The Barga Book Club met on a cool spring evening in a warm intimate art filled home just outside Barga to discuss, The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng.
The story, set in the area now known as Malaysia in the years after the Japanese occupation, in which the protagonist and narrator, an ethnic Chinese, who was the only survivor of a Japanese internment camp, and is now a Supreme Court Judge, describes in depth the history, clash of Asian cultures, discrimination, war and her will to survive, and commemorate her sister’s life and love of Japanese gardens, in an intricate intimate relationship with a gardener who would have been the enemy.
The descriptions are sublime. The story transports one fully to another world. For perhaps the first time, The Book Club’s opinion was unanimous. This was a compelling and beautiful story.
Salene summed it up with: A Garden A Woman and A Man. The Garden represents everything, the calmness, spiritual meaning, extremes of beauty and suffering.
Liz, the story which covers three periods, a relationship transition. had beautiful descriptions but sometimes bland or just understated.
Helen, tranquil, calming, atmospheric, reflective, pond reflections offering different perspectives, therapeutic.
Isobel, appreciated the book in a personal way as it reminded her of a family member with similar experiences and she could identify with the wartime memories.
Krysia enjoyed the historical context, the gentleness, beauty, but found little joy, and felt the writing was sad and joyless.
Boo felt its joy in the moment , not focusing on the past elements.
We welcomed two new Book Club members and look forward to seeing them and everyone again. As always the meal was stupendous and thank you to all who participated and contributed.
The next meetings are as follows:
April 22 My Brilliant Friend, Elena Ferrante at Helen’s
Wednesday May 27 Bel Canto, Anne Pachette at Boo’s
June White Masai, Corinne Hofmann
July The Lowland, Jhumpa Lahiri
