The Garden of Evening Mists
12 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Sternschnuppe28 from Flörsheim am Main, Hessen Germany on Saturday, October 6, 2012
About the book:
Malaya, 1951. Yun Ling Teoh, the scarred lone survivor of a brutal Japanese wartime camp, seeks solace among the jungle-fringed tea plantations of Cameron Highlands. There she discovers Yugiri, the only Japanese garden in Malaya, and its owner and creator, the enigmatic Aritomo, exiled former gardener of the emperor of Japan. Despite her hatred of the Japanese, Yun Ling seeks to engage Aritomo to create a garden in memory of her sister, who died in the camp. Aritomo refuses but agrees to accept Yun Ling as his apprentice “until the monsoon comes.” Then she can design a garden for herself.
As the months pass, Yun Ling finds herself intimately drawn to the gardener and his art, while all around them a communist guerilla war rages. But the Garden of Evening Mists remains a place of mystery. Who is Aritomo and how did he come to leave Japan? And is the real story of how Yun Ling managed to survive the war perhaps the darkest secret of all?
About the author:
Tan Twan Eng was born in Penang but lived in various places in Malaysia as a child. He studied law through the University of London and later worked as lawyer in one of Kuala Lumpur's most reputable law firms. He also has a first-dan ranking in aikido and is a strong proponent for the conservation of heritage buildings. His debut novel, The Gift of Rain was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize. Tan Twan Eng lives in Cape Town where he is working on his third novel.
Man Booker Prize Roundabout 2012 - Reading List:
Leamhliom
franaloe
momo593
Sidney 1
katrinat
Malaya, 1951. Yun Ling Teoh, the scarred lone survivor of a brutal Japanese wartime camp, seeks solace among the jungle-fringed tea plantations of Cameron Highlands. There she discovers Yugiri, the only Japanese garden in Malaya, and its owner and creator, the enigmatic Aritomo, exiled former gardener of the emperor of Japan. Despite her hatred of the Japanese, Yun Ling seeks to engage Aritomo to create a garden in memory of her sister, who died in the camp. Aritomo refuses but agrees to accept Yun Ling as his apprentice “until the monsoon comes.” Then she can design a garden for herself.
As the months pass, Yun Ling finds herself intimately drawn to the gardener and his art, while all around them a communist guerilla war rages. But the Garden of Evening Mists remains a place of mystery. Who is Aritomo and how did he come to leave Japan? And is the real story of how Yun Ling managed to survive the war perhaps the darkest secret of all?
About the author:
Tan Twan Eng was born in Penang but lived in various places in Malaysia as a child. He studied law through the University of London and later worked as lawyer in one of Kuala Lumpur's most reputable law firms. He also has a first-dan ranking in aikido and is a strong proponent for the conservation of heritage buildings. His debut novel, The Gift of Rain was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize. Tan Twan Eng lives in Cape Town where he is working on his third novel.
Man Booker Prize Roundabout 2012 - Reading List:
Leamhliom
franaloe
momo593
Sidney 1
katrinat
... and here it finally goes off to Ireland :-)
Thank you Sternschnuppe, this book has safely landed in Ireland. I look forward to reading it.
Oh dear, I didn't realise I had the book this long, I have started to read it.
The book is almost ready to go & I've pm'ed Franaloe. Momo593 asks to be skipped, I pm'ed her in error.
Please read, enjoy this book and pass it on. Share the love of reading!
Please let me know if you've found this book on www.bookcrossing.com
Part of the Booker Prize roundabout 2012, on the way to Franaloe.
Please let me know if you've found this book on www.bookcrossing.com
Part of the Booker Prize roundabout 2012, on the way to Franaloe.
Got it! Will be read asap ;)
Sorry, this took me a bit longer than planned. I found it hard to get into the story, but once I did it was very gripping. I mostly know about the Japanese camps from the Dutch colonial history viewpoint, and this story was an enrichment of my understanding of the situation in southeast Asia around that time.
I will contact momo593 for an address!
I will contact momo593 for an address!
Journal Entry 9 by franaloe at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, September 28, 2014
Released 9 yrs ago (9/27/2014 UTC) at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Sorry for keeping this so long. Finally sent to Sidney1! Momo593 asked to be skipped...
Arrived safely, thank you franaloe. Very much looking forward to this one. I borrowed it from the library and then realised I wouldn't read it in the 4 weeks I had, so gave it back after 100 pages. So pleased I can finish it now!
Tan Twan Eng wields the language in this book as a painter might wield his brush: the words flow, the comparisons are exquisite. His mountains have “the first light of morning melting down their flanks”, clouds are “marooned” at their peaks. For the language alone it was a joy reading the book. And Shelley’s poem The Cloud, which he quotes, is beautiful, too. One thing that didn’t work for me in this novel is the voice. The story is written in the I-form, and the narrator is supposed to be a woman. But the author is a man, and in my opinion he has not captured the voice of a woman. Emotions are lacking. Instead, he narrates horrific events in a flat, nearly toneless manner. While nature comes alive in the beautiful words he chooses, the story does not. In the end, while the mastery of language impressed me, the book itself failed to touch me.
This is now a Ray. Participants are so far:
Blue_berry,UK
penelopewanders, Switzerland
kiki66, Germany
Merolia, Greece
Arvores, Portugal
ana-b, Netherlands
Passeur-X, France
tohweiee, Malaysia
Billbooks, Australia
valpete, USA
...
This is now a Ray. Participants are so far:
Blue_berry,UK
penelopewanders, Switzerland
kiki66, Germany
Merolia, Greece
Arvores, Portugal
ana-b, Netherlands
Passeur-X, France
tohweiee, Malaysia
Billbooks, Australia
valpete, USA
...
