You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
lenni_sc's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Trafficking, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, and Murder
Minor: Mental illness, Suicide, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Colonisation
tantoporleer's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Dementia, and War
abbie_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’m SO happy I’m back in a historical fiction mood! I’ve been mainly reading contemporary for over a month now, not being in the right headspace to situate myself in a different time period. But Tan Twan Eng made it so easy to get lost in the world he conjures up, 1940s and 1950s Malaysia, spanning the Second World War and Malayan Emergency.
.
In the ‘present day’ storyline, Yun Ling is struggling to come to terms with her aphasia. She’s determined to set down her past before she’s unable, coming face to face with the trauma she endured as a prisoner of war during the Japanese Occupation of then Malaya. She also recounts the time after, apprenticed to a famous Japanese gardener in the countryside.
.
This is a book for people who love to get swept away in the prose. The sentences are beautifully crafted, the author lingers over the descriptions of the jungle, tea estates and gardens. It’s incredibly evocative but I can also imagine it being tiresome for folk who like a little more action in their reads.
.
Like with any good historical fiction, I learned a lot about the Occupation and the subsequent Emergency, as well as the arts of Japanese gardens and horimono. It’s difficult to read at times given the horrors Yun Ling and her sister suffered as prisoners of war, but I don’t think it descends into trauma porn. Tan Twan Eng approaches the topics sensitively, reminding us that we must learn from the past.
.
My only complaint is I wasn’t convinced by the romance in it. However, it plays only a small part and the novel has so much more to offer besides that.
.
Definitely will be picking up The Gift of Rain!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Blood
Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence