Historical fiction set in French Indochina, present day Vietnam, in the 1930s. Protagonist Jessie Lesage, an American with a troubled childhood, has arrived in Hanoi from Paris with her French husband, Victor Michelin Lesage, and young daughter, Lucie. Victor is the new manager of the Michelin rubber plantations near Saigon, which have recently been a source of scandal. Jessie meets French expat Marcelle de Fabray, a glamorous woman having an affair with an Indochinese silk magnate. The story is told in alternating points of view by Jessie and Marcelle.

The historical fiction portion of this book is very well done. It conveys a sense of place and time. The narrative portrays the lavish life of French expatriates, contrasted against the poverty and grim working conditions of the local residents. It covers the rise of communist, anti-communist, and anti-colonialist sentiments.

The less effective part, for me, is the attempt to turn the story into a thriller. Is someone gaslighting Jessie? Is she losing her mind? Jessie is harboring the secrets of her past. Dramatic tension is attained by gradually revealing these secrets. While it contains elements of a psychological thriller, it is not fast-paced or tense until near the end.

The dialogue is not particularly well-written. It is not the way people speak. Lots of “information dumping” takes place through characters talking to each other. I am sure the author felt a need to provide readers with a history lesson, but there are other ways. I found the epilogue unnecessary, but I am, in general, not a fan of epilogues.

So, the positives and negatives offset. I liked the historical parts and disliked the thriller sections. I think readers who enjoy twists and turns will like this book more than I did.
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A Hundred Suns by Karin Tanabe caught my interest for it's setting in 1930s Indochine (later, Vietnam) under French colonial rule.

Tanabe's protagonist Jesse plotted a life to escape the crushing poverty and abuse of her childhood. She achieved an education and became a teacher, then travels to Paris. When she catches a wealthy relation to the Michelin family, she is set up for life. They are in love and have a daughter.

She has kept her past a secret, so when a woman from her previous life shows up in Paris she is desperate to flee and convinces her husband Vincent to request a position overseeing the Michelin Indochine rubber plantations.

Tanabe's portrait of Indochine's beauty, tropical climate, and decadent expat society is vivid and beautifully rendered. High society--white and rich only, of course--has a veneer of respectability. The men indulge in sexual freedoms with the local women, the women indulge in leisure and alcohol, and everyone uses cocaine freely.

Vincent's success depends on keeping production high and expenditures low. He works to improve the quality of life for the local workers--the 'coolies.' But overseers deal out cruel punishment to any who try to unionize and fight for humane treatment., the leaders tortured or murdered.

Jesse is taken under wing by the beautiful French woman Marcelle. Marcelle has an agenda. She is a communist and hates colonization and the Michelin family, who were responsible for killing the Indochine man loved by her best friend. Her Indochine lover Khoi is wealthy and gorgeous; by law, they are not allowed to marry. The couple lure Jesse into compromising situations. Marcelle plots to drive Jesse and Victor back to France.

Jesse strives to help her husband in his work, but also experiences strange psychotic episodes and struggles with self-doubt.

I enjoyed reading the novel for it's setting and the suspense kept me turning pages. As readers come to understand the characters and their motivations deeper, the delineation between good and evil become blurred.

Colonization and unbridled capitalism are shown to be the true evils. The 'coolies' are virtual slaves, contracting to work for three years in brutal conditions. When workers strive to organize for better treatment they suffer dire consequences, while the French are given lenient punishments for crimes. A corrupt system corrupts those in the system.

There are scenes of sexual activity and a glimpse into the torture of communist leaders on the plantation, and stories of abuse suffered by Jesse and her siblings.

The novel will appeal to a wide range of readers--historical fiction, women's fiction, suspense and thrillers, and those who enjoy exotic settings. It is the perfect beach read.

I received a free book from the publisher through Book Club Cook Book. My review is fair and unbiased. ( )

A Hundred Suns by Karin Tanabe is set in the history of the Michelin empire and the political climate that led to the rise of communism in Vietnam in the 1930s. I wish the history had been a more integral part of this story, which is more a conflict between two manipulative women, their privileged lifestyle, and their back stories. For a book in this setting, I expected more of the history.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2020/01/a-hundred-suns.html

Reviewed for NetGalley. ( )

In the 1930's, Jessie and her husband Victor, travel from Paris to Indochina. Victor, a Michelin, has been sent to oversee their rubber plantations. Jessie meets Marcelle, a woman who instantly befriends Jessie. Behind the scenes, Marcelle is working to oust the Michelin's, and transform the nation to communism.

The book was an interesting and intriguing read. Both the setting and the characters were exotic and fascinating. Jessie's back story was unraveled in pieces, providing depth to her character as the book progressed. I highly enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more from this author. ( )

More of a thriller, less about the situation in the plantations and treatment of natives. ( )