Matt McAvoy Book Review

Perhaps the best thing about being a book reviewer is that you are fortunate to learn so much, and that is particularly so when reading books set in a specific period of history, and certainly true of this poignant and touching emotional fiction.  Set in a perhaps under-represented time and place in recent events, that of the post-war coalition fight against the brutal communist wannabe regime in Malaya, this lovely book, by the wonderfully named author Apple Gidley, definitely falls into the category of expanding our knowledge.  But it isn’t all warfare and brutality, though there is good measure of that; rather, this is overall a sad yet beautiful love story, spanning decades, and it really does caress rather than tug at the heart strings.  It is not necessarily a tearjerker, though some might find it so, particularly if it strikes a personal chord; it is perhaps rather a thought-provoker, with themes of regret and hope underlying simultaneously.  I feel that maybe I am already giving too much away, so suffice to say that Have You Eaten Rice Today? is melancholy yet optimistic, both at the same time.

Apple is a wonderful writer, who knows her subject well and clearly doesn’t settle with her research.  Whilst the historical events in the region are rather incidental to the main storyline, it is very important that the scene is set perfectly, and the action unfolding around the central characters is flawlessly described – and this she does tremendously well; you can certainly see the work which has gone into the book.  I love the fact that these British special forces soldiers, a throwback from the age of empire, go into the action talking about home cooking and their homes in Dorset – there is something wonderfully quaint about these superb men, called to action against some of the most savage foes in recent history.  As for the book itself, it is perhaps a little slower than I might be making it seem.  The book is very wordy, and particularly chatty, and for this it might appeal to fans of the English way of life, in a rather more rewarding time for it.  There are also, in my opinion, a few lapses in pace of the continuity; some of the timeline passage feels a little inconsistent, with single scenes lasting for pages, then days or weeks passing in the space of a paragraph, without any scene breaks for context.  But this is a very minor issue, and certainly doesn’t hinder the reader experience in any way.  As for the story, it doesn’t wallow in the sentiment, when it absolutely could, and many books would – that is very much to its credit.

It's fair to say that I really enjoyed this book, and learning a little about the historical backdrop.  If you like quintessential romantic dramas with a touch of period-specific action, then I don’t doubt that you will, too.