The Persimmon Tree

As a previous reviewer wrote, I too had become somewhat disenchanted with Bryce Courtenay over the past few years. I thoroughly enjoyed The Power of One and Jessica (the first two Courtenay novels I'd read), but was increasingly disappointed as I made my way though Tandia, Matthew Flinders' Cat and Sylvia. As you probably know, Bryce Courtenay books are not quick reads. They are thick (in many cases, upwards of 800+ pages), the font is small-- and if you're going to read them, you are making a huge time commitment. So when I saw The Persimmmon Tree in the library, I was hesitant to delve into it. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised. The story begins during 1942 when Nicholas Duncan meets the beautiful Anna van Heerden in the Dutch occupied East Indies. Six weeks after they meet, they are forced to seperate as the Japanese invading forces press closer to the islands each day. Nick sails to Australia, and joins the Allied WWII forces, while Anna (who is half Dutch) struggles to survive in the East Indies under the Japanese occupation. I loved Anna's story. I loved her tenacity, resilience and resorcefulness. Like many of Courtenay's characters, Anna does not emerge from the war unscathed. Her story was intense and intricate, even (in some places) appalling. However, her character remains determined, generous and strong. Although I found Nick's story to be less compelling, I nonetheless enjoyed reading about his adventures (and misadventures). As I approached page 800/840, I started to become uneasy with how Courtney would end the book. Courtney has several novels that end in an abrupt (and in my opinion), unsatisfactory manner. Thankfully (as you can probably tell from my five-star rating) I was content with the conclusion that Courtney chose for the Persimmon Tree. Perhaps next time I won't be so hesitant to pick up another of his novels! I hope others enjoy this story as much as I did!

I enjoyed this book thoroughly. A plot that thunders along from page one, filled with wonderful characters (I fell in love with the girl with the violet eyes) and fascinating detail. The description of the boat journey to Australia, the Japanese invasion, the Americans and the Australians during WW2 ... wow! I read it like one possessed, found it hard to put down, despite the fact that it is so thick you need to hold it in both hands and support it on something or your arms start to tremble. My only complaint is that the paperback version was obviously not proof-read before publication because it is absolutely loaded with typos and formatting errors. It is so bad it looks like a self-published book. Come on, this book deserves better. Courtenay, if I was you, I would complain. The paperback publisher has made a hash of your beautiful work.

Wonderful story. I had become somewhat disillusioned with Bryce Courtenay over the past few years. Brother Fish, Whitethorn and Sylvia were all average reads. For this reason, I hesitated in buying 'The Persimmon Tree'. I was seduced by the cover however, and luckily so. The Persimmon Tree is as fine a novel as 'The Power of One'. It combines history, evocative surroundings and an engaging storyline. It was also quite unique aside from the heroine's 'violet eyes' which were reminiscent of Memoirs of a Geisha! For both the literary snob and the average reader, I think this book will provide satisfaction.