madzsmiled 's review for:

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

2.75

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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The House of Doors was a complicated read for me. It was difficult to fall into - I struggled to relate to Lesley, particularly as a woman of means in colonial Malaysia. Willie was more compelling, but rather unlikeable in his own way. Now, I don't need to like the characters to enjoy a book, but I did find it difficult to empathize with them both. I also felt like the true plot of the story was buried under too many layers - it wasn't until close to 3/4ths of the way through that the titular House of Doors was introduced. 

All that being said, the prose was beautiful. The vivid imagery leapt off the page, and everything felt rich. Tan Twan Eng weaves beautiful descriptions, but I'm afraid I'm not as big of a fan of his mysteries. I would have been happier if Sun Yat Sen and Ethel weren't involved at all. Their stories are fascinating on their own, but I feel like this book could have been just as powerful as a smaller tale between Willie and Lesley. 

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