- Paperback: 324 pages
- Publisher: Phoenix; New edition edition (7 Feb 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0753813203
- ISBN-13: 978-0753813201
- Product Dimensions: 19.9 x 12.9 x 2.7 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 700,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The Drink and Dream Teahouse is a historical romance set in a moribund rural town in contemporary China. Through the lives of its central characters, it chronicles the transition from a communist society to the uncertainties of the future. The characters are largely emblematic and accommodate traditional Chinese culture with emergent capitalist and Western ideas: Old Zhu, the keeper of the old communist faith and founder of the factory; Da Shah, his entrepreneurial son and part of the Tiananmen Square generation; Madam Fan, the local amateur opera singer and her daughter Peach.
Autumn Cloud let out a long sigh. What terrible days. She and Party Secretary Li had worked hard to build China. Even though they were newlyweds, they hardly saw each other for days or sometimes weeks. He had been in charge of the Prostitute Re-education Centre and she had been working in the Political Press Office. Dreams of modernising the country had driven them on. It was like they had been married to the country.The momentous events in recent Chinese history which the novel spans are covered in the reminiscences of characters who battle to contain the confusion and power of such historical forces. At best, the prose is wistful and languorous and Hill has flashes of descriptive flair, a good eye for the occasional telling detail--though whether The Drink and Dream Teahouse realises its epic aspirations is an open question. --Neville Hoad --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Observer
Hill's decorously written tale of fraught romance amid social cataclysm is by turns entertaining, moving and amusing.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
After reading his first book "Bend in the Yellow River", which was just another travel life experienced book and not worth to mention. I was cautious and had my doubts reading "The Drink and Dream Teahouse". But at the end I didn't regret it at all. After reading Wild Swan, Falling Leaves and many of these authentic stories it has been a pleasure for me to read a fiction of China. China in the 90s, how people deal and struggle with love, tradition and life by itself. The characters in the book with their unique personality have been described in a very particular way, which made the book real and touching. Once you start to read the story, you are part of the characters, their world and sense the emotions and feelings of each person. This novel has just everything, love, violence, romance, sex, crime...It made me laugh, dream and even cry! I really dig into the book and couldn't put it away until the very very last sentence. Hopefully Hill will continue writing in the same way he just did with "The Drink and Dream Teahouse"!
BTW, you would never think of the ending...!!!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is the first book of Justin Hill's that I had read. I bought it on the off chance that it might be interesting, and it beat all my expectations. It's the kind of book that creeps up on you and slowly charms you. The writing style is easy and manageable, and the characters and storylines weave together and part effortlessly. This is well worth reading, and puts many better known (award winning) books in the shade. Justin Hill is a VERY under-rated author and deserves wider attention for his sublime writing skills.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I find myself in a perplexing situation about this book. I really enjoyed reading it, but at the same time found it unfulfilling. There is no real ending to the story and it is really just a snippet of the character lives. I am sure it is based on parts of real life in china. I really struggled with the brutality in parts. Police regulary beat and raped. All this is the 90's - I could n't beleive it. The story centres around the closure of the Space Rocket factory and how this affects the lives of the people living the in the vacinity - in particular 3 families. There is alot of anger and acceptance of this is how things are. The choices that characters make are unbelieveable for the western world. Girls picking prostitution as a career, abandonment of children, imprisonment for daring to disagree etc
Parts of this tale left a bad taste in my mouth, but it made me realise that I am glad that I live in a open democratic country.
This story must be read if only to educate people on the situation in China.
Parts of this tale left a bad taste in my mouth, but it made me realise that I am glad that I live in a open democratic country.
This story must be read if only to educate people on the situation in China.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Left a lasting impression
This is not a book about politics, this is book about how politics affected families with the promise of a new China. Read more
Published on 18 Oct 2009 by Dr Phibes
A novel of contemporary Chinese life, written by a westerner
Set in the present day in mainland China, this first novel is often charming, warmly humorous, and touching in its focus on several families in the small town of Shaoyang as they... Read more
Published on 21 Jan 2003 by Mary Whipple
OUTSTANDING
Justin Hill manages to accomplish in 200 pages what takes most writers twice as long... The depth of empathy we feel for Peach's confusion is matched only by our own confusion over... Read more
Published on 23 July 2002 by "nycityreader"
Justin Hills introduce China to non Chinese people
Justin Hills second book is very good book. I really liked to read it. It give a very detailed introduction into the Chinese culture and live. Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2001
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