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Rīsumāte
Četrpadsmit gadu vecumā Lakšmi jāpamet dzimtā Ceilona, jo viņu izdod par sievu pie veca un it kā bagāta vīra no Malaizijas. Cerības dzīvot pārpilnībā un bezrūpībā itin drīz tiek satriektas pīšļos, un Lakšmi ir spiesta nevis izbaudīt labklājību un laimi, bet cīnīties par eksistenci. Pašas nepiepildītās vēlmes viņa tiecas īstenot, nodrošinot savu bērnu labklājību.
Rāni Manickas romānu “Rīsumāte” veido vairāku cilvēku stāsti par savas dzīves gājumu, kas kopā veido satriecošu laikmeta ainu, sniedzot brīnišķīgu iespēju uz eksotiskas dabas un atšķirīgas kultūras fona iepazīt veselas dzimtas likteni. Vēstījumā skan smiekli, zaudējuma sāpes, mīlestība un nodevība, izmantošana un pazemojumi, atzīšanās un piedošana. Spilgtajā tēlojumā ievijušies mīti un maģija, Austrumu folklora un simboli.
Rāni Manickas romānu “Rīsumāte” veido vairāku cilvēku stāsti par savas dzīves gājumu, kas kopā veido satriecošu laikmeta ainu, sniedzot brīnišķīgu iespēju uz eksotiskas dabas un atšķirīgas kultūras fona iepazīt veselas dzimtas likteni. Vēstījumā skan smiekli, zaudējuma sāpes, mīlestība un nodevība, izmantošana un pazemojumi, atzīšanās un piedošana. Spilgtajā tēlojumā ievijušies mīti un maģija, Austrumu folklora un simboli.
504 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
324 people are currently reading
11133 people want to read
About the author
Rani Manicka
7 books218 followersRani Manicka, an economics graduate, was born and educated in Malaysia and divides her time between Malaysia and England. Her first novel 'The Rice Mother'Infused with her own Sri Lankan family history is a vivid imaginative story about the frailties of human nature and the consequences of war. It won a Commonwealth Writers Prize in 2003.
She has published a further two novels,'Touching Earth'in 2005,a dark and compelling tale of love,betrayal and addiction, her current novel 'The Japanese Lover' was released in 2009, a story set in Malaya during the Japanese occupation, an absorbing story of unconventional love between captor and captured.
Rani Manicka's latest novel, BLACK JACK is out NOW.
She has published a further two novels,'Touching Earth'in 2005,a dark and compelling tale of love,betrayal and addiction, her current novel 'The Japanese Lover' was released in 2009, a story set in Malaya during the Japanese occupation, an absorbing story of unconventional love between captor and captured.
Rani Manicka's latest novel, BLACK JACK is out NOW.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 815 reviews
May 11, 2018
The Rice Mother is a strong and powerful work that takes readers into the lives of people of diaspora in Malaya, their cultures, customs, religion, culinary delights, all interwoven with their lives and fate during the course of the last century. Filled with characters and events, Rani Manicka’s debut novel is indicative of the start of a successful writing career.
It is a story with a lot of sadness, but it keeps the attention of the reader until the very end. It is a tale of choices that people make, sometimes, knowing, and almost inviting trouble...
There is so much to analyze, so many layers to the story and the characters. No character is just black and white. Each of the characters are well fleshed out, and that couldn’t be an easy task, given that there are so many of them. All their narratives ring true. The writing is vivid, so clear that you could be right there. I just love books like that.
It is a book I would certainly recommend.
It is a story with a lot of sadness, but it keeps the attention of the reader until the very end. It is a tale of choices that people make, sometimes, knowing, and almost inviting trouble...
There is so much to analyze, so many layers to the story and the characters. No character is just black and white. Each of the characters are well fleshed out, and that couldn’t be an easy task, given that there are so many of them. All their narratives ring true. The writing is vivid, so clear that you could be right there. I just love books like that.
It is a book I would certainly recommend.
January 31, 2022
Жестока книга! Героите изобщо не са пощадени от житейските шамари.... Интересни са гледните точки на персонажите и как виждат едно и също събитие през тяхната лична призма. Рани Маника е създала пълноценни образи и реалистична атмосфера. Главният персонаж в книгата е Лакшми, около която като сателити се движат останалите герои- съпруг, деца, близки, познати. Въпреки че тя се откроява със смелост, силна воля и далновидност, на моменти ми идваше твърде сурова. Тя всъщност е символ на неугасващата майчина любов, проекция на Оризовата майка- орлицата, закрилницата, тази, която бди и защитава.
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" Когато си млад, е трудно да разрушиш стена, която си построил с червените тухли на егоизма и си циментирал с мрачна гордост."
" ...войната изкарва на показ животното, което живее в човека. "
" Любовта на майката не познава нито закони, нито граници и не се подчинявана господар, освен на себе си. Не признава никого. "
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" Когато си млад, е трудно да разрушиш стена, която си построил с червените тухли на егоизма и си циментирал с мрачна гордост."
" ...войната изкарва на показ животното, което живее в човека. "
" Любовта на майката не познава нито закони, нито граници и не се подчинявана господар, освен на себе си. Не признава никого. "
July 17, 2007
After two full days, I finally finished reading Rani Manicka's debut novel, The Rice Mother. So intense is the storyline, I found myself clenching my fist and gritting my teeth from time to time as I breathed in the wonderful storytelling. Love, betrayal, anger, sorrow, hope, denial, happiness, longing, despair, deceit, infedility, honesty, pain and a thousand other emotions are spun and woven beautifully in this 580 page work of art, spanning a period of 85 years over 4 generations. It's been a long time since I last read an intense gripping book and I'm glad i brought home this title from the bookshop not so long ago. Highly recommended, this title will surely chart in my all-time favourite list from now on.
August 30, 2023
Pur si simplu nu am cuvinte sa descriu aceasta carte. Nu exagerez cand afirm faptul ca este printre cele mai bune carti pe care le-am citit vreodata, facandu-ma sa trec prin numeroase emotii si stari cu fiecare pagina citita.
In ciuda numărului impresionat de pagini am citit-o pe nerasuflate, aceasta prezentând istoria unei familii malayesiene pe parcursul a patru generatii, din perspectiva mai multor personaje.
Lakshmi, o tanara in varsta de 14 ani din Ceylon este victima unei căsătorii aranjate cu un barbat matur in varsta de 36 de ani din Malaysia, pentru care nu nutrește niciun sentiment. Pe parcurs, aceasta isi întemeiază o familie numeroasa si devine protectoarea familiei sale, fiind un liant pentru toti membri acesteia. Suntem martorii la evolutia acestora pe parcursul multor ani, presărati cu tradiții, obiceiuri, superstiții si semne care le vor marca intreaga existenta.
De asemenea, in contextul ocupației japoneze din cel de-al Doilea Razboi Mondial, sunt prezentate atrocitatiile comise de acestia care isi vor lasa amprente si asupra familiei lui Lakshmi.
Recomand oricui aceasta carte minunata!
“Fluturele cu cele mai mari si mai frumoase aripi este mama. Cand eram copil in casa, ea era ca o lumina puternica si strălucitoare. Fara indoiala, cea mai puternica influenta asupra vieților noastre… In mainile ei puternice se aflau iubirea,râsetele, hainele frumoase, lauda, mancarea, banii si puterea de a face soarele sa strălucească in viețile noastre.”
In ciuda numărului impresionat de pagini am citit-o pe nerasuflate, aceasta prezentând istoria unei familii malayesiene pe parcursul a patru generatii, din perspectiva mai multor personaje.
Lakshmi, o tanara in varsta de 14 ani din Ceylon este victima unei căsătorii aranjate cu un barbat matur in varsta de 36 de ani din Malaysia, pentru care nu nutrește niciun sentiment. Pe parcurs, aceasta isi întemeiază o familie numeroasa si devine protectoarea familiei sale, fiind un liant pentru toti membri acesteia. Suntem martorii la evolutia acestora pe parcursul multor ani, presărati cu tradiții, obiceiuri, superstiții si semne care le vor marca intreaga existenta.
De asemenea, in contextul ocupației japoneze din cel de-al Doilea Razboi Mondial, sunt prezentate atrocitatiile comise de acestia care isi vor lasa amprente si asupra familiei lui Lakshmi.
