Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Myrmidon Books Ltd (2008), 508 pages
Description
The first novel from the internationally bestselling, Booker-shortlisted author of The Garden of Evening Mists.
User reviews
LibraryThing member bibliobibuli
I ALWAYS read new Malaysian fiction with a sense of trepidation: on the one hand I want the book so very much to succeed, but on the other every little disappointment is felt even more keenly.
A few pages into Tan Twan Eng’s first novel, The Gift of Rain, I began to relax, and by the end of the
The quiet life of the elderly Philip Hutton, the last surviving member of one of Penang’s great trading families, is shattered by an unexpected visitor, a Japanese woman called Michiko Murakami. Although they have never met before, their histories are interlinked: both cared deeply for the same man, Hayato Endo, and need to find relief for past pain by sharing their life stories.
Philip first meets the enigmatic Endo, a Japanese diplomat who is leasing a small island from Philip’s father, in 1939.
Half-British, half-Chinese Philip is a loner and a misfit, and finds himself drawn into a relationship with Endo, who takes him on as his student and teaches him aikido-jitsu – a martial art still in its infancy then – as well as the Japanese language and culture.
As the clouds of war grow increasingly ominous, it is clear that Endo is training Philip in skills that will eventually save his life. But is Endo all that he appears to be, and should Philip be prepared to trust him?
Once the Japanese invade, Philip is forced to make the most difficult decisions about where his loyalties must lie.
There is a tremendous amount of historical fact and, of course, as in any Malaysian novel aimed at an international readership, a great deal of information on the complex social background of the country.
What is quite amazing is that despite this, the pace of the story never becomes bogged down by a heavy load of background detail. Indeed, where the novel succeeds best is in the strong drive of the narrative, and in the painstaking recreation of the setting.
Penang of the 1930s and 1940s is brought to life so well that you feel that you could almost be reading a contemporary account. Particularly vivid are the scenes of the British attempting to flee Penang during the first air raids, and the harrowing scene of a village massacre.
Although written in a style that deliberately does not draw attention to itself, the novel unashamedly draws on romantic Oriental elements with the deliberate chinoiserie of the imagery (the waves unroll like Chinese scrolls, the clouds are compared to a dragon’s belly) and the delicate motifs of insects – fireflies, butterflies and dragonflies, which each represent an aspect of the story.
The Gift of Rain is in every sense a “big” book, not only substantial in size, but also in theme, and in the amount of incident that is crammed into it.
It’s hard to know just how to pigeonhole this book. Literary fiction? Thriller? Historical novel? Big screen kung-fu movie with Hollywood glitz and glamour translated to the page? The novel combines elements of all of these, yet succeeds very much on its own terms and should appeal strongly to both an international and a local readership.
A few pages into Tan Twan Eng’s first novel, The Gift of Rain, I began to relax, and by the end of the
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first chapter I was so totally hooked that everything else had to be put on hold until I’d finished it! The quiet life of the elderly Philip Hutton, the last surviving member of one of Penang’s great trading families, is shattered by an unexpected visitor, a Japanese woman called Michiko Murakami. Although they have never met before, their histories are interlinked: both cared deeply for the same man, Hayato Endo, and need to find relief for past pain by sharing their life stories.
Philip first meets the enigmatic Endo, a Japanese diplomat who is leasing a small island from Philip’s father, in 1939.
Half-British, half-Chinese Philip is a loner and a misfit, and finds himself drawn into a relationship with Endo, who takes him on as his student and teaches him aikido-jitsu – a martial art still in its infancy then – as well as the Japanese language and culture.
As the clouds of war grow increasingly ominous, it is clear that Endo is training Philip in skills that will eventually save his life. But is Endo all that he appears to be, and should Philip be prepared to trust him?
Once the Japanese invade, Philip is forced to make the most difficult decisions about where his loyalties must lie.
There is a tremendous amount of historical fact and, of course, as in any Malaysian novel aimed at an international readership, a great deal of information on the complex social background of the country.
What is quite amazing is that despite this, the pace of the story never becomes bogged down by a heavy load of background detail. Indeed, where the novel succeeds best is in the strong drive of the narrative, and in the painstaking recreation of the setting.
Penang of the 1930s and 1940s is brought to life so well that you feel that you could almost be reading a contemporary account. Particularly vivid are the scenes of the British attempting to flee Penang during the first air raids, and the harrowing scene of a village massacre.
Although written in a style that deliberately does not draw attention to itself, the novel unashamedly draws on romantic Oriental elements with the deliberate chinoiserie of the imagery (the waves unroll like Chinese scrolls, the clouds are compared to a dragon’s belly) and the delicate motifs of insects – fireflies, butterflies and dragonflies, which each represent an aspect of the story.
