Playing with Water * discussion

[Ruth]

What do you think so far?

[Ruth]

Got this today!

[Ruth]

I have only just started this novel, but so far I'm not too impressed. I may leave it for last.

It's a gross generalization, but it seems sometimes when I read things or listen to music written by the English the stress of the story/song is not put where I expect it. For example, they may spend 2 pages describing their breakfast and denote only a paragraph to the local culture.Songs are sometimes beautiful, but there is not enough raw passion to really grasp my attention (i.e. Coldplay vs. Janis Joplin).

The first pages of this book are obviously well written, but not very exciting. Perhaps it will get better?

I see you are reading it Talia - what do you think so far?

[Talia]

I'm rather disappointed with it myself, Ruth. It seems to be just as much about his life in England (this being said only 45 pages in; haven't been able to sit and read it for long periods.) as much as Tiwarik and Kansulay. I also don't like that he doesn't seem to appreciate nature or be interested in local customs. It feels like he's claiming to go native for a third of the year, but so far it doesn't look like he does. Maybe my opinion will change once I've finished it.

[Talia]

I am now halfway through. my opinion hasn't changed any. There isn't as much information about the average Filipino life as I would like. He talks about fishing and "this is how you dry fish in the traditional way" then suddenly it's about the bombs he and his best friend mad and set off in the friend's backyard when he was 14. I don't have high hopes for the rest of the book.

[Talia]

This is one of those books that you can't appreciate until the last chapter. I still feel that he painted the Philippines in a bad light and that it's not a particularly good book; however, the last chapter was well written and kind of explained some of the other things in the book.

[Ruth]

good to know thanks for the tip!