4 Followers
A wonderful exploration of what it means to help others when we're not familiar with their circumstances. While it was a bit slow at times if you like introspective reads that don't shy away from life's dark humour, saving fish from drowning will take you on a journey to remember.
After her mysterious death, the art collector and trader, Bibi Chen comes back as a ghost to haunt the trip she had planned for twelve of her friends and their families. She watches with a critical, sarcastic and opinionated eye as they don't quite follow the Buddha's footsteps, which she had meticulously researched. As her friends stumble into more and more trouble, Bibi will be helpless to change the course of the story. From food poisoning to altercations with the oppressive regime to the tribes living deep in the Burmese jungle her friends come face to face with the consequences of both their selfish and charitable actions. The story is told through the omniscient, first person perspective of Bibi's ghost. We get insight into every character's thoughts and feelings (through Bibi's sometimes unreliable narration) which makes the book introspective and doubly interesting as every character tries to justify their actions to themselves. We see their fears their hopes as well as their delusions. All in all a well thought out story with an entertaining narrator although I can see how Bibi's sometimes chatty and a little gossipy tone can slow the story down, especially for readers, who prefer more plot and action.
Sep 18, 2024
A wonderful exploration of what it means to help others when we're not familiar with their circumstances. While it was a bit slow at times if you like introspective reads that don't shy away from life's dark humour, saving fish from drowning will take you on a journey to remember.
After her mysterious death, the art collector and trader, Bibi Chen comes back as a ghost to haunt the trip she had planned for twelve of her friends and their families. She watches with a critical, sarcastic and opinionated eye as they don't quite follow the Buddha's footsteps, which she had meticulously researched. As her friends stumble into more and more trouble, Bibi will be helpless to change the course of the story. From food poisoning to altercations with the oppressive regime to the tribes living deep in the Burmese jungle her friends come face to face with the consequences of both their selfish and charitable actions. The story is told through the omniscient, first person perspective of Bibi's ghost. We get insight into every character's thoughts and feelings (through Bibi's sometimes unreliable narration) which makes the book introspective and doubly interesting as every character tries to justify their actions to themselves. We see their fears their hopes as well as their delusions. All in all a well thought out story with an entertaining narrator although I can see how Bibi's sometimes chatty and a little gossipy tone can slow the story down, especially for readers, who prefer more plot and action.
Sep 18, 2024