The Gift of Rain is in every sense a “big” book, not only substantial in size, but also in theme, and in the amount of incident that is crammed into it.
It’s hard to know just how to pigeonhole this book. Literary fiction? Thriller? Historical novel? Big screen kung-fu movie with Hollywood glitz and glamour translated to the page? The novel combines elements of all of these, yet succeeds very much on its own terms and should appeal strongly to both an international and a local readership.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng is a first novel and although an interesting and intriguing story I found parts of this book just didn’t resonate with me. I never felt totally connected to the characters, it was if I was watching the story unfold through a silk screen. Beautiful to look at, but
Set on the island of Penang off the mainland coast of Malaysia, there are many inviting descriptions of lush jungles and warm, tropical beaches. Born to a white man and his second wife, a Chinese woman, made Philip feel as if he didn’t fit it anywhere. With the British or with the Chinese people, even in his own family with his three half siblings, Philip never felt he belonged. Malaysia was very much a multi-cultural country, but these cultures kept to themselves.
At the impressionable age of sixteen, he meets a Japanese man who is destined to be his friend and mentor. Teaching Philip the art and discipline of aikido, Hayato Endo gives Philip a sense of belonging. But the year is 1939, and the world is on the brink of war. Soon enough the Japanese will be invading Philips’ beautiful country, bringing the savageness and terror to him and his family. Worst of all is the discovery that the man whom Philip reveres above all, is in fact a Japanese spy with Philip as his unwitting collaborator
Philip looks back on his life as a an older man, well into his sixties. Putting his life into perspective., he himself seems to remove himself from the story, telling it like an observer not a participant. The main themes of the book honor, loyalty and fate appear again and again in his story, but I just wish some passion had been there as well.
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not personally engaging.Set on the island of Penang off the mainland coast of Malaysia, there are many inviting descriptions of lush jungles and warm, tropical beaches. Born to a white man and his second wife, a Chinese woman, made Philip feel as if he didn’t fit it anywhere. With the British or with the Chinese people, even in his own family with his three half siblings, Philip never felt he belonged. Malaysia was very much a multi-cultural country, but these cultures kept to themselves.
At the impressionable age of sixteen, he meets a Japanese man who is destined to be his friend and mentor. Teaching Philip the art and discipline of aikido, Hayato Endo gives Philip a sense of belonging. But the year is 1939, and the world is on the brink of war. Soon enough the Japanese will be invading Philips’ beautiful country, bringing the savageness and terror to him and his family. Worst of all is the discovery that the man whom Philip reveres above all, is in fact a Japanese spy with Philip as his unwitting collaborator
Philip looks back on his life as a an older man, well into his sixties. Putting his life into perspective., he himself seems to remove himself from the story, telling it like an observer not a participant. The main themes of the book honor, loyalty and fate appear again and again in his story, but I just wish some passion had been there as well.
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LibraryThing member jnwelch
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng was written before the enchanting, five star Garden of Evening Mists, and it features the same type of hypnotic, poetic language that graced the latter. Protagonist Philip Hutton is the son of an English widower and Chinese mother who fell in love and defied local
Philip's love for his English and Chinese families, and for the Japanese Endo-san, puts him at an unique central point of tension, and his facility with languages makes him of use to all three communities. How to navigate the WWII occupation and save his families? How to reconcile Endo-san's importance to him with the brutality of the occupiers? “Accept that there are things in this world we can never explain and life will be understandable. That is the irony of life. It is also the beauty of it.”
His martial arts studies with Endo-san are critical to his growth and he learns ways to move people in the direction he desires.
“As with all the principles of aikijutsu, you do not meet the force of the strike head-on. You parry, you step to the side to avoid the blow, your redirect the force and unbalance your opponent. It is the same with the ken, the sword. These principles apply to you daily life as well. Never meet a person’s anger directly. Deflect, distract him, even agree with him. Unbalance his mind, and you can lead him anywhere you want.”
His efforts are not always successful, however. “I had loaded another weight onto his suffering and it hurt me to understand that while one person can never really share the pain of another, they can so easily and so heedlessly add to it.” As you can tell, Philip is a sensitive man trying to reach a higher understanding, often in impossibly difficult circumstances. His fellow villagers variously view him as a hero and a villain, and he is not certain himself which he might be.
I would say that lots of gray areas are explored in the book, except that they come across as colorful, rather than gray. As in The Garden of Evening Mists, his descriptions of the sea and his surroundings are poetic and beautiful. Philip has the gift of rain, with all that entails.
"Like the rain, I had brought tragedy into many people's lives but, more often than not, rain also brings relief, clarity, and renewal. It washes away our pain and prepares us for another day, and even another life. Now that I am old I find that the rains follow me and give me comfort, like the spirits of all the people I have ever known and loved."
This was a solid four star read.
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constraints. He has lived on the Malaysia island of Penang his entire life, including during its WWII Japanese occupation, and is now in his 70s. One night a woman around his age, Michiko, shows up at his home, wishing to discuss his life with his mentor and martial arts instructor Endo-san, a man she loved. Philip opens up to her, and we learn of his difficulties as a mixed-race child, and how Endo-san brought meaning and clarity to his life.Philip's love for his English and Chinese families, and for the Japanese Endo-san, puts him at an unique central point of tension, and his facility with languages makes him of use to all three communities. How to navigate the WWII occupation and save his families? How to reconcile Endo-san's importance to him with the brutality of the occupiers? “Accept that there are things in this world we can never explain and life will be understandable. That is the irony of life. It is also the beauty of it.”
His martial arts studies with Endo-san are critical to his growth and he learns ways to move people in the direction he desires.
“As with all the principles of aikijutsu, you do not meet the force of the strike head-on. You parry, you step to the side to avoid the blow, your redirect the force and unbalance your opponent. It is the same with the ken, the sword. These principles apply to you daily life as well. Never meet a person’s anger directly. Deflect, distract him, even agree with him. Unbalance his mind, and you can lead him anywhere you want.”
His efforts are not always successful, however. “I had loaded another weight onto his suffering and it hurt me to understand that while one person can never really share the pain of another, they can so easily and so heedlessly add to it.” As you can tell, Philip is a sensitive man trying to reach a higher understanding, often in impossibly difficult circumstances. His fellow villagers variously view him as a hero and a villain, and he is not certain himself which he might be.
I would say that lots of gray areas are explored in the book, except that they come across as colorful, rather than gray. As in The Garden of Evening Mists, his descriptions of the sea and his surroundings are poetic and beautiful. Philip has the gift of rain, with all that entails.
"Like the rain, I had brought tragedy into many people's lives but, more often than not, rain also brings relief, clarity, and renewal. It washes away our pain and prepares us for another day, and even another life. Now that I am old I find that the rains follow me and give me comfort, like the spirits of all the people I have ever known and loved."
This was a solid four star read.
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LibraryThing member vibrantminds
Philip Hutton is the youngest of four children being a half brother to his siblings. His English father married his Chinese mother after his first wife died. Born in Malay on Penang Island, he is thrown into a world of turmoil from birth not feeling accepted into either culture. He grew up guarded
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towards his family until he meets a Japanese man, Endo-san, who takes him under his wing and becomes his mentor and sensei. He begins to see life differently and becomes closer to his family. World War II is underway and rumors run rapid that the Japanese will invade but the people are in denial that their island will be occupied. Philips association with Endo-san becomes under inquiry and the villagers and his family question his intent with the company he keeps. The war progresses and the Japanese do invade Penang leaving Philip to struggle with his honor and integrity. He decides to work for the Japanese in order to save his family. In turn he becomes known as a traitor to his people and his family turns away from him with disappointment. Throughout the Japanese occupation he is forced to make difficult decisions and in the end he is full of unrest and longs for a sense of freedom from the choices made which never comes. A very compelling story of betrayal and survival. Show Less
LibraryThing member WisteriaLeigh
THE GIFT OF RAIN
Tan Twan Eng
Weinstein Books
978-160286074-2
May 2009
448 pages
“I was born with the gift of rain, an ancient soothsayer in an even more ancient temple once told me.” The first line of the story begins as the elder Philip Hutton recalls his life’s story. The fortune-teller cautions
Philip is the storyteller, his listener is Michiko Murakami a woman who shows up one evening at his home, during the rain. She brings with her a package, a sword. A sword Philip immediately recognizes as that of his beloved Endo-san, his sensei. It is not until the end of the story that the significance of this sword will be learned.
The Gift of Rain takes place on the Malayan island of Penang in 1939. Philip is the son of an affluent British merchant of social prominence living on the Malayan island of Penang at the beginning of World War II. His father owns Hutton & Sons, a company founded by his great-grandfather. His father’s first wife died leaving three children. His mother was Yu Lian, his father’s second wife. Philip has vague memories of his mother who died when he was a young boy. His father and he were never close, his business consumed his life. Philip never felt a connection with his siblings, being of mixed parentage, he always felt different. He was not accepted by the Chinese or the English so he drifted his own way alone. His studies were important to him and he became fluent in Chinese and English along with the local languages.
Feeling isolated it is no wonder that Philip becomes the student of Endo-san, a Japanese diplomat living on an island nearby. His lessons are in aikijutsu, but his studies take him far beyond the rudiments of the physical discipline. Endo-san’s teachings are broad and far reaching, Philip learns to trust his teacher, their bond is unique, cohesive and loving. When the Japanese invade Penang, Philip’s loyalty to family and loyalty to his sensei are tested. When the lives of his family are placed in jeopardy, his fateful decision will label him a traitor, but to him a choice he had to make.
