The Gift of Rain: A Novel

I was first introduced to Tan Twan Eng through his book The Garden of Evening Mists. I have read both of these books through twice and would probably do it again. Tan Twan Eng writes beautifully. The Gift of Rain is an equally deeply moving, poignant and painful story. The narrative flows even while moving from present to the past,and the characters are drawn so convincingly that you can find empathy with each even during the most conflictive moments. It is a test of trust and betrayal as our protaganist takes the path towards understanding who he really is, what he wants to become, the obstacles placed within him and before him and his final acceptance of the consequences of his choices along the route to self discovery. and all of this during the most tumultuous times. Set in what was then Malaya before and during the 2nd World War it introduces us to the magnitude of the pain and suffering the people endured during Japan's invasion and occupation over a six year period including the impact of its brutal attack upon China. It also contrasts these with the more benign occupation of the British which neverless placed many hardship upon the native population. Eng's passion for his country and the beautiful images he creates for the reader take you into the very heart and soul of this beautiful country.

I really enjoyed 'The Gift of Rain', despite the historical and technical inaccuracies. For one who has studied the military history of the region, reading about Australian troops in Penang in 1940 when none were in theater until 1941, or troops of the RNF wearing their red and white hackles on their slouch hats, or being the first to land in Penang (it was the Royal Marines) and so on doesn't detract from the narrative. It doesn't claim to be an accurate historical account although there is plenty of accurate historical detail included. it claims to be a story of people caught up in situations beyond their control, living and reliving their lives and as literature, it hits the mark. It was refreshing, as a writer and indie publisher, to see there were typos and formatting glitches in a book coming from a major publishing house. Even the big guys have gremlins when it comes to converting to .mobi, it seems. Again, none of these detracted from the power of the story and the presentation of the characters. Tan has done a superb job. It is a book that covers a few genre including historical fiction, literary fiction and even queer lit as the relationship between Philip Hutton and Endo-san is clearly a homosexual one as well as teacher-student, although this relationship is very nicely managed by Tan. As a martial artist myself who has trained in Aikijutsu and other arts, I enjoyed the many passages relating to the arts and training and they are intrinsic to the story. I look forward to reading more by this Malaysian author.

This is a lyrical portrait of WWII Penang, an exploration of conflicting loyalties and resolute friendship in the face of terrible realities, and a peek into an evolving multi-cultural society. The strong points of this novel are the writing, which manages to be both breath-taking and engaging, and also the personal conflicts that it describes in the protagonist. Philip is not always easy to like at each step of the book (although the author does give you time to get to know the character before things fall apart), but unlike other novels where an unsympathetic protagonist destroyed my interest in the story, this book prompted me to think deeply about how I would handle the same competing loyalties, and which path is better -- personally, for family, friends, and society. Novels that prompt this type of deep thought without coming off as at all preachy are rare, and I value the book for handling the issue so deftly. I have a couple minor quibbles. The first of which was the most distracting for me -- Philip witnesses and participates in quite a few atrocities, and while he seems to harbor no illusions about his role in them and is certainly appalled by what happened, I feel that in similar circumstances I would be significantly more scarred psychologically. Reading through these chapters is difficult, and while the author does a good job of explaining why the choices Philip made seemed the best to him at the time, he doesn't explain why the things he sees and participates in don't drive him mad. The second quibble is more of a personal aversion to the quick dips into visions of past lives, which just strikes me as hokey and unrealistic. You don't need those dips to explain his relationship with Endo-san. Their relationship is the center of the story and it stands clearly and beautifully on its own. Given my tendency to eye-roll at these glimpses, it's hard for me to feel comfortable with the necessity of the ending of their story. Overall, I loved the book and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in international fiction. However there are scenes of disturbing violence, and if you're the type of reader that doesn't enjoy a book that you know from the beginning is going to end badly, you won't enjoy the tension that laces this story. And it is heart-breaking, in the most beautiful way possible.

