the book as the story spans tragedy, heartbreak, love and death.
I’m sure many of Thomas Chin’s readers will know little or nothing about the culture of which he writes so beautifully, and I was definitely amongst them. I may have done a small amount of Googling as I read the book, as I was so interested in what he was writing about and my husband got bored with me asking questions! I learnt about the change from nationalism to communism in China in 1949. Something I knew nothing about before and it made me research a little more.
One of the many topics in the book that intrigued me was Confucianism. Something else I had heard of but knew nothing about. This is what Google told me - Confucianism believes in ancestor worship and human-centred virtues for living a peaceful life. The golden rule of Confucianism is “Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you.” Maybe we should all take a leaf out of Confucius’ book. The world might be a less violent and happier place.
I would highly recommend Thomas Chin’s debut novel to anyone with an interest in historical fiction and I would love to read more from this author.
Thank you to Thomas Chin for the opportunity to read and review Unpredictable Winds.
June 29, 2023
4.5 - The historical events of this book are not a location of history I know much about. I’ve only caught glimpses in another book or two. I was very excited for the opportunity to delve deeper into this time and place.
Set in Shanghai during the Sino-Japanese War, Lee and Mei’s lives intertwine as they go through this turbulent time not only in the world around them but also in their personal lives. The pages are filled with political intrigue, love and its complications, and rich illustrations of this time in history.
I particularly enjoyed Mei’s character, however, all of the characters stood out in their own way. I enjoyed both the writing and the story immensely. I’m partial to books that immerse me in another culture.
Unpredictable Winds is the first book by Thomas T. Chin and is quite strong for a debut. I hope more will follow sometime in the future!
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital copy of the book to read and review!
Set in Shanghai during the Sino-Japanese War, Lee and Mei’s lives intertwine as they go through this turbulent time not only in the world around them but also in their personal lives. The pages are filled with political intrigue, love and its complications, and rich illustrations of this time in history.
I particularly enjoyed Mei’s character, however, all of the characters stood out in their own way. I enjoyed both the writing and the story immensely. I’m partial to books that immerse me in another culture.
Unpredictable Winds is the first book by Thomas T. Chin and is quite strong for a debut. I hope more will follow sometime in the future!
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital copy of the book to read and review!
July 16, 2022
"Unpredictable Winds" is the wonderful first novel by Thomas T. Chin, a visual artist whose paintings are in private collections in the United States and Europe. In this story, set in his native China in the 1940's and early 1950's, Chin paints intriguing and poetic images with words. With a writing style that flows easily we get to know characters from different stations in life. There is the well-to-do businessman, his kind and thoughtful German stepmother, his equally well-to-do fiancée who keeps him at something of a distance, a soldier in the nationalist army, his wife, to whom the well-to-do businessman is attracted, and a solider in the occupying Japanese army with whom she becomes friends. The tensions between the characters, their longings and problems take place during a critical period of history that had a big impact on China and the world. Love, war, politics, honor and commitment, both personal and political, fill the book with content and meaning.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
January 9, 2023
Unpredictable Winds is a solid first effort for novelist Thomas Chin. Starting in 1940, in Shanghai China, the novel takes us through the tangled relationships of Lee De-Chang, executive for Bayer Company in China; Lily the gadabout daughter of a wealthy Hong Kong businessman; Zhou Mei who becomes Lee's housekeeper; and Mei's husband. The setting of Japanese-occupied China, Nationalists and Communists fighting for control, and the ultimate upheaval of the Communists' victory brings tension to the lives of the main characters as they struggle with frustrated love and confused feelings about one another and their country. The characters are well developed and you find yourself caring about how they will be able to resolve their tangled relationships. I also enjoyed much about the food and customs of China, reminding me of much of my experience there and what my in-laws have told me.
July 5, 2023
This is the first book by Thomas T. Chin and though it began a little slow for me I was so pleased I stuck with it.
This book totally immersed me in a different culture and brought to life these characters that where very different. Much like many of us they are flawed and searching. I was surprised by how much I enjoy getting lost in this book.
Though for me it took a moment to get into once I did the imaginary the author created was exquisite. I truly felt like it took me back in time to a country I had never been. The author brought to life this beautiful country and made things seem so real. He is an artist with words. This book it not just about the relationship of these characters but about the journey of finding one's self. I truly enjoyed the book, and it was a great honor getting to read this first novel by this author.
A huge thank you to the author for sending me a free digital copy of the book to read and review!
This book totally immersed me in a different culture and brought to life these characters that where very different. Much like many of us they are flawed and searching. I was surprised by how much I enjoy getting lost in this book.
Though for me it took a moment to get into once I did the imaginary the author created was exquisite. I truly felt like it took me back in time to a country I had never been. The author brought to life this beautiful country and made things seem so real. He is an artist with words. This book it not just about the relationship of these characters but about the journey of finding one's self. I truly enjoyed the book, and it was a great honor getting to read this first novel by this author.
A huge thank you to the author for sending me a free digital copy of the book to read and review!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews