The Garden of Evening MistsThe Garden of Evening Mists
Score Modern
What it's about
In 1951, in the jungle highlands of Malaya, Yun Ling Teoh, the only survivor of a Japanese prison camp, goes to Aritomo, a Japanese man who was once gardener to the Emperor. She wants him to make a garden in memory of her sister, who died in the camp. He refuses but agrees to take her as his apprentice. Decades later, as a retired judge losing her memory, she writes down what happened.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Booker finalist. It's a beautiful, layered novel about memory, forgiveness and the art of gardens.
You'll love it if you liked
The Gift of Rain
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
The English PatientGood to know
There are descriptions of wartime torture and forced prostitution. It's slow and reflective.
By the numbers
- Readers71 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller13 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #93 of the 233 romances we rank
- #648 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1225 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Garden of Evening Mists worth reading?
Yes. It was a Booker finalist. It ranks #1,225 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Garden of Evening Mists about?
In 1951, in the jungle highlands of Malaya, Yun Ling Teoh, the only survivor of a Japanese prison camp, goes to Aritomo, a Japanese man who was once gardener to the Emperor. She wants him to make a garden in memory of her sister, who died in the camp. He refuses but agrees to take her as his apprentice. Decades later, as a retired judge losing her memory, she writes down what happened.
How long does it take to read The Garden of Evening Mists?
About 9 hours (350 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Garden of Evening Mists?
If you liked it, try The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng, The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan or The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje.