Description
In the epic tradition of The English Patient, this gripping tale of love and betrayal is set in war-torn Hong Kong. It is 1942, and Will Trusdale, an Englishman newly arrived in Hong Kong, has fallen headlong into a passionate relationship with Trudy Liang, a beautiful Eurasian socialite. But when WWII strikes, Will is sent to an internment camp, while Trudy remains outside. Trudy is forced to form dangerous alliances with the head of the Japanese gendarmerie, whose desperate attempts to locate a priceless collection of Chinese art lead to a chain of terrible betrayals. Ten years later, Claire Pendleton comes to Hong Kong and meets the enigmatic Will. As long-buried secrets start to emerge and she begins to understand the true nature of the world she has entered, Claire learns that sometimes the price of survival is love.… (more)
Local notes
Set in Hong Kong covering the period just before, during and after the Japanese occupation, this is a story of love, colonialism, war time experiences and the complications of families and friends.
An enjoyable read but some issues remained unresolved at the end of the novel. I would have liked it to be longer to give scope for resolution rather than the quite abrupt ending. If the author writes a sequel I will certainly read it!