Recomand oricui aceasta carte minunata!
“Fluturele cu cele mai mari si mai frumoase aripi este mama. Cand eram copil in casa, ea era ca o lumina puternica si strălucitoare. Fara indoiala, cea mai puternica influenta asupra vieților noastre… In mainile ei puternice se aflau iubirea,râsetele, hainele frumoase, lauda, mancarea, banii si puterea de a face soarele sa strălucească in viețile noastre.”
February 7, 2019
4,25 sterren - Nederlandse hardcover 🦋🦋🦋
Quote uit het boek : vreemd genoeg associër ik de Japanse bezetting met onze koeien. 🌼🌼🌼
Vier generaties bevat dit verhaal. En ook nog eens in het voor mij exotische Maleisië. En vreemde wereld, andere cultuur en tijdsspanne. In poëtische zinnen waar de geuren en kleurenvan Maleisië van het papier spatte, wordt er een beeld geschilderd van mannen en vrouwen, meisjes en jongens binnen een gezin. Reden waarom ik de volledige 5 sterren niet gaf is dat er teveel overlappingen binnen de gezinsleden hun verhaal waren. Ik had zoiets van, dat weten we al. Maar het is een blijft een boek wat ik zeker zou aanraden. Vanmiddag gaat hij naar een buurvrouw waarvan ik weet dat ze hem graag zal lezen. 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
Quote uit het boek : vreemd genoeg associër ik de Japanse bezetting met onze koeien. 🌼🌼🌼
Vier generaties bevat dit verhaal. En ook nog eens in het voor mij exotische Maleisië. En vreemde wereld, andere cultuur en tijdsspanne. In poëtische zinnen waar de geuren en kleurenvan Maleisië van het papier spatte, wordt er een beeld geschilderd van mannen en vrouwen, meisjes en jongens binnen een gezin. Reden waarom ik de volledige 5 sterren niet gaf is dat er teveel overlappingen binnen de gezinsleden hun verhaal waren. Ik had zoiets van, dat weten we al. Maar het is een blijft een boek wat ik zeker zou aanraden. Vanmiddag gaat hij naar een buurvrouw waarvan ik weet dat ze hem graag zal lezen. 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
August 21, 2015
Life had yet to teach me that a child’s love can never equal a mother’s pain.
A fast-paced family saga depicting life in Malaysia through four generations. The author does an amazing job showing the change in lifestyle and culture over an 85 year period. The first and last chapter could almost feel like different books if it weren’t for the recurring themes. I thought the cast of characters were beautifully described and I loved that none of them were perfect. I hated Rani, my heart broke for poor Mui Tsai and Lakshmi was a one of the most complex characters I’ve ever come across. Some of the reviews complain that the story is too full and moves too fast, but I think this is one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much – it quickly hooks you in, and does not let go. If you don’t enjoy stories drenched in sadness this is not for you.
The Story: The Rice Mother details the struggles of a Matriarch determined to advance her children, and the scars her ambition leaves on the family.
February 5, 2019
Tocmai ce am terminat-o de citit si sunt asa într-o stare pe care nu o pot descrie in cuvinte. Cartea asta m-a răscolit. Nu stiam exact la ce sa ma astept pentru ca descrierile de pe site urile de profil, spun prea puțin despre poveste. Stiam însă că cei ce au citit o, au fost impresionați. Eu nu pot sa spun ca am fost impresionată, ci mai degrabă cutremurată. Am descoperit niste lucruri noi despre război (unde de această dată în prim plan sunt japonezii si a lor ocupație atroce) am deslușit tainele Malayesiei asa cum poate nu o stiam si am trăit prin scrierea măiastră a autoarei, o poveste a unei familii. O saga a 4 generatii ce își aștern lin pe hartie, rând pe rând viata. O viață plină cu necazuri si bucurii, cu neajunsuri si ranchiună, cu dragoste necondiționată si sacrificiu.
Povestea este împărțită în mai multe părți, si este narata din perspectiva tuturor membrilor acestei familii. Cel mai mult mi a plăcut prima parte -începutul cum ar veni si ultima parte... Povestea stranepoatei m a emoționat cel mai mult. Poate unde simțeam că mai e putin si termin cartea. Nu stiu ce sa spun mai mult. Dacă este o carte bună? Cred ca da. Consider că spune o poveste interesantă. Extrem de tristă, dar frumoasa! Daca o recomand? Da, celor care le place genul acesta de povești o recomand din suflet.
Povestea este împărțită în mai multe părți, si este narata din perspectiva tuturor membrilor acestei familii. Cel mai mult mi a plăcut prima parte -începutul cum ar veni si ultima parte... Povestea stranepoatei m a emoționat cel mai mult. Poate unde simțeam că mai e putin si termin cartea. Nu stiu ce sa spun mai mult. Dacă este o carte bună? Cred ca da. Consider că spune o poveste interesantă. Extrem de tristă, dar frumoasa! Daca o recomand? Da, celor care le place genul acesta de povești o recomand din suflet.
December 30, 2014
In short, this book is gut-wrenching. Truly a tough read, the telling of a family's dreadful prophecy and its lengthy unfolding over multiple generations.
At its best, it's a tribute to the tenacity of "powerless" women, the child brides of history who accepted their fates and challenges. At its best, it lends a voice to powerless women of traditional societies.
It also delivers on Asian folklore. Manicka has a great talent for writing beautiful sentences.
That said, I found it tedious. The only thing that really changes in the book is that time passes. The characters remained disappointingly two-dimensional, forever stuck either by circumstance or by their own limitations: women's powerlessness, compounded by poverty, superstition and resignation.
Ultimately, for me, it's too many broken people, too much hopelessness. I certainly don't need everything I read to be about the triumph of human spirit. But it's another thing entirely to see the human spirit relieved only in death. At some point I became defeated by the narrative, just like many of the women who knew no pleasure and seemed to experience only insult and rape. Perhaps this is the intention, as it has the feel of a fairy tale. But it just wasn't for me.
"The past is like an armless, legless cripple with crafty eyes, a vindictive tongue, and a long memory."
At its best, it's a tribute to the tenacity of "powerless" women, the child brides of history who accepted their fates and challenges. At its best, it lends a voice to powerless women of traditional societies.
It also delivers on Asian folklore. Manicka has a great talent for writing beautiful sentences.
That said, I found it tedious. The only thing that really changes in the book is that time passes. The characters remained disappointingly two-dimensional, forever stuck either by circumstance or by their own limitations: women's powerlessness, compounded by poverty, superstition and resignation.
Ultimately, for me, it's too many broken people, too much hopelessness. I certainly don't need everything I read to be about the triumph of human spirit. But it's another thing entirely to see the human spirit relieved only in death. At some point I became defeated by the narrative, just like many of the women who knew no pleasure and seemed to experience only insult and rape. Perhaps this is the intention, as it has the feel of a fairy tale. But it just wasn't for me.
"The past is like an armless, legless cripple with crafty eyes, a vindictive tongue, and a long memory."
April 3, 2013
Интересна градация имаше във възприемането ми на книгата. В началото не ми хареса, подразних се от сходството с другата книга на авторката („Японският любовник), но постепенно различната й сила се появи. Допадна ми, че майката разказва от свое име, а после децата й и други герои също разказват от първо лице. Имаше динамика и свързаност и същевременно интересно представяне на едни и същи неща от различни гледни точки (чрез различните разказвачи).
Към средата вече чувствата и събитията станаха доста „интензивни“. Героите, макар и деца на една майка, бяха толкова различни и реални. Но в последните 150 стр. интересът ми спадна рязко – героите се поизгубиха, пропуснаха се периоди от време... Когато започнаха да се появяват основно герои от трето поколение (че и четвърто), не усещах същата близост с героите като в средата на романа.
Книгата ми „зададе“ следните въпроси – защо така се получава, въпреки огромните усилия на една майка и пълната отдаденост и желание за успех и щастие на децата – огледах героите и видях щастлива и с хубаво семейство само една от дъщерите, обясних си го с това, че единствено тя беше получила умерено внимание и грижа – нито беше любимото дете, което беше погубено от свръхлюбовта на майката, нито беше пренебрегвана и неоценена като някои от другите деца...