I love the character of Philip, his vulnerability, his alienation, his determination, his self discovery and his blind loving trust that he develops with Endo-san. Endo-san, older and much more worldly, has a plan for Philip. He takes advantage of his youth and the takeover of Penang works in his favor. They are on opposing sides and it is war. The trust they share is a precarious place for both.
The Gift of Rain will touch you in its sweet grip and shock you with its brutality. It is a thought provoking look at the lives of those who endured the Japanese occupation of Penang during World War II. A camera lens in text provides a historical look at the culture of the Chinese residents, the Japanese invaders and the British merchants who either stayed or fled. Tan Twan Eng’s beautiful poetic prose is a marvelous melody of emotions. His words should be unhurried, letting them linger, an echo to be heard again. It is easy to see why The Gift of Rain was nominated for the Man Booker Prize. Highly recommended.
© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2010].
Tan Twan Eng
Weinstein Books
978-160286074-2
May 2009
448 pages
“I was born with the gift of rain, an ancient soothsayer in an even more ancient temple once told me.” The first line of the story begins as the elder Philip Hutton recalls his life’s story. The fortune-teller cautions
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Philip early on: “You were born with the gift of rain. Your life will be abundant with wealth and success. But life will test you greatly. Remember-the rain also brings the flood.”Philip is the storyteller, his listener is Michiko Murakami a woman who shows up one evening at his home, during the rain. She brings with her a package, a sword. A sword Philip immediately recognizes as that of his beloved Endo-san, his sensei. It is not until the end of the story that the significance of this sword will be learned.
The Gift of Rain takes place on the Malayan island of Penang in 1939. Philip is the son of an affluent British merchant of social prominence living on the Malayan island of Penang at the beginning of World War II. His father owns Hutton & Sons, a company founded by his great-grandfather. His father’s first wife died leaving three children. His mother was Yu Lian, his father’s second wife. Philip has vague memories of his mother who died when he was a young boy. His father and he were never close, his business consumed his life. Philip never felt a connection with his siblings, being of mixed parentage, he always felt different. He was not accepted by the Chinese or the English so he drifted his own way alone. His studies were important to him and he became fluent in Chinese and English along with the local languages.
Feeling isolated it is no wonder that Philip becomes the student of Endo-san, a Japanese diplomat living on an island nearby. His lessons are in aikijutsu, but his studies take him far beyond the rudiments of the physical discipline. Endo-san’s teachings are broad and far reaching, Philip learns to trust his teacher, their bond is unique, cohesive and loving. When the Japanese invade Penang, Philip’s loyalty to family and loyalty to his sensei are tested. When the lives of his family are placed in jeopardy, his fateful decision will label him a traitor, but to him a choice he had to make.
I love the character of Philip, his vulnerability, his alienation, his determination, his self discovery and his blind loving trust that he develops with Endo-san. Endo-san, older and much more worldly, has a plan for Philip. He takes advantage of his youth and the takeover of Penang works in his favor. They are on opposing sides and it is war. The trust they share is a precarious place for both.
The Gift of Rain will touch you in its sweet grip and shock you with its brutality. It is a thought provoking look at the lives of those who endured the Japanese occupation of Penang during World War II. A camera lens in text provides a historical look at the culture of the Chinese residents, the Japanese invaders and the British merchants who either stayed or fled. Tan Twan Eng’s beautiful poetic prose is a marvelous melody of emotions. His words should be unhurried, letting them linger, an echo to be heard again. It is easy to see why The Gift of Rain was nominated for the Man Booker Prize. Highly recommended.
© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2010].
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LibraryThing member ddirmeyer
The inside flap of this novel describes it as an epic and I heartedly agree. Phillip Hutton, resident of Malay and son of a British businessman and a Chinese mother, finds himself befriended by a Japanese aikido master in the months prior to WWII. Having never felt a part of his English or his
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Chinese heritage, Phillip finds himself willingly becoming Endo-san's pupil, friend, and constant companion. Phillip's struggles to come to terms with his place in his family, his country, his friendship with Endo-san, and in the war become the backbone of this novel. Eng provides vivid, almost poetic, descriptions of the country and time period of this book. We learn a great deal about Phillip during his teens and twenties as well as his current life in his seventies. This is a griping, tragic, complex novel. It is ambitious for a first novel, but Eng holds our attention, and his storyline, until the very end. Show Less
LibraryThing member Castlelass
“The fortune-teller, long since dead, had said I was born with the gift of rain. I know now what she meant. Her words had not been a curse, nor had they been words of blessing. Like the rain, I had brought tragedy into many people’s lives but, more often than not, rain also brings relief,
As the story opens, Philip Hutton, a half-Chinese, half-British older man is living in Penang, Malaysia. For almost fifty years, Philip has been silent about his past and what happened during World War II. He meets Michiko, a past love of Hayato Endo, his aikido master. Philip tells Michiko of the years leading up to the war, and how he had met Endo, trained with him, and learned the Japanese language. It is a story of memory, trauma, and betrayal.
