A review by mili_starling
The Understory by Saneh Sangsuk

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This compelling story is written in a way that reflects the old traditions of oral storytelling. There are very few paragraphs, making it hard to find any easy stopping points. The story is full of contrast with prose describing the jungle against the graphically harsh depictions of the reality of living so closely entwined with the natural world. The narrator, at 93 years old,  looks back on his struggle-filled relationship with the jungle, caught between being a ‘child of the jungle’ and adapting to a more modern agricultural lifestyle.