Видях и лесното прокрадване на яростната омраза, която се настанява трайно и последствията й не изчезват с поколения... Въпреки идеята за пътя напред в самия край (но наистина всичко ми беше „размито“ в последните части), остава тежкото чувство за много изгубено. Не мога да отрека обаче, че с отдалечаването от войната/окупацията имаше известно „изчистване”. (Дори се зачудих – трябва ли да има такива тежки събития, че да е приковано вниманието на читателя или авторката наистина не е успяла да доразвие нещата докрай/или аз не видях нещо…)
Като цяло – силен образ на „майката-орлица”... Най-интересно в тази книга ми беше явлението „семейство“. В онези години и места направо си е било "мисия" за една жена (жена ли? или млада неука девойка, принудително тръгнала от едно затънтено място към непознатата джунгла на живота, неподготвена - но смело скочила и поела нещата, вероятно вярвала, че прави най-доброто...)
Към средата вече чувствата и събитията станаха доста „интензивни“. Героите, макар и деца на една майка, бяха толкова различни и реални. Но в последните 150 стр. интересът ми спадна рязко – героите се поизгубиха, пропуснаха се периоди от време... Когато започнаха да се появяват основно герои от трето поколение (че и четвърто), не усещах същата близост с героите като в средата на романа.
Книгата ми „зададе“ следните въпроси – защо така се получава, въпреки огромните усилия на една майка и пълната отдаденост и желание за успех и щастие на децата – огледах героите и видях щастлива и с хубаво семейство само една от дъщерите, обясних си го с това, че единствено тя беше получила умерено внимание и грижа – нито беше любимото дете, което беше погубено от свръхлюбовта на майката, нито беше пренебрегвана и неоценена като някои от другите деца...
Видях и лесното прокрадване на яростната омраза, която се настанява трайно и последствията й не изчезват с поколения... Въпреки идеята за пътя напред в самия край (но наистина всичко ми беше „размито“ в последните части), остава тежкото чувство за много изгубено. Не мога да отрека обаче, че с отдалечаването от войната/окупацията имаше известно „изчистване”. (Дори се зачудих – трябва ли да има такива тежки събития, че да е приковано вниманието на читателя или авторката наистина не е успяла да доразвие нещата докрай/или аз не видях нещо…)
Като цяло – силен образ на „майката-орлица”... Най-интересно в тази книга ми беше явлението „семейство“. В онези години и места направо си е било "мисия" за една жена (жена ли? или млада неука девойка, принудително тръгнала от едно затънтено място към непознатата джунгла на живота, неподготвена - но смело скочила и поела нещата, вероятно вярвала, че прави най-доброто...)
May 17, 2022
Изключителен семеен епос! От онези, които наистина обичам и ме увличат моментално.
Историята на Лакшми и семейството и беше едно огромно приключение, което обхваща период от повече от 70г.
Нямам почти никакви познания за историята на Малайзия и ми беше изключително интересно да науча повече подробности за бита и порядките там. Моментите около японската окупация истински ме шокираха. Все повече се убеждавам, че това е брутално жесток народ.
Книгата имаше всички предпоставки да получи 5⭐️ от мен, но някак след средата загуби от темпото си. Не успях да се почувствам свързана с героите от последната 1/3 на книгата - внуците и правнуците на Лакшми. Много бързо прескачахме в различни времеи периоди и ми останаха дупки. Затова дадох 4⭐️
Силно впечатлена съм от женските образи в историята и собено трансформацията на Лакшми през годините - колко лесно една жертвоготовна майка може да се превърне буквално в чудовище, което наранява. Мисля си и за разделите, които са преживявали родители и деца в онези времена. Не искам да си помислям какво би било да казваш довиждане на детето си със съзнанието, че никога повече няма да го видиш.
“Любовта на майката не познава нито закони, нито граници и не се подчинява на господар, освен на себе си.”
Историята на Лакшми и семейството и беше едно огромно приключение, което обхваща период от повече от 70г.
Нямам почти никакви познания за историята на Малайзия и ми беше изключително интересно да науча повече подробности за бита и порядките там. Моментите около японската окупация истински ме шокираха. Все повече се убеждавам, че това е брутално жесток народ.
Книгата имаше всички предпоставки да получи 5⭐️ от мен, но някак след средата загуби от темпото си. Не успях да се почувствам свързана с героите от последната 1/3 на книгата - внуците и правнуците на Лакшми. Много бързо прескачахме в различни времеи периоди и ми останаха дупки. Затова дадох 4⭐️
Силно впечатлена съм от женските образи в историята и собено трансформацията на Лакшми през годините - колко лесно една жертвоготовна майка може да се превърне буквално в чудовище, което наранява. Мисля си и за разделите, които са преживявали родители и деца в онези времена. Не искам да си помислям какво би било да казваш довиждане на детето си със съзнанието, че никога повече няма да го видиш.
“Любовта на майката не познава нито закони, нито граници и не се подчинява на господар, освен на себе си.”
May 19, 2025
5 stars = Utterly incredible. One of the best books I've read this year.
“What is paradise but a walled garden?”
Historical fiction primarily set on the beautiful Penang island in Malaysia in the 1900s, this novel follows one family across four generations with numerous POVs. The story is compelling with strong characterization, and the writing is captivating, filled with dark whimsy. Many highlights of prose were made.
“Happiness I know now to be the sole preserve of the ignorant, the simple, those who can’t see or choose not to see that life, that all of life, is full of sorrows.”
The intense story has a little bit of all the good stuff - drama, adversity, romance, folklore, sorrow, strength, and brief moments of joy. It shows how hurt people hurt others and how trauma scars a family, reverberating for decades. It looks at how hard life used to be in the past without modern conveniences, especially if you were poor, and how hard life is in more modern times, even if you are wealthy.
“I convinced myself that the world was ugly - a field of heartless human hearts pulsing greedily to live.”
This is the first book I have read by the author, but I would pick up anything she writes. It is mind-blowing that this was her debut, starting with a master crafted novel. I do not think I will ever forget this story or its complex characters.
“Man has no real defense for the pain that he suffers. The only thing that comes remotely close to defense is to transform torture into pleasure. It was the basic dough that baked into a masochist.”
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First Sentence: I was born in Ceylon in 1916, at a time when spirits walked the earth just like people, before the glare of electricity and the roar of civilization had frightened them away into the concealed hearts of forests.
Favorite Quote: Youth makes a capricious friend. You can give him everything, and he will still leave you. It is Age that is the real friend. He stays with you, giving more and more of himself until your dying day.
“What is paradise but a walled garden?”
Historical fiction primarily set on the beautiful Penang island in Malaysia in the 1900s, this novel follows one family across four generations with numerous POVs. The story is compelling with strong characterization, and the writing is captivating, filled with dark whimsy. Many highlights of prose were made.
“Happiness I know now to be the sole preserve of the ignorant, the simple, those who can’t see or choose not to see that life, that all of life, is full of sorrows.”
The intense story has a little bit of all the good stuff - drama, adversity, romance, folklore, sorrow, strength, and brief moments of joy. It shows how hurt people hurt others and how trauma scars a family, reverberating for decades. It looks at how hard life used to be in the past without modern conveniences, especially if you were poor, and how hard life is in more modern times, even if you are wealthy.
“I convinced myself that the world was ugly - a field of heartless human hearts pulsing greedily to live.”
This is the first book I have read by the author, but I would pick up anything she writes. It is mind-blowing that this was her debut, starting with a master crafted novel. I do not think I will ever forget this story or its complex characters.
“Man has no real defense for the pain that he suffers. The only thing that comes remotely close to defense is to transform torture into pleasure. It was the basic dough that baked into a masochist.”
---------------------
First Sentence: I was born in Ceylon in 1916, at a time when spirits walked the earth just like people, before the glare of electricity and the roar of civilization had frightened them away into the concealed hearts of forests.
Favorite Quote: Youth makes a capricious friend. You can give him everything, and he will still leave you. It is Age that is the real friend. He stays with you, giving more and more of himself until your dying day.
