Point of View

"Bangkok Wakes to Rain" stems from a variety of perspectives and narratives. The narration is third-person omniscient and in each chapter, and sometimes within a chapter, the narrator shifts to the viewpoint of a different character. Some characters, such as Nee, Phineas, Sammy and Mai have several chapters devoted to them. Other characters, like Gai, Woon and Siripohng, have only one chapter in which the narrator chooses to follow them. Interestingly, the narrator does not only shift into the minds of human beings. In "Flight," for instance, the narration follows the perspective of sparrows from one generation to another.

Effectively, readers see a much broader picture of Bangkok through the multiple narratives. Phineas sees the Siamese capital as a strange, superstitious place. For Pehn, Bangkok is home. Sammy and Nok both leave Bangkok, but the city makes strong impressions on them even though they are...