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The Heart Radical
Esteemed human rights lawyer Su-Lin Tan barely recognises Professor Paris Thumboo when he delivers a history lecture in London. For the last time she saw him was in a crowded Malayan courtroom more than half a century ago, during the trial that would change her life...It's 1951 and Malaya is in the grip of 'The Emergency' between the government forces and communist rebels. Yet eight-year-old Su-Lin lives in relative ignorance of the chaos raging around her. That is until she shadows her beloved father, esteemed defence barrister K. C. Tan, as he embarks on a controversial new case - and into Su-Lin's life walks war hero Dr Anna Thumboo, her son Paris and her lover, Toh Kei, the enigmatic leader of the jungle rebels. For Anna and Toh Kei, the trial is a matter of life and death. For Su-Lin it's the start of a journey of discovery - about love and sacrifice, about truth and lies, and about fighting for what you believe in, whatever the cost...
432 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2014
47 people want to read
About the author
Boyd Anderson
9 books3 followersBoyd Anderson spent several years as a creative director in advertising, winning many awards in New York, Cannes, London, Los Angeles and Sydney. Boyd now writes historical fiction. Amber Road is his fourth novel, following Children of the Dust, Ludo and Errol, Fidel and the Cuban Rebel Girls. He lives in Sydney.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 10, 2014
I haven’t read a lot about the Japanese occupation of Malaya so I was keen to read The Heart Radical and gain some insight into this era. It’s an interesting read – sometimes emotional and sometimes dry – with a few parallels to the classic To Kill a Mockingbird. That’s a big claim because they are two very different books in many ways, but the young daughter (Su-Lin) watching her lawyer father embark on a controversial case reminded me of Scout and Atticus Finch, and the underlying theme of fighting for what you believe in or standing up for what is right only strengthened the connection, at least in my eyes.
When Professor Paris Thumboo delivers a history lecture in London, human rights lawyer Su-Lin Tan barely recognises him. She last saw him more than 50 years earlier in a Malayan courtroom, when his mother, Anna, was on trial, charged with aiding communists. Now he’s reappeared in her life, while she is in the midst of the trial of a suspected terrorist, and wants her to read Anna’s story of the events leading to her trial. Su-Lin agrees and in the process recalls her own childlike understanding of a political conflict, euphemistically described by the then government as ‘The Emergency’, that changed her life. She recalls the court case, which was a matter of life or death for Anna and her lover, communist rebel leader Toh Kei, but served as inspiration for Su-Lin to become a defender of human rights.
A well-researched historical novel, The Heart Radical moves between past and present, with the flashbacks told by eight-year-old Su-Lin and Anna Thumboo, and the present told by an adult Su-Lin and Paris. It does take a bit of effort to keep up, as sometimes the viewpoints and time periods change unexpectedly. It also took a while to hook me in, as I found Su-Lin’s voice dry and harder to connect with; I just couldn’t warm to the adult Su-Lin. Anna’s voice, however, pulled me in and also pulled at my emotions and I found that I wanted to skip the present and just find out what happened to Anna, even though at times it was devastating to read. The present-day narrative also included an interesting dance between Su-Lin and Paris as they contemplate embarking on a romantic relationship. It seemed superfluous and added nothing to the story except distraction … I didn’t feel anything to believe they could really have a future despite their long ago connection.
As I read, I found myself dwelling on the use of the word “radical” in the title. In the novel, the word has a number of connotations. There’s the political aspect – the war or “Emergency” in Malaya, and in London, the trial of a suspected terrorist; there’s the intriguing aspect in which Su-Lin learns Chinese characters as a child (radicals are an essential element of the Chinese alphabet); and then there are the radical decisions some of the characters make, rooted in love, values, justice and politics. Trust me to go off on that tangent …
A book that encourages thought and contrasts different cultures and legal systems (without being a courtroom drama, The Heart Radical is worth a read if you like historical or literary fiction. I liked the way it made me think, and I liked some aspects of the narrative more than others (Anna’s story, for example), but overall didn’t feel convinced by the dual time periods – the stories just didn’t weave together as well as I would have liked, seeming distant from one another for more reasons than the 50-year gap in time.
