The Coroner's Lunch
Registered by ApoloniaX of Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin Germany on 5/4/2019
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
4 journalers for this copy...
Synopsis
Laos,1976. The monarchy has been deposed, the Communist Pathet Lao have taken over. Most of the educated class has fled, but Dr Siri Paiboun, a Paris-trained doctor remains. And so this 72-year-old physician is appointed state coroner, despite having no training, equipment, experience or even inclination for the job. But the job's not that bad and Siri quickly settles into a routine of studying outdated medical texts, scrounging scarce supplies, and circumnavigating bureaucratic red tape to arrive at justice. The fact that the recently departed are prone to pay Siri the odd, unwanted nocturnal visit turns out to be an added bonus in his new line of work. But when the wife of a party leader turns up dead and the bodies of tortured Vietnamese soldiers start bobbing to the surface of a Laotian lake, all eyes turn to Siri. Faced with official cover-ups and an emerging international crisis, the doctor enlists old friends, village shamans, forest spirits, dream visits from the dead - and even the occasional bit of medical deduction - to solve the crimes.
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This kind of novel – set in far-away country, written by a “Western” author – often has a more or less patronising tone, some kind of colonial attitude. Not this one though. It’s a light read, with a lovely kind of subtle humour, but it isn’t shallow. The characters are well developed, and a lot of research has clearly gone into it. Cotterill brings up quite a bit of background information – the difficult Lao-Vietnamese relations, illegal logging by the military, the situation of the Hmong etc. A good, entertaining read – recommendable.
Laos,1976. The monarchy has been deposed, the Communist Pathet Lao have taken over. Most of the educated class has fled, but Dr Siri Paiboun, a Paris-trained doctor remains. And so this 72-year-old physician is appointed state coroner, despite having no training, equipment, experience or even inclination for the job. But the job's not that bad and Siri quickly settles into a routine of studying outdated medical texts, scrounging scarce supplies, and circumnavigating bureaucratic red tape to arrive at justice. The fact that the recently departed are prone to pay Siri the odd, unwanted nocturnal visit turns out to be an added bonus in his new line of work. But when the wife of a party leader turns up dead and the bodies of tortured Vietnamese soldiers start bobbing to the surface of a Laotian lake, all eyes turn to Siri. Faced with official cover-ups and an emerging international crisis, the doctor enlists old friends, village shamans, forest spirits, dream visits from the dead - and even the occasional bit of medical deduction - to solve the crimes.
********
This kind of novel – set in far-away country, written by a “Western” author – often has a more or less patronising tone, some kind of colonial attitude. Not this one though. It’s a light read, with a lovely kind of subtle humour, but it isn’t shallow. The characters are well developed, and a lot of research has clearly gone into it. Cotterill brings up quite a bit of background information – the difficult Lao-Vietnamese relations, illegal logging by the military, the situation of the Hmong etc. A good, entertaining read – recommendable.
Wishlist book for Annelis.
Happy reading!
Happy reading!
Wow! Thank you for the wishlist book, ApoloniaX! It was nice to meet you!
I came home after eight and started read journals I got from the World Village Festival and fell asleep. I did not see the Match! This morning I remembered it and the noise of people I heard from our street around midnight. The streets around are usually totally quiet at nighttime. Can it be possible that Finland won Canada? Well, it was possible!
I came home after eight and started read journals I got from the World Village Festival and fell asleep. I did not see the Match! This morning I remembered it and the noise of people I heard from our street around midnight. The streets around are usually totally quiet at nighttime. Can it be possible that Finland won Canada? Well, it was possible!
The magic realism of this book is different from that of Latin American books. I like both even if I don't really fancy fantasy. At the same time this story is a dystopia of Laos after Pathet Lao took power. To believe in The Party is like a religion. What Party officials or priests speak to people is equally far from reality in both cases.
There is also a good detective story lurking behind the magic realism and political doctrine. I rather liked this story and its humour. I should have started the series with this book. Now I know how it all began. I have read two or three later books of the series. Luckily Kirjakko gave me the next one.
There is also a good detective story lurking behind the magic realism and political doctrine. I rather liked this story and its humour. I should have started the series with this book. Now I know how it all began. I have read two or three later books of the series. Luckily Kirjakko gave me the next one.
I took the book to the meet-up at Music House (Musiikkitalo) in Helsinki. The book did not come back home with me.
No somebody can get Laos into her Countries-challenge.
Happy reading!
No somebody can get Laos into her Countries-challenge.
Happy reading!
Thanks Annelis, the book came home with me, for my country challenge;)
I have read one of Siri Paiboun books before and I have to admit that I found it a bit strange with all the dancing ghosts etc. But reading this book made more sense. Now when I know more about the background, Siri and Laos, I might read some other books of the series as well.
I took this with me from the Helsinki bookfair meet-up.
Journal Entry 9 by MiuM at Piikkiön kirjasto in Kaarina, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Released 1 yr ago (2/8/2023 UTC) at Piikkiön kirjasto in Kaarina, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Onnittelut! Olet löytänyt aarteen, kiertävän bookcrossing-kirjan!
Lue, journaloi ja vapauta uudelleen.
Lue, journaloi ja vapauta uudelleen.