Call number
MYST XIA
Collection
Genres
Series
Publication
Minotaur Books (2012), Edition: First Edition, 272 pages
Description
Offered a luxury vacation near Lake Tai, Chief Inspector Chen Cao is drawn into the murder investigation of a manufacturing plant director who had been accused of polluting the once-beautiful lake, a case that implicates the leader of a local ecological group.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Denise701
In Don't Cry, Tai Lake, Qiu Xiaolong's detective, Inspector Chen, investigates the murder of the head of a state-run chemical company that is about to go public. Chen is supposed to be on vacation--a vacation arranged for him by his mentor, Comrade Secretary Zhao. Apparently, Zhao wants to bring
Chen not only finds a murder mystery, but a romance, too, with a young environmental scientist, Shanshan. There is a air of nostalgia about the entire novel, partly because of Chen's own backstory, but also because of his frequent references to poetry, both Chinese and western. There is also the contrast between the appearance of the lake and its hidden but serious environmental problems because of China's boom in terms of development.
I enjoyed the book, not so much because of the mystery, but because of Chen himself as a character and because of his poetry.
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the lake's pollution to the attention of the Party, so he needs Chen to visit Wuxi and write a report on what he finds there (which in this case is murder).Chen not only finds a murder mystery, but a romance, too, with a young environmental scientist, Shanshan. There is a air of nostalgia about the entire novel, partly because of Chen's own backstory, but also because of his frequent references to poetry, both Chinese and western. There is also the contrast between the appearance of the lake and its hidden but serious environmental problems because of China's boom in terms of development.
I enjoyed the book, not so much because of the mystery, but because of Chen himself as a character and because of his poetry.
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LibraryThing member rayneofdarkness
While it was a great mystery, I like how Qiu hit on the environmental issues and how as long as the area is thriving pollution is a problem for tomorrow not today. I enjoyed the story and the twists when you thought you knew who did it, another light was brought in to make you think otherwise. I
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enjoyed the connection of all the characters. A good read! Show Less
LibraryThing member fphoppe
A satisfying mystery, Inspector Chen is growing on me.
LibraryThing member frogball
This is the fifth of the Inspector Chen Cao stories that I have read, and the one I enjoyed least. The fascinating thing about these books is the insight they give into contemporary China, especially the lives of ordinary people, and "Don't Cry, Tai Lake" still does that. It also deals with an
A lot of things annoyed me, however. Principally, various strained coincidences that the plot depends on and, even more, what I consider various weaknesses in the style of writing. Sometimes I wonder if Qiu's clichés and solecisms are a deliberate attempt to add to the 'foreign' atmosphere (as do the frequent references to Chinese classics and sayings), but I increasingly found myself more involved in the typos (in the ebook) and poor style than in the characters, location or plot. Maybe Qiu just needs a new editor!
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issue, environmental pollution, that is undoubtedly of major concern in China, as elsewhere. A lot of things annoyed me, however. Principally, various strained coincidences that the plot depends on and, even more, what I consider various weaknesses in the style of writing. Sometimes I wonder if Qiu's clichés and solecisms are a deliberate attempt to add to the 'foreign' atmosphere (as do the frequent references to Chinese classics and sayings), but I increasingly found myself more involved in the typos (in the ebook) and poor style than in the characters, location or plot. Maybe Qiu just needs a new editor!
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LibraryThing member kerns222
Anti-nuevo-capitalist, anti-bureaucratic, anti-corruption, pro-ecology tale of up-and-coming favored son, insider poet-detective. Plain, simple narrative--no nuances, just the facts, mam. Poetry (ancient and new) with traditional (and unknown to me) Chinese images. A view of the new China (from
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afar--author lives in the US) Show Less
LibraryThing member whitewavedarling
I loved the early books in this series, but the last few have felt a touch too casual for me. Like the crime element is nearly unimportant compared to the other themes Xiaolong wishes to explore. Here, I would have loved a heightened sense of urgency in terms of the environmental concern or even
The writing was still lovely, the case and the characters still interesting, but it all felt so casual that I just didn't enjoy it as much as I'd like to. It was fine...but so far, it's probably my least favorite of the series.
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the relationship concern if not the crime, but instead it feels as if the slow, red-tape-type concerns of the bureaucracy above the detective leak into everything else and affect a lack of urgency.The writing was still lovely, the case and the characters still interesting, but it all felt so casual that I just didn't enjoy it as much as I'd like to. It was fine...but so far, it's probably my least favorite of the series.
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Pages
272
ISBN
0312550642 / 9780312550646