Oddly enough, this is the second novel I’ve read this year about Cambodia, and neither one were recent purchases. Unfortunately, I didn’t find either one completely satisfying, and think I might need to move on to some non-fiction to get a better picture. Having said that, In the Shadow of the Banyan was the better of the two novels, but I think sometimes it used art too much to escape. I can see that as a valid coping method, but it is also kept me at a bit of a distance.This novel, on the other hand, was just mostly irritating. Full review.