Having just returned from Bali, I thought it might be interesting and give me new insights to read some fiction set in that country. The bombings that took place in 2005 had a major impact in Bali so the focus of this book on that historical event interested meHowever, this book was somewhat a Harlequin Romancy in that the characters were one-dimensional and completely unbelievable; they never came alive for me. The Balinese characters were particularly unconvincing, especially Bambang, the thief with a heart of gold. She bonds to him, yet just leaves him there, committing petty crime to survive on the streets of Ubud. In typical romance fashion boy meets girl, boy loses girl, girl returns and, somehow, you just know the universe will find a way for them to be together. Tiresomely predictable I finished this book with a sense of rudely being plucked off of a gorgeous island and thrust into a chilly fall day. Ellen Sussman captures the beauty of Bali that profoundly. I'm not quite sure how to categorize the book, there is a light element of romance, and of course the beautiful scenery, most of all there is personal growth and healing. Ellen Sussman brought all these things together to make a unique and great read.
What do You think about The Paradise Guesthouse (2013)?
This started with a lot of promise but just fell into the category of trash.
—kim_01ca
This was an amazing book, it was about the bali bombs. It was just amazing!
—rusheen13
Good story and love her writing. It isn't deep but entertaining.
—xxthawxx
not your typical beach book, but a good summer read
—Melanie
