The Secret Mandarin
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
‘A truly sumptuous, action-packed Oriental adventure that might just be our favourite historical romance of the year.’
Daily Record
‘An enchanting story that draws you in… perfect for whiling away the hours on a rainy day.’
Closer
‘If you like mystery, history, love and adventure then this book is for you!’ Scottish Home & Country
‘A very enjoyalbe voyage to the Far East.’ Weekly News
Product Description
A disgraced woman. A faraway land. A forbidden love…
An unforgettable tale set in Victorian London and 1840s China from a shining, young historical talent.
Desperate to shield her from scandal, Mary's brother-in-law, the ambitious botanist Robert Fortune, forces her to accompany him on a mission to China to steal tea plants for the East India Company. But Robert conceals his secret motives - to spy for the British forces, newly victorious in the recent Opium War.
His task is both difficult and dangerous - the British are still regarded as enemies by the Chinese and exporting tea bushes carries the death sentence. In these harsh conditions Mary grieves for her London life and the baby she has been forced to leave behind, while her fury at Robert intensifies.
As their quest becomes increasingly treacherous, Robert and Mary disguise themselves as a mandarin and man-servant. Thousands of miles from everything familiar, Mary revels in her new freedom and the Chinese way of life - and when danger strikes, finds unexpected reserves of courage.
The Secret Mandarin is an unforgettable story of love, fortitude and recklessness - of a strong woman determined to make it in a man's world and a man who will stop at nothing to fulfil his desires.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
72 of 73 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I'd been meaning to read this book since it was launched, being a fan both of the historical novel and of the author, Sara Sheridan. I knew a little about the real-life Robert Fortune, so expected to plunge straight into a work of 'faction' about his life. Colour me confused then to find that the first fifty pages or so were full of a character called Mary Penney. I thought I would have to readjust my expectations. But the book quickly expanded and it became clear that this was a story of two people, Scottish planthunter Robert Fortune and his socially disgraced sister-in-law Mary. And what a story! There's a wealth of meticulously researched detail here but it's handled with a light touch. The reader is gradually drawn into the China of the mid-nineteenth century seen through the eyes of a spirited and unusual young woman. There are glimpses into the history of the tea trade, with all its fiercely guarded secrets. There are scenes of maritime and land adventure that keep you glued to the page and ultimately there's romance. It's a story of lives changed by a common extraordinary experience. Of Robert and Mary. And of Sing Wa and his secretary. A deeply satisfying read.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Not quite my normal read as I'm very much a thriller reader although I also go for what I would classify as travel/adventure. Although it is a romance I loved the evocative feel of this story and the impressive amount of historical detail that was woven into the text - there is a lot more to this book than first met the eye. I'm still not quite sure how they managed to fight off the pirates towards the end but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and my husband is engrossed in it now and it looks like he agrees.
29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The beautiful cover instantly captivated me and the blurb sounded just my cuppa tea- a disgraced woman, a secret mission and a quest to find exotic flowers in C19th China.
The book evoked china and its beautiful habitat for me and I could almost smell the flowers, the smell of the sea and the wood of the ship in my imaginations. Sara has obviously don't her research as her knowledge fot he tea trade and flowes during period. However u never feel bogged down by facts
Mixed feelings now im writing my review though at the time I devoured the book. I couldn't wait to get home and see what was in store for the very likable Mary in C19th China. The author created a character who was very easy to emphasise with. It was classic romance with an excellent moody antihero!
Why only three stars then? I don't feel I ever really got to understand the two main characters motivations fully. It is obvious throughout the novel that their childhoods had had a huge impact on the people they turn out to be and I just wished this had been fleshed out more. I would have loved to have read a little more of the life Mary lived when she was a courted actress in the theatre and then maybe her transition to Chinese mandarin would have been more starkly contrasted..
A keeper for my shelves.
The book evoked china and its beautiful habitat for me and I could almost smell the flowers, the smell of the sea and the wood of the ship in my imaginations. Sara has obviously don't her research as her knowledge fot he tea trade and flowes during period. However u never feel bogged down by facts
Mixed feelings now im writing my review though at the time I devoured the book. I couldn't wait to get home and see what was in store for the very likable Mary in C19th China. The author created a character who was very easy to emphasise with. It was classic romance with an excellent moody antihero!
Why only three stars then? I don't feel I ever really got to understand the two main characters motivations fully. It is obvious throughout the novel that their childhoods had had a huge impact on the people they turn out to be and I just wished this had been fleshed out more. I would have loved to have read a little more of the life Mary lived when she was a courted actress in the theatre and then maybe her transition to Chinese mandarin would have been more starkly contrasted..
A keeper for my shelves.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Failed to deliver completely
I love Kate Furnivall and I also like reading anything about China. I have to say I did enjoy this book and it had come highly recommended from my book circle. Read more
Published 1 hour ago by Romancelover
Good at the start
It started off quite good, Then picked up, there's plenty of history in it about the Cantonese and Mandarins how they didn't integrate. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Mr. Philip R. Gardner
Secret Mandarin
Beautiful book which I would recommend to any reader male or female. Loved the wonderful descriptions all the way through the book, it felt like I was right beside them.
Published 2 months ago by T. Laker
Absolutely loved it!
I wasn't sure this book would be my cup of tea (buh dum tsshh) but I felt like I had to have it on the account of its absolutely gorgeous cover. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Shauni Crystal Lane
An insult to the memory of Robert Fortune
What a shame that this author had to plagiarise an accurate and noble account of Robert Fortune's heroic achievements. Read more
Published 3 months ago by bibliophile
well written though not credible
I enjoyed reading this book although the basic premise of the story - the subterfuge the two protagonists undertake to make their journey possible - is not credible. Read more
Published 4 months ago by dsa10
Tea but no cake!
Mary Penney is "dragged three thousand miles on account of an illegitimate child and a talent for the stage". Read more
Published 6 months ago by Joanne D'Arcy
Adventure for people who don't like adventures
This is a gentle historical adventure written, so far as I can tell, for people who don't like adventures. Read more
Published 6 months ago by R Cotterill
What a weak and cold cup of tea!
Really sorry to admit that I totally disliked this book. I found it hard to sympathise or warm to the characters, and just could not fall into the story as much as I tried even... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Me, Myself and I
A good read
I enjoyed this book very much, an easy read, and once started, I had to read it to the end. Will look for other books by this author.
Published 7 months ago by jdg
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
