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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
Auch dieser Titel war eine Empfehlung, die ich erhalten hatte. Der Inhaltsangabe nach definitiv ein Buch für mich – lerne ich doch immer wieder gerne Neues über historische Begebenheiten. Vor allem solche, die bei uns gerne ignoriert werden. Dazu gehört auch das Geschehen in Asien während des Zweiten Weltkrieges.
In diesem Buch erfahren wir mehr darüber, wie die Japaner während ihrer Besatzungszeit in Malaysia mit der dortigen Bevölkerung umgegangen sind. Ein wichtiges Thema, das aber leider für mich persönlich nicht gut genug umgesetzt wurde.
Es beginnt damit, dass ich keinerlei Verbindung zu den Figuren aufbauen konnte. Bei einer so dramatischen Handlung wäre dies aber unerlässlich.
Damit wären wir dann auch schon beim zweiten Punkt, der wahrscheinlich aber noch ausschlaggebender war als der erste: der Schreibstil ist mir zu melodramatisch. Zu gewollt auf Emotion bedacht, zu erzwungen tiefgründig. Ich war ehrlich gesagt überrascht, zu erfahren, dass es sich bei Tan Twan Eng um einen Mann handelt. Der Schreibstil fühlt sich sehr weiblich an, wenn ich das im 21. Jahrhundert noch sagen darf.
Dennoch konnte ich ein paar kleine Dinge lernen. Über die Besatzung von Malaysia wusste ich bis dato nämlich noch praktisch nichts, das arbeite ich langsam aber stetig auf. Auch die Beschreibungen der Landschaft und des Garten sind wundervoll. Hier zaubert der Autor unvergessliche Bilder und weckt die Sehnsucht.
Schade, dass es nicht ganz das Buch war, auf das ich gehofft hatte, aber ganz vergebens war die Lektüre dann zum Glück doch nicht.
In diesem Buch erfahren wir mehr darüber, wie die Japaner während ihrer Besatzungszeit in Malaysia mit der dortigen Bevölkerung umgegangen sind. Ein wichtiges Thema, das aber leider für mich persönlich nicht gut genug umgesetzt wurde.
Es beginnt damit, dass ich keinerlei Verbindung zu den Figuren aufbauen konnte. Bei einer so dramatischen Handlung wäre dies aber unerlässlich.
Damit wären wir dann auch schon beim zweiten Punkt, der wahrscheinlich aber noch ausschlaggebender war als der erste: der Schreibstil ist mir zu melodramatisch. Zu gewollt auf Emotion bedacht, zu erzwungen tiefgründig. Ich war ehrlich gesagt überrascht, zu erfahren, dass es sich bei Tan Twan Eng um einen Mann handelt. Der Schreibstil fühlt sich sehr weiblich an, wenn ich das im 21. Jahrhundert noch sagen darf.
Dennoch konnte ich ein paar kleine Dinge lernen. Über die Besatzung von Malaysia wusste ich bis dato nämlich noch praktisch nichts, das arbeite ich langsam aber stetig auf. Auch die Beschreibungen der Landschaft und des Garten sind wundervoll. Hier zaubert der Autor unvergessliche Bilder und weckt die Sehnsucht.
Schade, dass es nicht ganz das Buch war, auf das ich gehofft hatte, aber ganz vergebens war die Lektüre dann zum Glück doch nicht.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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:
Complicated
One word to describe this book is: verdant. I've never read so much or "seen" so much green in a book before - jungle, gardens, tea and tea leaves, sounds, morning mists. I kept being reminded of how it's so similar to Remains of the Day but set in Southeast Asia. The style, the setting, the introspection, and how the past catches up with the present.
The novel's structure flits between past and present with no obvious signposts except for the characters the protagonist meets in the present. This blurring of lines works out in a way because that's how memory and trauma work in real life - you'd never know when they bleed into your consciousness.
I liked how diverse the characters are. Tan doesn't shy away from using the character's native tongue (e.g. Malay, Chinese, even Dutch) blended with English, without much exposition, and that felt authentic, representative of Southeast Asia.
Side note: life has taken over so much that I haven't been reading much lately. Hoping that 2022 will be different!
