OK, so some spoilers contained in the rant below, so on the off chance you intend to read it, maybe look at some reviews better than my 2 stars! So there are some things going for this book - set in 1920s China, it is an interesting period, and the factual information contained in the novel is interesting and from what I could tell all accurate. One of the most successful historical thriller writers of her generation, Matilde Asensi outdoes herself while focusing on a country and culture that, to this day, remain shrouded in mystery.more Joining forces with a colorful Irish journalist, a wily local antiquarian, and a brilliant orphaned servant boy, Elvira is swept up into the journey of a lifetime as these mismatched partners embark on an arduous trek to find the sacred site-with assassins in relentless pursuit.ĭespite the ever-present risk, Elvira gradually acclimates to China's language, culture, and geography, while the grueling physical challenges and complex intellectual puzzles required to locate the tomb test her strength, her courage, and her smarts in every possible way. Her charming but dissolute spouse has left her with massive debts, thanks to his fondness for gambling, prostitutes, and opium, and she has no idea how she will repay the enormous sum.Īs it turns out, her ailing husband did own something of extraordinary value, and was mysteriously killed by thugs who wanted it for themselves: a beautifully crafted box that holds clues to the location of the remains of China's First Emperor-and the unimaginable riches buried alongside him.
She longs to return home to Paris as soon as possible. Prim and straitlaced, Elvira feels out of place in this exotic city teeming with unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells. After receiving word of her husband's death, Spanish painter Elvira De In the glorious new adventure novel "Everything Under the Sky," internationally bestselling author Matilde Asensi turns her genius eye for scholarly thrills to the hunt for the lost treasure of China's First Emperor and to the marvelous cast of characters who will do anything to claim it for themselves.Īfter receiving word of her husband's death, Spanish painter Elvira De Poulain travels to Shanghai to claim his body and put his affairs in order. In the glorious new adventure novel "Everything Under the Sky," internationally bestselling author Matilde Asensi turns her genius eye for scholarly thrills to the hunt for the lost treasure of China's First Emperor and to the marvelous cast of characters who will do anything to claim it for themselves.