Water Music

Rating:
Summary: Important book
Review: ... This book in beautifully written with fascinating characters and a strong plot. The subject matter is a mother's need for her own life, as well as how a new life can be built, and new relationships with those from the past forged. Buy it. Read it.

Rating:
Summary: Not quite sure about this one...
Review: I got this book to give to a friend when I visit her soon, then thought maybe I should try reading it first! I often pick holes at anything set in HK, as it is difficult for me to get the same feeling as someone else about the place. However, as far as setting goes this book is not too bad - part of it is remembered from the 70s, so it's before my time anyway.
A bigger problem might come from the plot, which is not exactly my thing, and also the way it jumps about in time and place. Some parts are fast-moving - one minute the protagonist is in New York, the next in HK - but in other places she is dwelling on her abandoned children for whole paragraphs, without saying anything new.
Apart from the iffy plot, the characters were not very well fleshed out: just drawn to 'type' I think. I found the final scene with the ex-husband ludicrous in the extreme. Then the next thing you know she is back in New York and everything is happening all at once again.
Otherwise the actual writing is not to bad - the short, blunt sentences will appeal to some readers. And it was nice to see a book set in Hong Kong that was more or less accurate (except for standing up on a mini bus which is not allowed!).

Rating:
Summary: Good story - Hong Kong setting
Review: I really liked this book. I liked it so much that I stayed up all night reading it and I keep thinking about it. My girlfriend gave it to me, I think because I grew up in Hong Kong.
Strong writing - good believeable characters. It doesn't try too hard or overreach like many books with this setting. I was drawn right in, and taken by the story. And then I was so sorry it had ended. It's really about being a parent. And about loyalty.
I recommend it to anyone even if they aren't interested in the setting and in fact am going to buy another copy right now to give as a gift.