Playing with filters and Line stickers and ended up with a washed-off effect on this photo. Not my best edit. The book is actually colored magenta and cyan. Very, very eye-catching. By this time you probably have known that I give Brown and Cony stickers in all the book pictures.
Anyway I read this book while waiting for my plane (I brought this book on my cabin baggage thinking that I'd read it on the plane. Turned out I slept like the dead on the plane. I fell asleep even before the plane took-off. I was really tired.)
★★★★★
I like this book. I'm not really into romance stories, so when I found out this book tells a journey, I was automatically pumped to finish this book.
Bangkok tells a story about two brothers. One is a successful architect who left his family to pursue his dreams, the other stay true to who he is and made a big change on himself. After their mother's death, the brothers, Edvan and Edvina are given their mother's legacy; a journey to find her diary all over Bangkok.
I think I like it because it tells more about the journey, not the romance. Sure, Edvan (the eldest brother, the architect) met a Thai girl, who's also his guide, named Charm. I've never been to Thailand, so when I read this book, I went "Ooh" everywhere. The author did a great job on explaining the places, the culture, even the ladyboy terms. [Ladyboy is a male who change gender into female. Yes, Thailand is famous for their beautiful ladyboys.]
Of course, I was positively sure the brothers will eventually find all the diary entries. And yep, they found it.
Actually I give this number of stars because of the brilliance of the story. Few points I'd like to make are here again.
- I know Edvan is a grown man, so I understand that he probably had a dirty grown mind. But the author put too much dirty jokes on the book. Not blaming that the author is a male, but again, much readers also come from ages between 13-19, in simple words; teenagers. Putting dirty jokes on a book which teenage reads; probably not very wise.
- Brilliant journey, almost too good to be true. In irony, Edvan in the book kept saying how almost impossible his search is. It is, actually. Looking for some pieces of diary in Bangkok, from his mother's journey couple of decades ago, almost impossible. Yet they made it at the end. Too good to be true. [If I were to hop into the story, I'd pat Edvan in the shoulder and said with Morgan Freeman's godly voice; You'll find it. You're the main character so it's the rule that you'll find it. Don't you worry, my child. Don't you worry.]
- Charm got cancer. I SEE THAT COMING, DUDE. I actually kinda hope Charm is also a ladyboy so Edvan would have to be surrounded by ladyboys in his life. Her "I'm not as good as you think I am", "You don't deserve me" and "You don't know me" has led me to conclude her illness. But, cancer? Charm got bald? Okay that's a little bit too melodramatic. I've seen too much on soap operas.
In the end, the book led me to so many what-ifs. I think about the possibility of Edvan becomes gay. Or the possibility of Charm is a ladyboy. Or that the mother's journal is never found. So many possibilities.
The story is good and brilliant, but in irony it's also predictable. If you're not too much about romance and love the idea of exploring another country via book, you should try this one.
Edvina in this book said something that really caught my heart; "Family help family". Sound a little bit Singlish for me, but it's true that family is the most beautiful treasure one will ever have on earth.
Edvina in this book said something that really caught my heart; "Family help family". Sound a little bit Singlish for me, but it's true that family is the most beautiful treasure one will ever have on earth.
P.S. I actually kept imagining that Edvan would look like Taylor Lautner. Or with less muscles, Ryan Higa. Their similarity? Tan, dark haired, and small eyed.
P.S.S. I think this is the first book that really tells the city. Really explores it. In my opinion, though. Okay, see ya.