When Professor Paris Thumboo delivers a history lecture in London, human rights lawyer Su-Lin Tan barely recognises him. She last saw him more than 50 years earlier in a Malayan courtroom, when his mother, Anna, was on trial, charged with aiding communists. Now he’s reappeared in her life, while she is in the midst of the trial of a suspected terrorist, and wants her to read Anna’s story of the events leading to her trial. Su-Lin agrees and in the process recalls her own childlike understanding of a political conflict, euphemistically described by the then government as ‘The Emergency’, that changed her life. She recalls the court case, which was a matter of life or death for Anna and her lover, communist rebel leader Toh Kei, but served as inspiration for Su-Lin to become a defender of human rights.
A well-researched historical novel, The Heart Radical moves between past and present, with the flashbacks told by eight-year-old Su-Lin and Anna Thumboo, and the present told by an adult Su-Lin and Paris. It does take a bit of effort to keep up, as sometimes the viewpoints and time periods change unexpectedly. It also took a while to hook me in, as I found Su-Lin’s voice dry and harder to connect with; I just couldn’t warm to the adult Su-Lin. Anna’s voice, however, pulled me in and also pulled at my emotions and I found that I wanted to skip the present and just find out what happened to Anna, even though at times it was devastating to read. The present-day narrative also included an interesting dance between Su-Lin and Paris as they contemplate embarking on a romantic relationship. It seemed superfluous and added nothing to the story except distraction … I didn’t feel anything to believe they could really have a future despite their long ago connection.
As I read, I found myself dwelling on the use of the word “radical” in the title. In the novel, the word has a number of connotations. There’s the political aspect – the war or “Emergency” in Malaya, and in London, the trial of a suspected terrorist; there’s the intriguing aspect in which Su-Lin learns Chinese characters as a child (radicals are an essential element of the Chinese alphabet); and then there are the radical decisions some of the characters make, rooted in love, values, justice and politics. Trust me to go off on that tangent …
A book that encourages thought and contrasts different cultures and legal systems (without being a courtroom drama, The Heart Radical is worth a read if you like historical or literary fiction. I liked the way it made me think, and I liked some aspects of the narrative more than others (Anna’s story, for example), but overall didn’t feel convinced by the dual time periods – the stories just didn’t weave together as well as I would have liked, seeming distant from one another for more reasons than the 50-year gap in time.
February 11, 2014
In the late 1940's, having successfully resisted Japanese occupation during WW2 with Britain's clandestine assistance, groups of Malayan nationalists began to object to Britain's administration of the country's assets. In the eyes of the MNLA (Malayan National Liberation Army) and associated organisations, the country had simply exchanged one oppressor for another. With Malaysia's industries essential for the repair of post war Britain, any rebellion was quickly quashed by the administrators but in 1948, sparked by the execution style murder of three European plantation owners, an 'Emergency' was declared outlawing any rebellion. Determined to fight for Malayan independence, the MNLA retreated into the jungle from which they planned and launched guerrilla attacks aimed to destabilise the government.
Knowledge about the The Malayan Emergency is not widely held in the present day but Boyd Anderson recreates the tumultuous period of history, blending fact with fiction, to create an interesting and poignant tale of love, conflict, culture and faith in The Heart Radical.
The three part structure unfolds mainly through the reminisces of Su-Lin Tan, and her reading of Dr Anna Thumboo's journal.
Su-Lin was a child at the time of The Emergency, her father a well respected barrister who would eventually defended a leader of the MNLA, Toh Kei, against murder charges. Su-Lin recalls herself as a bright and curious eight year old trying to make sense of Malaysia's upheaval.
Dr Anna Thumboo was a young woman, a widow and mother, who provided medical aid to the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) later known as the MNLA firstly during the 'Japanese Time' and then The Emergency. Battling recurrent illness Toh Kei spent several periods under the care of Anna and the two fell in love. Her journal is essentially a letter to her son, Paris, written shortly before her death, sharing her experience of the times and an explanation of sorts for the choices she made.
