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A review by ldv
The Headmaster's Wager by Vincent Lam
3.0
I don't know if it is social commentary, stereotype, or simply characterization that led Lam to make his title character a Chinese ex-pat with such stereotype values, that of making money and love for his son, but that is what propels this story.
The setting is primarily Vietnam, from Japanese occupation to Northern Viet Cong "liberation." Percival is headmaster at an English school. He has the benefit of befriending someone who is very well connected and crafty to make the impossible happen. Good thing, because while Percival can gamble and pick up prostitutes, he is rather single-mindedly focussed on his son, his money, and his selfish desires.
I expected the book to be a typical tragedy in which the protagonist is at the top of his world only to be brought down low on a rollercoster ride, but that is not quite how the story progresses. Percival has a lot of luck (he does like to wager, a theme that carries throughout the story). The question sits with the reader: should Percival be making all these wagers or is he foolish to do so, even though he wins often enough? When should a person go "all in" for something they feel strongly about? Set in the historical period and setting it is makes this question more interesting than if it was in Las Vegas, for example.
It's a long story, sometimes frustrating because I did not 'care' for the headmaster, as I often prefer to feel for the protagonist. I was frustrated by his obsession with his son, but I was still pulled through the novel.
Not a top ten for me, but certainly interesting particularly because of its context.
The setting is primarily Vietnam, from Japanese occupation to Northern Viet Cong "liberation." Percival is headmaster at an English school. He has the benefit of befriending someone who is very well connected and crafty to make the impossible happen. Good thing, because while Percival can gamble and pick up prostitutes, he is rather single-mindedly focussed on his son, his money, and his selfish desires.
I expected the book to be a typical tragedy in which the protagonist is at the top of his world only to be brought down low on a rollercoster ride, but that is not quite how the story progresses. Percival has a lot of luck (he does like to wager, a theme that carries throughout the story). The question sits with the reader: should Percival be making all these wagers or is he foolish to do so, even though he wins often enough? When should a person go "all in" for something they feel strongly about? Set in the historical period and setting it is makes this question more interesting than if it was in Las Vegas, for example.
It's a long story, sometimes frustrating because I did not 'care' for the headmaster, as I often prefer to feel for the protagonist. I was frustrated by his obsession with his son, but I was still pulled through the novel.
Not a top ten for me, but certainly interesting particularly because of its context.