The story is told in flashback. A private, secretive individual, Endo decides to teach Philip aikido if he’s willing to commit fully to the training. A good story doesn't need a gay, straight, bisexual, malay, chinese, eurasian, indian author. Having them all mashed together in one story made me lose sight of what the story was actually about. And it is so slow… I don’t mind a slow plot build-up, but the pre-war part of the story, almost 300 pages, progresses at a crawl. The library has a copy of Mr Tan’s second novel, ‘The Garden of Evening Mists’, set in 1950s Malaya and dealing with the aftermath of the war. The characters. Obviously, I wasn’t alive back in the late 1930s, but my parents had told me enough stories about life before the Japanese and what it was like living under their rule that I recognised a lot of it. During the course of the story, Philip makes a new friend, Yeap Chee Kon, whom everyone calls Kon.
Michiko Murakami - An old widow and Hayato Endo's love interest. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Booker club: The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng", "Man Booker 2007 Prize: The Gift of Rain", "The road not taken, or a predestined outcome? It is set in Java under Japanese occupation. Sixteen-year-old Philip Hutton is a loner. What is the location of agency? But more on that later.‘… the scent of wet grass wove through the air like threads entwining with the perfume of the flowers, creating an intricate tapestry of fragrance.’, ‘I have lived, I have travelled the world, and now, like a worn out clock, my life is winding down, the hands slowing, stepping out of the flow of time.’, ‘… she took the letter out… Its pages were folded, yellowed like old skin, the faint tattoo of the aged ink that had seeped onto the blank side visible to me.’, ‘… we walked up to the house, now warm and lit up from within, glowing like a Chinese paper lantern, and suddenly appearing just as fragile.’. You can buy the book on line (Amazon) and it is in English. I didn’t feel any connection to any of them. She becomes embittered after having to abort her child, and later plays a pivotal role in Kon's death. Much as I love history and historical tales, it got to the point where I was rolling my eyes at yet another story-within-the-story; I just wanted to get on with the main story. Towkay Yeap - Kon's father, a triad leader, who is a key figure in the resistance. Kon - Son of Towkay Yeap and aikido student of Hideki Tanaka. Fridae interviews Booker Prize-nominated Malaysian writer Tan Twan Eng on his first novel, The Gift of Rain. The Gift of Rain is not a gay novel.
The Gift of Rain is the first novel by Malaysian novelist Tan Twan Eng. Research-loving, Queen of Procrastination, Bullying, Sarah Dessen, YA, Twitter, Musings, Caul, Medicine Hat Horse, Franz Stigler, Charlie Brown, Handel, Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, Musings. Being Malaysian, I understood them, and, thanks to anime, I understood most of the Japanese words/phrases used but not all. Isabel Hutton - Philip's half-sister who helps the resistance and is betrayed by Uncle Lim.
This detailed literature summary also contains Quotes and a Free Quiz on The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng. His Chinese mother had died when he was young.
Philip never sees him after the war with no-one knowing where he went after Philip's final meeting near the end of the war. As they get to know one another, it didn’t take me long to work out Endo’s underlying motives. You have no idea how much I really, really wanted to like this book, even love this book. Philip telling her about Endo is the framing device for the story. 1 Plot; 2 Characters; 3 References; 4 Reviews; 5 External links; Plot . The catalyst for him revisiting his past is an unexpected visitor, Michiko Murakami. It seems that younger Malaysian authors are trying to understand what makes up their roots - I am waiting for book on the malayan emergency and then maybe an analysis of current day Malaysia with its so called multi happy racialism. It concerns Philip Hutton, of mixed Chinese-English heritage, and his relationship with Hayato Endo, a Japanese diplomat who teaches him aikido.
