Raise the Red Lantern: Three Novellas

Raise the Red Lantern: Three Novellas

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Editorial Reviews

The brutal realities of the dark places Su Tong depicts in this collection of novellas set in 1930s provincial China -- worlds of prostitution, poverty, and drug addiction -- belie his prose of stunning and simplebeauty. The title novella, "Raise the Red Lantern," which became a critically acclaimed film, tells the story of Lotus, a young woman whose father's suicide forces her to become the concubine of a wealthy merchant. Crushed by loneliness, despair, and cruel treatment, Lotus finds her descent into insanity both a weapon and a refuge.

"Nineteen Thirty-Four Escapes" is an account of a family's struggles during one momentous year; plagued by disease, death, and the shady promise of life in a larger town, the family slowly disintegrates.

Finally, "Opium Family" details the last years of a landowning clan whose demise is brought about by corruption, lust, and treachery -- fruits of the insidious crop they harvest.

Customer Reviews

enjoyed it

Reviewed by rickey, 2010-01-31

I am collecting books and their movies. I love the movie Raise the Red Lantern and was egar to read the book that inspired it. Of course, they are not the same but I can appreciate the movie more with the background information from the book and reading the book with the sights and sounds of the movie made both more enjoyable.

:)

Reviewed by M, 2008-08-15

I enjoyed all three stories in here. It was a new experience to read Su Tong's work because his writing style and narration was different from most other authors that I have read. I also saw the movie with the same name, and it was interesting to note the differences between the story and the film. All in all, a good read.

Fascinating experience for those willing to take it

Reviewed by BilMcReader, 2008-07-25

The first of the three novellas is more accessible and conventional than the other two, but it may not be the best. All three are rich and textured with layers of meaning of those willing to spend the time with them. As with all translations, I wonder what there was in the original that I am missing by reading the story second hand. I get the sense that this is a careful translation. (Someone will probably tell me I am way off on that judgment.) If you are willing to venture into a different culture, I think you will be rewarded by reading these three novellas.

Too short

Reviewed by C. Williams, 2007-08-12

I wanted the WHOLE book to be the story Raise the Red Lantern. Too short!!

Intriguing and suspenseful

Reviewed by D. Goodpasture, 2005-09-21

I thoroughly enjoyed "Raise the Red Lantern", more so than the other two novellas. As an occidental 30-something I realize I am not qualified to judge the accuracy of the story, but I found it highly entertaining. I also liked the film version. The novella differs in creating a degree of emotion, suspense, and creepiness that the film lacks. The film is worth seeing for the setting and costumes alone.

Set in China of the 1920's or 30's the protagonist is a young woman who, due to her father's death, can no longer afford to study at the unversity. With few options available she becomes the 4th wife/concubine of a wealthy man who is plenty old enough to be her father. The "wives"/mistresses each have their own small apartment in his traditional Chinese compound. What she finds a life of boredom interrupted by plots among the other mistresses, and the slighted maid who wanted to be the 4th mistress, to eliminate each other and win favor with their benefactor. They all want to spend intimate time with the old geezer in order to conceive a son, the only way to ascend this surreal hierarchy. The protagonist manages to thwart numerous plots against her and sets out to discover the mystery of the previous 4th mistress. In the process she descends to a level of cruel that she previously disdained in the other mistresses. As with most Chinese stories, don't expect a happy ending.