The Hidden Force (Library of the Indies)
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Book Overview
The Hidden Force is a 1900 novel by the Dutch writer, L. Couperus. In the novel, the protagonist, Van Oudijck, a Dutch resident, faces his own demise as a result of his inability to see past his... This description may be from another edition of this product.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0870237152
ISBN13:9780870237157
Release Date:January 1990
Publisher:University of Massachusetts Press
Length:272 Pages
Weight:0.80 lbs.
Dimensions:8.5" x 0.8" x 5.4"
Customer Reviews
3 ratings
The finest novel of the Dutch East Indies
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
This is a wonderful novel, an exploration of sexuality, colonialism, race and power in colonial Indonesia. The book is not easy -- there is nuance and no movie version -- but Couperus brilliantly critiques the paranoia of the late Dutch empire. Read it alongside Pramoedya, or Forster, or maybe even Dermout.
A great read for anybody interested in the mystical East
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
I've read this book in a different translation, published by Oxford Press Asia - a very careful update on an old translation from England. The book was a great read during a long trip in Indonesia - as the experience of the travels and the book played off each other nicely. It is also a fast read and the occasional lapse into rather very flowery language is easily forgiven as the story moves to a harrowing conclusion. Holland's Joseph Conrad.
Master in description of characters
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 26 years ago
I've read this book several times ( in Dutch). Couperus is one of our best writers of the end of last century. He's a master in describing the feelings of his characters. This book is about a family in the East. It's about the difference between east and west, about the hidden powers of the people surpressed by the Dutch colonial government. It's also about passions and secret relationships. And on top of that it's even a thrilling story. Dutch TV made an adaption a few years ago which was very inspiring. Look for similar books by couperus about the society of The Hague at the turn of the century.It may be difficult to acquire in the States, but it's worth the trouble, because it's a great piece of Dutch literature.
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