I found this book to be a challenging read. It takes place at the end of World War II as the characters are trying to redefine their places in the world. All the characters are traumatized by war, and all are somewhat unreliable narrators. The timeline can be difficult to follow, but I found the writing to be poetic and evocative of the time. Worth your time to read carefully. Not a casual read.

This could well have been the title of this lyrical novel. To me, Kip is the most compelling character in the book. His realization of the unbridgeable gulf that exists between colonialists and their subjects; whites and people of color; East and West; etc. is disheartening and unfortunately more than likely accurate.