Title: The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel Author: Maureen Lindley Genre: Novel Plot: Eastern Jewel is a Chinese princess who is born towards the beginning of the twentieth century. Unmanageable from a young age, she is sent to live with an “adoptive family,” in Japan, where she is renamed Yoshiko and abused by her new family. Yoshiko loves her new country desperately, and when war breaks out she is prepared to do anything to assist her new nation in its fight against her old. This spy story takes a back seat, however, to the author’s primary focus – the fact that Eastern Jewel is a “partying princess.” Apparently from her jail cell Eastern Jewel cannot manage more introspection than to recall who she slept with and when. Grade: D Review: This book is written as though Eastern Jewel left behind a cache of writings that she penned from her jail cell, reflecting on her tumultuous life. I have read novels stemming from this premise in the past, and have often seen them have good results. To achieve this, however, the author must throw him or herself into the time period and lifestyle of their subject. Unfortunately, I do not get this impression when reading about Eastern Jewel. She remains just as elusive as ever, and I know no more about her than when I started this tome except that she had sex – a lot. By the time she makes the “revelation” that she is a sex addict, believe me, it will come as no surprise to you whatsoever. Important life events, such as being made president of the China Gold Mining Company as barely mentioned, just enough to make the reader say, “wait, what? that seems like it would be relevant.” I would think that a convicted spy would have something a little more interesting to say.
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