The Gift of Rain

by Tan Twan Eng

Driven by the prophetic words of an ancient soothsayer, this novel explores the opposing ideas of predestination and self-determination, as Philip traces a perilous and sometimes unclear path through the terrible years of the Second World War in Penang.

• ISBN10: 1905802048
• ISBN13: 9781905802043
• Publish Date: 8 March 2007 (first published 3 March 2007)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 12 September 2024
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Myrmidon Books Ltd
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 448
• Language: English

Reviews

[brokentune]

DNF.

I tried about 75 pages of this over the last week and it is not doing anything for me for the following reasons:

1. This is a slow-build of a novel at a time when I am not in the mood for a slow-paced, potentially over-written story.

2. Although the story is set in Penang and I have an interest in the place, it seems to be rather similar to Tan Twan Eng's second book The Garden of Evening Mists, which also deals with a WWII setting.

3. I have a feeling that I can guess where this story is going, and if I am right, it will be very similar to The Harmony Silk Factory. Too similar for my liking.

So, I am going to set this one aside for a book that does not feel like a repetition right now.

No rating.