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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-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:
Complicated
This book left me with so many questions and gave me the realisation once again that there are so many stories in history that I do not know and need to find out about
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
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:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Audiobook - 7 hours 51 minutes - It took me a while to get into this, but I do think this book is masterfully written as a whole. It's a more subtle story than I'm used to, and it took me actually finishing the book before I really started to appreciate it and its message. I feel like I'm going to be thinking about it for a long time.
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was complex and I’m glad I’m going to a book club to discuss further. Definitely need some time to digest. It’s full of tension and conflict, political and personal, and made me want to learn more about the Japanese occupation of Malaysia. Beautiful writing, switching timeframes that were sometimes difficult to follow, but a bit of a puzzle to uncover. Filled with symbolism with the characteristics of a Japanese garden taking center stage. A meaty, complicated read that’s worth your time.
All of the standard elements of literary fiction take second place to tone in this novel. The narration is subdued and meditative even though the narrator is in a perpetual state of repressed anger. The plot unfolds gradually but with purpose, like the building and rebuilding of the garden itself. It would be unseemly for the narrator to suddenly burst out in dramatic expression, and despite its dramatic moments, she never loses her composure. Some readers interpret this control as coldness, but I think it's the key to the book, and the character of Yun Ling: calm control in the face of devastating loss.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The story was a bit slow starting out, but really got you interested about halfway in. Also, covers a subject matter I knew nothing about (prison camps in Malaysia during WWII).
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes