The Harmony Silk Factory
2 journalers for this copy...
This just arrived in the mail; I'm planning to gather as many of the books that made this year's Booker shortlist and read them all at once. I will decide if I'll keep or let go after I've finished.
like a 7.5, really
I tend to really enjoy stories where the reader is at the mercy of the "unreliable narrator," and must read between the lines as to what the real story truly is. This is one of those novels, focusing on the central character Johnny Lim, set during the time just before and just at the start of World War II in Malaysia.
The book is divided into three parts with narration from a) Jasper, the son of Johnny Lim, who is amassing evidence that his father was an evil man who not only collaborated with the Japanese during the war, but who also went around eliminating anyone who stood in his way of achieving his goals; b) Snow, Johnny's wife, who realizes quite early on that Johnny doesn't seem to be in love with her; and c) Peter Wormwood, an English friend of Johnny's who is in love with "The Orient," a semi-pathetic individual who is also in love with Johnny's wife and who has very few people he can honestly call friends. Each one has a different perspective of this person called Johnny Lim; there are events known to some and not to others that help the reader try to piece together Johnny's story.
I must say, of all of the narratives, I did like Jasper's the best; here we got some real development of Johnny's character, while in the other two narratives he seems like a minor player as the others come to the foreground.
I will watch for anything this author writes, although at times I thought the book got a little off track (and a bit confusing), the writing and imagery were quite good and I enjoyed his writing style.
I tend to really enjoy stories where the reader is at the mercy of the "unreliable narrator," and must read between the lines as to what the real story truly is. This is one of those novels, focusing on the central character Johnny Lim, set during the time just before and just at the start of World War II in Malaysia.
The book is divided into three parts with narration from a) Jasper, the son of Johnny Lim, who is amassing evidence that his father was an evil man who not only collaborated with the Japanese during the war, but who also went around eliminating anyone who stood in his way of achieving his goals; b) Snow, Johnny's wife, who realizes quite early on that Johnny doesn't seem to be in love with her; and c) Peter Wormwood, an English friend of Johnny's who is in love with "The Orient," a semi-pathetic individual who is also in love with Johnny's wife and who has very few people he can honestly call friends. Each one has a different perspective of this person called Johnny Lim; there are events known to some and not to others that help the reader try to piece together Johnny's story.
I must say, of all of the narratives, I did like Jasper's the best; here we got some real development of Johnny's character, while in the other two narratives he seems like a minor player as the others come to the foreground.
I will watch for anything this author writes, although at times I thought the book got a little off track (and a bit confusing), the writing and imagery were quite good and I enjoyed his writing style.
sending as a surprise RABCK to another bookcrosser who shall for now remain nameless.
What a great surprise! Thank you so much Quinnsmom!