This is a beautifully written novel that brings together pieces and parts of memories from pre-war colonial Malaysia, British withdrawal, Japanese invasion, and occupation. There are multiple betrayals in this book. Michiko has also suffered traumas during the war, but her primary role is a listener. Young Philip is very trusting of Endo, despite repeated warnings from his family. We learn about Philip’s family members. He finally meets his Chinese grandfather, who introduces him to the cultural history of the Chinese in Malaysia.
“I felt no connection with China, or with England. I was a child born between two worlds, belonging to neither. From the very beginning, I treated Endo-san not as a Japanese, not as a member of a hated race, but as a man, and that was why we forged an instant bond.”
But Philip’s close friendship with Endo will lead to tragedy. The reader will see it coming before Philip does. There are discussions of reincarnation and karma, which are important elements in the denouement. There are many moving parts in this novel and the author weaves them together skillfully. He worries about the safety of his family, considers becoming a spy, yet still possesses a love Endo and the Japanese culture. Philip must decide how to use his personal connection with Endo. He will eventually be viewed as both a protector and a traitor. The way this all transpires is intriguing and I became completely immersed in the story.
I had previously read and loved The Garden of Evening Mists. This is another example of historical fiction at its finest. Tan Twan Eng is become one of my favorite authors.
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clarity, and renewal. It washes away our pain and prepares us for another day, and even another life. Now that I am old I find that the rains follow me and give me comfort, like the spirits of all the people I have ever known and loved.”As the story opens, Philip Hutton, a half-Chinese, half-British older man is living in Penang, Malaysia. For almost fifty years, Philip has been silent about his past and what happened during World War II. He meets Michiko, a past love of Hayato Endo, his aikido master. Philip tells Michiko of the years leading up to the war, and how he had met Endo, trained with him, and learned the Japanese language. It is a story of memory, trauma, and betrayal.
This is a beautifully written novel that brings together pieces and parts of memories from pre-war colonial Malaysia, British withdrawal, Japanese invasion, and occupation. There are multiple betrayals in this book. Michiko has also suffered traumas during the war, but her primary role is a listener. Young Philip is very trusting of Endo, despite repeated warnings from his family. We learn about Philip’s family members. He finally meets his Chinese grandfather, who introduces him to the cultural history of the Chinese in Malaysia.
“I felt no connection with China, or with England. I was a child born between two worlds, belonging to neither. From the very beginning, I treated Endo-san not as a Japanese, not as a member of a hated race, but as a man, and that was why we forged an instant bond.”
But Philip’s close friendship with Endo will lead to tragedy. The reader will see it coming before Philip does. There are discussions of reincarnation and karma, which are important elements in the denouement. There are many moving parts in this novel and the author weaves them together skillfully. He worries about the safety of his family, considers becoming a spy, yet still possesses a love Endo and the Japanese culture. Philip must decide how to use his personal connection with Endo. He will eventually be viewed as both a protector and a traitor. The way this all transpires is intriguing and I became completely immersed in the story.
I had previously read and loved The Garden of Evening Mists. This is another example of historical fiction at its finest. Tan Twan Eng is become one of my favorite authors.
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LibraryThing member bookwoman247
This book a young Eurasian man's coming-of-age in the midst of the Japanese occupation of Malaysia. It is centered on his struggle with divided loyalties - to his dual heritage, to his family, to the Japanese sensei whom he loves, and who both used him cruelly, yet loved him and his country.
I felt
It was exqisite, and I highly recommend it.
I felt
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the strength, yet delicacy of the writing. The story as both beautiful and barbarous. I don't think I've ever read another like it.It was exqisite, and I highly recommend it.
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LibraryThing member rhactor
The Gift of Rain tells a riveting and poignant tale about a young man caught in the tangle of wartime loyalties and deceits.
