This is meant to be an update on
The Brothers Karamazov, but since I haven't read that book yet, it didn't shed any light on this book for me. I enjoyed the story, which centers around an odious father, Leo Chao, who treats his employees, children, and wife terribly. His wife left him to enter a convent, his oldest son hates him, and his middle son left as soon as he could to make his fortune in New York. James, the youngest son, is the only one who still loves Leo, who is murdered on Christmas Eve about halfway through the book. Suspicion falls on Dagou, the oldest son, and rightfully so, given that he has expressed many times that he wished his father were dead. But he claims his innocence, so the other brothers have to figure out who the murderer is. The writing is good, although the dialog is stilted, with main characters making long speeches throughout that just don't seem natural. The middle son, Ming, despises Chinese culture, and other passages stereotype American tastes and habits. This was a book club pick for May; it got mixed reviews.
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