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A review by shannon97
A Gesture Life by Chang-rae Lee
5.0
I loved this book more and more the further I got into it. The main character fascinated me. He is an older man from Japan - ethnically Korean - living in a small Midwestern town. He is careful to always do the right thing. Present the right appearance. He describes himself as well respected - someone that others come to for help and advice. Only around the edges of his description of his life do you see the moments of casual racism that he pretends not to notice, and the fact that he has no real relationships with the people around him. He swims in emotionally shallow waters - as if he is an observer of his own life, watching from the outside.
As the book unfolds, this begins to make sense and his internal life slowly becomes more clear. Throughout the book, you have to listen just as hard to what Mr. Hata does NOT say as to what he does say. And look closely at the way people in his life respond to him. It is when he starts remembering his experiences in WWII and the Korean "comfort women" that came to his camp that his character becomes less of an enigma. We see him as a young man, trying to normalize the horrors he is witnessing. As ever, wanting to present the correct front. Even when he tries to take a stand, he is incapable of admitting the full truth of the situation he is confronted with.
Toward the end of the book, cracks start to appear in his detachment and he is able to acknowledge the depths of his feelings and the way he has failed the people in his life. It is remarkable how clearly and how deeply Chang-rae Lee is able to develop a character that is so shut down. By the end of the book, I had tremendous compassion for him despite some terrible things he did. He is one of those characters that stay with you well after you finish the book.
As the book unfolds, this begins to make sense and his internal life slowly becomes more clear. Throughout the book, you have to listen just as hard to what Mr. Hata does NOT say as to what he does say. And look closely at the way people in his life respond to him. It is when he starts remembering his experiences in WWII and the Korean "comfort women" that came to his camp that his character becomes less of an enigma. We see him as a young man, trying to normalize the horrors he is witnessing. As ever, wanting to present the correct front. Even when he tries to take a stand, he is incapable of admitting the full truth of the situation he is confronted with.
Toward the end of the book, cracks start to appear in his detachment and he is able to acknowledge the depths of his feelings and the way he has failed the people in his life. It is remarkable how clearly and how deeply Chang-rae Lee is able to develop a character that is so shut down. By the end of the book, I had tremendous compassion for him despite some terrible things he did. He is one of those characters that stay with you well after you finish the book.