Reviews
New York Times
Editors' Choice
“An honest, crystalline depiction of what urbanization has done to complicate and erode human life. Bangkok is the true star here, a modern city at the center of a tale as old as civilization itself. Every brightly lit kingdom has an underbelly.”
Booklist
★
“The beauty here lies in the granular gradations of class and religious discrimination Nardone illuminates... Nardone expertly and realistically dramatizes the effects of poverty’s vice-like grip.”
Publishers Weekly
“In Nardone’s elegant debut collection, characters seek love, belonging, and a means of survival in Bangkok. With assured prose and an appreciation for the details of everyday life, the author evokes a city that is merciless, crowded, and alienating... Nardone’s knack for cataloging the many ways in which life can disappoint is a highlight of each of these nuanced entries. This author has talent to burn.”
The Telegraph
"As each story cuts to the next, a new landscape opens, drawing us into a different phase of the prior character’s life, so that we can piece together more of who they are... Nardone’s book is not an easy read, but it’s beautifully written and affecting throughout."