April 24, 2011
There is nothing new about a storyline that takes a woman with no education, no experience in the world who winds up either a widow or with a wastrel husband, a brood and no means of support for her family. It's been done by male and female writers, it's been played out in every possible kind of setting and time period from ancient Roman households to Mayberry. So as an author if you're going to take that crumbly old plot and make it the center of your novel you had better be able to pony up some good writing to make it palatable. In the novel,The Rice Mother, author Rani Manicka does just that.
Lakshmi is the Mother in this multi-generational story. In the early 1920's she is married off and leaves her native Ceylon with her husband, Ayah, for Maylasia. Once in Maylaysia Lakshmi learns that her 37 year old husband had borrowed a gold watch and a servant in order to convince her Mother that he was rich and marry her. In reality he's a clerk who lives a hand to mouth existence. However what's done is done. She is now a fourteen year old wife, housekeeper and stepmother. It isn't long before it's clear to Lakshmi that although Ayah is basically a good man and loves her that he is incapable of supporting them. By the time she turns nineteen, Lakshmi has in quick succession given birth to six children. It is only her sheer force of will that keeps her family together. For the family the worst is yet to come with WWII and the occupation by the Japanese. It is a brutal and faith testing time that leaves them scarred forever.
Although larger than life as all matriarchs are in these kinds of novels, Lashmi is a believably flawed person. Her evolution from happy teenager daydreaming about her future to an embittered, hard, angry, able to make the tough decisions that may cost her children's love woman is honestly depicted through her experiences and circumstances. Author Manicka moves the novel forward through Lakshmi, her children and her grandchildren with mutilate family members (living and deceased) taking their turn telling the story. The characters limited choices, weaknesses and their temptations are successfully detailed against fifty years of Malaysian history.
The Rice Mother is a big novel with some first time novelist missteps. The book is a little too cluttered with sometimes too convenient plot twists and one or two of the characters are cartoonish in their evilness. That said it is also a well written, interesting dissection of a world and a time that most of us know little about. Manicka's obvious knowledge of and affection for the culture and beauty of Maylasia is evident throughout the book. The Rice Mother is a journey into a family whose difficult lives and small victories enrich the rest of us.
Lakshmi is the Mother in this multi-generational story. In the early 1920's she is married off and leaves her native Ceylon with her husband, Ayah, for Maylasia. Once in Maylaysia Lakshmi learns that her 37 year old husband had borrowed a gold watch and a servant in order to convince her Mother that he was rich and marry her. In reality he's a clerk who lives a hand to mouth existence. However what's done is done. She is now a fourteen year old wife, housekeeper and stepmother. It isn't long before it's clear to Lakshmi that although Ayah is basically a good man and loves her that he is incapable of supporting them. By the time she turns nineteen, Lakshmi has in quick succession given birth to six children. It is only her sheer force of will that keeps her family together. For the family the worst is yet to come with WWII and the occupation by the Japanese. It is a brutal and faith testing time that leaves them scarred forever.
Although larger than life as all matriarchs are in these kinds of novels, Lashmi is a believably flawed person. Her evolution from happy teenager daydreaming about her future to an embittered, hard, angry, able to make the tough decisions that may cost her children's love woman is honestly depicted through her experiences and circumstances. Author Manicka moves the novel forward through Lakshmi, her children and her grandchildren with mutilate family members (living and deceased) taking their turn telling the story. The characters limited choices, weaknesses and their temptations are successfully detailed against fifty years of Malaysian history.
The Rice Mother is a big novel with some first time novelist missteps. The book is a little too cluttered with sometimes too convenient plot twists and one or two of the characters are cartoonish in their evilness. That said it is also a well written, interesting dissection of a world and a time that most of us know little about. Manicka's obvious knowledge of and affection for the culture and beauty of Maylasia is evident throughout the book. The Rice Mother is a journey into a family whose difficult lives and small victories enrich the rest of us.
March 22, 2024
Surely not my kind of novel, but from time to time a change is welcome; and what a surprise!
This story is sensible without being pathetic, sensitive but not too explicit and, maybe first of all, credible and very realistic.
PS: for those who talk too much about the atomic bomb, if one tenth of the stories about Japanese atrocities are true (AND THEY ARE INDEED!!!), Hiroshima is only an innocent walk in the park...
This story is sensible without being pathetic, sensitive but not too explicit and, maybe first of all, credible and very realistic.
PS: for those who talk too much about the atomic bomb, if one tenth of the stories about Japanese atrocities are true (AND THEY ARE INDEED!!!), Hiroshima is only an innocent walk in the park...
April 7, 2019
Goodreads ar trebui sa modifice ratingul pt cartile exceptionale.
Cartea asta merita mult mai mult decat 5*.
Cartea asta merita mult mai mult decat 5*.
September 22, 2010
I loved the beginning of the book which centers on Lakshmi and Ayah. Lakshmi is a true person, the "fierce spirit" of the author's grandmother. Did I like reading about her most because she is the one true character of the book? This bothered me. It also bothered me that the book is about Lakshmi and her strong hold and relationship to her family. So how can the grandmother part of this story be true and not any of the other people? The book was all about family relations...... So in the beginning this book was earning 5 stars, but it only ended up with 3. The other characters of the family that folowed the strong grandmother made such a glorious mess of their lives. They had no strength whatsoever. I didn't really enjoy reading about how one succumbs to gambling, another to opium, another to drink, another to unlucky omens. And when Mohini died, it not only destroyed the family but also made the rest of the novel go downhill. She was more than beauty. She was hope and goodness. Nevertheless the book was very well written, I just found the end all so depressing. Yes, I know life is this way and we all fumble through it, but I need to see some hope. I know the hope does exist because as the author clearly implies the family does continue and the spirit of Lakshmi did live on in the family lines. The glimmer of hope in the future just wasn't enough for me. It is well written and there really is alot to suck on, or savor, as Kirkus so aptly puts it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2013
Пиша това няколко месеца след като прочетох книгата. Но през цялото време постоянно се сещах за нея, надявам се като напиша мислите си, те да си отидат от главата ми и да забравя преживяването.
Дали книгата е хубава или не - това е субективно. На мен не ми хареса.... Чудно тогава защо постоянно мисля за нея. Очевидно е въздействаща, а щом въздейства, значи е силна. Може и така да е, но въпреки това аз не я харесах. Ще пробвам да обясня защо.
Започна добре - любимата ми тема за силни жени. Младо момиче, оставено да се справя само с живота. Не се огъва пред трудностите, не се отчайва, намира начин да оцелее, че даже и да е щастлива. Прекрасно до тук. Къде обаче се объркаха нещата? Това е въпросът, чийто отговор се опитвам да намеря. Вярно, това е само книга и сюжетът е подвластен на фантазията на автора. Следователно не е задължително да следва някаква (може би само моя) логическа нишка. Но от един момент започват да се случват нещастия, за някои от които не намирам обяснение. Да, война е, да - японската окупация е била жестока. Само че това дали оправдава съсипията на две, че и три поколения от това семейство след войната? Защо децата и внуците на Лакшми не успяха да се справят с проблемите си?
Не разбрах и защо Лакшми е набедена да е Оризовата майка. Оризовата майка е символ на живота и надеждата. Лакшми е всичко друго, но не и надежда. Липсваше й мъдростта да разбира хората. Как иначе да се обясни начина, по който съсипа психиката на половината си деца? ��е успя да даде утеха. Не видя и не разбра скритите демони в чуждите хора, които влязоха в семейството й. Как така? Слаба ли беше? От какво беше заслепена? От амбицията си да държи всичко и всеки под контрол? От суетата, че знае кое е най-доброто за любимите си хора? Или от всички неща накуп?
Много трагедия, много скръб, няколко разбити живота. Не схванах смисъла на това. Идеалистка съм, искам в края на тунела да има светлина, нещастието да води до израстване. Нищо такова не намерих в "Оризовата майка".
От друга страна книгата е увличаща, чете се лесно, стилът е добър. Само ако можеше да се каже същото и за съдържанието.....
Дали книгата е хубава или не - това е субективно. На мен не ми хареса.... Чудно тогава защо постоянно мисля за нея. Очевидно е въздействаща, а щом въздейства, значи е силна. Може и така да е, но въпреки това аз не я харесах. Ще пробвам да обясня защо.
