The Lotus Eaters
Books | Fiction / Women
4.1
Tatjana Soli
A stunning debut novel of love, war, and obsession set against the turmoil of the Vietnam War.On the eve of Saigon's fall in 1975, American photojournalist Helen Adams faces an impossible choice: to leave the war-ravaged country and the man she loves, or to stay captive to her own ambition. Helen's lover, Linh, must also decide where his loyalties lie: with his homeland or with his heart.In a journey that spans twelve tumultuous years, Helen and Linh's passionate bond is tested as they navigate the chaos of war alongside their mentor, Sam Darrow—Helen's former lover and fiercest competitor. From the splendor of Angkor Wat to the streets of a crumbling Saigon, Tatjana Soli's The Lotus Eaters paints a searing portrait of a woman's struggle for love and survival amidst the ruins of war.This richly textured novel is a stirring testament to the redemptive power of love and the human cost of conflict. Readers will be transfixed by Soli's poetic storytelling and her unflinching depiction of one of the most turbulent periods in modern history.
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More Details:
Author
Tatjana Soli
Pages
400
Publisher
St. Martin's Publishing Group
Published Date
2010-03-30
ISBN
1429934417 9781429934411
Ratings
Google: 4
Community ReviewsSee all
"So amazing. Soli is a gifted storyteller - I loved her language and writing skill as much as the story itself, which is the only time I ever give any book 5 stars. This would be a great Book Club choice as now that I'm finished, I wish I could talk to someone about the love stories in the book and how the main characters had a love triangle that somehow worked in a time of war. I found it fascinating how Soli described war as an addiction and I can see how photo journalists must get wrapped up in the adrenalin rush, the recognition from awards etc. I also thought it was interesting how similar the Vietnamese culture is to ours in a few ways (and similar to every culture where mothers love babies and boys go off to war) and in other ways so dissimilar in their reticence to express deep emotion outwardly, in their conservative views about marriage, in their long, centuries old customs and parables. Loved it!"
Julie Christmas
