Reviews

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

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richardgeo's review against another edition

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challenging emotional tense fast-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

zhelana's review against another edition

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challenging sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Maybe I just don't understand or like something about southeast Asian literature, but this is the third book I've read for the reading challenge to read a book by an author from each SE Asian country that I've wound up writing "I have no idea what this book was about," I mean, ok we start out with this clandestine gay couple at this woman's house and it seems like it could be a critique of British imperialism or maybe it's starting to be an LGBT romance? And then it goes back in time and there's this whole plot with a murder, which became the only part of the story I actually gave a fuck about. Then it goes back and forth between this gay couple who've run out of money and this lady telling the story of her friend's murder trial. And then we skip forward in time like 40 years and I have no idea what's going on anymore. And basically, what the hell was this book? This is exactly what Luis Cordobo's book did, too, jump around in time and not be certain of what it wanted to be. It's also the same thing Fistful of Colours is doing that I'm currently reading from Singapore. So I think maybe I just don't like something about SE Asian literature, and maybe I'll find some nonfiction to read for the remaining prompts. I still have a lot of Asian countries to read a book from, so hopefully they aren't all like this. Anyway, I didn't like this book at all, and I didn't really understand it. Hard pass on anything else by Tan Twan Eng.

carolinecwl's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

biodesert's review against another edition

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informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

tilly_af's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

starrysteph's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

A slow-moving but quietly mesmerizing story inspired by real events.

We follow Willie Somerset Maugham, a famous writer spending a short time in Penang and in desperate need of material for his next book. Willie and his “secretary” Gerald stay with the Hamlyns at Cassowary house, and he soon discovers that Lesley Hamlyn has a fascinating history alongside both Chinese revolutionaries and the murder trial of her former best friend. The novel then hops between Lesley’s storytelling to Willie in 1921, the events of 1910 told through Lesley’s eyes, and Lesley’s reflection on all from South Africa in 1947.

This is not a story that’s bursting with plot and action and tension. In fact, not much happens at all. But the prose is captivating - and the setting of Penang is so lyrically brought to life - that I felt as though I was truly there.

It’s a story of antsy colonizers, of repression of desire and passion and sexuality (there are several gay characters - and also a lot of unhappy marriages and infidelity), of complicated racial and gender dynamics, and of power and sparks of revolution.

Lesley is painfully restrained and very narrowly focused, and this sometimes made it difficult to truly connect with or root for her. I was quite interested in the supporting characters in her life, but they were shrunk down within her retellings.

Tan Twan Eng has cleverly inserted truths about Maugham – I had to do some light digging on his real history to uncover just a few of what I’m sure are countless easter eggs. The story of Ethel Proudlock is true as well, and the Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat Sen did indeed stay in Penang for some time (though these two events were squished together). There are definitely some interesting parallels between Eng and Maugham.

Overall, I had a nice time with this one, but it had more to do with the lovely prose than with the plot or execution of the themes.

CW: murder, gun violence, death, infidelity, colonization, homophobia, racism & racial slurs, rape, xenophobia, war

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(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)