I had heard rave reviews about Kate Furnivall's books by some friends, so did not hesitate when I saw this book was offered as a freebie. And second bonus, the story took place in Malaya and the surrounding area during WW2, close to where I now live.I should have looked at some reviews before jumping into its reading. Maybe. Though it might have well prevented me from trying it.I really liked the way the book was written, the context seemed realistic enough, though a bit schematic at times. However there were many things that prevented me from really enjoying this book. The characters and facts were mostly described and told with a very detached tone. This really prevented me from liking ANY characters, except for maybe the young boy and Kitty, a very secondary or even tertiary character. All the others were very difficult to understand - the reader is rarely offered any insights into the thoughts of the characters and has to make his own mind based on a cold depiction of facts. And some explanations regarding their motives and past history may or may not be provided later in the book, but insufficiently and too late to redeem those characters.The plot was rather good, though with a bit many twists and turns. The one thing I really did not believe in at all was the sudden romance developing in the second part of the book.Last comment - after the book was a series of Q&A with the author, where she said the place where the main characters take refuge at the end of the book ended up heavily bombed later on. This inspired in myself a thought that they might have been saved for nothing, just dying later on, and then thinking that it would not have been such a catastrophe anyway as I liked them so little. Not a good last impression.I'll be very wary before trying another one of her books. The White Pearl follows a young girl Constance and her life in the Malays. How she whisked away by her beloved Nigel ready for a new life in a far-away land. However, what Malaya has in store for her is not what she expected. It's beyond hot, excruciatingly boring and the Japs are making a ruckus. Though, Connie has the privileges of having a nice home and food provided by her husbands rubber plantation run by the British. Despite the high living Connie gets to have, one day, she gets in an accident. She runs over and kills a Malayan mother whose last words were, "I curse you." With those stinging words and two children who're now completely on their own, Connie is devastated. She tries to give money to the son and beg forgiveness but he refuses and tells her to leave. But in Decemeber, Connie has much more to worry about. The Japanese invade and cause havoc, thus Connie and her family flee on their Yacht, The White Pearl, off to Singapore. On their journey Connie realizes the two children are also on board which cause much tension. Also on their way, they find out that what they thought about Singapore, being able to withstand the Japanese by the British has also been taken over. Moving from location to location, the people on board are fearful and desperate. As the route gets delayed more and more, they encounter more and more challenges. When a Japanese plane crashes into the ocean, they rescue the pilot. Through this journey, Connie faces trial after trial, making decisions she never thought he would have to, but in the end, Connie is a truly better person in the end.
What do You think about De Pioenroos (2011)?
I enjoyed this historical novel. Lots of suspense. I recommend it.
—widowmaker
Could not finish this book. Just couldn't get into it.
—gloryB
