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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
An amazing book about love, war and beautiful countries and their history. truly inspiring.
Loved the first three-quarters, but felt that the last fourth felt like it was just a rush to finish the story.
Very nice historical novel spanning 3 generations - from Kindgom of Burma - passing through British and falling with the Junta - Lifes of people who saw riches to the peak and trough, war, greed, power - descriptions - with detail to the core ..
What a wonderfully creative author.
To me, this book reads like a symphony; from a gentle and benign beginning in the late 1890's and early 20th century rising to a crescendo of violence, mayhem and unrest during the Japanese war and the events surrounding Burma's independence.
It contains many passages of evocative prose, two of which in particular stand out for me; firstly, in his description of the teak trade and its elephants, and secondly, the ruined chandis on the slopes of Guning Jerai.
His poignant characters epitomise the upheavel,misery and fortitude of so many unfortunates born at the wrong time and ending up in the wrong place.
Without question, the best book I have read this year. If you like historical novels set in Asia, you'll love this one.
To me, this book reads like a symphony; from a gentle and benign beginning in the late 1890's and early 20th century rising to a crescendo of violence, mayhem and unrest during the Japanese war and the events surrounding Burma's independence.
It contains many passages of evocative prose, two of which in particular stand out for me; firstly, in his description of the teak trade and its elephants, and secondly, the ruined chandis on the slopes of Guning Jerai.
His poignant characters epitomise the upheavel,misery and fortitude of so many unfortunates born at the wrong time and ending up in the wrong place.
Without question, the best book I have read this year. If you like historical novels set in Asia, you'll love this one.
Page 107:
May I remind Your Highness that while Alexander the GReat spent no more than a few months in the steppes of Central Asia, the satrapies he founded persisted for centuries afterward) Britain's Empire is, by contrast, already more than a century old, and you may be certain, Your Highness, that its influence will persist for centuries more to come.
Page 292
There were quotations from Mahatma Gandhi and a passage that said: "Why should India, in the name of freedom, come to the defence of this Satanic Empire which is itself the greatest menace to liberty that the world has ever known?"
Page 518
"Did we ever have a hope?"..."We rebelled against an Empire that has shaped everything in our lives; coloured everything in the world as we know it. It is a huge, indelible stain which has tainted all of us. We cannot destroy it without destroying ourselves...."
What a magnificent book, the story of three generations that starts in Mandalay....
May I remind Your Highness that while Alexander the GReat spent no more than a few months in the steppes of Central Asia, the satrapies he founded persisted for centuries afterward) Britain's Empire is, by contrast, already more than a century old, and you may be certain, Your Highness, that its influence will persist for centuries more to come.
Page 292
There were quotations from Mahatma Gandhi and a passage that said: "Why should India, in the name of freedom, come to the defence of this Satanic Empire which is itself the greatest menace to liberty that the world has ever known?"
Page 518
"Did we ever have a hope?"..."We rebelled against an Empire that has shaped everything in our lives; coloured everything in the world as we know it. It is a huge, indelible stain which has tainted all of us. We cannot destroy it without destroying ourselves...."
What a magnificent book, the story of three generations that starts in Mandalay....
informative
reflective
medium-paced
This book follows three generations of three families whose lives are intertwined with the histories of Burma, India and Malaya, three countries about which I know very little, so this was particularly interesting on that level alone. It's about political upheavals, military coups, wars, racism and prejudice, and about the lives and loves of the members of three families - and most particularly it's about colonialism and the impact it has on countries. It's a wonderful, exotic, atmospheric read and I would highly recommend it.
The beginning of this book intrigued me, mostly because it started in Myanmar/Burma with the last royal family. The end of it felt like I'd been stabbed in the heart, with WWII and its fallout over many generations. The part in the middle, though, was closer to mildly interesting. Part of that is because a lot of it takes place in India and focuses on Indian characters - which is not surprising, given the author - but because I was really it with a Myanmar/Burma focus, I found myself rushing through the India parts. (Which was hard, because the book is 550 pages long.) The part of the book that's most compelling is certainly the last part, maybe the last 1/4. I probably would have been more interested in the characters if I had more experience with India, though the final chapters connected the experience of Indians in Myanmar/Burma to contemporary politics there in helpful (and sobering) ways. But in addition to the disproportionate India focus, I was also mostly uninterested/grossed out by the army parts. While I understand they were critical to the colonial legacy, I am generally just, at best, bored (and at worst, irritated) by army stories, because they mostly glorify soldiers and armies, which is something I have no interest in doing. However, I did feel that the other best part of the book - which really runs throughout the book - is its focus on the ways colonialism forever altered the four countries in which the book took place. That epic part of the narrative was absolutely worth reading, and I would have liked to read even more of it in this book.
The set up sounds like a fairy tale— ragamuffin orphan breaks into the palace and falls in love with the princess's maid—but this book is not about dashing deeds or happy endings. It's a gorgeous story about a man and the visually real people who make up his legacy. No heroes, muddy morality, everyone is flawed and that's that makes this story of generations so powerful. I loved the nuance in the backdrop, too: a world struggling with colonialism, two world wars, and the implications of being Indian in the British army.
This book made my cry on an airplane. Would recommend.
This book made my cry on an airplane. Would recommend.
Book Riot Read Harder 2016: Read a book that is by an author from Southeast Asia