A review of ‘The Shanghai Circle’ by a member of the Online Book Club on the 9th of November 2023
4 out of 5 stars
Set in 1936-37 China, which hosted an open trade policy following its defeat in the Opium Wars and Hong Kong, a British colony, The Shanghai Circle explores the cosmopolitanism, decadence and sumptuousness of Shanghai.
The narrative follows the lives of Davina, Joseph, Irina and Thomas primarily. Heir to the Shanghai based trading company named The Guest, Davina is set to prove her mettle in the business world dominated by men. Joseph, son of the Sung Society leader, is looking to take over the reins of the society from his father. Irina, a Russian refugee finds it difficult to sustain herself in this fast moving city. Excited to begin his new lease of life, away from the United States, Thomas begins his journey as a new employee of the Guest.
The author gives a compelling description of a city riddled with extremes, where opulence and poverty, high morality and debauchery co-exists. A good contrast can be drawn between the Guest and the Sung Society. Both are businesses hoping to increase their profits and influence, but the nature and methods of their work are diametrically opposite. One works ethically while the other has a morally grey touch to it. Additionally, in the Chinese tradition, where family honour is prioritised over anything else, one cannot fail to notice the dishonourable and degraded lives led by many sex workers. Drawing from the concept of east meets west, the book delves into both the highs and lows of east-west interactions. Early on in the book, the reader comes across a dialogue which conveys the message that there will be multiple crossroads in one’s life when a decision is to be made and no one would ever know what would have happened if another decision was made. In my opinion, the above message succinctly describes the crux of the book.
Being a history aficionado, I appreciate the historical accuracy of the events and Chinese customs mentioned in the book, whether it be the mention of foot binding practice, the League of Nations or the looming Japanese invasion. Since it is the first book of the series, the reader is left with unanswered questions and the story ends with a note of continuity in the next book. Though I could not find any aspect of the book I did not like, the book could have been edited better, thus, I give it a rating of 4 out of 5. The book will be appreciated by those who like reading historical fiction.