In 1939, sixteen-year-old Philip Hutton-the half-Chinese, half-English youngest child of the head of one of Penang's great trading families-feels alienated from both the
In 1939, sixteen-year-old Philip Hutton-the half-Chinese, half-English youngest child of the head of one of Penang's great trading families-feels alienated from both the
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Chinese and British communities. He at last discovers a sense of belonging in his unexpected friendship with Hayato Endo, a Japanese diplomat. Philip proudly shows his new friend around his adored island, and in return Endo teaches him about Japanese language and culture and trains him in the art and discipline of aikido. But such knowledge comes at a terrible price. When the Japanese savagely invade Malaya, Philip realizes that his mentor and sensei-to whom he owes absolute loyalty-is a Japanese spy. Young Philip has been an unwitting traitor, and must now work in secret to save as many lives as possible, even as his own family is brought to its knees. Show Less
LibraryThing member RBeffa
For me this was a very immersive read - one that took me to another place and time and almost completely captured me. I don't think I can add anything to the numerous reviews available for the book. It most reminded me of something like Graham Greene's 'The Quiet American' or J.G. Ballard's 'Empire
I've been trying to put my thoughts together for a spoiler-free review and finding it unusually difficult. Even though we could see the path we and our protagonist were being led along in the first 2/3 of the novel, the choice eventually made was hard to absorb. I've been reading a fair amount of WWII fiction these recent years and when it isn't set in Europe it has been set in the Pacific naval theater. I've read some about the ground wars however, in Okinawa and China, and this being set in Malaya gave me a new view. This is really a powerful book, and heartbreaking.
It is an entirely believable and ultimately sad story.
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of the Sun'. If someone wanted to give this a full five stars I wouldn't argue with them. I can't quite get there although this certainly falls near the top of my best reads of the year list. The novel breaks itself into book one and book two. The darkness that we knew was coming hits full on in book two and I got so caught up in it I could scarcely set the book down for a break. The story is set in Malaya. The Japanese are infiltrating the country just as our story begins, and a young boy becomes caught up into it. I've been trying to put my thoughts together for a spoiler-free review and finding it unusually difficult. Even though we could see the path we and our protagonist were being led along in the first 2/3 of the novel, the choice eventually made was hard to absorb. I've been reading a fair amount of WWII fiction these recent years and when it isn't set in Europe it has been set in the Pacific naval theater. I've read some about the ground wars however, in Okinawa and China, and this being set in Malaya gave me a new view. This is really a powerful book, and heartbreaking.
It is an entirely believable and ultimately sad story.
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LibraryThing member Limelite
Beautiful, gentle, graceful, and tragic. Told through flashback after a mysterious woman arrives at his door on Penang Island, the story of teen-aged Philip, half-Chinese, half-English youngest son of an important Malaysian trading dynasty is befriended by Endo-san, a Japanese diplomat and martial
At first, the relationship seems harmless as the boy and man develop a strong bond through teacher-pupil norms and through Philip’s desire to learn about Japanese culture. But hints drop that Endo has a black past and once Philip meets his estranged Chinese grandfather, the balance of power shifts.
The war that loomed on the horizon comes, shattering the peaceful and traditional culture of Malaysia. Choices must be made that will determine survival, even if it may mean betrayal of those one loves, even family. What terrible thing will Philip do during the war? What price will he pay once the war is over? And has the possibility of redemption died along with nearly everyone he knew, or has it arrived on his doorstep?
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arts sensei in 1938.At first, the relationship seems harmless as the boy and man develop a strong bond through teacher-pupil norms and through Philip’s desire to learn about Japanese culture. But hints drop that Endo has a black past and once Philip meets his estranged Chinese grandfather, the balance of power shifts.
The war that loomed on the horizon comes, shattering the peaceful and traditional culture of Malaysia. Choices must be made that will determine survival, even if it may mean betrayal of those one loves, even family. What terrible thing will Philip do during the war? What price will he pay once the war is over? And has the possibility of redemption died along with nearly everyone he knew, or has it arrived on his doorstep?
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LibraryThing member amandacb
A fairly interesting, if slow moving, book about a boy's relationship with a spy during World War II. I am vastly oversimplifying the plot. It does move slowly, however, and feels almost dream-like in its descriptions. I am not sure if that is intentional, but it sure made it easy to fall asleep
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whilst reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member Alirob
Some very good writing, but overall it is too long and slow.
LibraryThing member marient
In 1939, sixteen-year old Philip Hutton-half Chinese, half English,youngest child of the head of one of Penang's great trading families-feels alienated from both the CHinese and British communities. He discovers a ssense of belonging in his unexpected friendship with Hayato endo, a Japanese
As WWll rages in Europe the Japanese savagely invade Malaya and Philip realizes that his mentor and sensei-to who he owes absolute loyalty-is a Japanese spy.
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diplomat who rents a nearby island from his father.As WWll rages in Europe the Japanese savagely invade Malaya and Philip realizes that his mentor and sensei-to who he owes absolute loyalty-is a Japanese spy.
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LibraryThing member bookmart
This was OK. I didn't really connect to the characters, I felt a little remote.
