The Shanghai Wife is the debut historical novel of Emma Harcourt who says in the Author’s Note prefacing the novel that this is fiction inspired by her grandmother’s story.
Set in Shanghai in 1925, we are transported to a time and place far from anything any of us could comprehend today.
Annie Brand leaves country Australia for Shanghai with her new husband where they journey up the Yangtze and it’s all a great adventure until her husband sends Annie back to Shanghai, putting a rather large hole in her freedom.
Annie finds herself in the International Settlement, living alone and suffocated by the exclusive social scene. She is drawn into the completely different world that is the real Shanghai, seeing the world from the perspective of the local people, including the servants working at her husband’s club.
Annie is curious and new to this world, she doesn’t understand the dangers and the complexities at play, she finds herself caught up in intrigue, conspiracy and passion that she was not prepared for nor could she see the far-reaching consequences.
This book is beautifully presented, with flowers to begin each chapter and a glorious cover; a premise that intrigues me and a promise of exotic and lyrical prose.
Thanks to HQ Fiction 20 of our Beauty and Lace Club Members will be reading The Shanghai Wife so please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments below.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
The Shanghai Wife is a beautiful book based on the character of “Annie”. This book takes us through her turmoil life set back in 1925 in Shanghai.
There is desperation, love, loss and dispear throughout this book.
This poor character encounters many horrible events which no one could possible cope with during a lifetime. It’s bad luck pretty much from the first page to the devastating end.
I felt so sorry for Annie.
I wonderful book Emma Harcourt, congratulations !
It’s like a snap shot into a time and a place you could only imagine. Annie wish to escape and she did. Shanghai in the 1920’s, wow what a different place. A journey into history. I thought to book was good at capturing your interest to keep reading.
The Shanghai Wife is the debut novel from Emma Harcourt and is set in China in the 1920s, a time of great unrest as the people started to find their voice and stand up against the Imperialists and were also influenced by the Communists who had recently escaped from Russia.
The main character is Annie Brand, who has fled from Australia and family tragedy. She meets and marries a man who is Captain of a ship which journeys up the Yangtze. Annie is sent back to Shanghai due to threat of pirates and struggles with being part of the Ladies club and living in the International Settlement with little contact with locals. She is keen to learn more about the “real” Shanghai and its peoples.
This leads her to make some naïve mistakes which cause tragedy and set her down a dangerous path. The novel takes us deep into a murderous, gangland side of Shanghai and at times her life is in danger, sadly she continues to make mistakes and gets sucked further in. At times I felt the story was a little predictable but Annie meets some fascinating characters that I would like to have learnt more about – like Ilma Pitt who despite first appearances is a bit of a rebel but it seems a more sensible and worldly wise one than Annie.
Despite the predictability of the novel I did enjoy it but at times I was frustrated with Annie’s continuing to take crazy risks, you would have thought after the first couple of tragedies she would have learned her lesson.
The cover of the book is beautiful, and reflects the importance to Annie of trees and flowers and how they affect her mood.
Many thanks to Beauty and Lace Book Club and Harlequin Books for the opportunity to read this novel.
What can i say that hasn’t already been said.
Although this book seemed to take an eternity to arrive it was well worth the wait. if not for the beautiful art work on the cover.
At times yes the story line was predictable, and at times i was almost yelling into the pages to Annie….STOP DON’T
all in all a great read and will be interested in finding more titles by the same author
Loved the cover and loved the book.
It’s a beautiful piece of well written prose, descriptive and captivating.
Definitely worth the wait.
Shanghai Wife 4/5 A great periodic read with all the thrills and spills of Shanghai in the 20s. Many thanks to Beauty and Lace and Harlequin for the chance to read this one. I am interested in China and found the story to give a real sense of place from the time, a very different China to now. The sense of history and ubiquitous tea is very well conveyed, brought through with the naive Annie at the start. Annie has escaped the dull predictable life for a rapid marriage to a English man, who is sails goods up the local river. The quick decision and thrill of the change is clear, and then the dream starts to unravel. The time is one of social unrest particularly against the British, and most expats live in a protected, sheltered life, trying to recreate England far from home and ignore what is happening. The club ladies in particular have no time for political concerns or trouble. As time goes on Annie meets and befriends locals and some English who do embrace the wonders of Shanghai, but finds she is putting herself in a position estranged from the English, but also quite separeate from the mysteries and the Chinese. Gangs each with symbols and codes are abundant in Shanghai but the English ladies do not want to know. Annie is different and so here experience is very different and potentially dangerous… (no spoilers). The book really brings the young girl away from home alive, who quickly discovers there is so much she does not know. The story is full of hooks and interesting scenes, and is itself a lovely book with the blossom illustrations and stylish cover. A very pleasant surprise to read and enjoy and recommended.
My review of “The Shanghai Wife” is late and therefore not much is left for me to say. This is Emma Harcourt’s debut novel. She has written a well crafted fascinating story. Like Emma, the main character, Annie is from Australia.
Annie is unhappy at home and takes the unusual decision, for that time, 1920’s to leave Australia. She travels alone by ship and meets her future husband.
He is a ships Captain and they travel the Yangtze. Annie loves the life but because of the threat of pirates, he husband insists she return to their home in Shanghai.
The International Settlement there is very British. As the Colonisers they consider themselves better than the rest of the world and generally look down on the Chinese, treating them as servants.
Annie is uncomfortable with this and wants to become friends with the locals and learn of their culture. However she is naïve and has no knowledge of the power of the Chinese underworld. The gangs were fighting against Imperialism and wanted to spread Communism.
Annies husband is killed and she forms a liaison with a local waiter at the club. He is called “Chow” This is one of the many small ways the author shows the arrogance of the British. They called any Asian A ‘Chow’. Annie was surprised to realise this was not his real name and had difficulties calling him anything other than Chow..
Annie’s narrow experience caused her to act without realising the consequences. This resulted in people dying.
I enjoyed reading this book. I think the author drew a wonderful picture of life on the river boat and of International society in Shanghai at the time.
I really enjoyed this book. Shanghai in 1920 ! Oh the British how they love to look down their nose at the people who’s country they are residing in! And the innocence of a young woman wanting to get out and learn about the people and culture, but not understanding there is always a dark side.
Fantastic book I really enjoyed reading xxx
I’m not really sure what genre The Shanghai Wife is going for, or if Emma Harcourt took so long to write it that she herself forgot. It’s generally a nice read and interesting. But it starts as an interesting historical novel set in Shanghai and goes downhill from there to a crime novel also in Shanghai, to a family drama set in Australia. It’s a pity because I did enjoy it. I would have enjoyed it more if it was split over three books.
I found this to be an interesting book as I hadn’t read a lot about the location and era before.
And in my usual style I found myself wanting to yell at characters especially in cases of racism and sexism.
Like some of the other reviewers I did struggle with some of Annie’s decisions and thought processes.
I would give Emma Harcourt another chance and will watch out for more titles.