Truong, Monique - The Book of Salt
Truong, Monique - The Book of Salt -- I am always eager to find books and movies that open parts of the world which I do not have access to so when I stumbled across the listing for this one in the library catalog, I figured it would be worth a shot. While not a bad piece of work, I have to admit that it seemed to be more about the style of the writing rather than the telling of a story and thusly it fell short in my eyes.
This is the story of a Vietnamese homosexual who is basically banished after having an affair with the French head chef in a colonial household. He gets work where he can find it, first on a boat which lands him in Marseilles, and then finally as the personal cook to Gertrude Stein and her partner. It is something of a biography in that we are supposed to learn about who he is and how he has gotten to where he finds himself in life.
However what I found annoying and a bit confusing was the method in which the story was told. It seemed to jump around a lot between differing times in the past so that the reader felt something like a ping-pong ball. Yes, it may have worked in Pulp Fiction, but it wasn't as successful here.
The story is compelling and I'm sure it might be more meaningful to a reader who knows more about Stein, her life and her work. And the author must be commended for telling the story of someone who seemingly lacks importance (the cook) rather than just focusing on the powerful personality of the famous people.
Additionally, while the main character is an unapologetic homosexual working in a lesbian household, this book mustn't be confused with 'gay literature' since it is the story of folks who happen to not be straight, nothing more. There is nothing particularly pornographic in the story.
As for a recommendation, that is rather hard to offer. I find myself falling back to "it's not a bad book..." but that doesn't really say much. Then again, maybe it says more than I give it credit for. I guess I would recommend that those who might be interested in this novel read more about it and decide if they think it's worth the time. It certainly is a step up from mindless entertainment and can even provoke thought about lives in other parts of the world and at other times. I'm glad I read it.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Buy from Amazon.com
This is the story of a Vietnamese homosexual who is basically banished after having an affair with the French head chef in a colonial household. He gets work where he can find it, first on a boat which lands him in Marseilles, and then finally as the personal cook to Gertrude Stein and her partner. It is something of a biography in that we are supposed to learn about who he is and how he has gotten to where he finds himself in life.
However what I found annoying and a bit confusing was the method in which the story was told. It seemed to jump around a lot between differing times in the past so that the reader felt something like a ping-pong ball. Yes, it may have worked in Pulp Fiction, but it wasn't as successful here.
The story is compelling and I'm sure it might be more meaningful to a reader who knows more about Stein, her life and her work. And the author must be commended for telling the story of someone who seemingly lacks importance (the cook) rather than just focusing on the powerful personality of the famous people.
Additionally, while the main character is an unapologetic homosexual working in a lesbian household, this book mustn't be confused with 'gay literature' since it is the story of folks who happen to not be straight, nothing more. There is nothing particularly pornographic in the story.
As for a recommendation, that is rather hard to offer. I find myself falling back to "it's not a bad book..." but that doesn't really say much. Then again, maybe it says more than I give it credit for. I guess I would recommend that those who might be interested in this novel read more about it and decide if they think it's worth the time. It certainly is a step up from mindless entertainment and can even provoke thought about lives in other parts of the world and at other times. I'm glad I read it.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Buy from Amazon.com
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