I found I was sometimes unsure about the timeline, which is complicated by memories within memories, but the perspectives of Su-Lin and Anna were compelling enough to dismiss any brief periods of disorientation. In contrast, I found the scenes in the present day intrusive, Paris Thumboo's character seemed irrelevant and I think a direct link between Su-Lin and the manuscript could have easily been established without him. Similarly the contemporary love story that develops between the two characters is a distraction that I wasn't interested in.
Though I rarely comment on a book's title I have to mention how apt I found this one. Within the novel's context it has dual meanings, as both a root character of the Chinese written language and as an explanation of the radical actions of Dr Anna Thumboo and Toh Kei.
Though some elements didn't quite work for me, overall I found The Heart Radical to be an engaging read. Anderson's well researched historical detail is interesting and the voices of Su-Lin and Anna are compelling.
January 27, 2014
This is a beautifully written, well researched and frequently riveting and emotional story of two families caught up in the Japanese occupation of Malaya and later in the often now forgotten Malayan "Emergency", one of the first East-West Asian Communist conflicts to gain independence from foreign colonialism.
Su-Lin Tan, a Malayan Chinese girl, was eight years old in 1951 when she had a life-changing experience as she watched her father, esteemed defence barrister K. C. Tan, defend a controversial case where Toh Kei, the leader of the Communist jungle rebels is accused of two murders that helped to spark the Emergency. Seated beside her are Toh Kei's lover, Dr Anna Thumboo, and her six year old son Paris. Anna, a Eurasian with a Dutch father and Indian mother, had known Toh Kei since the Japanese occupation when she provided medical care for his anti-Japanese resistance group and later on when he went back into the jungle to fight for freedom from British colonial rule.
Anderson skilfully explores contrasting cultures and outlooks in Malaya during and after the war, especially how the British rulers handled taking back control of their old colony after the Japanese have left. Toh Kei changes from a British decorated hero of the anti-Japanese resistance to a hunted leader of the "Communist Terrorists" fighting for Malayan independence from the British.
More than fifty years later Su-Lin Tan is an esteemed human rights lawyer in England, specialising in human rights cases. She barely recognises Professor Paris Thumboo when he delivers a history lecture in London. Despite the wide difference in their worlds since they last met, Paris gives Su-Lin a copy of his mother's personal account to him of her torture by the Japanese and her relationship with Toh Kei and asks Su-Lin for her reactions.
The story is written in the present and the past through the eyes of Su-Lin, Paris and Anna Thumboo slowly taking the reader into the "Japanese Time" and "The Emergency". It explores the education and development of Su-Lin in both Western and Chinese ways and languages and the influence of her father which starts a journey of discovery of what she wants to do in the world to fight for what she believes in, despite the odds.
Boyd Anderson has written a well-researched, sometimes provocative and uplifting story that skilfully explores contrasting cultures in Malaya and their views of the world. It has characters to care about and to hate, and a compelling understanding and sense of Malaya at its most difficult times. I would highly recommended it to those who enjoy reading the best in historical literary fiction.
Anderson is an Australian author of Amber Road, which was set in Singapore during WWII which is now on my must-read list. It fascinates me that so many talented contemporary Australian authors can write such meaningful novels about fairly recent history in their near neighbours.
My thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this book for my honest review.
Su-Lin Tan, a Malayan Chinese girl, was eight years old in 1951 when she had a life-changing experience as she watched her father, esteemed defence barrister K. C. Tan, defend a controversial case where Toh Kei, the leader of the Communist jungle rebels is accused of two murders that helped to spark the Emergency. Seated beside her are Toh Kei's lover, Dr Anna Thumboo, and her six year old son Paris. Anna, a Eurasian with a Dutch father and Indian mother, had known Toh Kei since the Japanese occupation when she provided medical care for his anti-Japanese resistance group and later on when he went back into the jungle to fight for freedom from British colonial rule.
Anderson skilfully explores contrasting cultures and outlooks in Malaya during and after the war, especially how the British rulers handled taking back control of their old colony after the Japanese have left. Toh Kei changes from a British decorated hero of the anti-Japanese resistance to a hunted leader of the "Communist Terrorists" fighting for Malayan independence from the British.
