Reviews

I didn’t go into The House of Doors with any expectations outside of those that go with its Booker Prize nomination, and yet I still found myself pleasantly surprised. It had a lot of momentum — in, fact, I’d even go so far as to call it much plottier than most Booker books. That’s not a bad thing, by the way. I was invested and really enjoyed it.

The coolest part about this book is that it’s sort of meta–historical fiction. (William) Somerset Maugham, a famous author in the early 1900s, wrote a collection called The Casuarina Tree, which contained a story called “The Letter.” That story was based on real events. This book fictionalizes Maugham’s trip to Penang, where a friend told him about the events that eventually made it into “The Letter.” And in this book, The Casuarina Tree and “The Letter” both also eventually get published.

And yet that’s not even the main plot. The story is told across three timelines, with plenty of flashback as the main character confesses a secret personal history to Maugham. I don’t want to tell you too much about it because the joy is in the discovery, but Eng gives us much to think about when it comes to secrets, fidelity, marriage, gender roles, and what it means to live a good life full of love.

The writing is perhaps a bit more flowery than some people will like, but I enjoyed it. The setting really came to life, and the story was gripping. Glad I read it!

Content Warnings

gingernut_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-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

4.0

paigewetzel's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

I was really excited when I started this book, ready to be transported to the time, and place, and communities of the story. Eng did this so well, carefully describing the flora and humidity, the landscape and weather realities that shaped life in 1920s Penang. I enjoyed the different timelines and parallel stories. But for me, I had come to the book wanting more of… something. I think I was waiting for a bigger moment for one of the characters, for a resolution, for a moment of climax within one of the timelines. More me the novel felt like modest waves coming in and out of the beach, rather than a crashing crescendo. I am also unsure about how I feel regarding Lesley’s decisions, throughout the book. Her entry point into the Chinese revolution felt a little forced and surprisingly, not within the scope of what her character had built to that point. But I appreciated hearing from her perspective as well as Willie’s; his perspective added depth and breadth to the story that was refreshing and unique.

jennifershepherd's review against another edition

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informative mysterious reflective medium-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

5.0

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