Few expat writers are able to transcend their experiences and actually communicate something unique and insightful about their adopted home. Well, our man Christopher G. Moore (not to be confused with plain old Christopher Moore, the unfunny comedy writer) has built a reputation for his his keen observations on life in Thailand.
I had heard so much about Moore, that when I finally picked up his book, Killing Smile, I was expecting a bit of a letdown. Some of the hype came from recognized sources. His books have received the blessings of well-known writers as Gore Vidal. Also, innumerable expats had recommended Moore's books to me. Still, such hype often serves to kill a book before the first chapter has ended.
Killing Smile, however, starts out with a punch in the gut. The energy and deep, dark, detailed emotions give this story its stamina. There were times when the narrative became monotone, but, for the most part, I felt like I was sitting with the characters, witnessing their situations and relishing every minute of it.
The first of a trilogy, Killing Smile begins with a noirish sex scene in which a woman makes love to her husband while her mind is on another man. It is only after his wife's death that Lawrence, a lawyer, receives a cryptic message inviting his the Bangkok. The invitee, Robert Tuttle, is the late wife's long time flame about who she fantasized whilst horizontal with Lawrence. Tuttle is a jaded old hand who knows everything about Bangkok. At least, he knows everything about the skin trade and what makes the girls employed by it tick. Tuttle acts as Lawrence’s (and the reader’s) guide to this fascinating, but small, corner of Bangkok. From my synopsis, perhaps the story seems melodramatic, but it's not. The tone is entirely too dark.
It’s engrossing to read a discussion on the motives and desires of the prostitutes who work in “HQ”, the bar where Tuttle is as much a part of the decor as the ancient jukebox. Even more interesting is the interior dialogue of Tuttle, the jaded old-hand whose motives begin to become clear later on in the story.
However, Moore’s use of this interior dialogue as a central tool of narrative leads to one of the negative aspects of this book. The narrative is sometimes unfocused. Moore switches point of view often rather than letting the reader see things through one character’s eyes. Though switching point of view is a big no-no for most writers, and it saps some of the story's strength here. Still, because the characters, their motives, and emotions are so fascinating, I tended to forgive Moore for his transgressions. After all, this is not just a surface treatment of Bangkok bar life. Moore gets deep into Thai psyche, all the while keeping the reader interested in the conflict between Tuttle and Lawrence. He is very successful in this regard.
Another strength of A Killing Smile is the exceptionally realistic dialogue. Anyone who has spent more than a few months in Thailand knows how the old hands talk. In many ways, Tuttle is a composite of all of them. I’ve met a few men like him in places similar to his local Bangkok haunt.
Moore captures the conversations, personalities and randomness of expat life perfectly. That’s all someone could want from a writer, right?
Overall, Moore scored a smashing success when he wrote this book. I was sad to see the end of this book, and am looking forward to another one of Moore's yarns in the near future.
No comments:
Post a Comment