There’s plenty of humor here, but it rubs intimate and sharp shoulders with raw, elemental depictions of the losses, challenges, and heartbreaks stemming from the horrors of Pol Pot’s regime ... So’s generous writing spirit shines through, capturing a community of people in flux, all of whom are trying to make space for themselves — and each other — in a sometimes-claustrophobic world.
Glorious as the essays are to read, those already familiar with his nonfiction may find themselves, like me, impatiently flipping ahead to the fresher quarry of So’s novel, which is unwisely chopped up and slotted in between sections of nonfiction. The choice to alternate sections of fiction and nonfiction was made, Dee notes in his introduction, so as to stage a kind of dialogue between his two kinds of writing and to reveal the permeable boundary they share. It strikes me as an unnecessary move.
The polyphonic novel is terrific ... So was also an astute nonfiction writer, and his essay topics range from movie reviews and personal works to a list of his yearly reading. All would be fine if they had been grouped together, say, after the novel, rather than inserted every few chapters, which makes for a disjointed reading experience.
So’s essays resonate with vulnerable eloquence, but his potency lies in storytelling, effortlessly creating immersive worlds animated by familiar, vital characters, their vibrancy further magnifying the poignant loss of what could have been.
Magnificent ... So’s distinctive voice blends mordant cultural criticism with a striking combination of humor, compassion, and insight. This is a bittersweet testament to an astounding talent.
It seems impossible to read these excerpts without wishing for more—from these characters, from this narrative, for this author. Another posthumous publication from a writer who was only just discovering his brilliance.
