Daniel Bartolome Bartolome itibaren Balisitha, Assam 784526, Hindistan itibaren Balisitha, Assam 784526, Hindistan

The story explores the keeping of secrets, and the prejudices Asians have against each other, which is complicated in this plot when a married Chinese businessman "goes native" with a Japanese mistress. His tubercular oldest son spends a year at the family's beach house in Japan on the eve of the Japanese invasion of China. The boy has a "summer romance" with a local girl, and he also discovers his father's secret life. The summer home's long-time "butler" also has a secret life related his life-long best friend's sweetheart who was banished to a leper colony. I can't decide who comes of age in this story, the tubercular narrator, or the reader. It's a thoughtful story, and the scenery materializes like an oriental watercolor painting. Very nice piece of work.

If you've ever struggled with the word "retrogression", here's your perfect example of the social type. Let's just say its what happens when a bunch of boy scouts are left on an island to fend for themselves. Pay attention to the conch, it is a significant symbol. The condition of the kids is reflected through it.