Dragon Bones: A Novel (Red Princess Mysteries Book 3)

I read Dragon Bones because it takes place in China, and also because it takes place during the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. I live in China, and teach AP Environmental Science in a Chinese school. One of the topics we cover is the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, the economic benefits, the ecological destruction, and the displacement of tens of thousands of Chinese peasants. This book is certainly worth reading if only for some insight into current-day China, but it is also a fine mystery novel on its own. The heroine is a female detective of high social rank, a Red Princess, who turned her own father in to the authorities during the so-called Cultural Revolution. In the current day China’s new slogan is “It is glorious to be rich.” China was never a socialist country by any sane understanding of the term, but now it is a capitalist society in which the gap between its middle class and its 1% is even greater than it is in America (which has a greater gap than most other industrialized nations). In any stratified society there are unscrupulous narcissists who manipulate the disenfranchised populace to attain personal power. That is the general premise of the novel. We also learn something about the origin of Chinese characters and mushrooms.

I am a devout fan of Lisa See's books. I was excited to pick up Dragon Bones as the first mystery of hers for me. I enjoyed the plot, the setting and the overall set up: relics from an archaeological dig site are being sold at auction. The Chinese government sends Hulan, one of their best investigators to the site, along with her husband, an American lawyer practicing law in China. Huland and her husband's relationship was damaged by the death of their young daughter. Each blaming themselves for her death.Hulan and her husband look at this investigation as the chance to rekindle their marriage and solve the mystery. There are many characters in this story, including foreign archaeologists. I, frankly, found it a little difficult to keep track of some of these minor characters.Multiple murders are investigated. It's discovered that a prominent revoluationary cult is present at the site, relics are missing/stolen from the site, and more people are murdered in grisly ways. The investigation takes 2 directions: Hulan takes on the murders while her husband investigates the missing relics in Hong Kong.I was a little surprised by the mastermind behind the entire scenario, but I personally found the story tedious at times. I think that it could have been developed much better and been a little more fluid. I really didn't think it was necessary to include the marital problems of the characters - it was superfluous. And some of the aspects of the mystery (like how one of the bodies was placed in secret) was movie-like and cliche.Having said all that, I enjoyed reading the book, but it needed a little more originality for me to give it 4-5 stars.

This is third in a series featuring Liu Hulan, of which I read the first one (Flower Net) and skipped the second (The Interior). You really don't need to have read either of the first two to be able to follow this one.As the story opens, Hulan is quasi-estranged from her husband after the death of their little daughter. As a police detective, Hulan has been working on a case involving a group called the All-Patriotic Society, and at the beginning of this book, she attends a rally being held by this illegal group. One of the members is a bit overzealous and decides to kill her daughter, but Hulan shoots her. She finds herself the target of threats, so her superiors send her off to investigate the death of an archaeologist working an excavation near where the Three Gorges Dam is built. David, her American husband, is also sent there to investigate the removal of cultural relics from the country. But a bizarre murder later, both David and Hulan find themselves in a great deal of danger.The core story is very good, a fine mystery and a good look at the pros and cons of the building of the Three Gorges Dam. I understand that this is a part of a series and that it focuses on the character of Liu Hulan, but it was a bit too romantic for my tastes. The end was a bit over the top as well, a bit too melodramatic for me. However, I'd definitely recommend the book to others, including those who are following the series, to readers interested in China, and to readers who like mysteries in an archaeological setting.

I enjoyed "Dragon Bones" which is the third and final book in the Red Princess trilogy much more than the second one. I felt like I was there and that I really knew the characters. In addition, it didn't seem contrived or unrealistic.The story focuses on a murder mystery and the theft of artifacts from an archaeological dig along the Yangzi River during the construction of the Three Gorges dam. There are several murders and attempted murders and of course there are red herrings to keep readers guessing about who the murderer was and the motivation. In addition, there it deals with the marriage of Li Hulan and David Stark. Since the previous book in the trilogy, she gave birth to their daughter, but the child died while still a toddler and this event put much strain on their marriage.I noticed some reviewers read this book before the others. I think the books should be read in order, as you can see how the relationships develop.

Pretty good novel. A little tiring by the end.

Interesting

though I am sure these bones books are great they are just not my likes. Though a friend reads everyone and can hardly wait for new one. so you are on your own

I really like all the Lisa See books !

great story