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A review by amberacks12
Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
In this book, the city of Bangkok/Krung Thep is the main character. It jumps from timeline to character to setting every chapter and is very confusing at first. You don’t really ever know where, or when, or who you are. But once you realize that the unifying variable in all stories is that city, it becomes much easier to follow.
Some other important themes: MUSIC and its ability to withstand the passage of time and tell stories; FOOD and its importance to a heritage and people, no matter where they are in the world; WATER and its meaning for the city of Bangkok, where it rains a lot and is literally a city built on swampland and rivers, and actually faces the possibility of being submerged by the ocean due to global warming and rising sea levels.
There are probably other themes that meander through this novel, that I didn’t catch on to, but these three to me seemed the most prominent. There is mention of food and music in a lot of the chapters, and direct descriptions to water in every single chapter. Water itself often plays a main role in furthering the mini plots of each character by saving, soothing, angering, saddening, distracting, or changing.
Some of the chapters seemed to me less interesting or relevant to the overall themes, but I think even then if you think of this book in terms of this quote, it makes sense to include even the most trivial of character perspectives:
“‘Who’s doing the remembering?’
‘Here. This building. This ground.’
‘They can do that?’
‘I wish i had a better explanation, but I think that maybe yes, they do. Even when we don’t. Places remember us.’”
To those who choose to pick this book up, and are as confused as I was by the unorthodox format, I highly recommend reading some of the 5 star reviews on this book. There are many people who have read and thoroughly analyzed it much more succinctly than I ever could.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It introduced me to challenges and perspectives I have never in my life before considered. And I consider that a successful reading experience.
Rating:
Enjoyment: 4
Emotional impact: 4
Educational value: 4
Some other important themes: MUSIC and its ability to withstand the passage of time and tell stories; FOOD and its importance to a heritage and people, no matter where they are in the world; WATER and its meaning for the city of Bangkok, where it rains a lot and is literally a city built on swampland and rivers, and actually faces the possibility of being submerged by the ocean due to global warming and rising sea levels.
There are probably other themes that meander through this novel, that I didn’t catch on to, but these three to me seemed the most prominent. There is mention of food and music in a lot of the chapters, and direct descriptions to water in every single chapter. Water itself often plays a main role in furthering the mini plots of each character by saving, soothing, angering, saddening, distracting, or changing.
Some of the chapters seemed to me less interesting or relevant to the overall themes, but I think even then if you think of this book in terms of this quote, it makes sense to include even the most trivial of character perspectives:
“‘Who’s doing the remembering?’
‘Here. This building. This ground.’
‘They can do that?’
‘I wish i had a better explanation, but I think that maybe yes, they do. Even when we don’t. Places remember us.’”
To those who choose to pick this book up, and are as confused as I was by the unorthodox format, I highly recommend reading some of the 5 star reviews on this book. There are many people who have read and thoroughly analyzed it much more succinctly than I ever could.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It introduced me to challenges and perspectives I have never in my life before considered. And I consider that a successful reading experience.
Rating:
Enjoyment: 4
Emotional impact: 4
Educational value: 4