Faded Portraits (library of the

This fictionalized memoir of colonial family life in the former Dutch East Indies is a powerful addition to the literary legacy of the Dutch in Indonesia, shedding light as it does on commonplace views and behavior from less than a century ago that we now find so alien.The once powerful De Pauly family is being overtaken by events as the colonial system slowly crumbles. But Aunt Sophie, the matriarch, makes efforts to preserve the family heritage, the "purity" of the Dutch bloodline and culture. Almost inevitable, tragedy results.