Rani Manicka

The first half of novel is outstanding and moving; rich in color like a beautiful, deeply-hued tapestry with new images to see each time one looks at it. But the second half, after Lakshmi's wedding, the novel felt bleached out and forced, possibly reflecting the culture of marrying girls too young to understand how their lives would change. (The lies and manipulations to arrange many marriages - in any culture - are just plain evil.)

Lakshmi was smarter than many young wives, learning show more quickly how to manage her husband, babies, neighbors and vendors. She was strong in dealing with challenging situations especially the Japanese occupation, little money or food, and family illness. Because she was stubborn, and had too much control over her family, the mistakes she did make after the family's overwhelming loss caused irreversible pain to her children, scarring them, and leaving them ill-prepared for the future.

I enjoyed the sections Lakshmi narrated far more than the sections narrated by the others, except for Ayah. He was exceptionally kind, loving and considered his life blessed.

While mostly a good read, the characterizations of some of Lakshmi's children and the sections they narrated didn't feel real or alive to me. show less

I love a good long family saga, and this book nailed that.

At the age of 14, Lakshmi is married off to a rich man in Malaysia. She travels from her home in Ceylon, only to discover he isn't rich, and he is also not bright. He is kind though, and his home is better than what she came from. And then we learn of her children and some grandchildren--through the Japanese occupation in Word War II, dreams of education and marriage, children and businesses.

This book is 400+ pages and is very good, show more but it is also hard. There is so much sadness, regret, and sorrow. show less

I loved 'Rice Mother' and was really looking forward to reading 'Touching Earth,' especially after spending 2 weeks in Bali last year. The images of Bali are authentic and intoxicating. They transport the reader elsewhere. I remember watching the Balinese make offering to their spirits all through the day, well into the night, mysteriously following an invisible path and rituals unbeknownst to me...Nenek does the same. Reportedly a witch, she's tied to the earth, feeding herbal combinations show more to the ill, possessed and her granddaughters, identical twins.

The twins, their perspectives and desires are fascinating. they each see their home, their family and their culture through different eyes, but each reveals layers rather than something separate.

Their downfall is a trip to London, a gift from their father. The transformation of innocent, sheltered village girls by the evil underbelly of the city is horrifying. You won't want to turn the page, but have to because you have to know what happens to them and their friends as they enter the temple of the spider goddess. A gripping, roller coaster of a novel show less

The saga of a Ceylonese family living in Malaysia from pre-WWII era to the present. The first section tells the story of Lakshmi, who arrives in her new country after being tricked into a bad marriage by a calculating matchmaker. Lakshmi eventually has six children whom she fiercely protects throughout the brutalities of the Japanese occupation, until one horrible day. This tragedy reverberates through the generations until years later, when Lakshmi's great-granddaughter compiles the stories show more of her broken family and finally brings them all together.

This was a very ambitious novel and for the most part the author was up to the task. The story is told by various narrating family members over the years. Although I appreciated that some of the narrators were male -- not common in this type of family saga -- in the end there were just too many different voices. The story would have been better told by only four or five principal characters. Also, Lakshmi's opening section was so vivid and powerful and her character so interesting that I really missed her when she was gone. She overshadowed the later generations, which was intentional by the author, but it was a bit of a letdown to switch from her to other, less engaging family members.

The writing was colorful and detailed about everyday life in Malaysia. There was also particular emphasis on rituals of family and community, as well as an undercurrent of superstition. I would definitely be interested in reading more by Rani Manicka. show less