In the Shadow of the Cypress
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Thomas Steinbeck has been praised by Publishers Weekly for his stylistic brilliance and “accomplished voice.” Now, his enthralling novel In the Shadow of the Cypress blends history and suspense with literary mastery and brings vivid realism to California’s rich heritage. 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.
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For some reason, I have dragged my feet on writing this review. It's been a while, and the book wasn't incredibly memorable in the first place, so I doubt this review will have much relevance. Regardless, here it is...
I promised myself I wouldn't mention John Steinbeck in this review. The work of Thomas Steinbeck should stand on its own; even mentioning that he is his father's son seems unnecessary and insulting to the work of Thomas. Well, I lied.
It's hard not to think of John when Thomas' characters and situations continually remind us of his father. A marine biologist. Stanford. Just pull ten random words from a Steinbeck biography and you'll likely find one or two which apply to In the Shadow of the Cypress. And frankly, it's an unfair comparison. Nonetheless, it's what one should expect being the son of a Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winning author (or writer since Steinbeck didn't consider himself as an “author”).
In the Shadow of the Cypress does fairly well when it comes to story. Although it is a bit slow, it carries its own as an intriguing historical mystery. Steinbeck shows that he knows his subject matter well and presents it in an interesting and unique fashion. What Steinbeck doesn't know, however, is his characters. I couldn't understand them, nor did I really want to. They were dry. What personality they did have didn't make sense–am I just stereotyping when I say I didn't find Charles Lucas' concern over a surfboard believable? Charles Lucas, PhD student and holder of one of the world's most historically significant artifacts, just wants to find “the perfect wave.” Some of the best character moments happen after Lucas meets Robert Wu and the two develop a friendship which is believable and funny at times. Unfortunately, it doesn't last. Once Wu's father is brought into the picture, the relationship takes a back seat for no particular reason and the novel becomes bland once again.
Thomas Steinbeck might do okay as an author if he is marketed to the right audience. Fans of plot-driven historical mysteries may love his books–I don't know as I am not one of those “fans”. As long as he is marketed as being THE SON OF JOHN STEINBECK, however, Thomas Steinbeck will be in the shadow of his own cypress; rather, he'll live in the shadow of the Giant Sequoia that was his father.
(On a side note, writing this review has put me in the mood to reread “To a God Unknown”).