This is a beautifully told story, but I really did not like the way it played out in the end. I don’t believe that the course the characters took was “inevitable”, simply disturbing, selfish and without much compassion or sympathy for other human beings – cultural differences be what they may.

I had a similar reaction to the ending of “Bel Canto”, that the tragedy wasn’t needed to provide closure to the story, that there were many other story lines that could have resolved it without the violence that was called in. In both books, I wouldn’t call it gratuitous, but it was unnecessary.

The movie was exquisite, and the book is turning out to be just as good, if not better. Its leisurely pace belies the roiling drama born of cultural differences that can never be reconciled with selfishness that is innate in all of us. However, the book delves much more deeply into the characters, which you don’t get in the film. Some bits have been changed in the movie version as well. To really enjoy this particular work of fiction, read the book AND watch the movie. Highly recommended.