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A review by oneanjana
Music of the Ghosts by Vaddey Ratner
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.”