Bangkok Wakes to Rain, by Pitchaya Sudbanthad (2019)
Bangkok Wakes to Rain is a series of interconnected vignettes that take place mostly in Bangkok, Thailand. The stories go back and forth in time from the late 1800s to the present day. One story line follows Phineas Stevens, an American missionary doctor who initially feels lost in a culture he does not understand. Then there is Sammy, son of a Thai mother and British father. When his parents divorce, he goes to live with his father and new wife in England. His mother retains the family estate in Bangkok. When the house becomes too much for her to manage, she contemplates converting it into condos.
On one of his visits to see his mother in Bangkok, Sammy begins a relationship with Nee. As a university student in the 1970s, she participated in the government protests. She was traumatized by the military’s shooting of the student demonstrators. Her sister, Nok, had left Thailand and became a restauranteur. She served authentic Thai food. One of her patrons was a Thai military officer who was actively behind some of the protests of the 1970s. This puts her at odds with her sister.
There are many other quirky characters, each with his or her own views and experiences of living in Thailand’s bustling city of Bangkok. The stories slowly weave together a picture of Thailand and Bangkok throughout the last century.
Read: September 20, 2022
3.5 Stars
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