The Glass Kingdom

Exceedingly tiresome. Every character seems to down more than a gallon of alcohol per day. Power outages galore. Rain. Heat. Spirits. Every bar and restaurant in Bangkok is mentioned at least twice. The reader never feels the slightest bit of empathy or sympathy for any of the characters. Barely a plot. I have enjoyed most of his novels. Not this one!

People seem to either love or hate this book. I looked up the author and reviews about 1/3 of the way in because I found the whole thing perplexing. All the main characters are woman and the author appears to know little about women….and maybe respect and like them even less. The characters were undeveloped and their motives inexplicable.
I did finish the book and when it was all over, I could see the story as a strange thriller movie.

I was excited to read this book after reading the description and seeing the setting of Bangkok, a city I love and find intoxicating. The setting is well written and described, but the characters are just bad people doing bad things and I kept asking myself… why am I reading this? Alas… came the end, and I kind of wish I hadnt.

The Glass Kingdom, by Lawrence Osborne, is set in a luxury Bangkok apartment complex made of glass, which is as much a character in the story as any human. We are immediately introduced, by the omniscient narrator, to a young woman, Sarah Mullins, who has re-named herself Sarah Talbot Jennings, and who has disguised herself to make herself invisible for a while, to turn herself into a ghost. What a mysterious and auspicious beginning to a fascinating and addictive story! Why is Sarah on the run? Who from? We dont have to wait long to find out in this pace-paced atmospheric thriller.

Sarah soon meets her neighbor, also a young woman, named Mali, and Sarah decides to use Mali and her friends (Ximena and Natalie) as light entertainment as time passed and she waits for her disappearance from New York to be less notable. But that isnt what happens; youll want to keep reading to find out.

Osbornes characters are often inscrutable and difficult to relate to; maybe thats a perfect metaphor for Thailand as well. For both the characters and the setting there is always a sense of dread that something bad is about to happen, that no one can be trusted, including our all-knowing narrator. Every time I read about Bangkok Im fascinated by its otherness; and in The Glass Kingdom, it is as if Osborne is describing a sci-fi planet, both transparent and opaque, perpetually moist and dedicated to hedonism.

For other unusual novels set in inscrutable Bangkok, I recommend any of the books by John Burdett, starting with Bangkok 8.

I have been waiting for the opportunity to read “The Glass Kingdom” after being recommended to me by many friends.
Due to the lack of time to read a hardcover book I decided to go with the audio option which I am not a big fan because I cannot stay focused so I have to keep rewinding
But with this book it was different, the narrator Sura Siu had me 100% focused, I kept waiting for the next phrase she will say the minute she finishes one. Her voice will suck you in the story as you feel you are part of it. I highly recommend this audiobook. I am going to see if Sura Siu has done other books.5 stars well deserved.

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