The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian

How I Heard About It:

*A member of the BBC (Boy's Book Club) chose this novel for our May book club selection.  We have read other works by Bohjalian and have enjoyed most of them.  This is his newest book. 


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:

1. *Alexis and Austin met in the emergency room where Alexis is a doctor.

2.  *They begin to date and six months later find themselves traveling to Vietnam. 


3.  *When Austin disappears while in Vietnam, Alexis realizes and learns that the reason she and Austin were in Vietnam may not be why she thinks.

4.  *Upon returning to the United States, Alexis begins a search for answers that includes her own medical staff, the FBI, and family members. 

5.  *She realizes she may not have known Austin at all and he may or may not be involved with disease and how it is spread. 


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1.  *The beginning of the story was strong and I was excited for the reading experience.

2.   *Once I got into the story, I lost a bit of interest and found the plot to move a bit slow without much happening.

3.  *You would think the opposite with a missing man, secrets, and disease, but the plot didn't hook me. 

4.  *I found myself scanning several chapters and not completely engaged. 

5.  *There were some surprises toward the end of the story, but I didn't think this was Bohjalian's best; at least for me anyway. 


Who Should Read It:
*Fans of Chris Bohjalian will definitely want to check out his newest work of fiction.  As a reader, I'm amazed at his ability to write such different stories/genres.  Even though I didn't love the story, I did see many 4 and 5 star reviews online.  Happy Reading! 

Rating:   3 STARS out of 5 Stars