Page 5 of 5
There are currently 32 member reviews
for The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai
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Elly M. (Roswell, NM)
Lost on the Seas of Metaphors & Similes
While the idea behind this novel is interesting, I found its presentation difficult to read.
The overabundant use of metaphors and similes interfered with, rather than enhanced, the flow of the story. It was also distracting, leaving the reader to wonder which was the more important - the story or the copious descriptive passages. I feel that those passages undermined the substance of the story.
It is not a book I would particularly recommend.
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Kristen K. (Atlanta, Georgia)
The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai
Reading this book is like watching a slowly sinking ship. There is an initial crisis and then the characters slowly sink into worse circumstances through their inability to deal with life changing events. I felt sorry for the characters but also frustrated with their decisions. Although the story takes place in Shanghai, there is little influence of the Chinese culture. This book could provide for interesting discussions on communication and what it means to love someone.
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Susan B. (Rutledge, MO)
some goodness, ultimately disappointing
Other than some well-turned phrases and compelling images, I found this novel disappointing. The characters seemed unsympathetic, their actions and words weren't believable, and I didn't feel the deep sense of another culture and locale that can redeem similar otherwise faulty books for me. Throughout I kept hoping that something would click, that it would start to feel more coherent, satisfying or meaningful, but it never did. Because I did enjoy some of the language I would give this author's second novel a try, but I would be hard-pressed to recommend this one.
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avid (Springfield, IL)
amateur
I felt like I was reading a college English assignment, in which the student has been instructed in the mechanics of writing, but just hasn't mastered the nuances of making a story interesting to the reader.
Nothing about this book captivated me; the characters were shallow and inconsistent, and the underlying theme regarding the loss of language was unbelievable. If such a syndrome exists in which a person can be injured in such a way as to maintain the ability to understand but not speak his primary language, while regaining fluency in a language he hasn't used in 20 years, that fact needs to be illuminated in the book because it's just too incomprehensible to buy into otherwise.
If you can get past the effects of the injury, you still need to tolerate characters who behave in improbable ways and a meandering plot that doesn't satisfy, along with an amateur writing style.
I would not recommend this book.
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