My Splendid Concubine

My Splendid Concubine has ratings and 91 reviews. Amanda said: Writing a book is hard. As a writer, I know how difficult it is to put the pen to pape.
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As a writer, I know how difficult it is to put the pen to paper and put what you have to say out there for the world to see and then be ripped apart. My reviews are my opinion — nothing more. But sometimes, you come across a book that is so bad that it becomes a moral duty to spare others the pain of reading it. As a customs officer in Ningpo, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou from , Robert Hart spent his life trying to keep the faltering Qing dynasty from going bankrupt. Which one is the splendid one? I have no idea. Now, I have no problem with the book focusing on this one part of his long life.

The problem is the delivery. The book is extremely soft-core pornish. He is also described as a rather perverted individual and not in a good way. The book is supposed to be about an epic love, yet Hart views every woman he sees only as an object of sexual desire. He does not see women as people like he claims, repeatedly, ad nauseum , but as a collection of skin, breasts, wetness, and warmth. He repeatedly says that be found the ownership of women to be wrong, yet he then proceeds to purchase two.

The perverted, selfish, idiotic representation in this book is the most unfair characterization of this influential man imaginable. It makes me want to write my own narrative of Hart's life just so salvage his reputation. I think I'll add that to my list of possible books to work on.

I really didn't know how this book was published until I realized that the forward was written by Anchee Min, Lofthouse's wife. Anchee Min is one of the most important writers of English Chinese literature today. I have several books written by her and have enjoyed her writing. I can only guess that Lofthouse was able to get his book published by riding his wife's coattails and I can just imagine poor Min having to grit through her teeth as she had to smile and say, "yeah, Lloyd, this book is great.

I'm not really sure how to rate this book as I can't give it anything less than one star, but that seems like a stark insult to any books that I have given two stars to. View all 3 comments. I was a bit disappointed with this book. I had high hopes for it but found it really lacking. I thought it would be about Hart's life in China, his work, how he became so valued by the Chinese government, etc. It was primarily about Hart's constant struggle with his religious beliefs and the keeping of concubines I thought this would just be one part of the story but instead it overpowered everything else.

I didn't need some of the detailed descriptions of Hart's sexual encounters to understa I was a bit disappointed with this book.

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I didn't need some of the detailed descriptions of Hart's sexual encounters to understand his conflict. I found myself skipping passages. I did like his attempt at learning I wish these aspects would have been focused on a little more. Aug 07, Nancy Schober rated it it was ok. It's very curious that the author chose to concentrate on Hart's sex life when no one considers that the most interesting thing about him. His bringing Western business sensibilities to the Eastern world certainly would have been more engaging. Sep 27, Suzann rated it it was amazing.

This most amazing book took me on a journey that was deep, vivid, and brilliantly written. So well-written was the book, I was there, side-by-side with Hart, discovering the Chinese culture along with him, learning about the joys and dangers of colonial China just as Hart learns of them. Because author Lloyd Lofthouse is a master at infusing fact with story, mixin This most amazing book took me on a journey that was deep, vivid, and brilliantly written.

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Because author Lloyd Lofthouse is a master at infusing fact with story, mixing "scene and sequel," action and thoughtfulness, all that I learned alongside Sir Robert was fascinating, jaw-dropping, heart-pounding, and deeply satisfying. This talent that Mr. Lofthouse has of making the reader feel like a part of the story, makes the characters and the scenes come to life.

Yes, I'm reading a book, but yes, the characters jump out of the pages and live their lives in front of my eyes. Lofthouse researched his real-life historical character, Robert Hart, extensively - so the reader gets an "inside" look at this profound man's life. And although Hart's story takes place over a century ago, it is timeless. It's the story of a man who embraces a new culture without judgment, embraces love without hesitation, and ultimately teaches the rest of the world how it may be possible for us all to live together in peace.

From inside - that's how he made changes. To me, "My Splendid Concubine" is writing at its best. I can't recommend this book strongly enough. It's fascinating, it draws you in, and it stays with you long after you've finished the read. I cannot imagine anything worse than pretentious sex Jun 11, Marion rated it it was ok. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I could NOT finish this book. Every time I found myself about to snuggle up and read I dreaded having to sit down with this sorry piece of literature.