Започна добре - любимата ми тема за силни жени. Младо момиче, оставено да се справя само с живота. Не се огъва пред трудностите, не се отчайва, намира начин да оцелее, че даже и да е щастлива. Прекрасно до тук. Къде обаче се объркаха нещата? Това е въпросът, чийто отговор се опитвам да намеря. Вярно, това е само книга и сюжетът е подвластен на фантазията на автора. Следователно не е задължително да следва някаква (може би само моя) логическа нишка. Но от един момент започват да се случват нещастия, за някои от които не намирам обяснение. Да, война е, да - японската окупация е била жестока. Само че това дали оправдава съсипията на две, че и три поколения от това семейство след войната? Защо децата и внуците на Лакшми не успяха да се справят с проблемите си?
Не разбрах и защо Лакшми е набедена да е Оризовата майка. Оризовата майка е символ на живота и надеждата. Лакшми е всичко друго, но не и надежда. Липсваше й мъдростта да разбира хората. Как иначе да се обясни начина, по който съсипа психиката на половината си деца? ��е успя да даде утеха. Не видя и не разбра скритите демони в чуждите хора, които влязоха в семейството й. Как така? Слаба ли беше? От какво беше заслепена? От амбицията си да държи всичко и всеки под контрол? От суетата, че знае кое е най-доброто за любимите си хора? Или от всички неща накуп?
Много трагедия, много скръб, няколко разбити живота. Не схванах смисъла на това. Идеалистка съм, искам в края на тунела да има светлина, нещастието да води до израстване. Нищо такова не намерих в "Оризовата майка".
От друга страна книгата е увличаща, чете се лесно, стилът е добър. Само ако можеше да се каже същото и за съдържанието.....
November 2, 2010
I could not believe that this one is a debut novel. This author has quite a promising career. The book gripped me from the beginning and never let go.
The family saga spanning about 80 years in time beginning in the 1920s is told from the perspective of many different family members spanning four generations. I loved that way of telling the story of this family set in Malaysia dealing with all of their adversities (and they had many) including the Japanese occupation during WWII. But later it is revealed that there is a definite reason for telling the story in this manner. And that is only one of the many surprises. Toward the end of the book there is a gap in the story which at first annoyed me and then the reason was revealed which brings the entire book together into one cohesive story. It was so compelling and riveting that it was hard to put down especially as you neared the ending.
From Lakshmi (the Rice Mother) who in her own tragic way does her utmost to shape her family into the picture of success and prosperity to Nisha, the great granddaughter who works to reestablish her family ties, this story is filled with drama, passion, sorrow, tragedy and triumph. A great one that I would highly recommend.
The family saga spanning about 80 years in time beginning in the 1920s is told from the perspective of many different family members spanning four generations. I loved that way of telling the story of this family set in Malaysia dealing with all of their adversities (and they had many) including the Japanese occupation during WWII. But later it is revealed that there is a definite reason for telling the story in this manner. And that is only one of the many surprises. Toward the end of the book there is a gap in the story which at first annoyed me and then the reason was revealed which brings the entire book together into one cohesive story. It was so compelling and riveting that it was hard to put down especially as you neared the ending.
From Lakshmi (the Rice Mother) who in her own tragic way does her utmost to shape her family into the picture of success and prosperity to Nisha, the great granddaughter who works to reestablish her family ties, this story is filled with drama, passion, sorrow, tragedy and triumph. A great one that I would highly recommend.
October 23, 2013
This book was up and down for me almost the entire time, sometimes within the same page. I think it could have used a better editor, perhaps, to hone in on the heart of the story and trim off the distractions flapping 'round the edges.
My main problem, which might not be entirely fair, is that this read like a poor rendition of The Poisonwood Bible, in terms of theme and the devices used to tell the story. It was a multiple narrator novel, with the narrator's name as the chapter title. The trouble, as I noted when I was halfway through, is that, in the absence of the titles, I would have been hard pressed to distinguish the characters from one another. This is perhaps where some editing would have been useful- I think it was hard to meaningfully flesh out unique characterizations and voices with so many narrators tromping through the story.
One major issue I have with the characterization (spoiler alert) is the way the matriarch, the Rice Mother, Lakshmi, was portrayed as a wild and carefree spoiled child who roamed free until she was 14. At that point she was promptly taken into the home and turned into a woman, and soon, a child bride. The rest of the novel is an ode to her iron will, her impeccable cooking/cleaning/organization, and the way she fought tooth and nail for her children. What I kept wondering was how such a woman sprang from the spoiled only child from the first few pages? It never made sense to me that Lakshmi would be a steely, determined, disciplined, focused woman. Where did she learn this? It seems like a minor quibble, but really, the entire novel (and the title) is based on the power of the matriarch, so it seemed strange the author would not have given more thought to how her childhood and upbringing were presented in order to be consistent.
The prose was often lovely, the setting was interesting, and there were moments of real beauty here and there. I also found bits of it awkward and strangely out of place. I suppose this just goes back to my first reaction, that it was up and down the entire time. The inconsistency made it hard for me to hit a groove, and thus I found myself strangely unmoved by the major tragedy that altered the family forever. It was sad, but it seemed so calculated, and so obvious, that I knew what was going to happen before it ever happened (the foreshadowing was quite heavy handed) and when it did happen it felt inevitable instead of shocking or surprising.
The story line I was most drawn to was the uncle's- Sevenese. From his childhood spent with the snake charmer's boy to the debauchery of his nomadic, bachelor ways, I found him the most interesting. I would have gladly sacrificed one or two of the more clunky narrators to hear more from him.
My main problem, which might not be entirely fair, is that this read like a poor rendition of The Poisonwood Bible, in terms of theme and the devices used to tell the story. It was a multiple narrator novel, with the narrator's name as the chapter title. The trouble, as I noted when I was halfway through, is that, in the absence of the titles, I would have been hard pressed to distinguish the characters from one another. This is perhaps where some editing would have been useful- I think it was hard to meaningfully flesh out unique characterizations and voices with so many narrators tromping through the story.
One major issue I have with the characterization (spoiler alert) is the way the matriarch, the Rice Mother, Lakshmi, was portrayed as a wild and carefree spoiled child who roamed free until she was 14. At that point she was promptly taken into the home and turned into a woman, and soon, a child bride. The rest of the novel is an ode to her iron will, her impeccable cooking/cleaning/organization, and the way she fought tooth and nail for her children. What I kept wondering was how such a woman sprang from the spoiled only child from the first few pages? It never made sense to me that Lakshmi would be a steely, determined, disciplined, focused woman. Where did she learn this? It seems like a minor quibble, but really, the entire novel (and the title) is based on the power of the matriarch, so it seemed strange the author would not have given more thought to how her childhood and upbringing were presented in order to be consistent.
The prose was often lovely, the setting was interesting, and there were moments of real beauty here and there. I also found bits of it awkward and strangely out of place. I suppose this just goes back to my first reaction, that it was up and down the entire time. The inconsistency made it hard for me to hit a groove, and thus I found myself strangely unmoved by the major tragedy that altered the family forever. It was sad, but it seemed so calculated, and so obvious, that I knew what was going to happen before it ever happened (the foreshadowing was quite heavy handed) and when it did happen it felt inevitable instead of shocking or surprising.
The story line I was most drawn to was the uncle's- Sevenese. From his childhood spent with the snake charmer's boy to the debauchery of his nomadic, bachelor ways, I found him the most interesting. I would have gladly sacrificed one or two of the more clunky narrators to hear more from him.
January 5, 2009
This book is about four generations of a family in Malaysia. Lakshmi, from Ceylon, is duped into marrying Ayah. He portrays himself as a wealthy man. But everything is an illusion even down to the borrowed gold watch. Ayah is a civil servant who while kindly and loving is a plodding unintelligent man. Lakshmi has 6 children by the time she is nineteen. She makes friends with the Chinese servant girl next door, Mui Tsai. Mui is forced to have sex with her master and each child is given to a different wife.
This story weaves a tale during the Japanese occupation and beyond. As weak as Ayah is, Lakshmi is a strong and formidable matriarch. Her first two children are twins, Lakshmnan and Mohini. Lakshmi must keep Mohini save from the Japanese and the torture they will submit Mokini to if they find her. There is tradegy upon tradegy and she faces each challenge and keeps on going.
