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thomaswjoyce's review
5.0
A mesmerising glimpse into the horror of war, and the effect it can have on those caught in the middle. Following American soldier Israel Broussard, we witness first-hand his broken psyche as he tries to disappear in the slums of Bangkok 5 years after the end of the Vietnam War. He has become dependant on narcotics, and is haunted, not only by the harrowing memories of jungle warfare (which Grau explores throughout the story in flashbacks) but also thoughts of his brother when they were children and a dark presence that takes the shape of demon dog Black Shuck, but is not actually a dog. Broussard has hallucinogenic visions of "the river" sweeping him into his past. Grau ties the river motif to both Vietnam and Broussard's childhood in Louisiana and it helps to explore his character. He is a fragile and broken man, making him so much easier to relate to, and sympathise with.
The way Grau describes the settings of Vietnam and Bangkok, as well as describing the situations in which Broussard finds himself, makes for wonderful and immersive storytelling. It gives a real sense of place and what is happening. Despite having no experience of Southeast Asia or the Vietnam War, I felt as though I could reach out and touch the jungle, smell the smells of the streets of Bangkok.
It is by no means an easy read; the narrative jumps from first- to third-person, and Broussard's memories intertwine with real-time events to deliver the story. It isn't a case of reading events from A to Z - to be honest, I think that would have made for a much less entertaining experience. Much of the enjoyment of reading the story comes from the way Grau teases out the horrors of Broussard's past, and how they each relate to his present dilemma. It makes for a gripping and much more rewarding read.
Beautifully written, haunting in its depiction of war and addiction, and immersive from start to finish as long as you give it the attention it deserves, this is an enthralling tributary to Grau's lexicon of work, and further showcases his incredible mastery of storytelling and command of language. Prepare to be swept away by the current of Grau's tremendous voice.
The way Grau describes the settings of Vietnam and Bangkok, as well as describing the situations in which Broussard finds himself, makes for wonderful and immersive storytelling. It gives a real sense of place and what is happening. Despite having no experience of Southeast Asia or the Vietnam War, I felt as though I could reach out and touch the jungle, smell the smells of the streets of Bangkok.
It is by no means an easy read; the narrative jumps from first- to third-person, and Broussard's memories intertwine with real-time events to deliver the story. It isn't a case of reading events from A to Z - to be honest, I think that would have made for a much less entertaining experience. Much of the enjoyment of reading the story comes from the way Grau teases out the horrors of Broussard's past, and how they each relate to his present dilemma. It makes for a gripping and much more rewarding read.
Beautifully written, haunting in its depiction of war and addiction, and immersive from start to finish as long as you give it the attention it deserves, this is an enthralling tributary to Grau's lexicon of work, and further showcases his incredible mastery of storytelling and command of language. Prepare to be swept away by the current of Grau's tremendous voice.
pandemoniumpizza's review
3.0
This was an intriguing read, as it was a little mysterious and I kept reading because I really wanted to know what was going on. It was really well written and I really liked this imagery throughout the book.
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