Far be it for me to say how anyone should write their story, but as a reader, I want it to be portrayed clearly, one way or the other. ... " �: What advice would you have for aspiring gay writers in Asia? " "The Gift of Rain is a war novel with a personal odyssey at its heart, one that complicates the stark lines of right and wrong during wartime. I was not expecting to be reading about mysticism, reincarnation and past lives even though I believe in those things. This study guide contains the following sections: Plot Summary; Chapters; Characters; Symbols and Symbolism. Stay strong! Sadly, I couldn’t care less for any of the characters, which is not what I wanted, especially in a story set in wartime. Su Yen - A female Communist guerrilla who leaves Yong Kwan to become Kon's lover. I was excited to read this book as it was written by a fellow Malaysian. In the first few chapters, there were familiar references, places I recognised, and the mention of the different local foods was enough to make my mouth water, triggering my sensory memories enough that I could almost taste them. Not only that, it is one of the best books I have read for a long while. THE GIFT OF RAIN. As Philip tells his story, we find out about his life – that he’s the youngest of four and the only child from his father’s second marriage. Will get it. The examples I quoted earlier are near the beginning of the book. Please read our, Taiwanese military mass wedding to feature its first same-sex couples, Senator of the Philippines, Imee Marcos seeks to establish property rights for cohabiting same-sex partners, The LGBT+ Community challenges Investment Firms on how they manage our money, Amnesty International condemnation of Indonesia's Military, First openly gay election candidate in Myanmar: 'I didn't want to lie to get votes', Keeping in touch during these difficult times and supporting our Community's most vulnerable, Korean media’s focus on ‘gay’ club in COVID-19 case further stigmatises LGBT people, Forced exorcisms touted as 'cure' for LGBT Indonesians. Near the end of the war he is killed by one of his fellow guerrillas and lover, Sen Yu, and Yong Kwan when trying to escape with Tanaka and Philip. The Gift of Rain is the first novel by Malaysian novelist Tan Twan Eng. At the end of the day, I think there are good ideas in this book, which would have worked better as separate stories. He has two older brothers, Edward and William, and a sister, Isabel, who’s closest in age to him. He becomes Kon's teacher in his time there. by Tan Twan Eng ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2008. Though this debut novel of divided loyalties in Southeast Asia during World War II has the epic sweep of a TV mini-series, portentous dialogue and belabored themes undermine its otherwise engrossing plot.
Written in lush, evocative prose, The Gift of Rain spans decades as it takes readers from the final days of the Chinese emperors to the dying era of the British Empire, and through the mystical temples, bustling cities, and forbidding rain forests of Malaya. he is cute... hahaha... will buy his book... Homosexual eroticism appears in "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence" which has been put to screen by Nagisa Oshima in the mid 80es, starring Takeshi Kitano and David Bowie. The novel is set in Penang. And to what extent do historical contingencies and other causalities set the limits of self-autonomy, particularly during the time of Japanese colonialism? Philip's grandfather - Father of Yu Mei and Yu Lian, who once tutored the Emperor Wen Zu. Booker club: The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng This novel evokes inevitable comparisons with Joseph Conrad. But it's also like a Merchant Ivory film with lots of martial arts. I lost count of the many times things were compared to other things.‘Hundreds of translucent crabs scuttled away at the vibration of our footsteps, parting before us like a curtain of glass-beads.’, ‘The gravel path sounded like ice being crunched as we walked past the fountain…’, I got to the point where I was pleading for sand to just be grains of sand…‘… the coarse sand was like grains of heated rice-husks beneath our bare feet.’. ... he is malaysian, and he is making a name for himself overseas ... an accomplishment ... ... ... and his sexuality is none of other people's business (fridae, please dont go the tabloid way) ... lets celebrate talent well appreciated instead ;) ... last but not least ... only 35! A very good read, indeed. Later on, its as if he didn’t know when to stop with the descriptions. I was expecting a book on patriotism, loyalty, betrayal, revenge. This page was last edited on 9 October 2020, at 12:46. But is the attraction romantic love or the love and respect between teacher and pupil? ... Have seen his book in Kino in Takashimaya. The author, Tan Twan Eng, would prefer for readers to focus on the book as a story of self-discovery and betrayal, set in Penang during the traumatic years of the Japanese Occupation in World War Two. He is killed while attempting to escape. The Gift of Rain Summary & Study Guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to help you understand the book. It is while Philip’s father and siblings are away in England for the summer that Philip first meets Hayato Endo. The novel is set in Penang. I’ll probably read it… one day. The family company, Hutton and Sons, was founded by his great-grandfather, and there was no shortage of money. The other thing I liked was the eloquent writing. Is some sort of Somerset Maugham thing happening here? Noel Hutton - The father of William, Edward, Isabel and Philip, and head of a large trading company Graham Hutton & Sons.