'The Garden of Evening Mists' by Tan Twan Eng

The Garden of Evening Mists, Tan Twan Eng (4.0)

There were many things I liked about this book and with just a few minor detractions. I particularly enjoyed reading about a time and place with which I was unfamiliar. The story takes place in Malaysia after WWII. It is told from the point of view of a Chinese Malaysian judge who returns after many years to the rural area near to where she was held in a POW camp by the Japanese. The story dips back to the time immediately after the war, when she worked with the tribunals to bring various Japanese and Malay collaborators to justice. It then spends most of the time on the many years of healing where she searched for solace as a survivor of the camp. During that time, she apprenticed with a Japanese gardener to create a tribute to her sister, who died as a prisoner. The angst and anger she feels towards the gardener battle with the admiration she has for his work. At first the writing of the book seemed too overwrought for me, but it seemed to become less flowery and more poetic as the story progressed. I appreciated his ability to paint a picture with words. He also made clear the conflicts of culture and history with the various people living in Malaya during and after WWII. Throughout the story, these facets are woven around the mystery of where she was held and what role the gardener had in the war – both making for a compelling plot.