More than fifty years later Su-Lin Tan is an esteemed human rights lawyer in England, specialising in human rights cases. She barely recognises Professor Paris Thumboo when he delivers a history lecture in London. Despite the wide difference in their worlds since they last met, Paris gives Su-Lin a copy of his mother's personal account to him of her torture by the Japanese and her relationship with Toh Kei and asks Su-Lin for her reactions.
The story is written in the present and the past through the eyes of Su-Lin, Paris and Anna Thumboo slowly taking the reader into the "Japanese Time" and "The Emergency". It explores the education and development of Su-Lin in both Western and Chinese ways and languages and the influence of her father which starts a journey of discovery of what she wants to do in the world to fight for what she believes in, despite the odds.
Boyd Anderson has written a well-researched, sometimes provocative and uplifting story that skilfully explores contrasting cultures in Malaya and their views of the world. It has characters to care about and to hate, and a compelling understanding and sense of Malaya at its most difficult times. I would highly recommended it to those who enjoy reading the best in historical literary fiction.
Anderson is an Australian author of Amber Road, which was set in Singapore during WWII which is now on my must-read list. It fascinates me that so many talented contemporary Australian authors can write such meaningful novels about fairly recent history in their near neighbours.
My thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this book for my honest review.
February 26, 2014
Su-Lin Tan is a human rights lawyer working in London but in 1951 she was an 8yo Malay-Chinese girl watching her father, also a lawyer as he defended people in impossible situations. One case that has always stuck in her mind was the one of Toh Kei, a Communist jungle rebel leader who was accused of two murders that helped spark what was termed as ‘The Emergency’. Toh Kei’s lover was Dr Anna Thumboo and Su-Lin spent some time with Anna’s son, Paris Thumboo sitting beside them as her father defended Toh Kei in court.
When she sees him deliver a lecture in London it is 50 years later. She barely recognises him but she introduces herself to him and he remembers her. He also ends up giving her his mother’s personal account of what happened to her when she was captured by the Japanese for treating the rebels medical problems. Dr Thumboo was incarcerated for a length of time, away from her then very young infant son, tortured and treated appallingly. The doctor first treated the rebels in their war against Japanese occupation, sewing up bullet wounds and helping administer medications for malaria and some of the more debilitating jungle fevers. Toh Kei was brought to her and in order to heal him, he had to stay under her care for several weeks. He would return periodically for more treatment or with others and he and Anna developed a relationship.
In the present day, Paris gives the memoir to Su-Lin and asks for her thoughts. Very busy with a human rights case going before a court in London, Su-Lin reads the story in bits and pieces, immersing herself in another side of a time she remembers from her childhood.
One thing I always note when I read historical fiction/historical books based on true events is how appallingly bad my general knowledge of history is. I only did history twice in school, once in year 7 (Australian history) and once in year 8 (British history, WW history) so really – there’s a lot of gaps there. Sometimes I manage to educate myself through reading books and picking up pieces of information and then supplementing that with research after. The danger in doing this though is that many books are based on real events but change things to suit the story etc. You can end up wondering what is true and what isn’t. My knowledge of Asian history is even poorer than my general history knowledge – to be honest I’d never even heard of The Emergency before I read this book (so termed because the insurers for the tin and rubber industries wouldn’t cover any losses if it was determined a “war”).
To be honest, what happened is far too complicated to go into during this review but briefly, after the end of WW2 when Britain was trying to repair the Malayan economy and situation, they banned the leftist and communist parties. This led to the retreat of the Malayan Communist Party to the rural area, up into the jungle. They formed the MNLA, also known as the Malayan Races Liberation Army (MRLA), or the Malayan People’s Liberation Army (MPLA) and began using guerilla tactics against the Commonwealth. In this novel, Toh Kei is a leader of such a guerilla group, living with his band of soldiers high up in the jungle and targeting resources such as the tin mines and rubber plantations. Anna Thumboo lived in a remote village treating the locals and was occasionally called upon to discreetly treat the rebels both under Japanese occupation and later on under British colonial rule when they were trying to abolish the communists.
