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joni732's review against another edition
5.0
Mr. C is a master with similes and metaphors, while at the same time giving readers a history lesson. His stories are filled with humor, sadness as well as intriguing mystery.
sheilaperry's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book! I can't wait to read more from this series!
maria_rb's review against another edition
4.0
If someone had told me the book featured a communist regime in Laos in the 1970s and an elderly coroner, I would have probably not read this. But a friend told me it featured magical realism and I knew I had to read (well, listen to) this. And if I hadn't, I would have missed out on a charming, wryly humorous book that brings to life the answer of how ordinary people live under an oppressive force they don't support. I enjoyed this so much that I'm getting the next one right now.
lille_in_the_ville's review against another edition
3.0
As a mystery, this is slightly frustrating as at least one of the major figures in one of the three interlocking mysteries isn't introduced until very late in the game, and it is the protagonist's supernatural connections that save him from danger and give him the keys to unlock the puzzles. But as a portrait of Laos in the late 70s, it is an engaging look at the vast cultural forces playing out in and around a very sympathetic character.
snailsarereading's review against another edition
I'm giving this 3 stars even though I couldn't finish it. It was good, I just couldn't get enough into it.
mdoudoroff's review against another edition
3.0
The first in an enormously entertaining series. This ain’t great literature and it’s built on the standard whodunit formula, but the milieu is uncommon (the early years of Communist Laos), the characters are rich and sympathetic, and the darker elements are balanced with humor.
trr3656's review against another edition
3.0
More like 3.5 stars. It was fine, not sure if I’ll read the rest of the series.
hadidee's review against another edition
3.0
I've read a couple of later books in this series and so decided to go back to the start. This is prob a 2.5 star book - there's a few too many plots and murders - but it starts the whole series off and explains some of Dr Siri's back story.