August 28, 2013. Artemas, Pa. The Gift of Rain.

Tan Twan Eng wrote this book, The Gift of Rain.   He is the same author who wrote The Garden of Evening Mists and takes place in the same place of Malaya.   This book is even more intense, dealing with the time period of the Second World War and the impact of the people of Malaya.   He writes much about the mysticism of the east, comparing and contrasting the British, Chinese and Japanese.   In many ways it is a difficult book to read, except everyone knew about the Japanese behavior during the war so it was not so shocking to read it in this book.

But this book is told by a young man, trying to figure out his responsibilities  to his family.   It is gripping information, all told in a mystical way.  And of course, beautifully written.   His descriptions of the weather and the rain and the heat make you feel as if you are right in the midst of the action.  Certainly, life was not simple living in Malaya in the 40s.   In many ways, it is a horrible story but it deserves to be told.   And it really is loving in the telling.  Well worth the time to read it.