But just having the main character says he's disgusted that Chinese women are treated like property is not enough. Then to go and have said main character buy two women of his own? It brings forth to mind, the appropriate and always poignant expression, "wtf? The White man is quick to criticize the Chinese customs, yet will almost willfully engage in them himself and honestly, is that surprising?

He's hypocritical and a pervert to boot. It doesn't matter if it's another man's concubine, a six-year-old girl, or his own sister, he wants to fuck 'em all! It also got old very quickly to hear about the situation his dick was in almost every two pages. I swear to god if I had to read another, "He could feel his erection pressing against his pants. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a prude. I enjoy a nice saucy story like any other lassie or lad, yet the creativity with which the author described Robert's sexual encounters was entirely lacking.

At times, it felt as if I was reading a textbook. The way in which the author blatantly described Chinese customs and practices as if he was lecturing to a crowd of students was frustrating. A good piece of work has a way of explaining things without outwardly doing so. The sentence structure, grammar, and flow of the words was stilted and awkward as well. If I hadn't researched the author a bit I would've thought that a robotic slug had typed an afternoon away writing this piece of drivel.

I myself am not a writer, and those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. I do not desire to write and publish a book. If you're going to write a piece of literature you better edit the shit out of it and sift through every single letter with a fine-tuned comb in my humble opinion at least.

I really don't think the purpose of this book was to celebrate the life and times of Robert Hart. I legitimately think that the author used a historical figure he knew enough about to make the type of story a desperate, middle-aged, housewife might enjoy.

Book Review: My Splendid Concubine by Lloyd Lofthouse

This was one controlling sociopath, a manic pixie dream girl with no mind if her own, and a couple of chains and whips away from being Dakota Johnson's next big movie role. I literally cannot tell you what the story was about. So there it is. I love, love, love historical fiction!


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Especially one that has a romantic subplot and strong female figure s. Which was why I was so looking forward to reading this book. I was highly disappointed, obviously. Two stars for effort. The Concubine Saga is a fictional of account of a real person, Robert Hart. He was born in Ireland but left in disgrace as a young man. He evidently was a very sexual young man and was unable to control his desires, according to his religious upbringing he went to China after he was awarded the position of student interpreter in the China cons The Concubine Saga is a fictional of account of a real person, Robert Hart.

He evidently was a very sexual young man and was unable to control his desires, according to his religious upbringing he went to China after he was awarded the position of student interpreter in the China consular service. Not long after he arrived he met the woman, Ayaou who was to become his concubine and with whom he would have three children.

My Splendid Concubine

According to this story he also had Ayaou's sister come into the household as he didn't want her to be sold to cruel people and he had feelings for her also even though he was in love with Ayaou. Because of Robert's ability to handle delicate negotiations with the Chinese, he was able to move up the ranks to become a respectable and trusted man in China.

In his personal life he was still at odds with his religion and his lifestyle as having concubines was not accepted in polite society. To further his understanding of the Chinese he learned "how to think like a Chinese" and learn all that he could learn about his adopted country and their customs and languages. This all helped him and because of his diplomatic skills he was able to work effectively with the Chinese and be the go between, if you will, for China and China's trading deals with other countries such as America, France and Germany.

He was also very instrumental in establishing custom houses, railroads and various other programs to aid the Chinese. Because of his communication skills, patience, good judgement and good relations with the Chinese he earned himself the nickname of "our Hart". When I started reading this story I was a little intimidated as, one: I had never heard of Sir Robert Hart and two: I knew very little about China.

Editorial Reviews

The author's depiction of Hart's life in China and with his relationships with Ayaou and her sister was told in descriptive detail and such beauty of the Chinese culture that I did not want it the story to end. A very well written and impeccably researched story that I highly recommend to the historical fiction fan. A lot of history but not written like a history book.

