Bangkok Wakes to Rain

Shortlisted for the 2020 Edward Stanford 'Fiction with a Sense of Place' award
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( 3,462 ratings, 634 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad is a richly woven narrative that explores the interconnected lives of multiple characters across different time periods in Bangkok. The story reveals how their lives intersect amidst the city's history and transformation, painting a vivid picture of human experiences shaped by love, conflict, and resilience. Without delving into specifics, the book is a gripping tale that skilfully unravels the city's enduring ability to endure and adapt.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy immersive narratives that blend intricate characters with historical and contemporary settings. As it weaves through the lives of Bangkok's inhabitants, it offers a tapestry of interconnected stories that are rich in emotion and atmosphere, perfect for readers who appreciate stories steeped in place and time.

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Bangkok Wakes to Rain

An intoxicating collage of lives intersecting around a building in Bangkok.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 EDWARD STANFORD 'FICTION WITH A SENSE OF PLACE' AWARD

Places remember us...

'An important, ambitious, and accomplished novel. Sudbanthad deftly sweeps us up in a tale that paints a twin portrait: of a megacity like those so many of us call home and of a world where sanctuary is increasingly hard to come by' – Mohsin Hamid

A missionary begs to be sent home.

A jazz pianist is hired to perform for ghosts.

An army colonel smells the food of home for the last time.

A girl designs herself a new face.

An old woman uploads her consciousness.

Bangkok Wakes to Rain is an intricately plotted novel where characters and stories are linked by place, not time. As the novel builds to a futuristic crescendo, moments of intimacy serve to remind us that no matter what the ebb of time may change, we humans persevere.

Praise for Bangkok Wakes to Rain:

'Compelling' – Financial Times

'Breathtakingly lovely' – Kirkus

'A sumptuous accomplishment' – Esquire

'A simple, ingenious conceit' – Alexander Chee

'Elegant and restrained' – Wall Street Journal

'Saturated in the senses' – Claire Vaye Watkins

'A swirling, always surprising storytelling structure' – Guardian

'An original and quietly memorable reading experience' – Washington Post

'Beautifully textured and rich with a sense of place' – Karen Walker Thompson

'Reading this book feels like waking up to a singular and important new voice' – Rajesh Parameswaran

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad has been praised as an important and ambitious novel. Reviews highlight its beautifully textured narrative and the rich sense of place it provides, immersing readers in the intricate tapestry of Bangkok's atmosphere.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781473677241

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 August 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Sceptre

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 260g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Pitchaya Sudbanthad grew up in Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and the American South. He has received fellowships in fiction writing from the New York Foundation for the Arts and the MacDowell Colony, and currently splits time between Bangkok and Brooklyn.

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