Book Tour: In The Shadow of the Cypress

In The Shadow of the Cypress
Author: Thomas Steinbeck
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN: 9781439168257
Audience: Adult
Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis: (from the publisher):

In 1906, the Chinese in California lived in the shadows. Their alien customs, traditions, and language hid what they valued from their neighbors . . . and left them open to scorn and prejudice. Their communities were ruled—and divided—by the necessity of survival among the many would-be masters surrounding them, by struggles between powerful tongs, and by duty to their ancestors.

Then, in the wake of natural disaster, fate brought to light artifacts of incredible value along the Monterey coast: an ancient Chinese jade seal and a plaque inscribed in a trio of languages lost to all but scholars of antiquity. At first, chance placed control of those treasures in the hands of outsiders—the wayward Irishman who’d discovered them and a marine scholar who was determined to explore their secrets. The path to the truth, however, would prove to be as tangled as the roots of the ancient cypress that had guarded these treasures for so long, for there are some secrets the Chinese were not ready to share. Whether by fate, by subtle design, or by some intricate combination of the two, the artifacts disappeared again . . . before it could be proved that they must have come there ages before Europeans ever touched the wild and beautiful California coast.

Nearly a century would pass before an unconventional young American scientist unearths evidence of this great discovery and its mysterious disappearance. Taking up the challenge, he begins to assemble a new generation of explorers to resume theperilous search into the ocean’s depth . . . and theshadows of history. Armed with cutting-edge, moderntechnology, and drawing on connections to powerful families at home and abroad, this time Americans and Chinese will follow together the path of secrets that have long proved as elusive as the ancient treasures that held them.

This striking debut novel by a masterful writer weaves together two fascinating eras into one remarkable tale. In the Shadow of the Cypress is an evocative, dramatic story that depicts California in all its multicultural variety, with a suspense that draws the reader inexorably on until the very last page.

My Comment:

I finished this book a few days ago, and as much as I enjoyed "In the Shadow of the Cypress", I found that the characters themselves weren't very memorable. I wanted a more personal feel for the characters with a bit more development - maybe then they would have felt more real, and stuck in my mind more.

The storyline was very interesting with a wonderful historical background rich in Chinese culture. I enjoyed the description of the fishing experience, and could almost smell and taste the food. I had wanted more action throughout the story, and found it quite predictable, but I still enjoyed it overall.

In the Shadow of the Cypress was definitely worth the read, and I would recommend it to anyone that loves historical fiction or wants to learn more about the Chinese culture.

About the Author:

Thomas Steinbeck began his career in the 1960s as a combat photographer in Vietnam. Known best for his short stories, his collection Down to the Soundless Sea won critical praise. Along with his writing and producing obligations, Steinbeck is in demand as a public speaker where he lectures on American literature, creative writing, and the communication arts. He lives in California with his wife Gail.


See what the other bloggers involved in this tour have to say about "In The Shadow of the Cypress":

Pick of the Literate: http://bookrevues.blogspot.com/
Foreign Circus Library: http://www.foreigncircuslibrary.blogspot.com/
Drey’s Library: http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/
Dragonflies ‘n Daydreams: http://dragonfliesndaydreams.blogspot.com/
Book Junkie: http://myfoolishwisdom.blogspot.com/
Rundpinne: http://www.rundpinne.blogspot.com/
I Read: http://sumanam.wordpress.com/
Just One More Paragraph: http://tweezlereads.blogspot.com/
My Friend Amy: http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/
Starting Fresh: http://startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com/
The Tome Traveller’s Weblog: http://thetometraveller.blogspot.com/
Frugal Plus: http://frugalplus.com/
Broken Teepee: http://www.brokenteepee.blogspot.com/
Star Shadow: http://www.starshadowblog.com/
The Bibliophilic Book Blog: http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/
Brizmus Blogs Books: http://brizmusblogsbooks.blogspot.com/
The Avid Reader: http://www.tarmyblogspot.blogspot.com/
Jeanne's Ramblings: http://www.jeannesramblings.com
Just Another New Blog: http://justanothernewblog.blogspot.com/
Blog Business World: http://www.blogbusinessworld.blogspot.com
My Book Addiction and More: http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com/
A Journey of Books: http://ajourneyofbooks.halfzero.net/
Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews: http://sharonsgardenofbookreviews.blogspot.com
Renee’s Reads: http://www.renees-reads.blogspot.com/
Cheryl’s Book Nook: http://cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com/
Bibliophile’s Retreat: http://bibliophilesretreat.com/
I’m Booking It: http://imbookingit.wordpress.com/
The Book Tree: http://thebooktree.blogspot.com
You Wanna Know What I Think? : http://www.kballard87.blogspot.com/
Readaholic: http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/
Bellas Novella: http://www.bellasnovella.com/
Loving Heart Mommy: http://www.lovingheartmommy.com/