2.4/5 (rounded up to 2.5)

When we are in the grip of hunger we think only of eating. Then, when the banquet is over, we see the evidence of what we really are.

This novel is a gritty crime thriller set in Bangkok, Thailand. Burdett’s writing occasionally delivers edgy, memorable lines, but overall, it just wasn’t for me. At times, it felt like the novel was trying a little too hard. While the premise and setting intrigued me, the execution didn’t land.

The narrative structure felt chaotic and disorganized rather than intentionally non-linear, and I think the story suffered because of it. The plot also relied heavily on familiar, stereotypical ideas. Much of the book centers on an East v. West culture clash, explored through tropes like the sex trade, government corruption, and a kind of exaggerated Eastern “wildness.” This approach felt mostly reductive rather than entertaining. I also struggled to connect with the protagonist, who is presented as a sort of saint-like Thai cop, as well as his FBI partner. The book had good bones to examine identity, karma, power, and moral ambiguity, but I just don’t think it did it well.

Where the book succeeds is in its sense of place. The descriptions of Bangkok were immersive, and they brought back memories of my own trip there years ago. The streets, the food, and the energy of the city came rushing back, and that alone kept me going on this read.

Ultimately, I didn’t really enjoy myself. I was tempted to DNF multiple times, but it was a buddy read so I stuck with it.