LibraryThing member squarespiral
A very nice work in which Aikido (jap. martial art) and especially the japanese teacher-student relationship plays a central role. From my own knowledge of the martial art I can certify that the concepts and descriptions are quite accurate.
The stile is quite poetic and I found this book overall a
The stile is quite poetic and I found this book overall a
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quite entertaining read. I felt however, that the conflict of cooperation versus fighting the occupants of one's country (the second central topic) was not carved out to its full potential (half a star off for that). In the end the book fell a bit short of its potential but I'm looking forward to read more from this author. Show Less
LibraryThing member Espey1
This remarkable debut saga of intrigue and akido flashes back to a darkly opulent WWII-era Malaya. Phillip Hutton, 72, lives in serene Penang comfort, occasionally training students as an akido master teacher of teachers. A visit from Michiko Murakami sends him spiraling back into his past, where
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he grows up the alienated half-British, half-Chinese son of a wealthy Penang trader in the years before WWII. When Hutton's father and three siblings leave him to run the family company one summer, he befriends a mysterious Japanese neighbor named Mr. Endo. Japan is on the opposing side of the coming war, but Endo paradoxically opts to train Hutton in the ways of aikido, in what both men come to see as the fulfillment of a prophecy that has haunted them for several lifetimes. When the Japanese army invades Malaya, chaos reigns, and Phillip makes a secret, very profitable deal. He cannot, however, offset the costs of his friendship with Endo. Eng's characters are as deep and troubled as the time in which the story takes place, and he draws on a rich palette to create a sprawling portrait of a lesser explored corner of the war. Hutton's first-person narration is measured, believable and enthralling. Show Less
LibraryThing member cfbookgroup
We discussed whether we could understand the character's motivation for action and behaviour. Cultural differences perhaps. A very fine book, well written and evocative. Interesting to read about the WW2 in that part of the world. Really violent at the end - too much.
LibraryThing member angela.vaughn
I have to admit that this book took me a few chapters to really get into it. However, those chapters where not bad, just not full of action. Once you get past those few chapters, this book is full of history. It is the story of one mans journey through WWII in a wealthy British family, as the only
This is a must read, and don't give up after the first few chapters, it does get better.
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bi-racial member. I found the journey of his life was so unique of a story that I found myself wanting a little more. It is not a story that is easy to read and so many times you feel as if you don't know where your own loyalities would lie if you were there.This is a must read, and don't give up after the first few chapters, it does get better.
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LibraryThing member nuwanda
This is a book that practically begs for being made into a major silver screen tearjerker with a star-studded cast and an original soundtrack by Hans Zimmer. If that's your thing, then great - go get the book and read your heart out. Personally, however, I was very much underwhelmed pretty much on
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every account and aspect, but perhaps this was a question of too high expectations. Show Less
LibraryThing member lynnytisc
This book is beautifully written and tells the tale of Phillip, son of an English businessman and a Chinese woman. He lives in Penang at the advent of World War II. Because of his mixed parentage he feels like an outsider in his family. He befriends a Japanese sensei and is school in the akido
He unwittingly shares too much with this man aiding the Japanese. His story is very beautiful. The history is enriching and I highly recommend it.
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martial arts. He unwittingly shares too much with this man aiding the Japanese. His story is very beautiful. The history is enriching and I highly recommend it.
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LibraryThing member Betsy3
Excellent story that shows the complexities and the brutality of the Japanese invasion of Malaya during WWII. First the author gets you to love and identify with the main character, and then the main character does some awful things in an effort to save his family, supposedly. I like the strong and
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complex characters who are not 100% good. Show Less
LibraryThing member hobbitprincess
I wasn't sure I would like this book, but it turned out to be a good read. The setting is Malaysia, during modern times with flashbacks to the WWII era. Phillip, the main character, is Eurasian, the son of a wealthy man and a Chinese mother. He gets involved with a Japanese man who teaches him
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martial arts and many aspects of Japanese culture. Animosity brews between Phillip, his family, and the people in the town as the Japanese attack places. I won't say more because it will give away the plot, but there is much, much more to this book than this. It is a good book, one I recommend. Show Less
LibraryThing member Coyote99
With a story that unfolds like a Chinese scroll, the life of pre-war Malaysia is perfectly drawn and as Penang edges toward the horrors of the Japanese occupation, Phillip Khoo-Hutton, child of an English father and Chinese mother must decide where his loyalties lie..family, country or beloved
The novel was a sad commentary of the brutalities of war and the isolation of family misunderstandings.
A reviewer wrote................ "This was so beautifully written. One of the themes explored was the sense of duty - to one's country, to one's tutor, to one's parents - that is much stronger in Asian cultures than in western ones and is sometimes difficult to understand. It asks the questions, what would you do for the people you love? Does it make it any less wrong if you murder someone/lie/cheat, etc., if you are doing it to save someone you love?." Not an easy read, but well worth the effort. Highly recommend!
