The Persimmon Tree

01/31/2010 at 9:56 AM (Australian Literature, Books) (Australian Literature, Books, Bryce Courtenay, Fiction, History, Romance, War)

I have always loved the sagas of  love and tragedy by Power of One author, Bryce Courtenay. The Persimmon Tree set against the backdrop of Java under Dutch colonial rule  had me awake through the wee hours of the night, turning pages to see if the young lovers who parted in war ever reunited since in his stories, heroes do not always survive.

The sailing butterfly collector and the Kinbaku – mastered heroin addict make for an interesting pair.  But the details of military operation, the knowledge of Javanese culture portrayed in the book and the way coincidences are so craftily engineered is what usually leaves me in tears.

Not to mention it makes for interesting and educational reading – one almost feels a part of a historical event when reading his books. Most people hate books that are incredibly detailed but the longer they are, the  more I like it. The Persimmon Tree is one of those.