Bangkok Tattoo - Page 2

Bangkok Tattoo isn't just a mystery story; it's also an exploration of culture and faith alien to many Americans. Burdett does an excellent job of depicting the often bizarre realities of a world and a society which is often either romanticized or condemned in the west. Burdett examines the odd interaction of Buddhists, Muslims, and Christians, and the way each group reacts to one another and the world as a whole.

As Sonchai deals with the many disparate threads in this story, he's led down several false trails and tossed several red herrings. He also has to struggle with how to adapt his Buddhist faith to his daily environment. Burdett doesn't shy away from depicting Bangkok, and Thailand as a whole, as a largely disfunctional nation caught in a power struggle between equally corrupt groups – be it the police or the army. The developing tension of Vikorn's feud – and the fact that the general knows who framed him and is out to retaliate – only adds to the urgency of Sonchai's investigation into the secrets buried in Chanya's past.

The narrative drifts at times and sometimes leaps about. However, in Sonchai and Vikorn, Burdett has created some very intriguing characters, his Bangkok is artfully drawn, and his dialogue is catchy. The cultural insights are often bitingly humorous, shaded with truth, and the story's finale is both unexpected and yet satisfying. Despite a few flaws, it's a violently wry, engaging foray into the wildly ambigous moral landscape of a city replete with fantasies, dreams, and nightmares.

Article Author: W.E. Wallo

W.E. Wallo is a book and movie junkie whose writings have appeared in a variety of print and online publications.

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