Reviews

The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng

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peachie_pie's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

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

3.75

“Are all of us the same, I wonder, navigating our lives by interpreting the silences between words spoken, analysing the returning echoes of our memory in order to chart the terrain, in order to make sense of the world around us?”

This is a beautiful and complex story exploring one woman’s experience in a Japanese POW camp and her life after, and how her sisters life is interwoven to hers.

Despite being possibly the most challenging work of fiction I have ever read and got a little frustrated in the first half due to the narrative being difficult to follow, it is so worth sticking it out as the final third is phenomenal. A very unusual and thought provoking novel.

Content Warnings

knygos21's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

decembermagpie's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad 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? No

4.5

zatulasma's review against another edition

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5.0

beautifully written and a tragic plot
would recommend to every malaysian
you guys need to read this seriously
i want to watch the movie soon and cry more

tofupuddin's review against another edition

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5.0

This is a fictional memoir written by an older Yun Ling recalling her experiences as a prisoner of war during Japan's occupation in Malaysia and the State of Emergency after their surrender. During that time she was also involved in a very complicated relationship with a Japanese man, the former royal gardener of the Japanese emperor.

Truly remarkable writing by the author, the book is so atmospheric and everything is written so delicately, recording down one of the most important history of the country. There's a lot of real historical people that has appeared in this book and lots of facts from the war, about Malaysia, about Japan, about love, friendship and humanity. Each and every characters are so well developed and written, every word is intentional, so tragic yet beautiful. I'm happy to have read this.