Genealogy Books - Flower Net

Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating:

Summary: Mixing old world traditions with new world freedoms
Comment: Inspector Liu Hulan of the Chinese Ministry of Public Security investigates the murder of the son of
the U. S. Ambassador. At the same time, Assistant U. S. Attorney David Stark is searching for the
murderer of the son of an influental and powerful Chinese businessman. Shortly thereafter, the two
former business associates and lovers are reuinited by their respective governments in a joint
effort designed to fail. Lisa See has done a marvelous job of depicting the heavily instilled
traditions and repressions in a China that is struggling to incorporate the benefits of the modern
world. Her writing tone changes to match the mood of life in China and then the frenzied pace of
freedom in Los Angeles. Even the contrast of life in ethnic Chinese areas within Los Angeles is
eye-opening. The reader is easily swallowed into the places and activities of each chapter.
Thoroughly enjoyable.

Customer Rating:

Summary: A superbly crafted mystery
Comment: On a January morning in Beijing, a child skating on a frozen lake finds the corpse of a white man
under the ice. Liu Hulan, a female detective, is assigned to head what will be a delicate
investigation, for the murder victim is the son of the American Ambassador. Thousands of miles away,
David Stark, an assistant U.S. attorney, boards the China Peony, a barely seaworthy freighter
carrying hundreds of illegal immigrants to America. On board he finds the badly decomposed body of a
"Red Prince", the son of one of China's top officials. The murders appear to be unconnected until
rare plant fibers are found coating the respiratory tracts of both victims and the Chinese and
Americans agree to work together. The Flower Net is a superbly crafted mystery and in this
full-length, thirteen hour, unabridged, audio cassette format with flawless production values and a
wonderfully gifted narrator, offers the listener a true "theatre of the mind" experience.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Lightweight, but might make a good movie
Comment: This is basically a police procedural which spans the globe between China and the U.S. There's a
female Chinese investigator and an American district attorney and predictable international intrigue
and romance. The book is lightweight and simple and would make a good movie that would have a
familiar ring. I've seen this story before, over and over again. But yet had few relaxing hours
with it.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Enjoyable but not excellent
Comment: Having spent some time in the PRC (People's Republic of China) I felt very much like I was there
once again. However, as a murder-mystery novel, it fell down. There were too many places where the
characters jumped to rash judgements, acted too confidently, or over-reacted. Each time I said to
myself, "No, don't do that! I hope the outcome isn't what I expect..." but the outcomes were
always as I expected. I guessed the truly guilty people within a few chapters, although I confess
that I was thrown off track a few times. Also, I think Ms. See should learn more about how
detectives do their work, specifically in terms of how much information they typically need to get
before they arrest someone. Having said all this, however, I should say that it is a good book, and
it does redeem itself in the end.

Customer Rating:

Summary: A truly intelligent and fast moving plot
Comment: I found this book hard to put down, with very ingenious plot twists, compelling characters, and an
unusual and seductive international setting in Red China/CA. This book gets you thinking, and its
clear and focused style is a joy to read in a genre that I often find overwhelmed by overblown
style and simplistic plots.

Although I found the romance element to be unrealistic, the
characters were well rendered, and the story unique enough to have me hoping that Flower Net will
be the first in a series.

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