The prose in the book is absolutely amazing. The description of the Japanese occupation is hideous. The culture, pre-war and after is described. Children with beauty and lightness of skin colour are highly valued.
The story is told from the viewpoint of each of the characters. I found this story very compelling. So compelling, I just could not put the book down.
This story weaves a tale during the Japanese occupation and beyond. As weak as Ayah is, Lakshmi is a strong and formidable matriarch. Her first two children are twins, Lakshmnan and Mohini. Lakshmi must keep Mohini save from the Japanese and the torture they will submit Mokini to if they find her. There is tradegy upon tradegy and she faces each challenge and keeps on going.
The prose in the book is absolutely amazing. The description of the Japanese occupation is hideous. The culture, pre-war and after is described. Children with beauty and lightness of skin colour are highly valued.
The story is told from the viewpoint of each of the characters. I found this story very compelling. So compelling, I just could not put the book down.
April 4, 2013
Книгата започна много добре, в духа на семейните саги на южноамерикански автори като Маркес и Алиенде. По някое време обаче достоверността и искреността на написаното се изгуби за мен - малко като кори за баница, които са твърде разточени и стават на дупки.
Драма, нещастия, трагедии покосяват това семейство едно след друго и всичко става все по-черно, гадно и отчаяно. Не държа да чета само весели произведения, но това ми дойде твърде много по неприятен начин, направо засмуква в черна дупка на депресия. Не препоръчвам за хора в лабилно емоционално състояние.
Драма, нещастия, трагедии покосяват това семейство едно след друго и всичко става все по-черно, гадно и отчаяно. Не държа да чета само весели произведения, но това ми дойде твърде много по неприятен начин, направо засмуква в черна дупка на депресия. Не препоръчвам за хора в лабилно емоционално състояние.
May 23, 2024
"Оризовата майка" Рани Маника е семейна хроника, разказана от множество гледни точки, за да стане по-пъстра и плътна, която започва в началото на XXв., когато майката на Лакшми ѝ урежда брак с по-възрастен и заможен мъж в Малайзия и младото момиче напуска родния Цейлон завинаги. Сюжетът обхваща почти сто години и няколко поколения, като историческата рамка е слабо очертана. Това е далечна страна, която остава далеч от важните събития, единствено японската окупация загатва за драматичните събития от Втората световна. Но чрез дребни детайли от живота на героите се усещат промените.
Лакшми е в основата на сюжета, дори и в по-късните години, нейният ярък образ обединява семейството, но и носи много горчивина. Тя е силна жена, приема живота и се старае да го управлява по най-добрия начин, за да подсигури бъдещето си, след като разбира, че е измамена и мъжът и е беден, обикновен чиновник, който няма да постигне кой знае какво в живота. И въпреки силните си качества, тя е доста студена и дистанцирана, докато обикновеният ѝ мъж, Айа, е топъл и добър човек. Това е една доста неравна връзка, в която липсват любов и хармония, но с времето се поражда привързаност и нещо повече. Почти през целия сюжет не я харесвах, но в края си давам сметка, че не е имала друг път, само с вътрешна сила, една жена може да оцелее сред суровите и враждебни обстоятелства на времето.
Децата им са много различни и не всеки има еднакво място в историята, което признавам малко не ми харесва, сякаш част от тях са обезличени и недоразвити образи. Близнаците Лакшмнан и Мохини са важна част от събитията, но читателят през повечето време ги вижда през погледа на околните, Ана и Джейан остават на заден план, заедно с Лалита, докато Севенези добавя особен колорит към семейството. Всеки от тях ще поеме своя път, в уреден брак или в самота, но всеки избор може да доведе до нещастие или до приемане.
Източния свят е изтъкан от силно духовно присъствие - сякаш там, невидимият свят играе много силна роля във видимия, още от начало предсказания тегнат над съдбата на двете млади момичета - Лакшми и нейната съседка и приятелка Муи Цай, пътят им е белязан с трудности и загуби. Трудно е човек да се отърве от бремето, което носи, от тежестта на вината и омразата.
Много ми харесват всички дребни детайли и описания, някак към края ясно се оформи посланието на хрониката - миналото трябва да бъде съхранено и предадено на следващите поколения, това носи мъдрост.
"Родена съм в Цейлон през 1916 година, във времето, когато духовете ходеха по земята също като хората. Беше преди ослепителният блясък на електричеството и шумът на цивилизацията да ги прогонят в тъмните недра на горите. Те обитаваха огромни дървета, изпълнени с хладни синьо-зелени сенки. В пъстрото безмълвие човек можеше да се пресегне и почти да почувства тихото им присъствие, тъй като те копнееха да си възвърнат физическия образ."
Лакшми е в основата на сюжета, дори и в по-късните години, нейният ярък образ обединява семейството, но и носи много горчивина. Тя е силна жена, приема живота и се старае да го управлява по най-добрия начин, за да подсигури бъдещето си, след като разбира, че е измамена и мъжът и е беден, обикновен чиновник, който няма да постигне кой знае какво в живота. И въпреки силните си качества, тя е доста студена и дистанцирана, докато обикновеният ѝ мъж, Айа, е топъл и добър човек. Това е една доста неравна връзка, в която липсват любов и хармония, но с времето се поражда привързаност и нещо повече. Почти през целия сюжет не я харесвах, но в края си давам сметка, че не е имала друг път, само с вътрешна сила, една жена може да оцелее сред суровите и враждебни обстоятелства на времето.
Децата им са много различни и не всеки има еднакво място в историята, което признавам малко не ми харесва, сякаш част от тях са обезличени и недоразвити образи. Близнаците Лакшмнан и Мохини са важна част от събитията, но читателят през повечето време ги вижда през погледа на околните, Ана и Джейан остават на заден план, заедно с Лалита, докато Севенези добавя особен колорит към семейството. Всеки от тях ще поеме своя път, в уреден брак или в самота, но всеки избор може да доведе до нещастие или до приемане.
Източния свят е изтъкан от силно духовно присъствие - сякаш там, невидимият свят играе много силна роля във видимия, още от начало предсказания тегнат над съдбата на двете млади момичета - Лакшми и нейната съседка и приятелка Муи Цай, пътят им е белязан с трудности и загуби. Трудно е човек да се отърве от бремето, което носи, от тежестта на вината и омразата.
Много ми харесват всички дребни детайли и описания, някак към края ясно се оформи посланието на хрониката - миналото трябва да бъде съхранено и предадено на следващите поколения, това носи мъдрост.
"Родена съм в Цейлон през 1916 година, във времето, когато духовете ходеха по земята също като хората. Беше преди ослепителният блясък на електричеството и шумът на цивилизацията да ги прогонят в тъмните недра на горите. Те обитаваха огромни дървета, изпълнени с хладни синьо-зелени сенки. В пъстрото безмълвие човек можеше да се пресегне и почти да почувства тихото им присъствие, тъй като те копнееха да си възвърнат физическия образ."
March 9, 2017
The Rice Mother starts with the story of Lakshmi, a young, carefree Sri Lankan girl whose world is turned upside down when, at fourteen, she is married off to a much older man from Malaysia under the pretext of riches and luxury.
Duped but refusing to cower down, Lakshmi faces her struggles bravely, and has six children by the time she's turned 19. Lakshmi's struggles to keep her house running, and her family functioning are commendable, and just when things are beginning to go uphill, the Japanese invade Malaysia during World War II. Overnight, her world changes, as young girls turn into boys, and Lakshmi has to hide her oldest daughter (who is described to be as beautiful as the celestial Apsara Menaka) from the Japanese soldiers.
Midway during the book, an event during this war changes the family, beyond the point of no return. We watch the six children grow up (each have their own chapters as narrators) to be drunk gamblers, idlers, or good for nothing miserable wretches. Lakshmi becomes cruel with every passing day, and regularly turns her children's lives to hell, all in the name of protecting them.
The problem lies with the second half, when the children and their wives and their kids all get their own POVs, making the read a tedious one, as there isn't enough depth or focus to actually care about them. What starts off as a notable journey of a woman's resilience to extreme conditions soon turns into a mess with the litany of characters thrown in, all of whom are first-rate losers. After a point, the prose, overwrought with sentimentality, fails to evoke sympathy, and I was left wishing for it to end soon.
