I feel like I am glimpsing into the Chinese culture when I read this book -- so much posturing based on status, wealth, family, etc. The MC (Charlie, sometimes Marven) does not posture, does not care about status or wealth. He seems to only care about what a person says and then does -- are his/her words in alignment with his/her actions, and is this person a good, moral person?

Charlie gradually acquires power through circumstance, but almost never lords it over others -- always inviting others to participate, setting usually clear outcomes for good behavior. and .. not-so good outcomes for bad behavior.

I've enjoyed reading this novel, but .. I have some serious complaints about how the chapters have been developed. The MC and his family are known by a set of names: Charlie, Claire and the MC and his wife, with a surname of Wade .. at first. Then in later chapters his name somehow becomes Marven Ye. WTF??

It's as if some chapters are written by completely separate people with the MC and his friends and companions having completely different names. So confusing!! It takes a lot of mental mapping to figure out that "Marvin Ye" is Charlie Wade, and all the other name changes. What is going on??