I loved this book. It was a beautiful and engaging story, but it also created a feeling of stillness and serenity as you read. I was so intrigued with the theme of Japanese gardens that I started to imagine creating one in my back yard.

The story takes place in the Cameron Highlands in the hills of Malaysia. It revolves around a former judge and the owners of a tea plantation that together lived though a time of violence known as the emergency, when government troops were fighting a civil war against communist guerillas. One of the central characters is a Japanese gardener who was once the emperor's gardener and has created a beautiful Japanese garden surrounding his home.

The story brings up issues of racism, recovering from war wounds and the committment to nationality and love. In this way, it reflects some of the themes of the English Patient and Casablanca when men and women had to choose between love of country and love of another. In this case, the sectrets were kept for many years before the truth finally comes out.