This is a story in many parts – Su-Lin’s childhood, Anna’s life especially during the Japanese occupation and then later during “The Emergency” and the present day with Paris and Su-Lin. Of all of these perspectives, the one that fascinated me the most was Anna. I wish that her portion of the book had been greater – I’d have loved to get deeper into her treating of the rebels, her life in that small village when the Japanese were threatening, even more when she was captured and especially more about her relationship with Toh Kei. We get brief accounts in her memoirs, very brief really and she seems to censor herself because she’s writing for Paris to read it in the future. I could’ve read a whole book on Anna’s life from the time her husband was taken until the end, so interested in her as a character was I. I also enjoyed Su-Lin’s narrative of her childhood – she was a bright and interesting girl and it’s no surprise that she went on to such a highly esteemed career.
Unfortunately the scenes from the present day dragged this book down for me. It was awkward meeting after awkward meeting where they would have some sort of misunderstanding or develop some unflattering opinion of the other but then they’d be unable to let it go and we’d just repeat pretty much the same scenario each time the book returned to the current day. I am not entirely sure why Paris gave the memoir to Su-Lin to read, if it was just because she was there, if it was because of her father or her current profession but she had a pretty lackadaisical attitude in reading it and I really just wanted the story to get back to Anna so I could find out what happened next and ultimately, what happened to her and Toh Kei.
Despite my frustrations with the present day characters and the fact that for me, it made me lose focus a bit, I did really enjoy this book overall. I found it very interesting to read about “The Emergency” and what it was like and the different thoughts behind it. Coming right at the end of WWII it was when Communist paranoia in the west was at its height and it seems that they wanted to stamp it out of anywhere they could. I did lots of reading after I finished this one to find out more about what had happened in Malaysia’s history – filling in my education gaps!
Boyd Anderson has another novel set in Asia, Singapore this time, set during the Second World War called Amber Road. Think I’ll be tracking that one down to read pretty soon.
When she sees him deliver a lecture in London it is 50 years later. She barely recognises him but she introduces herself to him and he remembers her. He also ends up giving her his mother’s personal account of what happened to her when she was captured by the Japanese for treating the rebels medical problems. Dr Thumboo was incarcerated for a length of time, away from her then very young infant son, tortured and treated appallingly. The doctor first treated the rebels in their war against Japanese occupation, sewing up bullet wounds and helping administer medications for malaria and some of the more debilitating jungle fevers. Toh Kei was brought to her and in order to heal him, he had to stay under her care for several weeks. He would return periodically for more treatment or with others and he and Anna developed a relationship.
In the present day, Paris gives the memoir to Su-Lin and asks for her thoughts. Very busy with a human rights case going before a court in London, Su-Lin reads the story in bits and pieces, immersing herself in another side of a time she remembers from her childhood.
One thing I always note when I read historical fiction/historical books based on true events is how appallingly bad my general knowledge of history is. I only did history twice in school, once in year 7 (Australian history) and once in year 8 (British history, WW history) so really – there’s a lot of gaps there. Sometimes I manage to educate myself through reading books and picking up pieces of information and then supplementing that with research after. The danger in doing this though is that many books are based on real events but change things to suit the story etc. You can end up wondering what is true and what isn’t. My knowledge of Asian history is even poorer than my general history knowledge – to be honest I’d never even heard of The Emergency before I read this book (so termed because the insurers for the tin and rubber industries wouldn’t cover any losses if it was determined a “war”).
To be honest, what happened is far too complicated to go into during this review but briefly, after the end of WW2 when Britain was trying to repair the Malayan economy and situation, they banned the leftist and communist parties. This led to the retreat of the Malayan Communist Party to the rural area, up into the jungle. They formed the MNLA, also known as the Malayan Races Liberation Army (MRLA), or the Malayan People’s Liberation Army (MPLA) and began using guerilla tactics against the Commonwealth. In this novel, Toh Kei is a leader of such a guerilla group, living with his band of soldiers high up in the jungle and targeting resources such as the tin mines and rubber plantations. Anna Thumboo lived in a remote village treating the locals and was occasionally called upon to discreetly treat the rebels both under Japanese occupation and later on under British colonial rule when they were trying to abolish the communists.
This is a story in many parts – Su-Lin’s childhood, Anna’s life especially during the Japanese occupation and then later during “The Emergency” and the present day with Paris and Su-Lin. Of all of these perspectives, the one that fascinated me the most was Anna. I wish that her portion of the book had been greater – I’d have loved to get deeper into her treating of the rebels, her life in that small village when the Japanese were threatening, even more when she was captured and especially more about her relationship with Toh Kei. We get brief accounts in her memoirs, very brief really and she seems to censor herself because she’s writing for Paris to read it in the future. I could’ve read a whole book on Anna’s life from the time her husband was taken until the end, so interested in her as a character was I. I also enjoyed Su-Lin’s narrative of her childhood – she was a bright and interesting girl and it’s no surprise that she went on to such a highly esteemed career.
Unfortunately the scenes from the present day dragged this book down for me. It was awkward meeting after awkward meeting where they would have some sort of misunderstanding or develop some unflattering opinion of the other but then they’d be unable to let it go and we’d just repeat pretty much the same scenario each time the book returned to the current day. I am not entirely sure why Paris gave the memoir to Su-Lin to read, if it was just because she was there, if it was because of her father or her current profession but she had a pretty lackadaisical attitude in reading it and I really just wanted the story to get back to Anna so I could find out what happened next and ultimately, what happened to her and Toh Kei.
Despite my frustrations with the present day characters and the fact that for me, it made me lose focus a bit, I did really enjoy this book overall. I found it very interesting to read about “The Emergency” and what it was like and the different thoughts behind it. Coming right at the end of WWII it was when Communist paranoia in the west was at its height and it seems that they wanted to stamp it out of anywhere they could. I did lots of reading after I finished this one to find out more about what had happened in Malaysia’s history – filling in my education gaps!
Boyd Anderson has another novel set in Asia, Singapore this time, set during the Second World War called Amber Road. Think I’ll be tracking that one down to read pretty soon.
August 23, 2020
I prefer the Amber Road much more. Maybe because the intersperse between present and past in this book makes reading really choppy. I much prefer the past historical settings and it’s nice to stay there instead of jumping in and out.
February 12, 2022
Set in 1950s Malaysia, a setting I know nothing about, despite my dad having lived through it. The sections in the past evoked the setting well and the contemporary sections gave some character insight. I never really felt drawn into the story though.
June 30, 2018
Worth the effort to read, this is long and complicated story of life in Malaya during the 1950s Emergency.
January 9, 2025
Good read and gives a good insight into Malayan history.
June 18, 2017
The Heart Radical is told from the viewpoint of three characters across two distinct time periods. Paris and Su-Lin knew each other when young children in Malaysia and meet again in their 50's or 60's in London when Su-Lin attends a lecture of Paris' from curiosity.
After reacquainting, Paris gives Su-Lin a copy of his mother's memoirs to read. Paris and Su-Lin detail the misunderstandings and challenges they face in getting to know each other after so long. Su-Lin's perspective speaks in both the present day and, with memories triggered by the memoir, of her experiences during the Malayan Emergency - which the memoir is concerned with. The memoir is, of course, the third voice in the narrative.
This book reminded me a little of a hybrid Amy Tan meets To Kill a Mockingbird . The first due to the switches between current day and historical Asia, the second because of how the book slowly builds towards a trial. Amy Tan has long been a loved author and TKAM a beloved novel so this should have been a match made in heaven for me. As you can see my the rating - three stars - although I enjoyed this book it is not a favourite.
The book, for the most part, had a slow and ponderous feel that was heavy on characters' internal monologues and low on dialogue. Despite this, characterisation was shallow and the book had a superficiality to it. I don't believe the challenges faced by some characters - particularly Dr Thumboo were explored. This is a real shame, because it was Dr Thumboo's story that I found most riveting and that I wanted to know about. Instead we are cruelly dragged away from it time and time again to overhear Su-Lin's condescending views on Paris (the character, not the city!).