This book does have a lot of sexual content in it but told in a very tasteful way. I really enjoyed this book. May 31, Mirella rated it it was amazing. Born in Ireland, while he attended university, he gained a reputation for his rampant sexual escapades, despite his strict religious upbringing. His father intervened, put a stop to his womanizing, and arranged a post for him as a student interpreter in China. Struggling with the social norms and morals of the time, unable to marry her, he finally took her as his concubine. She bore him three children over the years.


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    4. Soon, he gained a reputation of trust and respect from the highest levels of Chinese politicians, royalty, and officials. Despite his success, he struggled with his religious values and in the taking of concubines, a widely accepted practice among Caucasian men even though it was unacceptable in polite society. He delves deeply into the relationships with Ayaou and her sister, bringing to life the heart-wrenching dilemma Hart faced. Readers should understand before purchasing this novel that there are some graphic sex scenes, but I found it necessary in order to understand Hart, his personality, and what drove him.

    A provocative novel that brings to life lesser known practices and norms of China and its people. Jan 16, Alon Shalev rated it it was amazing. A fascinating trip into a lost world, Lofthouse does a great job taking us back in time to a beautiful, almost mythical China. But Lofthouse doesn't shy away from balancing the romantic with the reality. We are not spared the poverty, violence, colonial or sexual exploitation. His protagonist, Robert Hart, is an engaging character, caught between the morals of his religious Irish background, and his unquenchable thirst to understand the ancient Chinese culture.

    It is hard to believe that this is a fictional account of a very real man and a very real story, and this makes the ending all the harder. Without giving anything away, the final scenes of the book haunted me for days afterwards. If anything is frustrating, it is that the reader is left feeling the story is incomplete. This can only be rectified with a sequel. Robert Hart needs to continue along his path, and I for one am anxious to follow his progress.

    This book is a fictionalized account of Robert Hart who was known as the 'Godfather of China's modernism'. Hart was born and raised in Ireland. In we went to China to work for the British Consulate as an interpreter. Robert Hart was set on making up for his days of drinking and womanizing in Ireland. He went to China to prove himself and "grow up. However, it was what men did in China, even most o This book is a fictionalized account of Robert Hart who was known as the 'Godfather of China's modernism'. However, it was what men did in China, even most of the "foreign devils".

    He got a Chinese instructor and immersed himself in Chinese customs and culture. He did end up getting two concubines, his first year in China. Ayaou and her younger sister Shao-mei. He taught Ayaou and Shao-mei how to read and enjoyed life with them both. When he first met Ayaou, Read the full review here: When I first started to read this story, I found it a little difficult to read because I felt so dismayed over the the way of life of the Chinese and the men's treatment of their women.

    I wasn't sure I was going to be able to stomach it and continue. But I did continue and I'm glad I did As Robert first comes to China, I could only imagine the culture shocked he experienced. But he certainly embraces their way of life quickly and as the story unfolds he comes into power that is just incredibl When I first started to read this story, I found it a little difficult to read because I felt so dismayed over the the way of life of the Chinese and the men's treatment of their women.

    But he certainly embraces their way of life quickly and as the story unfolds he comes into power that is just incredible. I learned a great deal about China in the 's by reading this story and I applaud Lofthouse for his vivid details and well researched novel. I rated this novel three and a half stars. Stephanie Layered Pages www. Aug 30, Heather rated it liked it Shelves: This could have been a 'splendid' biography of Sir Robert Hart, a British ex-pat who had an illustrious career in China starting in the British consulate and becoming the Inspector general of China.

    He was renowned for his diplomatic and managerial skills and was fluent in mandarin and customs of China. However the book reads like some kind of soft porn with his concubines and only touches on what life in China would have been like in the late 's. I go fed up reading about his erect member..

    I go fed up reading about his erect member Jul 08, Roberta Matz rated it it was amazing. I loved this work of historical fiction. THe author details everyday life in China in the s and the clash in culture between the west and the east. The love story is fascinating as Robert tries to meld his love for a Chinese girl and his Western values. His rise in power also reveals how astute and insightful Hart is. I read about his actual accomplishments and it is stunning what this man did for China and the west. Hard to tell how much is based on truth - but it certainly reads true. A I loved this work of historical fiction.

