Posted originally on Cook and Books I’ve read a Lisa See novel before, and I will say that Flower Net is much different than I had thought. I wanted to read this novel as a nice break from the unexpected, and being familiar with See’s work I thought this was the perfect opportunity. Flower Net is centered around a man named David, and a woman named Hulan investigating two murders based in China and the United States. The investigation conducted by David and Hulan reveals a broader story between the deaths. The most prominent characters are David, and Hulan. I think they were perfect spectrums for the novel. David was more forward, outspoken, and a stringent person when it came to order. He reminded me of an individual that would read a manual twice over before actually using an item, whereas Hulan was almost always the opposite. She was more reserved, willing to push forward without order, and jump into a situation than David. I wanted to love Flower Net, I really truly did, but I didn’t. Maybe I put too much faith in See for the other novels I’ve read of hers. The sad thing is though this particular novel reminded me of something that could be made directly into a movie. There are some books that can pull off a novel like that, yet Flower Net doesn’t make the cut. David and Hulan to me were an interesting pair, however I didn’t like them as a couple. To be frank I would’ve enjoyed the novel more had the relationship not been a factor. I don’t know why Lisa See had to make a relationship part of the underlying story as well as the main story. I think sometimes writers use relationships as a crux in story-writing, and unfortunately that focus to me hinders my desire to focus. In addition it almost made me not finish Flower Net, and I found it hard to bring myself to even write I review. I’m glad I’ve read other novels by Lisa See, because with how Flower Net turned out it would’ve put me off from reading another novel. It’s a great book to read for those who want a high-dialogue focused novel, and something that reads like a screen play. If those things aren’t something you like, than I’d give this book a break before opening it. My rating: 2.75 out of 5 Stars.
A body is discovered frozen at the edge of a pond in Beijing, and Chinese police inspector Liu Hulan is assigned to investigate. Her former lover, U.S. attorney David Stark, is conveniently asked to assist on the case after he discovers a second body on a boat off the coast of Los Angeles. The plot becomes an intricate maze of tangled events and people both in the United States and in China.I'd rate the plot only so-so. It was the characters and the relationship between them that kept me reading. Hulan is fascinating: she is haunted by secrets in her family history from the time of the Cultural Revolution, and learning more about those becomes important in completely unraveling the complex mystery. Her relationship to the government she works for is a complicated one, as she is in some ways very much her own person, while in others she meekly submits to the rigid expectations of her society. I didn't feel I learned as much about China as in See's book Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, where the cultural backdrop was a huge part of what made the book fascinating. And I wasn't thrilled with the ending, (view spoiler)[ which made it clear that the agenda of both countries included political issues they considered more important than actually unraveling the mystery of the crimes (hide spoiler)]
What do You think about Flower Net (1997)?
It was a fun-ish, Gorky Park-ish, kind of read, but I'll take Lisa See's other books--in fact, I loved her other book, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, a type of historical fiction that I read a while back, but I don't think I'll look to read another one of the Red Princess series. Although I do see that #s 2 and 3 get more Goodreads stars than this one. I couldn't connect this author with this book as the same writer of the other that I read of hers that I enjoyed so much. Perhaps that's a talent--it was a disconnect for me.Having said that, it's good as far as a who dun it and a good plot--kept me guessing, but the romance was stilted and not believable nor enviable and most characters were not well-developed nor lovable. Some of it seemed hurried, getting me from location to location, California to China, and through China.
—Bonnie
Maybe 2.5. I thought it was a relatively mediocre mystery novel. Some aspects were interesting, but mostly, I felt there were too many subplots and I mostly was left unsatisfied with the conclusion. I was also disappointed because I like Lisa See's other books so much, and I suppose I was expecting narratives more similar to those. Be aware of that if you are a fan of her other books like "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" or "Shanghai Girls," and are basing your decision to read it based on that -- it isn't quite the same as her historical fiction about Chinese women.
—Caroline
Flower NetCombining the exotic world of China, the intrigue of illegal immigration and illegal shipments of contraband, Lisa See weaves an exciting mystery. The story begins in China where a body is found in a frozen pond where the local people ice skate, here you meet the main heroine, a female MSP agent Li Hulin. The body is the son of th US ambassador in ChinaThen off the coast of California, the young State Attorney, David Stark, gets called to investigate a freighter floating, abandoned in the ocean off the coast of California. It is filled with sick illegal Chinese immigrants and a dead body. The son of a wealthy Chinese business man.Are these murders connected? Lisa See brings the story together full of intrigue, plot twists, and danger. An excellent read and book 1 of a series of 3 Red Princess Mysteries written by her.
—Linda
