Customer Reviews

My Splendid Concubine

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

My Splendid Concubine is the story of Sir Robert Hart, a nineteenth century British consular and customs official who, over several decades, grew into a position of unprecedented respect and trust in China. The story opens in 1908 with the Empress Dowager granting an audience in the Forbidden City to an elderly Hart, Inspector General of Chinese Maritime Customs, but the novel is really about Hart's early days in China as a young interpreter.

Hart travels to China in 1854 seeking to redeem himself after a shameful episode of wenching and carousing at college that embarrassed his family. He first meets Sir John Bowring, Governor of Hong Kong, who advises him to study everything around him in an effort to understand the Chinese and learn something new everyday. This is the only advice of its kind he receives from his own people, for Hart discovers that the rest of the Westerners view the Chinese culture with disdain and superiority. His first employer, for example, chastises him for trying to learn Mandarin, saying, "It is their place to understand us. We don't have to understand them."

While most of the British and American officials dismiss the Chinese as superstitious heathens, there is one part of the Chinese culture they are quick to assimilate: the taking of concubines. Hart finds it repugnantly hypocritical that his fellow countrymen should hold so little respect for the culture while indulging their own desires in a manner that Victorian society would condemn. He notes that, "on one hand the Europeans and British were shoving Christianity's message of brotherly love down the Chinese collective throat with the barrel of a rifle. At the same time foreign merchants, mostly British, were selling opium to the populace." Hart hopes to rise above such prejudice and lack of ethics, but finds himself sorely tempted by repeated opportunities to sample a service that the Chinese take for granted and the Westerners are perfectly happy to exploit.

And then Hart meets Ayaou, a fiery and courageous girl from the lowest sector of Chinese society, the boat people. Their startling and memorable introduction - which I will not reveal here - sparks a passion that takes the young Englishman by storm. Hart is willing to bankrupt himself to buy Ayaou from her father, who is selling her to provide for the rest of his family, but circumstances whisk her away and Hart finds himself compelled to buy her sister, rather than let the younger girl fall into undesirable hands.

Suddenly Hart owns a concubine, although not the woman he loves, and he is caught between his own Christian beliefs and the worshipful attention of young Shao-mei, who desperately wants to earn the love of her master. And what of Ayaou, who has been sold to the violent and unstable American mercenary soldier Frederick Townsend Ward? What ethics will Hart be willing to compromise in order to get her back?

Lloyd Lofthouse has created a rich cast of characters against the exotic and fascinating backdrop of nineteenth century China. Young Robert Hart is a sympathetic character who earnestly seeks to understand the Chinese culture in order to win acceptance there, and to find peace within his own soul. As Hart learns, so does the reader, for the author has skillfully woven lessons of the Chinese culture into the plot and setting. The girls, Ayaou and Shao-mei, are individually defined as characters and truly believable as sisters: sensually mature, playfully young, one moment presenting a united sisterly front, and the next moment squabbling with jealousy. And I have not even touched upon the pirates, the mercenaries, the opium dealers, and Hart's philosophizing eunuch servant! Don't pass up this debut novel by an author who will surely continue Robert Hart's saga and legendary career in a second novel.

This book was horrible. I love historical fiction, but this seemed more of an excuse for musings on religion and soft-core porn; not a good combination. The writing was jumbled and repetitive and the story was never resolved. In the first twenty pages there were multiple references to the same incident (the dead babies in the water), which basically repeated the same information over and over again. It was frustrating that the writer didn't seem to trust the reader to remember details that occurred only pages before. Instead, he felt it was necessary to constantly repeat information that didn't add to the story at all. I wish I hadn't spent the $3.99 to buy this for my Kindle.

Being of Chinese descent, I thought it would be interesting to read how a foreigner made such an impact on Chinese history. I really like to read historical fiction, but I was extremely disappointed in this book. The characters were more like caricatures than real flesh and blood people. The writing was very stilted and amateurish. There was a voyeuristic feel to this book with WAY too much emphasis on the sexual thoughts and activities of Robert Hart and not enough plot formation or information on his true contributions to Chinese society. It seemed as if the the author was exploiting the culture of China so that he could fantasize about chinese women. I honestly don't know how this book received so many 4- and 5-star reviews. I agree with another reviewer who said, "DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!" I certainly won't be making the same mistake again by buying the sequel.

What could have been a really, really interesting story was completely drowned in premature ejaculation and the strange secondary theme of overcoming a religion-forbidden love for two women. I was bored silly and annoyed by how many times the story was interrupted by a sex scene.

I didn't even bother finishing the book, and frankly I'm annoyed at myself for buying the entire saga for my Kindle. If you are overcome by curiosity, check them out at the library so you don't feel like you've wasted your money on garbage.

