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rieviolet's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
5.0
Music of the Ghosts is a story that encompasses so much: the brutality of genocide, the shattering of a country and its people, the aftermath of unspeakable grief and loss, the weight of memory, the tentative rebuilding and the fragile but bright sparkle of future hope.
It is such moving and impactful storytelling that really captured me and put me through a whirlwind of emotions.
I underlined so many quotes, both particularly captivating examples of prose and insightful reflections that resonated deeply with me.
I really liked Ratner's writing style, I think it struck a good balance between lyricism and concreteness. I also appreciated how the Cambodian cultural and linguistic elements really shone through.
I enjoyed the double point of view (Suteera & Old Musician), and the gradual unveiling of the characters' past history was heartbreaking but very compelling.
The book deals with heavy contents but I think the author handled them carefully and without unnecessarily overdoing them. There were only a couple of scenes of torture in the last 30ish pages that I felt were a bit too much in their graphic details (at least for my personal level of impressionability).
It is such moving and impactful storytelling that really captured me and put me through a whirlwind of emotions.
I underlined so many quotes, both particularly captivating examples of prose and insightful reflections that resonated deeply with me.
I really liked Ratner's writing style, I think it struck a good balance between lyricism and concreteness. I also appreciated how the Cambodian cultural and linguistic elements really shone through.
I enjoyed the double point of view (Suteera & Old Musician), and the gradual unveiling of the characters' past history was heartbreaking but very compelling.
The book deals with heavy contents but I think the author handled them carefully and without unnecessarily overdoing them. There were only a couple of scenes of torture in the last 30ish pages that I felt were a bit too much in their graphic details (at least for my personal level of impressionability).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Grief, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Addiction, Confinement, and Police brutality
Moderate: Abandonment, Excrement, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Suicide, Sexism, Child abuse, Child death, and Medical content
Minor: Islamophobia, Rape, Animal cruelty, Deportation, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Cancer
sealife79's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
freeformlady's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
2.0
lurdesabruscato's review against another edition
4.0
Left with just an aunt and barely escaping Cambodia to America as a child, Teera is reluctantly drawn back as an adult. As a refugee and survivor, she struggles to come to terms with so much. The country she knew is vastly different, ravished by war and poverty, where former torturers now live side-by-side with their victims. Delving into the genocidal atrocities better known as the Killing Fields, which plagued Cambodia in the late 1970s, Ratner has created a haunting story of love, war, survival, and denial. Though at times a little choppy and confusing with its past-present narrative and cultural references, the novel is beautifully written, the prose fittingly melodic and ethereal.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
3.0
I loved Ratner's first novel [b:In the Shadow of the Banyan|13057939|In the Shadow of the Banyan|Vaddey Ratner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1346714710l/13057939._SY75_.jpg|18223133] and was so excited to read this one as I know Ratner creates scenery and characters that are descriptive and evocative.
Here, we have a woman, Teera, that fled Cambodia during the reign of terror of the Khmer Rouge when she was just a child. She returns to her homeland over twenty years later to pay honor to her aunt who has died. At the temple where her family is given homage, a man we know as the Old Musician invites Teera to visit him as he has instruments that belonged to her father and he wants to give them to Teera.
What unfolds is Teera's coming to terms with the paradoxes that make up her homeland. She finds love with a young doctor and she prepares to understand the full story of her family.
For me, the story stalled when it went back in time trying to create the scenes from the past and connect them to the present. I liked the story of Teera's journey and I found the Old Musician an interesting character, but his story doesn't merge with Teera's in a natural way.
I will definitely continue seeking Ratner's books as she is a gifted writer. Even something that has three stars still gave me several quotes to write down in my notebook.
Here, we have a woman, Teera, that fled Cambodia during the reign of terror of the Khmer Rouge when she was just a child. She returns to her homeland over twenty years later to pay honor to her aunt who has died. At the temple where her family is given homage, a man we know as the Old Musician invites Teera to visit him as he has instruments that belonged to her father and he wants to give them to Teera.
What unfolds is Teera's coming to terms with the paradoxes that make up her homeland. She finds love with a young doctor and she prepares to understand the full story of her family.
For me, the story stalled when it went back in time trying to create the scenes from the past and connect them to the present. I liked the story of Teera's journey and I found the Old Musician an interesting character, but his story doesn't merge with Teera's in a natural way.
