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rieviolet's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The novel is not bad but, like the other book by Tan Twan Eng I read (The Garden of Evening Mists), it didn't left a particularly strong impression on me.
The writing style is good but at times it gets a bit too much overwritten and descriptive for my personal taste, and that was an issue I had with his previous book too. It's not that I don't appreciate a nice metaphor or simile from time to time, but here there is definitely an overabundance of them.
The setting and the historical background are really interesting but I struggled a lot with the characters. It's not just that they were (almost all) quite unlikeable, I also found it difficult to connect with them, they felt distant and a bit flat. By the end, I didn't care much to learn more about them and about what their fate would be, I was more interested in getting a resolution for the plot concerning the trial/murder mystery.
I've heard from another reviewer that it felt a bit like this book lacked a clear centre onto which the reader could focus, and I completely agree. There is a lot going on (multiple story threads plus a double POV), but in the end I'm not sure what I was supposed to take away from it.
The writing style is good but at times it gets a bit too much overwritten and descriptive for my personal taste, and that was an issue I had with his previous book too. It's not that I don't appreciate a nice metaphor or simile from time to time, but here there is definitely an overabundance of them.
The setting and the historical background are really interesting but I struggled a lot with the characters. It's not just that they were (almost all) quite unlikeable, I also found it difficult to connect with them, they felt distant and a bit flat. By the end, I didn't care much to learn more about them and about what their fate would be, I was more interested in getting a resolution for the plot concerning the trial/murder mystery.
I've heard from another reviewer that it felt a bit like this book lacked a clear centre onto which the reader could focus, and I completely agree. There is a lot going on (multiple story threads plus a double POV), but in the end I'm not sure what I was supposed to take away from it.
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexism, and Murder
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Miscarriage, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Classism
rei_reads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Infidelity, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Xenophobia
geraldinerowe's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A thoroughly engaging story of morality, both of the individual and of the time. There's infidelity, racism, colonialism, classism, homophobia, hypocrisy and more, all loosely based around real events. I loved this book, but it loses half a mark for some jarringly flowery language.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Abandonment
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