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The House of Doors

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The House of Doors

By: Tan Twan Eng
Narrated by: David Oakes, Louise-Mai Newberry
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About this listen

LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2023

It is 1921 and at Cassowary House in the Straits Settlements of Penang, Robert Hamlyn is a well-to-do lawyer and his steely wife Lesley a society hostess. Their lives are invigorated when Willie, an old friend of Robert's, comes to stay.

Willie Somerset Maugham is one of the greatest writers of his day. But he is beleaguered by an unhappy marriage, ill-health and business interests that have gone badly awry. He is also struggling to write. The more Lesley's friendship with Willie grows, the more clearly she see him as he is—a man who has no choice but to mask his true self.

As Willie prepares to leave and face his demons, Lesley confides secrets of her own, including how she came to know the charismatic Dr Sun Yat Sen, a revolutionary fighting to overthrow the imperial dynasty of China. And more scandalous still, she reveals her connection to the case of an Englishwoman charged with murder in the Kuala Lumpur courts—a tragedy drawn from fact, and worthy of fiction.

From Man Booker Prize-shortlisted Tan Twan Eng, The House of Doors is a masterful novel of public morality and private truth a century ago. Based on real events it is a drama of love and betrayal under the shadow of Empire.

©2023 Tan Twan Eng (P)2023 W. F. Howes Ltd Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literature & Fiction Fiction Marriage
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A superbly written tail of life in Penang in the early 20th century. Loved the characters and loved the performance. Beautifully told by the two narrators .Would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story.

Brilliant story

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I struggled with the female narrator. It took three attempts to plough through the beginning and hang on for the sake of the story, which I didn’t find very interesting anyway. Evocative of Penang - pleasant descriptions and there is a story there but overall, something missing.

A bit tedious

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Penang 1921, Somerset Maugham & a male companion visit an old school friend. As Maugham’s friendship with his old school friend’s wife develops she reveals a secret that will reignite his writing career. She also comes to understands the fear that gay men of the era face. Beautiful, lyrical writing. Wonderful narration enriches the storytelling.

Enchanting Story

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A sweeping tale of blurred truths with fiction to reveal a fascinating time in Malay history. Love, marriage, betrayal and connection is at the centre of many conflicts here, told through different narrative voices. Highly recommended 👌

Loved it

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Great story, authentic and an important note on the roles women played in society not so long ago. The settings, characters and cultural norms gave a true sense of the exotic East at the time. Loved it.

Loved the story

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I loved this story. It was beautifully written , enchanting , detailed and I loved how the book came to be , interweaving the characters and their stories .Would sit and listen to this again

The poetry of the writing

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I loved the historical content and the picture of life in Malaya between wars. Well read with lovely phrasing. Not to be missed

Endearing story beautifully read

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I picked this title for my review as it seems to accurately reflect an overall feeling the story left upon me. I thought about the characters in the book and their exploits and without spoilers, how interesting it is that the wild Cassowary bird has a lifespan of about two decades, but in captivity, double of that. Cassowary House has many ‘doors’, and the oft-mentioned name throughout the text, in my opinion, is a brilliant way of shedding light unto the many secrets left behind in British Malaya times.

“Kasuari - a flightless bird if provoked can inflict serious even fatal injuries”

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Deeply satisfying, spanning three time periods across half a century. Wonderfully read. Hope Eng wins the Booker!

Wonderful

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An extra marital affair, murder and revisiting the past by all the pragmatists. Well read and interpreted. I could have gone on listening, I didn’t want it to finish

Intriguing

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