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A review by nancyinoregon
The North China Lover by Marguerite Duras, Leigh Hafrey
5.0
I haven't read any books by Marguerite Duras, and I've never read a book like this.
1) It's autobiographical. And there are no apologies from any of the characters for the lives they have to live. Refreshing.
2) Translated into English, the writing style is very unusual. Semipoetic with spare words and good use of white space on the page. The author refers to herself in the third person as "the child," which gives the story a detached, floating feeling. Many references to the blue of the night sky. Very little reference to the heat, but you can feel it.
3) It's a snapshot of French colonial life in Indochina in the early 20th century. Poor French colonialists, not rich ones. Life grinds you down when you're poor.
4) Shocking? Maybe. Depends who you are and possibly not for the reasons you'd expect.
1) It's autobiographical. And there are no apologies from any of the characters for the lives they have to live. Refreshing.
2) Translated into English, the writing style is very unusual. Semipoetic with spare words and good use of white space on the page. The author refers to herself in the third person as "the child," which gives the story a detached, floating feeling. Many references to the blue of the night sky. Very little reference to the heat, but you can feel it.
3) It's a snapshot of French colonial life in Indochina in the early 20th century. Poor French colonialists, not rich ones. Life grinds you down when you're poor.
4) Shocking? Maybe. Depends who you are and possibly not for the reasons you'd expect.