![]() ![]() The son of a retired prostitute and an unnamed American GI, he works as a police detective in Bangkok's District 8, a neighborhood he describes as the city's "heart and its armpit" (p. In this world of sex and corruption, Sonchai himself is a bit of an anomaly. Internet cafés crowd for space next to impoverished concrete government housing projects. ![]() Corruption is rampant within the city's police force, but officers who are paid protection bribes are efficient in their jobs and give back to the community. Theravada Buddhism is the dominant religion in the city, but it exists side by side with one of the most famous sex trades in the world. The city becomes its own character Burdett's wonderfully evocative prose depicts Bangkok's confluence between the old world and the new. The novel takes place in Krung Thep, which means "City of Angels," though, says protagonist Sonchai Jitpleecheep, "we are happy to call it Bangkok if it helps to separate a farang from his money" (p. ![]() Karma invokes the concept of individual responsibility for past and present actions, and it is a major theme in John Burdett's exotic mystery thriller Bangkok 8. Acceptance of karma can help one to understand why some people are born with disabilities while others are given prodigal talent (and, sometimes, both at once). The Buddha taught that karma is the cosmic law by which every cause has an effect, and all our actions have consequences that can last many lifetimes. ![]()
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