The novel's structure flits between past and present with no obvious signposts except for the characters the protagonist meets in the present. This blurring of lines works out in a way because that's how memory and trauma work in real life - you'd never know when they bleed into your consciousness.
I liked how diverse the characters are. Tan doesn't shy away from using the character's native tongue (e.g. Malay, Chinese, even Dutch) blended with English, without much exposition, and that felt authentic, representative of Southeast Asia.
Side note: life has taken over so much that I haven't been reading much lately. Hoping that 2022 will be different!
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Really lush writing that feels inspired by British colonial writing. That was what gave me a hard time sinking into the story at first, but then once I stopped over thinking it and let the story unfold, I was totally swept away.
I came to this book upon a recommendation, not knowing what to expect. I knew it was shortlisted for the Booker prize, it's about the second world war, and it's set in Malaysia, and that's it. But these were sufficient to intrigue me though it took a while and I had this book for some time before getting down to read it.
First impression was that Tan made no apologies about the Malaysian setting. Too often, books not within a European setting (I'm of course talking about books written in English) either over-explain and dull the narrative, or hides behind too thick a veil one finds it so difficult to navigate. Tan was able to balance both in this book and it makes for a very refreshing read.
Second impression, beautiful beautiful descriptions, not just in the scenic descriptions of Cameron highlands, but also in the painful ones in the war, and the mundane ones about busy Malaysian coffeeshops during breakfast time.
One thing though, I feel that while Tan's scenic and narrative descriptions about the place and about the events are wonderful, I would have liked to see more development in terms of the characters, especially in their interactions with one another. There were some things that developed over the course and shown through Tan's narrations of their interactions, but I wished there had been more.
All in all, go read it! I'll definitely be getting more of Tan's books.
First impression was that Tan made no apologies about the Malaysian setting. Too often, books not within a European setting (I'm of course talking about books written in English) either over-explain and dull the narrative, or hides behind too thick a veil one finds it so difficult to navigate. Tan was able to balance both in this book and it makes for a very refreshing read.
Second impression, beautiful beautiful descriptions, not just in the scenic descriptions of Cameron highlands, but also in the painful ones in the war, and the mundane ones about busy Malaysian coffeeshops during breakfast time.
One thing though, I feel that while Tan's scenic and narrative descriptions about the place and about the events are wonderful, I would have liked to see more development in terms of the characters, especially in their interactions with one another. There were some things that developed over the course and shown through Tan's narrations of their interactions, but I wished there had been more.
All in all, go read it! I'll definitely be getting more of Tan's books.
This book is beautifully written, hauntingly powerful, and pure pleasure to read. Need I say more...?!
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Beautifully written, intense and inspiring. I love it
This was a tricky book for me. I’m in a bit of a reading slump, and therefore not really in the headspace for this book. Complicating this is that the novel takes place during a historical event and in culture with which I am nearly unfamiliar, requiring a deeper level of attention than I was prepared to give. If either of these things had been untrue, I think I would have been riveted and unable to put the book down. Since both are true, it felt at times like a bit of a slog. However, there were times when I was able to focus and engage, and the writing was transcendent.
I learned a ton throughout the book about the Japanese occupation of Malaya (as it was called) and its horrific treatment of POWs, as well as about the arts of Japanese gardening, ukiyo-e (Japanese wood block prints), horimono (aka irezumi) Japanese full body tattoos, and the beautiful mountainous jungle landscape of the Malaysian countryside.
Ultimately, though, like all good literature, it is a story of imperfect humans doing their best to survive and thrive in the unique circumstances of their lives. The layers of self-learning are arranged as delicately and deliberately as a Japanese garden, the full meaning only revealed when the whole is viewed at one time. Well worth the read.
I learned a ton throughout the book about the Japanese occupation of Malaya (as it was called) and its horrific treatment of POWs, as well as about the arts of Japanese gardening, ukiyo-e (Japanese wood block prints), horimono (aka irezumi) Japanese full body tattoos, and the beautiful mountainous jungle landscape of the Malaysian countryside.
Ultimately, though, like all good literature, it is a story of imperfect humans doing their best to survive and thrive in the unique circumstances of their lives. The layers of self-learning are arranged as delicately and deliberately as a Japanese garden, the full meaning only revealed when the whole is viewed at one time. Well worth the read.