Official Review: China Grade by Ray Hosler

[Nikolas Farmakis]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "China Grade" by Ray Hosler.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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China Grade by Ray Hosler is a historical fiction novel focusing on the Chinese workers during the building of the American railroad. The author focuses on themes such as racism, prejudice, romance, death, and conflict in his thrilling novel. The tone of the text is informal and direct, engaging the reader in the events unfolding in the story.

Chen is the main character in the novel. Chen is a young man who grows up in China in the middle of war and conflict between the government and the rebels. The story is set during the middle of the nineteenth century, where many Chinese men migrated to the United States looking for a better life working in the construction of the railroads. Chen finds work in a railroad company, where his skills in making fireworks prove valuable, as his knowledge is used to blow up the rocks in the mountains to advance the railroad. The writer introduces another character named Lowen Trestain, who migrates to the United States from Cornwall along with his family. What connection will develop between Chin and Lowen? Will Chen survive in the racist environment of the United States?

There were numerous positive attributes in this novel. More specifically, the writer utilizes narrative techniques and linguistic devices, such as dialogue, thereby grasping the reader’s attention. The language used by the author is of a high caliber, while the vocabulary employed adds value to the text. Also, the book was exceptionally edited, as I only noticed a single error in the entire novel. The story followed a logical, coherent, and rational structure, as the author developed the story in chronological order, helping the reader to easily understand the events unfolding in the novel. Moreover, what I liked most was the fact that the book was packed with suspense, tension, and drama, as the writer used appropriate cliffhangers and added action to the story. This meant that I did not feel bored while reading the story. There was nothing I disliked most in the novel because the book was expertly written and excellently organized.

This story is best suited for lovers of historical fiction that are interested in the history of the United States during the mid-nineteenth century. The book is suited to readers of all religions, as well as atheists.

In conclusion, I rate this book with 4 out of 4 stars. I gave this book a perfect rating, as it was professionally edited, beautifully written, and logically structured. I recommend this book to all readers, as it is an eye-opening novel.

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China Grade
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[Josephe-Anne]

Compared to many other atrocities that have occurred in world history, the poor treatment of Chinese railroad workers in North America is hardly mentioned.

Your attention to detail was clearly expressed in this review. The author and editor(s) should be commended for their exceptional work in fine-tuning the story.

I have added this book to my "To Read" shelf.

[CherylTegan7]

This book definitely sounds interesting. I really like historical settings and plots around lesser known parts of history. The plot isn't something I've seen before and I like that it focuses on just a few characters, giving a close look at how big themes affect specific people as well as people at large. Being expertly edited is a big plus. Nice review!

[angeler]

Introfiction seems eye catching so far as it's not a everyday topic you read about

[kdstrack]

This is a captivating tale about an interesting time in history. I hope the book can be used to heal and not create more cultural divide. I am curious about the relationship between Chin and Lowen. Thanks for the recommendation.

[readerrihana]

Sounds interesting to read because I have not heard about racism directed towards Chinese people before. In fact, I guess they don't often get mentioned. Thanks for taking the time to review the book

[Nisha Ward]

I do wonder what the relationship between Chen and Lowen was like, considering the racial tensions of the period and how that informs the story going forward. It seems like it would be a good read.

[SunVixen]

Compared to many other atrocities that have occurred in world history, the poor treatment of Chinese railroad workers in North America is hardly mentioned.

The bad plight of Chinese workers in the 19th-century USA was never the subject of my interest. Nevertheless, I sometimes met with little mentions of this in historical researches on other topics. As I understand it, they really had a very difficult time. It is very unusual that someone wrote an fiction book about this.

Anyway, thanks for great review.

I do wonder what the relationship between Chen and Lowen was like, considering the racial tensions of the period and how that informs the story going forward. It seems like it would be a good read.

I'm interested too.

[Josephe-Anne]

Compared to many other atrocities that have occurred in world history, the poor treatment of Chinese railroad workers in North America is hardly mentioned.

The bad plight of Chinese workers in the 19th-century USA was never the subject of my interest. Nevertheless, I sometimes met with little mentions of this in historical researches on other topics. As I understand it, they really had a very difficult time. It is very unusual that someone wrote an fiction book about this.

Anyway, thanks for great review.

I do wonder what the relationship between Chen and Lowen was like, considering the racial tensions of the period and how that informs the story going forward. It seems like it would be a good read.

I'm interested too.

Yes, I'm curious to read about the dynamics of their relationship also. It should be interesting to see how they interact with each other. I wonder if there will be any sort of language barrier.