The Red Thread: A Chinese Tale of Love and Fate in 1830s Singapore

I loved this novel. It is set against the fabulous back-drop of Colonial 1830s Singapore and charts the 'star-crossed' fates of two very different newcomers to the island - Zhen the handsome and powerfully sexual Chinese coolie, and Charlotte the wild Madagascan-raised Scottish sister of the police chief. Like the title of the book implies, their fates are interwoven like the mythical red thread of Chinese lore, set against the backdrop of a Singapore soaked in the colours of uprisings, murders, interracial tensions (and harmonies) and the threat of civil war. Charlotte is a heroine you can really get your teeth into, full of passion and intelligence and wit and born into a time not fully able to contain her. Zhen exudes masculinity and power and is a fascinating and richly drawn male character, all the more intriguing because western novels rarely seem to feature strong Chinese male leads. The author's seemingly immaculate knowledge of her subject is mirrored by her obvious affection for the island nation, so often written off in recent times as a shopping mecca devoid of any real richness. You will see Singapore in an entirely new light, and you are guaranteed to learn something you didn't know - be it about old world remedies for preventing pregnancy, the history of violent uprisings and melting together of cultures lurking in its rich history, or even an appreciation for traditional Chinese poetry!! But don't let this fool you - The Red Thread is a novel which starts gently and somewhat sedately, but accelerates into a violent, passionate and highly sexy journey through love between two very different cultures. As someone who has lived a long time in Asia and also experienced the difficulties and the joys of inter-cultural love I found it to be very truthful, insightful and beautifully layered. I loved it. (Note to the author: bring on the sequel please!!)