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Japanese sensei. The descriptions of past lives and necessary atonements resonated with me.....The novel was a sad commentary of the brutalities of war and the isolation of family misunderstandings.
A reviewer wrote................ "This was so beautifully written. One of the themes explored was the sense of duty - to one's country, to one's tutor, to one's parents - that is much stronger in Asian cultures than in western ones and is sometimes difficult to understand. It asks the questions, what would you do for the people you love? Does it make it any less wrong if you murder someone/lie/cheat, etc., if you are doing it to save someone you love?." Not an easy read, but well worth the effort. Highly recommend!
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LibraryThing member jpporter
The Gift of Rain is the debut novel of Tan Twan Eng, who was born in, and current lives and works in, what was Malaya. It is, to date and without doubt, the best debut work by an author I have ever had the pleasure to read.
The story is set historically during WW II in Malaya which was, at the time,
The book is, in so many ways, an examination of duality in our existence. Philip is part of a mixed-ethnic marriage - initially rejected by his mother's father, but embraced by his mother's sister. As for his immediate family, Philip feels separate from them - as a Chinese-British person he is viewed "differently" by the people around him, and he feels no close emotional ties with his siblings.
Philip befriends Endo-san (or perhaps it is the other way around), a mysterious Japanese man who rents an island from Philip's father, and who (as a master of aikido) becomes sensei to Philip. The relationship between Philip and Endo-san becomes central to Philip, and - as it develops - makes him closer to Endo-san than to his own father.
Dualities take on even further significance as his relationship with Endo-san transcends that of teacher and student and becomes a matter of a history they have shared in past lives. The duality between being British, and being associated with a Japanese man who plays a significant role in the Japanese invasion of Malaya becomes a driving force in the second part of the book.
While the story is ostensibly built around Philip's and Endo's relationship through aikido, there are strong influences from Buddhism, and this is one of the best things about this book. Buddhism is taken matter-of-factly, rather than being flaunted as something special and mystical. To be sure, the mystical aspects of Buddhism are there, they just aren't treated as some exhibits in a circus sideshow. (See my reviews of Siddhartha and Lifting the Wheel of Karma to get an idea of what I mean by this.)
Eng's writing is pure pleasure to read - in places it becomes so lyrical as to be poetic, in others so forceful as to drive home the tragedy that ultimately envelopes the characters. The story never panders to the reader, never tries to be sensationalistic, never condescends. This is purely a beautiful yet tragic story told in the best way possible.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. This is the stuff real literature is made of.
The story is set historically during WW II in Malaya which was, at the time,
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a significant part of the British Empire's colonial business network. The main character is Philip Hutton, son of Noel Hutton who heads a large mining company in Malaya. Philip is the progeny of Noel's second marriage, which was to a Chinese woman who died shortly after Philip's birth. Noel's other three children (all older than Philip) are from Noel's first, British, wife.The book is, in so many ways, an examination of duality in our existence. Philip is part of a mixed-ethnic marriage - initially rejected by his mother's father, but embraced by his mother's sister. As for his immediate family, Philip feels separate from them - as a Chinese-British person he is viewed "differently" by the people around him, and he feels no close emotional ties with his siblings.
Philip befriends Endo-san (or perhaps it is the other way around), a mysterious Japanese man who rents an island from Philip's father, and who (as a master of aikido) becomes sensei to Philip. The relationship between Philip and Endo-san becomes central to Philip, and - as it develops - makes him closer to Endo-san than to his own father.
Dualities take on even further significance as his relationship with Endo-san transcends that of teacher and student and becomes a matter of a history they have shared in past lives. The duality between being British, and being associated with a Japanese man who plays a significant role in the Japanese invasion of Malaya becomes a driving force in the second part of the book.
While the story is ostensibly built around Philip's and Endo's relationship through aikido, there are strong influences from Buddhism, and this is one of the best things about this book. Buddhism is taken matter-of-factly, rather than being flaunted as something special and mystical. To be sure, the mystical aspects of Buddhism are there, they just aren't treated as some exhibits in a circus sideshow. (See my reviews of Siddhartha and Lifting the Wheel of Karma to get an idea of what I mean by this.)
Eng's writing is pure pleasure to read - in places it becomes so lyrical as to be poetic, in others so forceful as to drive home the tragedy that ultimately envelopes the characters. The story never panders to the reader, never tries to be sensationalistic, never condescends. This is purely a beautiful yet tragic story told in the best way possible.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. This is the stuff real literature is made of.
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Subjects
Awards
Booker Prize (Longlist — 2007)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2007
Physical description
508 p.; 7.8 inches
ISBN
1905802145 / 9781905802142