I will definitely continue seeking Ratner's books as she is a gifted writer. Even something that has three stars still gave me several quotes to write down in my notebook.
fallingletters's review against another edition
4.0
Review originally published 18 April 2017 at Falling Letters. I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Vaddey Ratner, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime of 1970s Cambodia, has penned an extraordinary tale in Music of the Ghosts. She writes with grace about “questions of responsibility, atonement, forgiveness, and justice in the more everyday settings in which survivors find themselves” (from the afterword). In exploring such questions, Teera, the Old Musician, and young doctor Narunn reflect on personal identity in the face of immeasurable loss. They have been shaped by survival, when so many of those whom they loved did not survive. Music of the Ghosts is a moving tale of resilience and reconciliation.
I have not read Ratner’s first book, In the Shade of the Banyan Tree, but I am certain this book must be a worthy successor. The first aspect of this book that struck me was the vivid prose. Ratner writes with a particular cadence that soothed me from the beginning, despite the subject matter. She does an excellent job at setting a scene. One small scene in particular stood out to me. She described two young monks practicing English at a temple, with a storm approaching. I could hear the sounds she described – rarely do I find prose that successfully reaches beyond the visual to the auditory for me.
The characters are what really gives life to the prose. I found Music of the Ghosts to be a deeply powerful and moving tale. Teera in particular tugged at my heartstrings and brought a few tears to my eyes. She felt like a real woman to me, not a stone cold caricature of a ‘strong’ one. I adored Narunn, a sincere man trying to do the best with what he has. These characters will draw out your compassion. Teera’s dealing with the complexities of survivor’s guilt moved me. In one scene, she wants to stop her car and give money to numerous beggars on the street, in a location so far from anything she can’t imagine how they’re surviving out there. I felt as Teera did in this moment – how can I have so much when others have so little?
The character’s past connections to the Khmer Rouge (as either perpetrators or victims) demonstrate how good and evil cannot be simplified to black and white. The lines between victim and perpetrator can blur. A person can easily shift from being one to the other. Partway through chapter three, I already found the story to be very intense in this manner. Later on in the book, I had a moment of, “Imagine if everyone listened.” What if we listened to voices other than our own? If everyone heard the voices that are too often silenced or ignored? Reading a good story, like this one, can so easily teach empathy to an open mind. Through reading, we can learn about what we didn’t know we didn’t know. This concept, I think, is part of the reason why reading own voices is so important.
I have one mild criticism of the book. The story feels a bit dry at times. I wondered when Teera’s story would pick up again. I set the book aside for a few days, not feeling any rush to finish. But the haunting tale pulled me back as I wondered what the Old Musician would reveal to Teera.
The Bottom Line: On her website, Ratner notes that Music of the Ghosts address universally significant questions such as, “How do we account for the crimes we have committed knowingly, and for the suffering we contribute to perhaps without knowing? What does it take to atone? What is possible to forgive?” Music of the Ghosts clear and emotional take on these questions make it a read worth your time.
Vaddey Ratner, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime of 1970s Cambodia, has penned an extraordinary tale in Music of the Ghosts. She writes with grace about “questions of responsibility, atonement, forgiveness, and justice in the more everyday settings in which survivors find themselves” (from the afterword). In exploring such questions, Teera, the Old Musician, and young doctor Narunn reflect on personal identity in the face of immeasurable loss. They have been shaped by survival, when so many of those whom they loved did not survive. Music of the Ghosts is a moving tale of resilience and reconciliation.
I have not read Ratner’s first book, In the Shade of the Banyan Tree, but I am certain this book must be a worthy successor. The first aspect of this book that struck me was the vivid prose. Ratner writes with a particular cadence that soothed me from the beginning, despite the subject matter. She does an excellent job at setting a scene. One small scene in particular stood out to me. She described two young monks practicing English at a temple, with a storm approaching. I could hear the sounds she described – rarely do I find prose that successfully reaches beyond the visual to the auditory for me.
The characters are what really gives life to the prose. I found Music of the Ghosts to be a deeply powerful and moving tale. Teera in particular tugged at my heartstrings and brought a few tears to my eyes. She felt like a real woman to me, not a stone cold caricature of a ‘strong’ one. I adored Narunn, a sincere man trying to do the best with what he has. These characters will draw out your compassion. Teera’s dealing with the complexities of survivor’s guilt moved me. In one scene, she wants to stop her car and give money to numerous beggars on the street, in a location so far from anything she can’t imagine how they’re surviving out there. I felt as Teera did in this moment – how can I have so much when others have so little?