A word on the trial - Random House Australia have been advertising this as a court room drama - however the trial doesn't start until 300 pages in and then takes up only 80 pages or so. The trial is odd and feels out of step from the rest of the novel. I noted previously the ponderous style of the novel, however the trial feel almost feels as though written by a different author. I'm not sure if I've missed something, but it seems like the trial was more about the author bashing the reader over the head with his interpretation of the Malayan Emergency than in progressing the story of his characters.
The contemporary and historical sections of the book just don't seem well integrated. Other than the characters having the same names, there isn't any strong link between the two eras so they feel like two separate stories that never quite mesh. I was surprised by the concluding paragraphs as I felt it was inconsistent with how the author had presented Paris and Su-Lin and thus I did not find it either realistic or satisfying.
All in all, not a bad read but it is not something I'm likely to re-visit.
After reacquainting, Paris gives Su-Lin a copy of his mother's memoirs to read. Paris and Su-Lin detail the misunderstandings and challenges they face in getting to know each other after so long. Su-Lin's perspective speaks in both the present day and, with memories triggered by the memoir, of her experiences during the Malayan Emergency - which the memoir is concerned with. The memoir is, of course, the third voice in the narrative.
This book reminded me a little of a hybrid Amy Tan meets To Kill a Mockingbird . The first due to the switches between current day and historical Asia, the second because of how the book slowly builds towards a trial. Amy Tan has long been a loved author and TKAM a beloved novel so this should have been a match made in heaven for me. As you can see my the rating - three stars - although I enjoyed this book it is not a favourite.
The book, for the most part, had a slow and ponderous feel that was heavy on characters' internal monologues and low on dialogue. Despite this, characterisation was shallow and the book had a superficiality to it. I don't believe the challenges faced by some characters - particularly Dr Thumboo were explored. This is a real shame, because it was Dr Thumboo's story that I found most riveting and that I wanted to know about. Instead we are cruelly dragged away from it time and time again to overhear Su-Lin's condescending views on Paris (the character, not the city!).
A word on the trial - Random House Australia have been advertising this as a court room drama - however the trial doesn't start until 300 pages in and then takes up only 80 pages or so. The trial is odd and feels out of step from the rest of the novel. I noted previously the ponderous style of the novel, however the trial feel almost feels as though written by a different author. I'm not sure if I've missed something, but it seems like the trial was more about the author bashing the reader over the head with his interpretation of the Malayan Emergency than in progressing the story of his characters.
The contemporary and historical sections of the book just don't seem well integrated. Other than the characters having the same names, there isn't any strong link between the two eras so they feel like two separate stories that never quite mesh. I was surprised by the concluding paragraphs as I felt it was inconsistent with how the author had presented Paris and Su-Lin and thus I did not find it either realistic or satisfying.
All in all, not a bad read but it is not something I'm likely to re-visit.
February 27, 2014
This is a story that starts in the 1950s when the Japanese invaded Malaya and the issues faced with the Government, jungle guerrillas, rebels and Communists. The heart of the story is based around a court case and the events leading up to it.
It is told through the voice of a lawyer Su-Lin and professor Paris who knew each other as children because Su-Lin's father was the lawyer who helped Paris' mother. Su-Lin and Paris meet up some 50 years later now grown up with a lifetime of memories and talk you through their lives as youngsters with their families, all leading up to the centre of the story - the court case.
There was insight into the Chinese culture and beliefs that I found really interesting, in fact my favourite part of the book was the Chinese belief telling the young girls that for every grain of rice they left in their bowls would be a dimple in their husbands face! That really made me smile :-)
The story chopped and changed from the kids views to the adults views, and this I found quite hard to follow and really get into the story. The Drs story and the court case are the parts I liked the most, but the rest of the book just didn't engage me and I found it hard to stay interested.
I recommend this book to those interested in the Chinese culture and the 1950s war time in Malaya.
