Dream of the Red Chamber

By: Cao Xuiqin, Christine Sun

Narrated by: Michelle Tate

Dream of the Red Chamber is one of the Chinese Noble Classics.

Baoyu has always believed that he will marry his childhood sweetheart, Daiyu. Daiyu is beautiful and talented, very sensitive, and physically fragile. It is a huge shock to him when he learns that his parents instead want him to marry Baochai, a healthy and considerate girl.

Baoyu’s family is fast losing its fame and fortune. One by one Baoyu’s female friends, relatives, and servants are being married off or sold, and he realises just how much he values the qualities of the women in his life.

Will Baoyu surrender to life’s harsh realities and give up his true love? What can he do to protect the women he loves from violence, neglect, and abuse?

Full of a fiery passion for love and beauty, Dream of the Red Chamber is the story of a young man in search of what is truly important to him.

If you enjoy this, you can find three more Real Reads Chinese Noble Classics: Journey to the West, The Water Margin, and The Three Kingdoms.

©2011 Christine Sun (P)2013 Christine Sun

Good for students of Chinese literature

This title meets my needs as a way to begin familiarizing myself with this Chinese classic while commuting. This abridged version isn’t very entertaining, but I was able to beginner learning the major character names in concert with the Wikipedia article. The narrator does a great job, but note that her mastery of Standard Mandarin when pronouncing names is uneven.

A lot left out.

This translation leaves out a great deal of the detail. But it is easier to comprehend and maintains a central theme which can get lost in a more literal translation.

Too Short !

Okay the book description did list the length of the book before I purchased, but this masterpiece deserves a full 9 hours.

Beautiful Story

The story was lovely and enchanting , I could not stop listening to it until the end

Story is short and repetitive. Not worth the cost.

The story is too short and repetitive. It is not worth the cost. I recommend not purchasing this audible audio book.