i find it terribly ironic, but also fitting, that i have learnt more about history of SEA through a novel than ever before. having read The Glass Palace, i now can appreciate better what our grandparents and great grandparents went through. yes, i always knew that it was terrible to lose so meekly to the Japanese so quickly and that the Occupation was a great awakening and it was unbelievable to hear about the sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse but i never really appreciated/imagined the magnitude until i read the book.
Amitav Ghosh is a brilliant author and his narratives flow easily and beautifully and behind each poetic description of a menial task must have been hours of research and learning. so i guess it is one thing to learn about history in academic settings but another thing to appreciate history through fiction set in historical contexts.
