The House of Doors

By: Tan Twan Eng

Narrated by: David Oakes, Louise-Mai Newberry

Bloomsbury presents The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng, read by David Oakes and Louise-Mai Newberry.

LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORKER, NPR, SLATE, THE FINANCIAL TIMES, AND A WASHINGTON POST NOTABLE WORK
A NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' CHOICE

From the bestselling author of The Garden of Evening Mists, a spellbinding novel about love and betrayal, colonialism and revolution, storytelling and redemption.

The year is 1921. Lesley Hamlyn and her husband, Robert, a lawyer and war veteran, are living at Cassowary House on the Straits Settlement of Penang. When “Willie” Somerset Maugham, a famed writer and old friend of Robert’s, arrives for an extended visit with his secretary Gerald, the pair threatens a rift that could alter more lives than one.

Maugham, one of the great novelists of his day, is beleaguered: Having long hidden his homosexuality, his unhappy and expensive marriage of convenience becomes unbearable after he loses his savings—and the freedom to travel with Gerald. His career deflating, his health failing, Maugham arrives at Cassowary House in desperate need of a subject for his next book. Lesley, too, is enduring a marriage more duplicitous than it first appears. Maugham suspects an affair, and, learning of Lesley’s past connection to the Chinese revolutionary, Dr. Sun Yat Sen, decides to probe deeper. But as their friendship grows and Lesley confides in him about life in the Straits, Maugham discovers a far more surprising tale than he imagined, one that involves not only war and scandal but the trial of an Englishwoman charged with murder. It is, to Maugham, a story worthy of fiction.

A mesmerizingly beautiful novel based on real events, The House of Doors traces the fault lines of race, gender, sexuality, and power under empire, and dives deep into the complicated nature of love and friendship in its shadow.

©2023 Tan Twan Eng (P)2023 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Beautiful reading of an author who carefully uses language to paint the story

The plot, woven around historical and authorial events fills in gaps plausibly yet imaginatively. Did not want it to end, yet the ending was very satisfying

Descriptive

Enjoyed learning about Somerset Maugham, his books, Ethel Proudlock, and life in that time period .

What a wonderful book!

I loved this novel. It is beautifully written and marvelously read. The story carries you away to a dreamy time and place. At the end of the novel, Lesley and all the other characters will stay in your thoughts for a long time as you wish you could know what may have happened after the book ends.

lovely for a maugham fan

This expands and imanges Maugham’s trip to Malaya and the background of his short story “the letter”. The world is much richer and quite enjoyable for someone who likes Maugham.

complex, historical lyrics accurate, poignant

An excellent evocation of the period between the two qorld wars. Leslie is an admirable bright woman of the jazz age. one gets a peek inside the gay world of the time. The story of the modernization China is told from a personal viewpoint, AND there is also a murder mystery. Great narration.

Great, but no “Garden”

This story by the great Tan Twan Eng is highly entertaining. The characters are vivid and the depth is there. I always love “ex-pat” settings; even though the MC is not one, most or all other important characters are.
I really enjoyed the concept and imagery of the title, meaning its reason for being. I happen to have a particular love of old doors, and was collecting them until downsizing, but none, of course, like are present here.
But, overall, I was disappointed. If I didn’t have his two earlier books to compare this one to, I’m sure I wouldn’t have felt this way. So, to sum it up, I fed this is a good read on its own, but doesn’t stand up to the others, especially The Garden of Evening Mist, which will remain in my top 10-20 all-time favourite books.

Great compelling story

This was a wonderfully performed, interesting and great story. It was a one at once a multiple love story, mystery and historical fiction.

The words. Simply elegant and so captivating!

Another brilliant piece of writing. Kept me enthralled from the front to the last word.

4.5 Star Listen

This was so well written and very well narrated. It captures a time long gone; a time when England ruled the world with impunity. To hear references to native peoples in a pre- P.C. time is unsettling but helps set the scene. I haven't read any Somerset Maugham in over 30 years. I'll be sure to dig into his catalogue soon.
Narration was great as well.

Wonderful story

Provides insight into SE Asia culture; well written story and the characters likable while being flawed and real