Excellent poetic language, realistic war accounts, an exciting read. Too much reference on Japanese martial art. Confusing to those have have no interest in it.

I found this book absorbing from beginning to end. It's themes are thought provoking, with unexpected twists and turns, but always allowing the reader to make up his or her own mind whilst the naturally beautiful writing seamlessly binds the often painful story together perfectly. This is the first review I have felt compelled to write having enjoyed the book so much. It is a page turner in an unconventional way, one wants to know how the story unfolds but the lyrical writing also compels one to read just a few more pages for the sheer enjoyment afforded by the skill of the author to combine words so effectively.

I suggested this for our book club and it was excellent. I won't go over the plot, the publisher does a good job there. At book club this novel led to some really interesting discussion. I hardly know where to begin it was so good. It was a strong and interesting storyline and the author uses beautiful imagery in this well told story. This is not a fluffy pulp fiction but is a meaty literary novel. Something I learned by reading this novel was about the invasion of Malay by the Japanese during WWII. There were also a number of aspects regarding both the Chinese culture and Japanese culture demonstrated to the reader which also meant for a more meaningful understanding about why some of the characters did or acted in ways we may not have otherwise understood. He fleshed out his characters so well that we wanted to be with them and follow them throughout the novel. I was so impressed with this novel and how it was written that I plan to seek out more of his writing. Definitely recommended.

I discovered this relatively late; as a 2007 Booker prize winner, it's one that passed me by until recently. In a nutshell, I'm blown away by narrative, plot, central characters and, more importantly, the thought provoking elements to this tale. It's one difficult to summarize. It's set, initially, in Penang, 1939. Philip Hutton is a mixed race ( British/Chinese) son of an established and wealthy trader. He meets with a Japanese aikijitsu master, Endo San, where a master/pupil relationship develops. Hutton develops a spiritual, intellectual and physical awareness which remains with him. An inexorable bond is born between pupil and sensei. This bond challenges truth, trust, family ties and more in the second part of the book, following the Japanese invasion. This is very much a book of two halves; the first part is thoughtful and esoteric. The second part is fast paced, dramatic and brings to fruition all the moral, ethical and familial challenges set up by Hatton's friendship with an enemy. It explores the meaning of truth, trust, betrayal, family relationships, friendship...the lust is almost endless. It's a difficult book to explain without giving away the essence of the the story. A supernatural thread which transcends time and where previous and future lives are inexorably entwined. There are moments of unremitting brutality in the second part of the story. As a reader, I was totally compelled to engage with the reality on which much of this was based. And thereby lies the author's skill. Unpalatable events are recounted in a way that any reader must follow and from those events, lessons are drawn. I found the first part of the book slow. Stick with it as a foundation for later challenges. Certainly one of the best and most challenging titles I read in 2015. It's one which will stay with me.

What a delightful writer - this is a whole new world for me - a non European take on the Japanese occupation of Penang in Malaya during WWII. This is a very cleverly crafted book and a well-worthwhile read. The narrator is believable despite a plot that could stretch the imagination. The story canvasses the experiences of a sad teenager caught between the European and Chinese worlds and the tragic circumstances of how to survive during the occupation. Amazingly this is a tale of survival against huge odds - and a tender love that was never acknowledged beyond the pupil and his master and the appalling treachery caused by that love and respect. Having just read Richard Flanagan's The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Tan Twan Eng's other excellent view on that period; The garden of Evening Mists (set in the Cameron Highlands), the appalling callous treatment by the Japanese to their captured subjects, as well as to their own is heartbreaking. Both Eng's books explore the dichotomy - the gentle sensitivity and respect for art and culture and the other face of savage cruelty. In both there is a sage Japanese character that you almost like. These characters could almost be comical in their teaching and mentoring, but somehow Eng manages to make their actions resonate. Both books, indeed all three, are very worth while reads if you are interested in that period and the depths to which humankind can plumb. All are descriptive of their environment in a lively and informative way.