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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a beauty of a book - my fav from the long list so far by a significant margin
This my first Tan Twan Eng book and it didn’t disappoint. I love his writing - this is a master at work for sure. What I’m confused about is which parts of the book are based on real evens and which are fiction. Of course many parts about Sun YF’s activities in Malaya are factual, but what of his relationship with Lesley? Was there a real Lesley or someone similar whom Sun had a relationship with? Same with WS Maugham. Overall, I am thrilled to discover Tan’s work and will be checking out his other books for sure.
medium-paced
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Thank you Netgalley and Canongate for this eCopy to review
I really enjoyed The House of Doors, it had a wonderful sense of place and the characters were really well described. I was completely drawn in to Lesley's life seen through both her point of view and that of Somerset Maugham. It follows how Lesley learns of her husband's infidelity and how she learns to live with that by supporting Dr Sun Wen, a Chinese revolutionary who is exiled from China and many countries so he keeps travelling to raise awareness of his cause and fundraise to keep his revolution going. Lesley helps translate their pamphlets and whilst doing this she grows closer to Arthur a Doctor who is helping Sun Wen. They start an affair and meet in his family house, the house of doors. When Sun Wen is deported from Penang Arthur goes with him to China and their affair ends. During this time her friend in Kuala Lumpu is charged with murder, Lesley tries her best to help but cannot understand why her friend won't save herself. As the mystery unravels we see how Lesley comes to terms with her life and after Maugham's stay goes with her husband to Africa where the climate is better for his health. However she never gives up hope of being reunited with Arthur
A truly great historical masterpiece, with beautiful prose and how people have both a private and public self, definitely a future classic in the making
I really enjoyed The House of Doors, it had a wonderful sense of place and the characters were really well described. I was completely drawn in to Lesley's life seen through both her point of view and that of Somerset Maugham. It follows how Lesley learns of her husband's infidelity and how she learns to live with that by supporting Dr Sun Wen, a Chinese revolutionary who is exiled from China and many countries so he keeps travelling to raise awareness of his cause and fundraise to keep his revolution going. Lesley helps translate their pamphlets and whilst doing this she grows closer to Arthur a Doctor who is helping Sun Wen. They start an affair and meet in his family house, the house of doors. When Sun Wen is deported from Penang Arthur goes with him to China and their affair ends. During this time her friend in Kuala Lumpu is charged with murder, Lesley tries her best to help but cannot understand why her friend won't save herself. As the mystery unravels we see how Lesley comes to terms with her life and after Maugham's stay goes with her husband to Africa where the climate is better for his health. However she never gives up hope of being reunited with Arthur
A truly great historical masterpiece, with beautiful prose and how people have both a private and public self, definitely a future classic in the making
challenging
emotional
reflective
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