With this novel, which is compared to the books of Somerset Maugham and Graham Greene, Tan Twan Eng triumphantly entered literature. The main character, Philip Hutton, the son of an Englishman and a Chinese woman, feels lonely - he is a stranger even in his own family. Meet the Japanese Endo -san turns his life around. Endo-san becomes his mentor and teacher. Meanwhile, World War II begins. The Japanese, who captured the island where Philip's family lived, are cruel and merciless. Their victims include those close to the hero. In the face of death, people no longer need to hide their true feelings. Philip has a lot to reevaluate, including his relationship with Endo-san and his own father.