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Loading... Lost in translation (original 1998; edition 1999)by Nicole Mones
Work InformationLost in Translation by Nicole Mones (1998)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. An elaborate, yet low-key adventure about history, archaeology and finding a place to truly belong. Although the characters had a lot of potential, I never was able to connect with any of them - I had a hard time liking Alice. Her Daddy issues and borderline fetishism with Chinese culture wasn't endearing or understandable, it was annoying. Why Lin? What was special about him? Or her other, near-fiance? It's never quite clear. And why in the world are we, the reader, treated to a very late romantic interlude only for it to fall apart just pages later for a nonexistent argument? I couldn't understand Spencer's motivation either - he was dedicated to finding Peking Man in order to return triumphantly to his son but after the initial devastation of realizing it was lost forever he suddenly decides he wants to stay and work on the Monkey God project? Hadn't I gone through chapter after chapter of Spencer lamenting the separation from his son on a physical AND emotional level? Still, despite what I thought were some major inconsistencies with the characters, I really enjoyed the thought and history behind this novel. The settings were vivid and emotional, I felt transported to China in practically every chapter. Definitely a different read. I made the mistake of thinking this was the basis of the Bill Murray Scarlett Johansson movie because the main character had red hair. Clearly it is not. The scion of a racist American politician loses herself in Chinese culture working as a translator. She is employed by an American archaeologist looking to recover Peking man which he believes was hidden in the wilds of Mongolia by the Jesuit priest de Chardin. Two Chinese ethnologist join the expedition, one of whom is seeking the fate of his wife who disappeared during the chaos. All the while the party is trailed by the PLA. The translator engages in multiple love affairs always overshadowed by her controlling father. The glimpse into Chinese culture as it opened to the west was enjoyable. Unbelievable plot twists left me going, “Nah.” Knowing the finances of academics, the thought that a failed archaeologist, whose funding has been denied, would rush off to China on a wild goose chase funded by maxing out his credit cards all in an effort to impress his son was too unbelievable. If you can ignore a few flaws Lost in Translation is an enjoyable ride. I'd like to give this 4 stars but due to the mature themes that may offend some and a couple of unfortunately explicit scenes, I'll stick with 3. Having said that, I do like this author for a lot of reasons. I agree with this quote from the description of the novel: The key to the novel's success is Mones's in-depth knowledge of China's culture, history, and politics. The question of cultural identity is at the core of her tale, and she skillfully weaves various aspects of Chinese life--from ancestor worship to the Cultural Revolution--into the personal relationships of her characters. By novel's end, readers have discovered a great deal about archeology, China, and most especially about the unmapped territories of memory, desire, and identity. no reviews | add a review
A novel of searing intelligence and startling originality, Lost in Translation heralds the debut of a unique new voice on the literary landscape.nbsp;nbsp;Nicole Mones creates an unforgettable story of love and desire, of family ties and human conflict, and of one woman's struggle to lose herself in a foreign land--only to discover her home, her heart, herself. At dawn in Beijing, Alice Mannegan pedals a bicycle through the deserted streets.nbsp;nbsp;An American by birth, a translator by profession, she spends her nights in Beijing's smoke-filled bars, and the Chinese men she so desires never misunderstand her intentions.nbsp;nbsp;All around her rushes the air of China, the scent of history and change, of a world where she has come to escape her father's love and her own pain.nbsp;nbsp;It is a world in which, each night as she slips from her hotel, she hopes to lose herself forever. For Alice, it began with a phone call from an American archaeologist seeking a translator.nbsp;nbsp;And it ended in an intoxicating journey of the heart--one that would plunge her into a nation's past, and into some of the most rarely glimpsed regions of China.nbsp;nbsp;Hired by an archaeologist searching for the bones of Peking Man, Alice joins an expedition that penetrates a vast, uncharted land and brings Professor Lin Shiyang into her life.nbsp;nbsp;As they draw closer to unearthing the secret of Peking Man, as the group's every move is followed, their every whisper recorded, Alice and Lin find shelter in each other, slowly putting to rest the ghosts of their pasts.nbsp;nbsp;What happens between them becomes one of the most breathtakingly erotic love stories in recent fiction.nbsp;nbsp;Indeed, Lost in Translation is a novel about love--between a nation and its past, between a man and a memory, between a father and a daughter.nbsp;nbsp;Its powerful impact confirms the extraordinary gifts of a master storyteller, Nicole Mones. No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.54Literature American literature in English American fiction in English 1900-1999 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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But bailed at 67%. Just a bit too "sensual" for me. Didn't pass the "recommend" to mom test. The reference to the female lead masturbating finally put me over the edge. Moving on. ( )