Chalida

by Salisa Pinkayan

From the back cover of the Behind the Facade of High-Society Power and Prestige a Personal Tragedy Unfolds * Born into one of Thailand's most well-known and respected families, Chalida - although heartbroken by her mother's death - is given a perfect start in life with opportunities that most only dream of. A shy and timid child, she is grateful for the security that her close-knit family provides, and views the estate where she lives as a haven from the the unfriendly world outside. However, her illusions are shattered when she learns that the Thai people regard her family in a very different light to that she perceives - blaming her grandfather, when he was prime minister, for the deaths of democracy activists in a street demonstration years earlier. * The story is of the Rattakarn family following their disgrace after the massacre, and their struggle to keep up appearances without shame or guilt. It is for this reason that the death of Chalida's mother - driven to madness by a haunting spectre - is hidden from Chalida and the world. With the conviction of her grandfather's innocence and of the importance of the family's reputation, Chalida lives her adult life bound to the conventions of high society - hiding the pain of lost love and the family's tragedy behind false smiles. It is only when she finally discovers the real circumstances of her mother's death that Chalida is set free. The revelation causes her to question the very cornerstone of her existence - her family - and thereby her own self. For her there is only one solution.

220 pages, Paperback

Reviews

[Chalida]

It's fitting that I am the first to write a review with a book titled with my namesake. I loved seeing the name Chalida, the protagonist of this book, float along the pages in a way I'd never seen my name before. But then I kept reading and *spoiler alert, and the ending was awful. This is the first novel I've read with a Thai protagonist by a Thai author and as a singular source, in a pool of how many Thai fiction writers translated to English (I don't know of any!), it is not comforting to know that the way to deal with family drama is suicide. This whole idea for a family to save face, hide mental illness, worry more about appearances than anything real or true or humanizing is all too familiar, and all too problematic at the same time.
There is work to be done.