(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

The book that will change the way you see China
A once-in-a-generation sexual and cultural revolution is taking place - all in the bars, cafes and streets of China's growing mega-cities.
Jemimah Steinfeld introduces the people at the heart of this world, from the woman starting China's first online dating agency to the mistresses of the rich and powerful; from the company trying to sell sex toys to China's middle-classes to the sino-punks of Beijing's bar scene.


I am torn between loving this book and truly despising it. I know that sounds harsh but this book frustrated me so much that, at one point, I was right into the material being presented (the first instance was on the chapter of the internet in China) and then, out of the blue, it would become a blizzard of facts and figures and lose the great narrative I had been reading. And that happened quite a few times.

On the balance though, there were some real insights into the way young people in China view their world of sex, relationships, the gay community, and drugs...and also what the future holds for them - in particular those who are following the Communist path, and also the Christians who live there.

I really enjoyed the parts that I liked...and was really frustrated by the bits I didn't like.


Paul
ARH