Journal Entry 12 by Blue_berry at Croydon, Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Received with thanks!
Journal Entry 13 by Blue_berry at Croydon, Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, January 6, 2015
This book got better towards the end, the story was very powerful and characters interesting, I particularly liked the narrator. It was all very exotic for me, I knew nothing of this time period in this region and this must be the first book placed in Malaysia that I've read. It ended up being an anti-war story, about loss and identity.
Journal Entry 14 by Blue_berry at -- Somewhere in London 🤷♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Released 9 yrs ago (1/7/2015 UTC) at -- Somewhere in London 🤷♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Sent to the next reader in BR.
Journal Entry 15 by 
penelopewanders
at Hasliberg, Bern / Berne Switzerland on Saturday, January 17, 2015
penelopewanders at Hasliberg, Bern / Berne Switzerland on Saturday, January 17, 2015
This has arrived in the Alps where it's finally snowing a bit! It arrives behind another ring which is taking a while to let itself get read, so to speak, so it may take advantage of the slopes for a bit before I can get to reading it. Thanks so much for sending and for making this book available.
Journal Entry 16 by penelopewanders at Hasliberg, Bern / Berne Switzerland on Saturday, February 7, 2015
penelopewanders at Hasliberg, Bern / Berne Switzerland on Saturday, February 7, 2015
Like the garden described, perhaps, this tale pulls the reader in and after progressing in one direction, one step can change the whole perspective. I found this quite haunting and found myself thinking about various aspects of the story at odd moments. An extremely rich tale, with layer on layer of detail and intrigue. I have read quite a few books about the Second World War, and rather recently read The Empire of the Sun which deals, among other things, with a prison camp in the Pacific theater as well. This book is here as a ring, now I have to decide whether to purchase my own copy to lend.
I have the next address and will try to send it on soon.
I have the next address and will try to send it on soon.
Journal Entry 17 by penelopewanders at Hasliberg, Bern / Berne Switzerland on Monday, February 16, 2015
penelopewanders at Hasliberg, Bern / Berne Switzerland on Monday, February 16, 2015
Leaving the Alps for Germany. Enjoy!
(and thanks so much for making this available)
(and thanks so much for making this available)
Book arrived safe and sound in Bavaria.
Thanks penelopewanders for sending it and the 'great' card!
that looks definitely promising :-)
Thanks penelopewanders for sending it and the 'great' card!
that looks definitely promising :-)
A haunting book... I didn't know so much about the Japanese/Chinese war and was
deeply moved by the events.. Such cruelty and so many victims. Of course I know
these 'things' from WW II but wasn't aware that there was something similar happening on the other end of the world.
I liked the characters and how the story unfolded or better unwound... but like Sidney I had also problems with the author being male and the main character being a woman.
Maybe she got emotionally 'flat' after her detention but nonetheless there was a lack of femininity.
deeply moved by the events.. Such cruelty and so many victims. Of course I know
these 'things' from WW II but wasn't aware that there was something similar happening on the other end of the world.
I liked the characters and how the story unfolded or better unwound... but like Sidney I had also problems with the author being male and the main character being a woman.
Maybe she got emotionally 'flat' after her detention but nonetheless there was a lack of femininity.
On its way to Greece - happy travelling!
With me now, thank you for sending.
I'm very sorry for delaying this book - I tried my best but couldn't get into it. I still believe it is very interesting and worth reading, but it will have to be on a different period of my life. The book is on its way to Arvores, Portugal.
Journal Entry 23 by 
Arvores
at Viana do Castelo, Viana do Castelo Portugal on Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Arvores at Viana do Castelo, Viana do Castelo Portugal on Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Arrived today, together with wonderful organic tea (and beautiful stamps on the envelope).
Thank you so much Merolia. I really appreciate this :-)
I hope I won't take too long to read it. Thank you for sharing.
Warm greetings to all.
Thank you so much Merolia. I really appreciate this :-)
I hope I won't take too long to read it. Thank you for sharing.
Warm greetings to all.
I'm REALLY sorry for holding this book for too long, but I had to move houses, in between. But all is settled now (today) and I finally started reading it.
Thank you all for your patience.
Thank you all for your patience.
Very good reading experience.
I guess the other readers have said it all.
It will travel to The Netherlands as soon as I get ana-b's address.
Thank you so much for sharing (and for waiting so patiently).
I guess the other readers have said it all.
It will travel to The Netherlands as soon as I get ana-b's address.
Thank you so much for sharing (and for waiting so patiently).
Sent to ana-b as part of the BookRing.
Enjoy! :-)
Enjoy! :-)
The book has arrived today. Thank you Sidney1 for the ring and Arvores thanks for sending it and for the lovely postcard. Must go Portugal one day, looks amazing.
On its way to France
What a beautiful story. I really loved this book, so much that I've bought a hard cover to read again.
Just received by its last european reader.
Thank you, ana-b !
Thank you, ana-b !
I enjoyed this novel very much.
I am presently trying to contact its next reader.
I am presently trying to contact its next reader.
Journal Entry 32 by 
Passeur-X
at Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- France on Friday, February 5, 2016
Passeur-X at Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- France on Friday, February 5, 2016
Released 8 yrs ago (2/6/2016 UTC) at Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- France
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Flying to Malaysia.
Journal Entry 33 by tohweiee at Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on Thursday, February 18, 2016
Received this 2 days ago. Will start on it after I'm done with my current read and send it along swiftly.
Have just finished reading it. It was good, but I liked The Gift of Rain better. Maybe it's because I'm less of a garden person than a historical data and heritage building person. I enjoyed his descriptions of the old Penang, Ipoh and KL better than I did his Japanese gardens. Nonetheless, it was still a good book to read.
Am contacting the next reader for details to send the book off.
Am contacting the next reader for details to send the book off.
