Of Richard Mason's other novels, I have only read The World of Suzie Wong, but it makes for some good comparisons with The Wind Cannot Read. Of course, there is the similarity between the two sets of protagonists, the somewhat misplaced Asian woman, in this case, Sabby, a Japanese woman marooned in India during World War II. There is also the hero, a Briton unmoored in Asia, with Michael Quinn, in this novel, being an RAF airman recovering in Bombay from wounds received on the retreat out of Burma. And stylistically you can also see that Mason has a tendency to cocoon his characters. Most often literally into each others' arms and in exotic locales.

And that brings up another matter. Mason has a good sense of atmosphere in his two books. But usually he comes about it indirectly, almost tangentially. Rarely does he paint outright descriptions of his places. Rather, the feel of houses, cities, trains, and hotels emerges as a reflection of his characters' desires. There are a couple of exceptions, the visit to Agra and the Taj Mahal and Quinn's capture by the Japanese in Burma during the last third of the story.

The latter part of the book might be the best. For not only do the confines of the jungle seem to strangle and starve Michael, they also have something of the same effect on the reader. As with many good writers, Mason creates the conditions for urgency that overwhelm the senses along with the physical obstacles in Quinn's path. Along the way, Mason also does something remarkable for a novel written barely one year after the conclusion of World War II. His description of his Japanese captors often allows them to be humanized. Yes, the brutal side is there. But so is the experience of the wartime Japanese soldier simply drafted into a situation he has no control over. In doing this, Mason anticipates similar efforts that would not take place in literature and cinema until a decade or more later.

Then, there is Sabby herself. The wartime romance between a British officer and a Japanese woman being depicted in a 1946 novel must have created a challenging situation in the minds of many readers for whom Japan's wartime atrocities were still a fresh memory. Yet if the story of Sabby and Michael is at the heart of The Wind Cannot Read, it is also a weak point. Simply put, Sabby doesn't have much to say or think about other than doting over Michael. Because of that, she seems shallow, if not trivial. Even the brief exchanges between Michael and his Japanese captors have more depth. Mason has a gift for dialog involving repartee. He is at his best when it is between Michael and other soldiers in the zone of war. But for some reason, he can't carry this over into the conversations between Michael and Sabby. It's something he did manage to perfect in Suzie Wong, which makes that latter novel something of a masterpiece.

Finally, note that there is a filmed version of this novel, made in 1958, with Dirk Bogarde and Yoko Tani. It's largely successful in adapting the atmosphere of the novel. This is due in no small part because of the significant photography made on location in India. Alas, the film stumbles at the end. This melodrama is turned into saccharine soap opera. So much so that it's almost painful to watch. Mason had the ability in the novel, however, to put a harder edge on things. His conclusion doesn't disappoint. It has a philosophical bent to it. The wider vista of life yet to be lived conflicts with the lingering sense of sorrow, each trying to win permanency in the soul. ( )

Sul cartello è scritto "Non cogliere questi fiori". Ma per il vento è inutile, perché il vento non sa leggere", recita un'antica poesia giapponese. Solo una forza cieca potrebbe infatti annientare la passione tra una dolce ragazza giapponese e un ufficiale inglese. Si sono incontrati a Bombay, nel pieno della seconda guerra mondiale. Tutto congiurerebbe a tenerli lontani, ma i sentimenti non conoscono né frontiere né pregiudizi. Il destino però, può rivelarsi più spietato degli uomini... ( )