Review: Tragedy and Triumph
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 17, 2014
In Hanoi, Sun delivers a package to her uncle Heng Souk. The package was left behind by her father, to be given to her uncle upon her parent's death. Her uncle's indifference to her brother's death enrages her. Yet, Sun struggles to express her rage."She tried to catch her anger before it touched her lips, tensing her muscles and blushing with the effort. She could not manage barbed rage like her mother, only silent disappointment, like her father. She wanted to berate him for not caring about his brother, but she knew her words would come out soft and woollen and tame. She always felt like a small girl when she was angry, as if she was only one disagreeable word away from a stamped foot."Sun follows her rude uncle into his impoverished living quarters. When she notices an old notebook, she picks it up. On the front cover is the name Ephraim Luther. She asks about the man.Her uncle finally admits Ephraim Luther was an American prisoner of war.Sun manages to steal the notebook. Within its pages, through the voice of Ephraim Luther, she enters another world.S. R. Wilsher's The Collection of Heng Souk is a wonderful book. The characters reflect their yearnings and growth across both short and long increments of time, as well as the author's deep knowledge of human nature. Sun wants and needs her freedom, yet she is bound by deep cultural ties, as well as her marriage to a traditional, jealous man. Anh, Sun's mother, presents a faade to the world while guarding her secrets. Thomas' search takes him into Sun's life. He wants to numb himself to his own tragedy and heartbreak, and discovers shocking secrets through his journey.