Review of Beyond Burma

[Mutai Marshal]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Beyond Burma" by Julien Moe.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The struggle for independence and self-rule is one of the most painstaking tasks a country under annexation can face. The fruits of sovereignty come with resounding happiness. However, the leaders who take over the mantle of leadership from the colonial master will either make or break the nation. This was the situation in Burma.

Beyond Burma by Julien Moe is a fictionalized account of Joe’s journey based on the true story of his life. In the novel, his name is Zin Moe. His father, U Khin Maung, worked for an electricity corporation, while his mother, Daw Mya, once worked for a textile corporation. As a teen, Moe developed a deep interest in the Roman Catholic faith. With his mother’s permission, Father Pyone Cho baptized him. Zoe excelled in school and earned a scholarship. He left Thegon, his home, for Rangoon to pursue further studies.

Meanwhile, Burma has been under military rule since 1962, when General Ne Win seized power. Movements across the country are seeking liberation. At the university, Zin Moe is appointed the Burma Youths Liberation Front (BYLF) representative. The movement strives to deliver the country from the snares of dictatorship. The former Prime Minister U Nu forms a parallel government to run the affairs of the country. This is where the infamous 8.8.88 stemmed.

Beyond Burma is a short, fast-paced novella. I liked the description of how the aggression against the country’s leadership is countered with brute force. The government is envisaged as a ruthless body that is unconcerned with the interests of its citizens. Any form of resistance receives the utmost forms of punishment. Perpetrators are arrested and thrown behind bars; others die from live bullets. Patriotism is evident across the nation. The government’s intimidation doesn’t always succeed as some movements operate discreetly. Like any other fights, spies are all over; walls have ears, and the slightest mistake is quite costly. The simplicity of the book’s information is worth mentioning. Julien Moe used terms that were straightforward and easy to understand. I also liked the naming of the characters. They reflect Burma’s traditions and culture.

Some aspects didn’t sit well with me. First, there is a myriad of characters in the novel. A couple of these characters are mentioned once, while others were introduced and came back later after I lost track of them. This, coupled with the unique names, made it rocky for me to get hold of most characters. Because of the many characters, I could barely connect with them. I only related with Moe at a personal level. The editing of the book failed to meet professional standards. There were a couple of grammatical errors that impeded the flow of the text. I would have appreciated it if the author invested more in other people’s contributions in the scrabble against poor leadership. I felt like the elite received more credit in the fight. However, this is a personal preference when the book's length is considered.

I award this book 3 out of 4 stars. The lack of editing professionalism and the inability to connect with other characters led me to deduct the point. I recommend Beyond Burma to historical fiction enthusiasts. Activists will also find the clamor for human rights in this novel interesting.

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Beyond Burma
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[Akinola John]

The story seems interesting but the author needs to work a little bit on the book. Thanks for the honest review.

[Blessing E]

I'm not exactly big on historical fiction books, but this is good. I appreciate well written reviews. This is because it gives me an idea of how to structure my reviews subsequently. Thanks teaching me what a good review is. And congratulations for having your review published.

[Sarah Musselman]

I really enjoyed this book going through school when I was younger but haven't re-read it in full as an adult. At the time of reading it as a child, we were reading a lot of really heavy Historical Fiction in school that included a lot of gore and really tough language and sentence structures in what the historical context was presenting might have happened. Beyond Burma in this context seemed like a lighter refreshing read with only light violence.

It does help in that nature.

[Ellylion]

As a rule, I like reading historical fiction novel, but, I guess, this one is not quite my cup of tea. But I'm sure those interested in history of Burma and their rich culture would appreciate it Thanks for a great review!