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ratings: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Genre: Literary Fiction / Coming-of-age / Thai Literature

Book Review:
This is a rich, sprawling, and deeply immersive novel. It follows two brothers, Lap Lae and Kaeng Khoi, through their turbulent childhood and adolescence in a small Thai town. Their family is a mess, full of secrets and tensions, and the boys struggle to find their own paths. What makes this book special is its unique blend of gritty realism and magical, spiritual elements. The mother's connection to the spirit world of ghosts and demons gives the story an otherworldly dimension, blurring the lines between what's real and what's imagined. The brothers' adventures are vivid and sometimes heartbreaking, and their search for identity feels universal. It's a slow-burn novel that takes its time, but the characters stay with you. A fascinating glimpse into contemporary Thai literature and a powerful story about family and the struggle to become yourself.