5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A beautiful saga of a reluctant missionary doctor's wife living in Siam, based on a true story, July 14, 2008
Family history, missions, and an exploration of marriage and identity mingle together in former lawyer Pamela Binnings Ewen's second novel, THE MOON IN THE MANGO TREE.
Ewen sets her book mostly in Siam (now modern-day Thailand) in the Roaring Twenties and bases it on her grandmother, a suffragette and aspiring, talented opera singer who gives up everything to follow her new husband Harvey Perkins to the medical mission field.
Ewen, who tells us in the author's note that she relied on letters, journals, photographs and the stories she was told as a child to craft her narrative, has an obvious passion for her subject matter, which comes through strongly in her story. Unlike some mission-based novels, Ewen shows both the best and the worst of mission work. The rigid faith and unpleasantness of some of the Presbyterian missionaries and their hellfire and damnation ranting to the people of the Nan Valley erodes Barbara's faith (which is rather unfocused and fuzzy at the beginning of the narrative). And the beauty --- and savageness --- of nature is all around her. Ewen uses it to frame some of Barbara's questions about their mission in Siam. "Is it really possible to make a difference in this wild country?" muses Barbara after a man-eating tiger is killed.
Ewen (WALK BACK THE CAT) paints a rich picture of the scenery and culture of Siam during the early part of the 20th century --- from the spirit charms and antics of a pet monkey (which turn sinister when Barbara's first daughter is born), fevers that rage through villages and visits she makes to a local Buddhist monk, to her later relationship with a Siamese princess and an encounter with the sacred royal white elephants.
But on her first sojourn in Siam, Barbara is eaten up by resentment, anger and fear, and wants nothing more than to go home. She wonders if she could have succeeded as an opera singer, and her disappointment simmers. Soon, living conditions (including torrential rains, a frightening lizard called a "tokay" hanging from the ceiling, and giant worms and snakes, both real and in her imagination) lead Barbara to a nervous breakdown, and she and Harvey go home. But Harvey's passion is to be a medical missionary, and it's not long before they are back in Siam again.
Disappointed with the way her life is turning out, on her second trip to Siam, Barbara leads the proverbial life of empty pleasure: alcohol, smoking, glittering parties and heavy flirting. She soon takes the girls and leaves Harvey to make a last-ditch effort to see if her passion for opera still holds possibilities for her. Then, an old Jesuit missionary's words bring her back to faith. Although it may sound a little too pat, Ewen does a good job making her return to faith believable and authentic. Barbara's final sacrifice lends poignancy to the novel, but what holds it together is the way Ewen portrays the consistent love between Harvey and Barbara, even as they fail to understand each other at the deepest levels.
If there's a criticism anywhere, it is that the book, at 450-plus pages, is too long and could have benefited from some intensive pruning. This would have improved the pacing as well. But these are small troubles in an engaging novel. Book clubs will find plenty of discussable topics within these pages, from missionary ethics to gender roles to marital sacrifice and commitment. Readers who enjoy lovely description and cultural detail in their inspirational novels should appreciate this glimpse into one woman's life in the 1920s.
--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Historical novel brings a real woman to life, August 5, 2008
The Moon in the Mango Tree by Pamela Ewen Binnings is a powerful historical novel based on real events in the life of the author's grandmother. Barbara has great aspirations for her life; she's just been invited to attend a prestigious opera school in Chicago when the love of her life Harvey Perkins proposes to her. And Harvey's life for the two of them couldn't be farther away from the opera in Chicago. He has accepted a position as a missionary doctor in Siam. Barbara's parents urge her to sacrifice her dreams for her husband's, and she does so gladly with the idea that one day it will be her turn. In Siam, they aren't stationed in a big city where Barbara can make friends and act like a normal young woman. Instead they are stationed far into the deep country and surrounded by judgmental missionary women. Barbara listens to Buddhist priests and learns about other faiths, bringing even more condemnation and even attack upon her and causing a nervous breakdown. Harvey moves them to a larger city, and Barbara is caught up in a social whirlwind that quickly loses its charm and she is again lost and lonely. Binnings creates a terrific character in Barbara, one who isn't afraid to ask questions and wants more out of her life. She allows Barbara to be selfish without ever being unlikable. Binnings captures the essence of the changing times and describes the landscapes with breath-taking detail. She has done her grandmother's stories proud.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Prefect gift for that special lady in your life, May 4, 2008
Shopping for a mother's day gift this weekend I decided to buy a book that would offer some inspiration and encouragement for my mother who is a recent cancer survivor fighting to gain her strength back. As I entered the local Barnes & Noble, a group of ladies were buzzing around a local writer, Pamela Binnings Ewen, with pictures of her grandmother and family circa 1920s and 30s. Her book "Moon in the Mango Tree" is based on a true story of her grandmother, Barbara Perkins, who, gifted with a singing career, struggles with the desire to act on her independence or stay true to the role of a dutiful wife. The eloquent prose pulls readers into the steamy jungles of Siam where Perkins must join her medical missionary husband. Torn between the love for her husband and searching for meaning and purpose in her life, Perkins travels across the Orient, to pre-war Paris and Rome. I was so consumed with the settings and tempo, I couldn't put it down and returned to the store to buy copies for my sisters. It's the prefect book for any woman who dreams of doing more with her life.
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