A Hundred Suns: A Novel
by Karin Tanabe
Description
Named A Best Book of Spring 2020 by Real Simple · Parade · PopSugar· New York Post · Entertainment Weekly · Betches · CrimeReads · BookBub
“A transporting historical novel, and a smart thriller.”— Washington Post
“A luscious setting combined with a sinister, sizzling plot.” -EW
A faraway land.
A family’s dynasty.
A trail of secrets that could shatter their glamorous lifestyle.
On a humid afternoon in 1933, American Jessie Lesage steps off a boat from Paris and onto the shores of Vietnam. Accompanying her French husband Victor, an heir to the Michelin rubber fortune, she’s certain that their new life is full of promise, for while the rest of the world is sinking into economic depression, Indochine is gold for the Michelins. Jessie knows that the vast plantations near Saigon are the key to the family’s prosperity, and though they have recently been marred in scandal, she needs them to succeed for her husband’s sake—and to ensure that the life she left behind in America stays buried in the past.
Jessie dives into the glamorous colonial world, where money is king and morals are brushed aside, and meets Marcelle de Fabry, a spellbinding expat with a wealthy Indochinese lover, the silk tycoon Khoi Nguyen. Descending on Jessie’s world like a hurricane, Marcelle proves to be an exuberant guide to colonial life. But hidden beneath her vivacious exterior is a fierce desire to put the colony back in the hands of its people––starting with the Michelin plantations.
It doesn’t take long for the sun-drenched days and champagne-soaked nights to catch up with Jessie. With an increasingly fractured mind, her affection for Indochine falters. And as a fiery political struggle builds around her, Jessie begins to wonder what’s real in a friendship that she suspects may be nothing but a house of cards.
Motivated by love, driven by ambition, and seeking self-preservation at all costs, Jessie and Marcelle each toe the line between friend and foe, ethics and excess. Cast against the stylish backdrop of 1920s Paris and 1930s Indochine, in a time and place defined by contrasts and convictions, Karin Tanabe’s A Hundred Suns is historical fiction at its lush, suspenseful best.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781250231475 |
| PRICE | $27.99 (USD) |
| PAGES |
400 |
My Thoughts
Karin Tanabe’s A Hundred Suns is a historical fiction masterpiece that plunges readers into the opulent, sun-soaked world of 1930s French Indochina—a setting rarely explored in this genre. The novel is both a feast for the senses and a deep psychological drama, weaving together themes of colonialism, ambition, and identity against the backdrop of the Michelin rubber plantations.
The historical detail in this novel is astonishing. Tanabe vividly captures the stark contrasts of the era: the indulgence of colonial elites juxtaposed with the brutal exploitation of local laborers. Her characters, from the glamorous Jessie Lesage to the enigmatic Marcelle de Fabry, are multifaceted and compelling, each driven by personal ambitions and secrets. Jessie’s attempt to adapt to this gilded but morally bankrupt world is as riveting as her gradual unraveling, while Marcelle’s calculated maneuvers bring an undercurrent of suspense and danger.
Tanabe masterfully portrays the tensions between these two women, whose friendship teeters between alliance and rivalry. Both characters struggle with their pasts while navigating a world on the brink of change, where personal betrayals mirror the broader political upheavals. Their psychological tug-of-war is both gripping and thought-provoking, revealing how much they understand—and misunderstand—each other.
The novel’s lush, atmospheric prose immerses readers in the heat and vibrancy of Indochina, making its political and cultural conflicts feel immediate and real. Through her richly drawn settings and layered storytelling, Tanabe doesn’t just tell a story—she transports you to another time and place.
Even days after finishing, I find myself reflecting on these characters and the choices they made. A Hundred Suns is an engrossing tale of ambition, power, and resilience that will leave readers both entertained and enlightened.
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