Customer Reviews

The House of a Thousand Lanterns

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I couldn't put this book down! Once again, Victoria Holt has proved to me what a thrilling and mysterious romance-suspense writer she is. She has been able to blend just the right amount of supense and mystery to this book. I also appreciate how she interwines the sweet and clean romance into it, not like some books that I have read where there is just too much of it. I definatly recommend this book, the ending is completely unpredictable!

This book was an awesome read. I thought the characters were well developed and the book had an intriguing plotline. I was a bit disappointed that they didn't reach the House of 1000 Lanterns until the last third of the book, but it is well worth the wait. I do like how Holt only gives you a peek at Asian culture, just enough to make the story exciting (to be all honest, I don't read to many romance novels for their historic value). On a more general note about Holt, people tend to criticize her for basically writing the same story over and over again. I would like to say that I find her formula very comforting and sometimes enjoy reading novels I know are going to be "safe".

The House of a Thousand Lanterns has been the most interesting book I've read. The plot can be misleading and results in quite a shock once you reach the end of the book, just like all the other Holt novels. It is a mystery/romance story. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys love stories with a little action.

Jane soon realized that her "marriage" isn't all that it seems. The man she thought was her husband is actually married to someone else! She also finds out that is pregnant. To provide for her son, she marries her kind, elderly employer "in name only". They travel to Hong Kong to "The House of A Thousand Lanterns" where her life changes forever. Her son's father arrives, a widower, to find his son and marry Jane. Jane's husband dies, and strange things begin to happen. Will she marry her son's father? Did he kill her husband? Is he trying to kill her? And what is the secret in "The House of a Thousand Lanterns"?

This is my second favorite Victoria Holt Novel. The first being "On the night of the seventh moon."

In this novel Ms. Holt takes us to China! As always, her history and geography are impeccable! I learned more about China(which I have always been interested in) from this novel than I ever did in school. It starts with Jane's mother coming to work in a strange mansion and oversee the household. When Jane's mother dies she finds herself married to someone ,but the marriage cannot continue for reasons I will not give away but are very unexpected! She then enters a marriage of convenience and we are whisked away to China,where other vivid characters come into play and compete for her hand when her "husband" dies. Will one of these strangers convince her to abandon her first love?
Ms. Holt leaves us guessing about that til the very end! (We think we figure it out but we are Oh-SO-WRONG.) I would LOVE to be master the mystery in my books the way Ms.Holt has.

This isn't the best Victoria Holt novel, but her books never fail to engage the reader with exotic locations, suspense and romance. So, I gave it 5 stars anyway...I couldn't put this down and the ending was quite effective...

I am a huge fan of Victoria Holt, but this storyline isn't her best. You spend most of the book waiting for Jane to move to Hong Kong to live in the House of a Thousand Lanterns. Jane was the only protagonist that I felt would deserve her demise due to her blinded devotion to her first husband. Oh...her second husband was not old...in his early 50's.
I also found the book filled with stereotypes against the Chinese and women in general. I don't think it was on purpose.
Read this book to add to your Victoria Holt collection, just don't expect too much from it.

A must read for all Holt fan

I am a huge Victoria Holt fan, but I hated this book. The only reason I hated it was because the man I wanted the heroine to end up with was killed off halfway through the book. I couldn't believe this character that I had grown to love died and that the heroine ended up with a character that I really didn't care for at all. It was shocking.
The book itself was, as always, well-written. However, if you want to read this book, I suggest reading the beginning, because it certainly was the best part.

I have forced myself to finish this book. There is no connection between "the Chinese way" and the heroine. Everything is throughly stereotypical. If you want something exotic, look elsewhere. This book is a bore.