Bright

by Duanwad Pimwana

Other authorsMui Poopoksakul (Translator)
Paperback, 2019

Status

Available

Publication

Two Lines Press (2019), 184 pages

Description

"Explores the quality of human resilience through the adventures of Kampol Changsamran, a young boy left behind by his parents after their break-up"--

User reviews

LibraryThing member Dreesie
3.5 stars

This book is not exactly a novel, but it's not really short stories either. There is no plot, per se. it's more a series of vignettes about Kampol, a 5-year-old who is abandoned by his parents--they just leave him to fend for himself in their old neighborhood. Both come by, but expect the
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neighbors to work it out.

This book is sad, but it is also very sweet. Very much an "It takes a village..." kind of story. This is a working class neighborhood. No one can take in another child--but everyone shares the burden of feeding Kampol, hosting him overnight, and doing his laundry. Others give him odd jobs and support.

Of course, Kampol is only 5-6 in this book, so he is sad and confused by not angry yet. It's just a snapshot in a year of one young boy's life.
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LibraryThing member greeniezona
I really loved this book, which takes the rather dark setup of a child largely abandoned by both parents, who residents of his apartment complex sort of take turns looking after, and somehow keeps dodging the even darker possibilities that kept raising specters in my mind. Time after time a new
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character or situation would be introduced, and I would be bracing myself thinking OH NO, THIS IS WHEN IT GETS TRULY TERRIBLE, but then it wouldn't. Which is not to say this book is Pollyannaish or all sunshine and roses, it certainly is not. But it is heartbreaking because of the abandonment, not because his precarious situation is exploited by anyone.

I have heard that this was the first book by a Thai woman translated into English. It was excellent.
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Language

Original language

English

Barcode

9002
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