It is told through the voice of a lawyer Su-Lin and professor Paris who knew each other as children because Su-Lin's father was the lawyer who helped Paris' mother. Su-Lin and Paris meet up some 50 years later now grown up with a lifetime of memories and talk you through their lives as youngsters with their families, all leading up to the centre of the story - the court case.
There was insight into the Chinese culture and beliefs that I found really interesting, in fact my favourite part of the book was the Chinese belief telling the young girls that for every grain of rice they left in their bowls would be a dimple in their husbands face! That really made me smile :-)
The story chopped and changed from the kids views to the adults views, and this I found quite hard to follow and really get into the story. The Drs story and the court case are the parts I liked the most, but the rest of the book just didn't engage me and I found it hard to stay interested.
I recommend this book to those interested in the Chinese culture and the 1950s war time in Malaya.
June 10, 2014
If you like reading historical fiction through the eyes of everyday people I recommend this book.
It's based during the Japanese occupation of Malaya and while the British were there when The Malayan Emergency happened.
The story is told through the innocent eyes of an 8 year old Malayan Chinese girl, Su-Lin Tan and also by Dr Anna Thumboo a Eurasian (Dutch and Indian parents) and her son Paris.
The story flashes from the past to the present.
I personally think the author did a great job writing through Su-Lin's eyes and how she described and interpreted how she what was happening around her. Her love of the English language was amazing while also learning Chinese.
My favourite character was Dr. Anna Thumboo. How she survived in a foreign land after her husband died was unbelievable. First being pregnant, then a single mother. I can't believe what the Japanese did to her. She truly is a hero.
I enjoyed the first part of the book the most. This was the part about the character lives which leads into the 2nd and 3rd parts of the capture and trail of Toh Kei, a leader of the jungle rebels.
The 2nd and 3rd part was when Su-Lin experienced her life changing experience of watching her father be a barrister defending Toh Kei.
All up, I enjoyed reading The Heart Radical and now have added Boyd Anderson's Amber Road to my TBR list.
It's based during the Japanese occupation of Malaya and while the British were there when The Malayan Emergency happened.
The story is told through the innocent eyes of an 8 year old Malayan Chinese girl, Su-Lin Tan and also by Dr Anna Thumboo a Eurasian (Dutch and Indian parents) and her son Paris.
The story flashes from the past to the present.
I personally think the author did a great job writing through Su-Lin's eyes and how she described and interpreted how she what was happening around her. Her love of the English language was amazing while also learning Chinese.
My favourite character was Dr. Anna Thumboo. How she survived in a foreign land after her husband died was unbelievable. First being pregnant, then a single mother. I can't believe what the Japanese did to her. She truly is a hero.
I enjoyed the first part of the book the most. This was the part about the character lives which leads into the 2nd and 3rd parts of the capture and trail of Toh Kei, a leader of the jungle rebels.
The 2nd and 3rd part was when Su-Lin experienced her life changing experience of watching her father be a barrister defending Toh Kei.
All up, I enjoyed reading The Heart Radical and now have added Boyd Anderson's Amber Road to my TBR list.
September 13, 2015
What a beautifully told story of life growing up in Malaya at the end of World War II and during the Malayan Emergency. A life story seen primarily through the eyes of an eight year old Chinese girl, Su-Lin. A life of awakening; a life of war and conflict, of joy and heartbreak, of dawning wisdom and fatherly love. A story of ambition and lost opportunities. Beautifully written by Boyd Anderson, this novel had me engrossed from start to finish. The court room scenes toward the end of the book were captivating and had me sitting on the edge of my seat. I am the same age as the main character, Su-Lin, and having grown up in Australia, I am very familiar with that part of South East Asia and the various conflicts and political turmoil that has been a part of the history of the area. Highly recommended.
August 6, 2016
I like this better than Amber Road, though I feel the ending is too contrived. As with Amber Road, I feel a tiny bit irritated by the representation of the local English speech - it approximates, but falls short of authenticity. Otherwise an absorbing story, steeped in history and local colour.
January 26, 2014
Review to come after publication.
May 12, 2014
The last 100 pages were good but I found the start abit slow.
January 16, 2015
Love this author.
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