The book has its shining moments, of course - Lakshmi's husband, although dumb and weak, is shown to be a wonderful man, who the children turn to when their mother becomes a force of terror. His experience with the war is one of the highlights of the book, but fails to save the work as a whole. There is redemption at the end, not for Lakshmi and her brood, but for the great granddaughter, who finally discovers, and accepts the tragic legacy of her ancestors, to redeem herself from the sorrows in her own life.
All in all, 3 stars, because it isn't a bad book by any standard, but in my opinion, rather forgettable.
Some quotes I loved:
“I was born in Ceylon in 1916 at a time when spirits walked the earth just like people, before the glare of electricity and the roar of civilization had frightened them away into the concealed hearts of the forests.”
“Life had yet to teach me that a child’s love can never equal a mother’s pain.”
“I have been weak and pathetic because I forgot that love comes and goes like the dye that colours a garment. I mistook love for the garment. Family is the garment. Let her wear her family with pride.”
Duped but refusing to cower down, Lakshmi faces her struggles bravely, and has six children by the time she's turned 19. Lakshmi's struggles to keep her house running, and her family functioning are commendable, and just when things are beginning to go uphill, the Japanese invade Malaysia during World War II. Overnight, her world changes, as young girls turn into boys, and Lakshmi has to hide her oldest daughter (who is described to be as beautiful as the celestial Apsara Menaka) from the Japanese soldiers.
Midway during the book, an event during this war changes the family, beyond the point of no return. We watch the six children grow up (each have their own chapters as narrators) to be drunk gamblers, idlers, or good for nothing miserable wretches. Lakshmi becomes cruel with every passing day, and regularly turns her children's lives to hell, all in the name of protecting them.
The problem lies with the second half, when the children and their wives and their kids all get their own POVs, making the read a tedious one, as there isn't enough depth or focus to actually care about them. What starts off as a notable journey of a woman's resilience to extreme conditions soon turns into a mess with the litany of characters thrown in, all of whom are first-rate losers. After a point, the prose, overwrought with sentimentality, fails to evoke sympathy, and I was left wishing for it to end soon.
The book has its shining moments, of course - Lakshmi's husband, although dumb and weak, is shown to be a wonderful man, who the children turn to when their mother becomes a force of terror. His experience with the war is one of the highlights of the book, but fails to save the work as a whole. There is redemption at the end, not for Lakshmi and her brood, but for the great granddaughter, who finally discovers, and accepts the tragic legacy of her ancestors, to redeem herself from the sorrows in her own life.
All in all, 3 stars, because it isn't a bad book by any standard, but in my opinion, rather forgettable.
Some quotes I loved:
“I was born in Ceylon in 1916 at a time when spirits walked the earth just like people, before the glare of electricity and the roar of civilization had frightened them away into the concealed hearts of the forests.”
“Life had yet to teach me that a child’s love can never equal a mother’s pain.”
“I have been weak and pathetic because I forgot that love comes and goes like the dye that colours a garment. I mistook love for the garment. Family is the garment. Let her wear her family with pride.”
October 15, 2018
Κοίτα να δεις τι έγινε με αυτό το βιβλίο. Παρότι όσοι το διάβασαν (κάνα δυο ή τρεις, μη φανταστείς δεκάδες) μου είπανε να το ξεκινήσω αμέσως επειδή είναι πολύ καλό, παρότι έχει εκδοθεί με την ασημένια σειρά των εκδόσεων Ωκεανίδα, που όσο και να πεις εμπνέει εμπιστοσύνη στην επιλογή των τίτλων, εγώ κάθε φορά που το έβλεπα το απέφευγα.
Κακώς.
Σε γενικές γραμμές το βιβλίο είναι πολύ καλό. Περιγράφει τη ζωή μιας οικογένειας κατοίκων της Μαλαισίας και μέσα από τα βιώματά τους περιγράφεται και η ιστορία της χώρας κατά τη διάρκεια του 20ου αιώνα. Η αφήγηση ξεκινάει με την Λάκσμι (αυτή είναι η μάνα ρύζι) η οποία σε ηλικία περίπου 14 ετών παντρεύεται έναν μεγαλύτερο της άντρα, αφήνει τη μητέρα της στην Κεϋλάνη και πάει να ζήσει στη Μαλαισία. Γεννάει 6 παιδιά και προσπαθεί να είναι βράχος και στήριγμα για αυτά. Όμως κατά τη διάρκεια του Δευτέρου Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου και της γιαπωνέζικης κατοχής συμβαίνουν διάφορα που αλλάζουν την πορεία της ζωής όλης της οικογένειας.
Η αφήγηση είναι σε πρώτο πρόσωπο, ξεκινάει από τη Λάκσμι και συνεχίζεται διαδοχικά από τα περισσότερα μέλη της οικογένειας, μέχρι τις αρχές του 21ου αιώνα όπου κλείνει με τη διήγηση από τη δισέγγονή της. Μου άρεσε που κάποια περιστατικά δίνονται από πολλούς πρωταγωνιστές, είναι ωραίο να βλέπεις τις διαφορετικές πλευρές της ίδιας ιστορίας.
Λοιπόν. Μέχρι κάποιο σημείο το βιβλίο είναι εξαιρετικό. Όλη η ιστορία της Λάκσμι είναι πάρα πολύ ωραία και δοσμένη με ωραίο τρόπο. Λίγο αρχίζει και χάνει όταν φεύγει από το προσκήνιο η Λάκσμι και τα παιδιά της και πρωταγωνιστές γίνονται τα εγγόνια της. Ειδικά οι τελευταίες σελίδες όπου την αφήγηση αναλαμβάνει η δισέγγονη, αν και βάζει όλα τα κομμάτια που λείπουν στη θέση τους, για εμένα ήταν λίγο ανιαρό.
Το συστήνω σε όποιον θέλει να διαβάσει για τον τρόπο ζωής σε μια άγνωστη για τους περισσότερους μας περιοχή, καθώς και για κάποια βασικά στοιχεία της ιστορίας και της κουλτούρας της πολυπολιτισμικής Μαλαισίας. Η σχέση κόστους- ποιότητας (μυθιστορήματος, όχι ποιότητας χαρτιού ) είναι εξαιρετικά ευνοϊκή για τον αναγνώστη.
https://kiallovivlio.blogspot.com/
Κακώς.
Σε γενικές γραμμές το βιβλίο είναι πολύ καλό. Περιγράφει τη ζωή μιας οικογένειας κατοίκων της Μαλαισίας και μέσα από τα βιώματά τους περιγράφεται και η ιστορία της χώρας κατά τη διάρκεια του 20ου αιώνα. Η αφήγηση ξεκινάει με την Λάκσμι (αυτή είναι η μάνα ρύζι) η οποία σε ηλικία περίπου 14 ετών παντρεύεται έναν μεγαλύτερο της άντρα, αφήνει τη μητέρα της στην Κεϋλάνη και πάει να ζήσει στη Μαλαισία. Γεννάει 6 παιδιά και προσπαθεί να είναι βράχος και στήριγμα για αυτά. Όμως κατά τη διάρκεια του Δευτέρου Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου και της γιαπωνέζικης κατοχής συμβαίνουν διάφορα που αλλάζουν την πορεία της ζωής όλης της οικογένειας.
Η αφήγηση είναι σε πρώτο πρόσωπο, ξεκινάει από τη Λάκσμι και συνεχίζεται διαδοχικά από τα περισσότερα μέλη της οικογένειας, μέχρι τις αρχές του 21ου αιώνα όπου κλείνει με τη διήγηση από τη δισέγγονή της. Μου άρεσε που κάποια περιστατικά δίνονται από πολλούς πρωταγωνιστές, είναι ωραίο να βλέπεις τις διαφορετικές πλευρές της ίδιας ιστορίας.
Λοιπόν. Μέχρι κάποιο σημείο το βιβλίο είναι εξαιρετικό. Όλη η ιστορία της Λάκσμι είναι πάρα πολύ ωραία και δοσμένη με ωραίο τρόπο. Λίγο αρχίζει και χάνει όταν φεύγει από το προσκήνιο η Λάκσμι και τα παιδιά της και πρωταγωνιστές γίνονται τα εγγόνια της. Ειδικά οι τελευταίες σελίδες όπου την αφήγηση αναλαμβάνει η δισέγγονη, αν και βάζει όλα τα κομμάτια που λείπουν στη θέση τους, για εμένα ήταν λίγο ανιαρό.