The character’s past connections to the Khmer Rouge (as either perpetrators or victims) demonstrate how good and evil cannot be simplified to black and white. The lines between victim and perpetrator can blur. A person can easily shift from being one to the other. Partway through chapter three, I already found the story to be very intense in this manner. Later on in the book, I had a moment of, “Imagine if everyone listened.” What if we listened to voices other than our own? If everyone heard the voices that are too often silenced or ignored? Reading a good story, like this one, can so easily teach empathy to an open mind. Through reading, we can learn about what we didn’t know we didn’t know. This concept, I think, is part of the reason why reading own voices is so important.
I have one mild criticism of the book. The story feels a bit dry at times. I wondered when Teera’s story would pick up again. I set the book aside for a few days, not feeling any rush to finish. But the haunting tale pulled me back as I wondered what the Old Musician would reveal to Teera.
The Bottom Line: On her website, Ratner notes that Music of the Ghosts address universally significant questions such as, “How do we account for the crimes we have committed knowingly, and for the suffering we contribute to perhaps without knowing? What does it take to atone? What is possible to forgive?” Music of the Ghosts clear and emotional take on these questions make it a read worth your time.
oneanjana's review against another edition
5.0
I’m so glad that this book and I have found each other. I got this from a book sale and was instantly captivated by the cover and short blurb. It was the perfect book to end my 2023 with.
Music of the Ghosts tells the story of Suteera (Teera), a survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide. After fleeing Cambodia years ago, she returns to her homeland with a letter from an old musician who may be able to know the truth about her father.
This book is a story of the survivors. It has a slow pace, and so damn beautiful writing style. For a long time, historical fiction, enchanting, and lyrical writing have always been my weakness. I was instantly drawn to the beautiful, lyrical writing of this book. This book focuses on life after war: the traumas, the misery, the recovery, the rebuilding, and the ghosts of the past.
The plot and writing evoked many emotions throughout my reading. I simultaneously felt sadness, anger, and happiness. I'm angry at the unfairness of war, the misery, and the great loss. On the other hand, there are numerous other parts that are also very heartwarming. Such as how Teera found herself again in her homeland, how the Old Musician accepts his horrible past and is brave enough to tell Teera the truth. How Teera fought her way 'to the surface' continues to amaze me.
In the end, I loved this book and the essential it has. I will conclude my review with this quote from Teera.
“I’ve since learned something about anger and despair. You can always direct your anger at something—someone. And when you do, there’s almost certainly a response, and thus you have company, you’re not alone in anger. Eventually it grows and intensifies, depleting you of energy, but before that it can offer a certain seductive comfort.
But with despair, you are alone. You grieve in solitude. You sink deeper and deeper into it, to where no one can reach you, and you have to gather all your strength to fight your way back to the surface. So slowly, I’ve had to learn to let go of anger—to feel it but not to cling to it—because whatever strength I have I must reserve for the fight against that solitary descent into grief.
I am here because I’ve fought my way to the surface again.”
Music of the Ghosts tells the story of Suteera (Teera), a survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide. After fleeing Cambodia years ago, she returns to her homeland with a letter from an old musician who may be able to know the truth about her father.
This book is a story of the survivors. It has a slow pace, and so damn beautiful writing style. For a long time, historical fiction, enchanting, and lyrical writing have always been my weakness. I was instantly drawn to the beautiful, lyrical writing of this book. This book focuses on life after war: the traumas, the misery, the recovery, the rebuilding, and the ghosts of the past.
The plot and writing evoked many emotions throughout my reading. I simultaneously felt sadness, anger, and happiness. I'm angry at the unfairness of war, the misery, and the great loss. On the other hand, there are numerous other parts that are also very heartwarming. Such as how Teera found herself again in her homeland, how the Old Musician accepts his horrible past and is brave enough to tell Teera the truth. How Teera fought her way 'to the surface' continues to amaze me.
In the end, I loved this book and the essential it has. I will conclude my review with this quote from Teera.
“I’ve since learned something about anger and despair. You can always direct your anger at something—someone. And when you do, there’s almost certainly a response, and thus you have company, you’re not alone in anger. Eventually it grows and intensifies, depleting you of energy, but before that it can offer a certain seductive comfort.
But with despair, you are alone. You grieve in solitude. You sink deeper and deeper into it, to where no one can reach you, and you have to gather all your strength to fight your way back to the surface. So slowly, I’ve had to learn to let go of anger—to feel it but not to cling to it—because whatever strength I have I must reserve for the fight against that solitary descent into grief.
I am here because I’ve fought my way to the surface again.”
manaledi's review against another edition
4.0
I'm very glad that I requested this book a second time from the library as it is well worth finishing. It's at times hopeful and heartbreaking - appropriate memory of the Cambodian genocide.