Name: Kath Lau's review of Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes
Item: Monsoon Mansion
Rating: 4
Author: Kath Lau

Cinelle Barnes

Told with a lyrical, almost-dreamlike voice as intoxicating as the moonflowers and orchids that inhabit this world, Monsoon Mansion is a harrowing yet triumphant coming-of-age memoir exploring the dark, troubled waters of a family's rise and fall from grace in the Philippines. It would take a young warrior to survive it. Cinelle Barnes was barely three years old when her family moved into Mansion Royale, a stately ten-bedroom home in the Philippines. Filled with her mother's opulent social aspirations and the gloriously excessive evidence of her father's self-made success, it was a girl's storybook playland. But when a monsoon hits, her father leaves, and her mother's terrible lover takes the reins, Cinelle's fantastical childhood turns toward tyranny she could never have imagined. Formerly a home worthy of magazines and lavish parties, Mansion Royale becomes a dangerous shell of the splendid palace it had once been. In this remarkable ode to survival, Cinelle creates something magical out of her truth--underscored by her complicated relationship with her mother. Through a tangle of tragedy and betrayal emerges a revelatory journey of perseverance and strength, of grit and beauty, and of coming to terms with the price of family--and what it takes to grow up.

A Memoir

Monsoon Mansion

Melanie Richards

Kath Lau

Cinelle Barnes and her family moved into Mansion Royale when she was two and a half years old. Her mother came from a wealthy family while her father grew up poor but worked his way so hard. She and her older brother grew up surrounded by helpers and nannies. Everything was so perfect until the Gulf War happened and later on, a monsoon that lasted for forty days hits and floods their mansion. These events changed their lives forever.

I had to admit that it was a bit hard for me to relate with the author’s story at first. Just like the author, I was also born and raised in the Philippines. We share the same birth year but we grew up in a totally different surroundings and status. I honestly can’t remember much of my childhood or some of the huge events that happened in the country during those years so this book brought back some personal memories to me.

I personally loved the author’s lyrical prose and vivid descriptions. It can be overly poetic sometimes but I didn’t really mind it. My favorite was the second part of the book. We get to see how her life changed drastically as well as the lives of the people around her. I frequently had to remind myself that I wasn’t reading a fiction novel. That these events actually happened in real life and these people exist.

I admire the author for being so brave and strong. For sharing her beautiful story especially the tragic and devastating events that happened in her life. It’s obviously wasn’t that easy but she still managed to write it in a very compelling way. I’m also happy with how her life turns out. She is truly a warrior and I’m so proud of her.

I also listened to the audiobook which is narrated by the author herself and it was a great experience. It added more depth to the story.

Monsoon Mansion is a story of hope and survival. A heartbreaking yet very powerful and inspiring read that I highly recommend to everyone.

Nicole

In this touching memoir, Cinelle Barnes shares all the intimate details of her childhood while growing up in the opulent Mansion Royale in the Philippines. Mansion Royale was the physical manifestation of the lavish life her family lived, a life that quickly unraveled as her family, and their once stately home, descended into poverty and chaos. 

I originally picked up this book because of the gorgeous cover art and once I started reading I quickly became immersed in the story. Barnes writes with such an artistic, lyrical quality that her memoir reads like a piece of literary fiction. 

Monsoon Mansion is an intimate story of resilience and survival, and I’m really looking forward to reading Malaya: Essays on Freedom, her collection of essays focusing on her life in America. 

Melanie Richards &
Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes

Reviews

Join the club

Melanie Richards &Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes

Reviews

Join the club

Melanie Richards &
Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes