I have been living on Liberation Street for the last couple of weeks. Passing by the Lucky Dragon Tobacco Emporium, sitting in on the Liberation Street Traders Association meetings, and hurrying past the Black House. I’ve enjoyed it tremendously. As in Westwood’s previous novels the characterisations are richly carved and there are many moments of humour. I have laughed aloud on several occasions.
Having spent some time in Chengdu I have the luxury of “setting knowledge”, but I don’t think it’s necessary to possess that to enjoy this novel. It’s a long novel, but as one of the other reviewers has pointed out, you find yourself with half an hour to spare picking it up to see what’s going on. It’s as if the characters are going about their daily business and you just leap into it.
Of course, the hero with his feet in two cultures, has to be the dishy Philip Ye, but I rather like Fatty Deng too and the brothers Ming are really comical and I was smiling away at their criminal preparations although… (I’m not going to be labelled a spoiler for this scene.) Westwood is a well-informed, readable, entertaining writer. This novel rolls along at great speed and I for one very much enjoyed the ride.
This is the third book by Westwood I have read and enjoyed. The others are The Willow Woman, the prequel to Liberation Street, and The Balance of Heaven and Earth. Check these out too.
From Lorna's Command Centre 