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Suzanne
Rating:
Review
Let me start by saying that if you have a big fear of snakes, this book may give you nightmares. The story is hardboiled, with a twist – Buddhism. Set in the world of sex for sale, the drug trade, and the jade black market in Krung Thep, better known as Bangkok, this truly feels like an exotic place. Morality is different here. Start with Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep, son of an ultra-practical retired Thai prostitute and an unknown GI from the Vietnam War era. Sonchai is an arhat, a Buddhist follower who’s achieved an unusually high level of spirituality, but this status is only considered a nuisance by the corrupt people who surround him. Furthermore, he appears to have no conflict with being an arhat and vowing to kill the person who inadvertently caused the death of his partner. Bangkok 8 is a great read, full of wryly humorous one-liners and astute commentaries of Thai and American culture. It takes off in unexpected directions until you feel like you’ve landed in a different dimension.
Best Line:
“This is a magic-ravaged land, you know that?”
Kim
Rating:
Review
Set in Bangkok in the late 1990s, the pace of this novel starts out fast and never slows down. Royal Thai Police Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep and his partner are following a Marine for unknown reasons, when they witness his murder. By snakes. It gives me shivers thinking about it again. When Sonchai’s partner is then killed at the crime scene, he vows revenge that takes him all over Bangkok, through the red-light districts, the upscale neighborhoods, and a particular farang jewelry shop. Sonchai is a complex character that I found admirable and honest, and I completely enjoyed his witty assumptions (that a certain FBI agent had attended anti-flirting classes at Quantico), along with his karmic observations after meditating. Had Suzanne not read this book first, I would have never come across it, since I don’t look for books in the Mystery section of my local bookstore. Maybe I should. I’m still unsure if the author’s note at the beginning of the book is truthful or a disclaimer, but I may put Thailand on my list of places to eventually visit simply because it does sound interesting, and very different from the US. Make the time to read this one, even if you aren’t into mysteries or the Asian culture. It’s worth it.
Best Line:
“You will not make a good death is a power curse; it makes Fuck you sound like a benediction.”
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