The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang is about two mysterious women. Caroline Stanton is a rich orphan American living in China right before the 1912 fall of the Qing Dynasty. She met her not nearly as rich (but still rich) husband Thomas when he saved her during the Wellington railway disaster. Although she has mysterious memory gaps about the event. Together, they have money and live in Thomas’s uncle’s Shanghai mansion… or do they?
No. Uncle Mason is a liar and he doesn’t own the mansion.
Lisan Liu is Caroline’s personal secretary and her Uncle is actually the owner of the mansion. But whatever.
Lisan was raised by her foster father who found her on the streets when she was young. He raised her in luxury and gave her all the privilege his richness could buy. Why? He’s eccentric and can afford it. No follow up questions accepted.
Secrets from both of their pasts catch up to them in the mansion haunted by Uncle Mason’s son and daughter-in-law, who died and disappeared in totally not mysterious or questionable circumstances.
About half way through, I thought, “oh [euphemism], I know [euphemism] about the Boxer Rebellion.” I’m also trying to swear less. There’s a lot of real and interesting history around the book and the author’s website has more than enough to provide context for the book. But the history is mostly there for framing the atmosphere. Because this story is primarily atmosphere. It’s fun. I liked it.
Also the titular princess is not based on any historical missing princess.
And stopping to learn about the Boxer Rebellion didn’t make any difference.