    Feb 13, Janice Richardson rated it it was amazing Shelves: Brilliant book, one of my all time favourites. Two women, then, decidedly remain amongst the most influential authors of the diminutive China historical fiction genre. Using her own startling experiences as a Communist Red Guard for her autobiographical Red Azalea which was summarily banned in her homeland , authoress Min went on to craft five best-selling historical fiction novels about China, including The Last Empress and the controversial Becoming Madam Mao. Set to a tumultuous backdrop of the Taiping Rebellion, opium wars and foreign invasion, Concubine opens with an indelible portrait of besieged China emerging from its 5, year-old cocoon to realize that it just may no longer be the Center of the World it once thought itself as.

    These fools are penny wise and pound-foolish. Stealing and telling lies is a way of life here. Himself a Vietnam vet, Lofthouse paints battle as blood-red as it surely must be. The thought numbed him for a moment. It was good that his weapons were thinking for him. Chinese emperors traditionally kept thousands of concubines to enhance the royal bloodline; in turn, European merchants residing in imperial China mimicked this form of quasi-matrimonial relationship on a smaller scale.

    It is a range of emotions any man traversing the forlorn roads of the word knows all to well: She tasted like the ocean. Hart gallantly purchases Shao-mei to spare her from the talons of his fellow foreigners. See, these nipples were not like this a few weeks ago. It is all she is asking for. You want me three times a night, and sometimes that is not enough. He wondered if he could still kiss her after seeing her do that.

    And while he may have a few more bestsellers to go before he can be compared with the great James Clavell, famed for his Asian Saga historical fiction series, Lofthouse knows his China, and definitely knows his Robert Hart. As the architect behind China's railway network, postal service and education system, Hart was conferred numerous Chinese awards and titles, and also had the supreme honor to be both the first foreigner and the first non-imperial male ever to appear in the presence of Empress Dowager Cixi.

    But behind the scandalous, revisionist adventures My Splendid Concubine is a comprehensible and remarkably accurate narrative history of real-life man whom the author quite obviously admires, and in doing so presents an authentic story that readers interested in world culture can draw a number of invaluable lessons from. As Sir Robert Hart came to China to run away from his past transgressions, so do we travel to escape, but we also travel to learn by immersion. And for those of us who do not have the luxury of drifting across the world, we rely on imaginative yet resourceful authors such as Lloyd Lofthouse to immerse us in times, places and persons whom might otherwise be forgotten in the dusty archives of the Red Guard.

    Portrait of a People A disappointing read for a number of reasons. The dialog is often horrible — either exposition masqueradi A disappointing read for a number of reasons. The dialog is often horrible — either exposition masquerading as speech or just unbelievable. The prose is wooden; declarative sentence after declarative sentence.

    Jan 03, Sylvia rated it it was ok. It took me six months to read this book because I always found something better to read. Because it is a novel based on a real life Irish man who lived and worked in China in the late 19th century I wanted to finish it for the historical aspect. I am sure there are better historical fiction novels about China available. First criticism, way too long. Other criticisms, choppy writing, poor editing, unrealistic characters. I did however, appreciate the knowledge of Chinese culture that shines thro It took me six months to read this book because I always found something better to read.

    I did however, appreciate the knowledge of Chinese culture that shines through and upon which Robert Hart's real life success was based. Sep 12, Lori rated it did not like it Shelves: I'm sorry to say that this is probably the worst book I have ever read. I finished it because we were reading it for book club, and that is the only reason.

    It is really awful. Please, don't read this book. Culture clash I gave this book three stars because the story of the Chinese culture was interesting. I also enjoyed the glimpse of the history of the time. I found the writing a bit repetitive. Dec 02, Julie rated it really liked it. I didn't know anything about Chinese history so this was very interesting to me. But it should have been two books or edited drastically. Jan 18, Ariadne Deborah Fassel rated it liked it.

    Would that we had more people like Robert Hart in charge of getting things done. This description of China makes it far more memorable than history textbooks. Excellent Loved the history, characters and the passion that this book contained. An awesome story, and one we could learn from today. West meets East A revealing look into the heart and mind of a westerner discovering China and the journey that transformed his life and so many others.