Literary, Asians, Canada, Mothers and daughters, Triangles (Interpersonal relations), Fathers and daughters, Borneo, Malaysia--Sandakan (Sabah), Malaya 

"A documentary maker, Gail Lim has devoted her professional life to getting to the heart of a story, and she is both tenacious and compassionate in her pursuit. But the one story that has remained hidden from her is that of her father's past in war-torn Asia, a past that fiercely grips her imagination." "As a child, Matthew Lim lived in a Malaysian village occupied by the Japanese. He and his beloved Ani wandered the jungle fringe under the terrifying pall of war. The aftermath of the occupation shattered their families, splitting the two apart until a brief reunion years later. But the secrets Matthew and Ani shared cast a shadow over his life that his daughter now desperately seeks to understand."
"As Gail pieces together a history that spans six decades and four continents, her search for the truth about her father takes her to the Netherlands, where she finally unearths more about the mysterious Ani. But when she brings into focus the complex love triangle that shaped her parents' fates, Gail also comes face-to-face with the most painful choices in her own life."--Jacket. 

Synopsis
Madeleine Thien's stunning debut novel hauntingly retells a crucial moment in history, through two unforgettable love stories. Gail Lim, a producer of radio documentaries, is haunted by the mystery of her father's Asian past. As a child, Gail's father, Matthew Lim, lived in a Malaysian village occupied by the Japanese. He and his beloved Ani wandered the jungle fringe under the terrifying shadow of war. The war shattered their families, splitting the two apart until a brief reunion years later. Matthew's profound connection to Ani and the life-changing secrets they shared cast a shadow that, later still, Matthew's wife, Clara, desperately sought to understand. Gail's journey to unravel the mystery of her parents' lives takes her to Amsterdam, where she unearths more about this mysterious other woman. But as Gail approaches the truth, Ani's story will bring Gail face-to-face, with the untold mysteries of her own life. Vivid, poignant, and written in understated yet powerful prose, CERTAINTY is a novel about the legacies of loss, the dislocations of war, and the timeless redemption afforded by love.

About the Author
Madeleine Thien's first book of fiction, Simple Recipes, won four awards in Canada, was a finalist for a regional Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book, and was named a notable book by the Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize. Originally from Vancouver, Thien recently moved to Quebec City.

 

Genre/Form: Domestic fiction
General fiction
Fiction
Material Type: Fiction
Document Type: Book
All Authors / Contributors: Madeleine Thien
ISBN: 0316834998 9780316834995
OCLC Number: 71266454
Notes: "First published in Canada by McClelland & Stewart in 2006"--Title page verso.
Awards: Commended for Kiriyama Prize (Fiction) 2007
Description: 311 pages ; 22 cm
Responsibility: Madeleine Thien.