Το συστήνω σε όποιον θέλει να διαβάσει για τον τρόπο ζωής σε μια άγνωστη για τους περισσότερους μας περιοχή, καθώς και για κάποια βασικά στοιχεία της ιστορίας και της κουλτούρας της πολυπολιτισμικής Μαλαισίας. Η σχέση κόστους- ποιότητας (μυθιστορήματος, όχι ποιότητας χαρτιού ) είναι εξαιρετικά ευνοϊκή για τον αναγνώστη.
https://kiallovivlio.blogspot.com/
May 21, 2007
Lovely novel - I love to travel through my books...
When I don't have enough money to buy a ticket to a far away place, or when the times I wish to visit have already passed a long time ago, I open a book and read. This book took me to Malaysia, into the lives of three generations of women who struggle to make ends meet and raise their families. A beautiful story about love and war, mango trees and spiced rice.
When I don't have enough money to buy a ticket to a far away place, or when the times I wish to visit have already passed a long time ago, I open a book and read. This book took me to Malaysia, into the lives of three generations of women who struggle to make ends meet and raise their families. A beautiful story about love and war, mango trees and spiced rice.
Read
March 11, 2024Ļoti sen lasīta. Vēl pirms biju reģistrēta Goodreads.
Tik ļoti laba, ka joprojām iesaku izlasīt :)
Tik ļoti laba, ka joprojām iesaku izlasīt :)
September 25, 2023
Разбирам защо толкова много врява се вдигна около тази книга. Наистина си заслужава да се прочете!
Харесват ми такива книги, които разказват историята на цели семейства и родовете, по време на някакви неблагоприятни реални събития, каквито и да са те: война, нашествие и т. н.
P. S. Понеже обожавам книгите на Лиза Сий и очаквах нещо подобно, е получих го!
Историята за живота на Лакшми, 14 годишно момиче, принудено да напусне Цейлон и да се омъжи в Малайзия е наситена с много чувства, емоции и вълнения. Мечти и реалност се преплитат. Вярвания, духове и богове вървят ръка за ръка.
Японското нашествие обръща живота на всички. Зверства, кланета, какво ли не преживяват тези хора. Загубата на любима дъщеря.
От книгата научаваш и много за различните видове нрави, разбирания и вярвания. Научаваш също и какви сериозни психични вреди нанасят родители на децата си, без да е съзнателно.
На моменти ми беше тежко да я чета, признавам. Кой ли народ не е преживял някаква война и зверствата покрай нея...
А и ми беше интересно да чета за всичката тази смесица от култури: китайци, японци, индийци...
Препоръчвам я, ако ви е интересна тази тематика :)
Харесват ми такива книги, които разказват историята на цели семейства и родовете, по време на някакви неблагоприятни реални събития, каквито и да са те: война, нашествие и т. н.
P. S. Понеже обожавам книгите на Лиза Сий и очаквах нещо подобно, е получих го!
Историята за живота на Лакшми, 14 годишно момиче, принудено да напусне Цейлон и да се омъжи в Малайзия е наситена с много чувства, емоции и вълнения. Мечти и реалност се преплитат. Вярвания, духове и богове вървят ръка за ръка.
Японското нашествие обръща живота на всички. Зверства, кланета, какво ли не преживяват тези хора. Загубата на любима дъщеря.
От книгата научаваш и много за различните видове нрави, разбирания и вярвания. Научаваш също и какви сериозни психични вреди нанасят родители на децата си, без да е съзнателно.
На моменти ми беше тежко да я чета, признавам. Кой ли народ не е преживял някаква война и зверствата покрай нея...
А и ми беше интересно да чета за всичката тази смесица от култури: китайци, японци, индийци...
Препоръчвам я, ако ви е интересна тази тематика :)
June 6, 2023
I'm impressed with this book regarding the number of characters that we meet and the fact that it is surprisingly well organized. There is a decent cohesion in the book and the secrets of the story are revealed subtly and through different characters.
This is a multi-generational saga told in the first person. Focusing mainly on women, starting with Lakshmi who, at age fourteen, is duped into marrying a man more than twice her age. The mother from the first generation and the first narrator.
There is much sadness in this book, but I wouldn't call it a sad book. It reflects the realities of happiness and tragedy within a family. This book is certainly an experience.
The first daughter: "Mohini was hiding behind the curtains. Like a cat. Beautiful, soft, and perfectly white with large green eyes." I have seen perfectly white gardenias and dahlias,
It's only after reading this I realized that many of us Sri Lankans have Malaysian names or vice versa.
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In the novel, Mohini is the first daughter of Lakshmi. She is so beautiful and that leads to a tragic end. Usually, this is a funny name to give to your daughter in Sri Lanka.
Mohini is a well-feared female evil spirit that accosted lone males at nighttime of course and would beg them to look after the child for a while. If the man agreed it was usually the end, and would suffer for the rest of his life with various mental and physical illnesses; that is if you did not die then and there of fright. So seeing a pretty woman with long curly hair carrying a child at night time near the cemetery was a joke for guys and a game of "chicken". :)
Names and cultures: a funny story.
This is a multi-generational saga told in the first person. Focusing mainly on women, starting with Lakshmi who, at age fourteen, is duped into marrying a man more than twice her age. The mother from the first generation and the first narrator.
There is much sadness in this book, but I wouldn't call it a sad book. It reflects the realities of happiness and tragedy within a family. This book is certainly an experience.
The first daughter: "Mohini was hiding behind the curtains. Like a cat. Beautiful, soft, and perfectly white with large green eyes." I have seen perfectly white gardenias and dahlias,
It's only after reading this I realized that many of us Sri Lankans have Malaysian names or vice versa.
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In the novel, Mohini is the first daughter of Lakshmi. She is so beautiful and that leads to a tragic end. Usually, this is a funny name to give to your daughter in Sri Lanka.
Mohini is a well-feared female evil spirit that accosted lone males at nighttime of course and would beg them to look after the child for a while. If the man agreed it was usually the end, and would suffer for the rest of his life with various mental and physical illnesses; that is if you did not die then and there of fright. So seeing a pretty woman with long curly hair carrying a child at night time near the cemetery was a joke for guys and a game of "chicken". :)
Names and cultures: a funny story.
March 6, 2008
February Smart Women Book Club selection.
I knew nothing of this book nor the author before it was selected by my Book Club for our March read. I cannot say enough about it. I found it compelling, and could hardly put the book down. A family's saga spanning approximatly 80 years. Each chapter told in a different voice; each voice so different. There were so many layers, things left unsaid, feelings not given into. Much sorrow and strength within this family's story. The writing was beautiful. As soon as I finished it, I passed it onto a friend. Well worth the read. I don't think I will ever forget this story.
I knew nothing of this book nor the author before it was selected by my Book Club for our March read. I cannot say enough about it. I found it compelling, and could hardly put the book down. A family's saga spanning approximatly 80 years. Each chapter told in a different voice; each voice so different. There were so many layers, things left unsaid, feelings not given into. Much sorrow and strength within this family's story. The writing was beautiful. As soon as I finished it, I passed it onto a friend. Well worth the read. I don't think I will ever forget this story.
January 9, 2020
Stau si ma gandesc cate stele sa ii dau, 4 sau 5. Scriitura in sine este foarte frumoasa, fiecare fraza este cizelata ca o bijuterie. Prima parte am ciyit-o pe nerasuflate, dar spre final am inceput sama incurc in personaje, parca s-a grabit sa "indese" cat mai multe informatii despre personaje. Spre final m-am simtit putin ametita. Faptul ca m-a tinut treaza pana tarziu in noapte, ma face sa ii dau totusi 5*.
November 29, 2017
A lengthy novel. Interesting to read, though at the end I skimmed through pages because it was actually very long. Set in Malaysia, it gives an insight into the culture and traditions of the place. The story is good, emotions are portrayed beautifully but I kept looking for a happy ending to the book. Maybe real life stories don't have happy endings.
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