Joseph Kessel (1898-1979), novelist, journalist knocked a lot around the world. The Folio editions have had the good idea to republish this story dates from 1957. It is very modern and very alive. We do not get bored for a moment with Kessel guide as it retraces very effectively the history of these places linked to the opium war which led the English to bend the Emperor of China. The latter will have to cede Hong Kong and the New Territories after his defeat allowing English to "Hong Kong (the) last link in the chain of fortresses that England, Gibraltar, Malta, Aden and Singapore su tender from the Atlantic to the China Seas. "
The Kessel evocative power is real, you'd go through with it the Tiger Balm Gardens, enter the Dance House. This does not prevent certain passages to be very poetic as this lovely evocation of junks "in form and (in) the color huge red leaves with delicate veins."
The author presents landscapes but it focuses more on portraits and it is a scrolling gallery full of such strange and singular stories (like the saleswoman children or mutilated that make embroidery) that one wonders if they are not from the imagination of Kessel as it is romantic.
