A review by zhelana
The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

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.