Percival Chen is the headmaster of the most respected English school in Saigon. He is also a bon vivant, a compulsive gambler and an incorrigible womanizer. He is well accustomed to bribing a forever-changing list of government officials in order to maintain the elite status of the Percival Chen English Academy. Fiercely proud of his Chinese heritage, he is quick to spot the business opportunities rife in a divided country. He devotedly ignores all news of the fighting that swirls around him, choosing instead to read the faces of his opponents at high-stakes mahjong tables. But when his only son gets into trouble with the Vietnamese authorities, Percival faces the limits of his connections and wealth and is forced to send Dai Jai away. In the loneliness that follows, Percival finds solace in Jacqueline, a beautiful woman of mixed French and Vietnamese heritage, and Laing Jai, a son born to them on the eve of the Tet offensive. Percival's new-found happiness is precarious, and as the complexities of war encroach further and further into his world, he must confront the tragedy of all he has refused to see.
My thoughts:
A lot happened in this book, where to start? It took place over a few decades and even if a lot did not always happened to the character, then the world around him was re-shaped.
Percival is the principal of an English school. Is he a good guy? Well what is a good guy? He is kind (sort of), he cares about his family and tries to make their lives better. But at the same time he spends a lot of time gambling and whoring. But I would call him a good guy, a naive stupid man who is neither good or bad. Just human.
He leaves China when the Japanese comes. Then they come to Vietnam too (damn war is evil!). He marries, he has a son. He finds his father. The French, the Americans and later the Northern Army all fight over Vietnam (arghh I do not get communists! Fair, fair? There is nothing such as equal rights with them.) Yes this is a country that sees war, but it's not always present. He manages to stay away from much of it. But we do get a taste of the brutalities too.
Other people we get to know is his son, his ex-wife, who was a sort of a harpy but I liked her. Teacher Mak, Percival's mistress and many more. It's not a happy book so all of these wont be happy in the end. I felt sorry of the country, and of the people, and all the metisse children. But war and shaping a new country is never easy. It's bloody, horrible and disgusting.
I did come to realize that I know way too little of this era. Mostly cos what I know has been shaped through US eyes. And here we get the view of a Chinese man, who does not have it easy either as he is not liked either.
Conclusion:
An interesting story
Cover
Works
Fiction
Paperback, 400 pages
Published April 2nd 2013 by Anchor Canada (first published April 24th 2012)
Own
I hadn't heard of this one but its certainly something I would like to read. I like the cover as well.
ReplyDeleteIt was good. I like fiction
DeleteIt does sound interesting but probably not for me.
ReplyDeleteYes maybe not
DeleteI like the fact that it is from a different perspective. You had me at the ex being a harpy but you liked her! LOL Might have to try it for that. :)
ReplyDeleteLol, there was something interesting about her
DeleteThis sounds like an eye-opening read for sure. Maybe it's not all happy endings and lovable characters, but I wouldn't expect that during this time in history. Great review, this sounds really interesting!
ReplyDeleteIt would not seem to right if everyone was happy cos it did not get better after the end either
DeleteI agree it sounds interesting but I don't think it's for me...
ReplyDeleteNot everyone's cup of tea
DeleteThat does sound interesting. I'm making note of it.
ReplyDeleteI think it would fit you
DeleteThis sounds good, and the historical aspect of this interests me more than the character but I am glad he is human and flawed.
ReplyDeleteVery flawed, but that is good, we are all flawed
DeleteHuh. Sounds interesting....a different POV and I like reading uncommon POVs. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI like that too
DeleteSounds like this book gives readers a different view, so I'll keep this one in mind.
ReplyDeleteAnd I read a war book ;) But always at the wrong time
DeleteIT does sound like an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteIt was
DeleteAnd seeing this era through US eyes is supremely biased...
ReplyDeleteYeah, it is. So I am glad I he wrote from another perspective
DeleteThis is an era I know nothing about but it sounds good.
ReplyDeleteYou and me both
DeleteGreat review, there is too much sorrow in that time period and place of the world for me to enjoy reading about it. But I am glad you liked it B.
ReplyDeleteThere was sorrow, but the way it was written, he was always far from the fighting...most of the time
DeletePercival sounds like an interesting character. I might like this one.
ReplyDeleteYou just might
DeleteThis sounds like an interesting book and I think the cover is lovely.
ReplyDeleteSo lovely
DeleteI'd imagine not everyone gets a happy ending in this book.
ReplyDeleteIt just can't happen
DeleteThat is so true!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes the cover is so pretty
Beautiful cover, makes me want to pick it up :)
ReplyDeleteThey did well there
Deletenow this is a pretty cover!
ReplyDelete:)
Delete