Any time I read a book written by a first-time author, I worry that no matter how interesting the subject matter, the writing style will be so amateurish that it will turn me off immediately. I had these concerns with the first chapter of My Splendid Concubine, as the writing seemed very choppy. But once I got past the first chapter, the writing seemed to be coming from a completely different author. By the way, chapter one is a framing sequence which I didn't find to be particularly necessary, so don't worry if you pick the book up yourself. Read on, you won't be disappointed.

Lofthouse has crafted a story about an Irishman's attempts to understand the culture of China in the 19th century, framed in large part on the love affair between the main character and a Chinese concubine. Our hero must battle with his Catholic upbringing in order to first bring himself to admit his love for the woman, and then decide whether he can live in sin with her.

The story contains some scenes of action, and some scenes of sexual activity--not for the kids--but its most interesting aspects involve Chinese culture and the reasons behind how things were done back then. Explaining how fathers sell their children to feed the rest of the family, how rich men can simultaneously and openly have wives, concubines, and pillow-girls live in the same household, why young boys would willingly undergo castration so they can get a better job--these are just a few examples of the wealth of information contained in the book.

The main character, Robert Hart, was a real person--Inspector General for Chinese Maritime Customs--but it is not necessary to know anything about the man to enjoy the book. Whether Hart is real or fictional, Lofthouse has written characters who have a real depth of feeling, the kind of characters you want to hear more about. It helps that the book is open-ended, as the reader is sure to want to learn what comes next for our hero. Odds are that Lofthouse's writing ability will continue to improve and the second book in the series will be even better. I'll definitely be one to buy it.

I was disappointed. I feel as though the book ended abruptly. At the end. I never clearly says what happened to A and never wrapped the story back to the beginning of who he was telling it to. I feel as though I did not get the entire book.

A fascinating trip into a lost world, Lofthouse does a great job taking us back in time to a beautiful, almost mythical China. But Lofthouse doesn't shy away from balancing the romantic with the reality. We are not spared the poverty, violence, colonial or sexual exploitation.

His protagonist, Robert Hart, is an engaging character, caught between the morals of his religious Irish background, and his unquenchable thirst to understand the ancient Chinese culture. Sometimes it's hard to understand how he can withstand the seduction of the women who fall his way (the rest of us are only human), while one cannot fail to admire his prowess in battle and his moral fiber when he stands up to evil.

It is hard to believe that this is a fictional account of a very real man and a very real story, and this makes the ending all the harder. Without giving anything away, the final scenes of the book haunted me for days after I finished.

If anything is frustrating, it is that the reader is left feeling the story is incomplete. This can only be rectified with a sequel. Robert Hart needs to continue along his path, and I for one am anxious to follow his progress.

Alon Shalev

After describing the great man that the hero of the book was, I was set up to believe I would learn about his contributions to China and learn more about his roll in Chinese history. Instead it turned into a trite and tirering porno story about his love for his two concubines he purchased and the constant threat of their being re-posessed by the bad man. - So disapointing.

Review of "My Splendid Concubine" by Lloyd Lofthouse

by Suzann Kale (formerly Kiara Quinn)

This most amazing book took me on a journey that was deep, vivid, and brilliantly written.

I felt like I was part of the exotic odyssey of Sir Robert Hart, the 19th century British Inspector General of China's Customs Service. So well-written was the book, I was there, side-by-side with Hart, discovering the Chinese culture along with him, learning about the joys and dangers of colonial China just as Hart learns of them.

Because author Lloyd Lofthouse is a master at infusing fact with story, mixing "scene and sequel," action and thoughtfulness, all that I learned alongside Sir Robert was fascinating, jaw-dropping, heart-pounding, and deeply satisfying.

This talent that Mr. Lofthouse has of making the reader feel like a part of the story, makes the characters and the scenes come to life. Yes, I'm reading a book, but yes, the characters jump out of the pages and live their lives in front of my eyes.

Mr. Lofthouse researched his real-life historical character, Robert Hart, extensively - so the reader gets an "inside" look at this profound man's life.

And although Hart's story takes place over a century ago, it is timeless. It's the story of a man who embraces a new culture without judgment, embraces love without hesitation, and ultimately teaches the rest of the world how it may be possible for us all to live together in peace.

Writer Anchee Min says in the book's forward, Robert Hart "was the father of China's modernization." Not because Hart forced western ideas into China, but because he made it his life's work to learn the Chinese languages, learn the literature, and become part of the Chinese world. From inside - that's how he made changes.

To me, "My Splendid Concubine" is writing at its best. I can't recommend this book strongly enough. It's fascinating, it draws you in, and it stays with you long after you've finished the read.

I am completely enjoying these books. I finally finished the first one and am beginning the second. The characters are richly developed and the story line is precise and clear - something you don't normally have with rich characters.

I am enjoying it enough to buy a copy for someone at Christmas :)