What do you think?
The Outer Country
This tender, elegant debut examines the struggle of holding a family together when secrets threaten to unravel it.
Sisters Manda and Siripon have been divided by continents for years, estranged since their parents decided to send just one of their daughters from Phet Buri to America—the foreign land they call “the Outer Country.” As the eldest, Manda assumed she would be the first to go. When their parents chose Siripon, the more obedient second daughter, the decision sparked a lifetime of rivalry.
The birth of Siripon’s son brings the sisters back together. Despite the disorientation of Los Angeles and the difficulty of sharing her sister’s home, Manda becomes a second mother to Ben, a precocious only child who fills her with fierce joy. But as Ben grows increasingly effeminate, her joy transforms to fear. Believing that the spirit of a dead girl has possessed her beloved nephew—and that her sister won’t do anything to fix matters—Manda and Ben’s father, Kamron, secretly arrange a Buddhist exorcism. The ceremony sets off a decade of anxiety-induced illness and bullying, even as the ritual burrows beyond Ben’s memory.
For Ben to grow into his authentic self, he must accept his queerness and confront the scars of his past. He attempts to navigate his family’s tense relationships and live amidst the damage. But how long can they all go on before the truths are uncovered?
From the mangrove forests of Thailand to a modest stucco house in Los Angeles to the sandstone quadrangles of Stanford, The Outer Country is at once epic and intimate in scope, a breathtaking journey across cultures and generations.
Sisters Manda and Siripon have been divided by continents for years, estranged since their parents decided to send just one of their daughters from Phet Buri to America—the foreign land they call “the Outer Country.” As the eldest, Manda assumed she would be the first to go. When their parents chose Siripon, the more obedient second daughter, the decision sparked a lifetime of rivalry.
The birth of Siripon’s son brings the sisters back together. Despite the disorientation of Los Angeles and the difficulty of sharing her sister’s home, Manda becomes a second mother to Ben, a precocious only child who fills her with fierce joy. But as Ben grows increasingly effeminate, her joy transforms to fear. Believing that the spirit of a dead girl has possessed her beloved nephew—and that her sister won’t do anything to fix matters—Manda and Ben’s father, Kamron, secretly arrange a Buddhist exorcism. The ceremony sets off a decade of anxiety-induced illness and bullying, even as the ritual burrows beyond Ben’s memory.
For Ben to grow into his authentic self, he must accept his queerness and confront the scars of his past. He attempts to navigate his family’s tense relationships and live amidst the damage. But how long can they all go on before the truths are uncovered?
From the mangrove forests of Thailand to a modest stucco house in Los Angeles to the sandstone quadrangles of Stanford, The Outer Country is at once epic and intimate in scope, a breathtaking journey across cultures and generations.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 26, 2026
i wish authors knew that sometimes the bravest thing a novel can do is admit it's a memoir
July 7, 2026
Family dynamics, family of origin cultural influences on a bi-cultural, first generation boy, and sexuality are the contextual layers found in this book. It was real, somber, and I wished it would have gone on. I wanted to see how Ben and his mother grew into themselves, once and for all, and achieved resolve more than what was offered. It could have been not only relatable for readers, but offer more insight on how to persevere and overcome.
August 14, 2026
This debut novel of an author I was exposed to at the Columbus Book Fair does not disappoint. In response to another viewer, the author did admit that some of the content was based on his own experiences. I’m not sure why this is a bone of contention.
The story is good and the ending gave me all of the feels.
The story is good and the ending gave me all of the feels.
April 9, 2026
The Outer Country
The ties of family and generational trauma are explored through a story spanning decades. Manda the estranged older sister of Siripon has come to America to escape a haunting tragedy and help raise Siripon’s newly born son, Ben. Worried about his effeminate mannerisms Manda and her brother-in-law secretly organize a Buddhist ceremony to fix what they don’t understand leaving Ben with vomit inducing anxiety lasting for years.
A look at the things that connect families together across generations and countries. As well as an exploration of what it means to come into your own queer identity. Each character is delivered and painted in shades of grey. No one is simple, each person has their positive and negative aspects and are given equal examination through descriptive and often poetic prose. The things we do in the name of love for one and the way that person may see those actions as hurtful instead. I rarely say this but the book could have afforded to be probably an extra hundred pages in order to allow the characters to breathe even more, and even without, it’s an impressive debut novel following in the footsteps of authors like Justin Torres (unsurprisingly an advocate of this novel).
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC for review purposes.
The ties of family and generational trauma are explored through a story spanning decades. Manda the estranged older sister of Siripon has come to America to escape a haunting tragedy and help raise Siripon’s newly born son, Ben. Worried about his effeminate mannerisms Manda and her brother-in-law secretly organize a Buddhist ceremony to fix what they don’t understand leaving Ben with vomit inducing anxiety lasting for years.
A look at the things that connect families together across generations and countries. As well as an exploration of what it means to come into your own queer identity. Each character is delivered and painted in shades of grey. No one is simple, each person has their positive and negative aspects and are given equal examination through descriptive and often poetic prose. The things we do in the name of love for one and the way that person may see those actions as hurtful instead. I rarely say this but the book could have afforded to be probably an extra hundred pages in order to allow the characters to breathe even more, and even without, it’s an impressive debut novel following in the footsteps of authors like Justin Torres (unsurprisingly an advocate of this novel).
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC for review purposes.
May 8, 2026
This week, Davin Malasarn released his debut novel, The Outer Country. Two sisters leave their home in Phet Buri, Thailand to make a new life in Los Angeles, all the way in the “Outer Country,” the United States. First Siripon arrives, developing her career as a nurse, marrying fellow Thai immigrant Kamron, and having a son, Ben, in 1978. Siripon’s older sister Manda arrives the day Ben is born, and together, the four of them become a family unit. But as the years pass and Ben grows into adulthood, the many fractures within the family spread. Will they be irrevocably divided, or will they still find a path forward?
What I Liked:
- Thai culture and immigrant experience. The Outer Country is the first book I’ve read that centers Thai people. Manda, Siripon, and Kamron are all immigrants from Thailand, learning to make Los Angeles their new home despite language barriers, religious differences, and unfamiliar foods. Conversely, Ben grows up in California, mastering English when his family still struggles, assimilating to American culture while his family holds onto Thai traditions in certain ways. I enjoyed seeing the three adults navigate their new life, but I also appreciated the juxtaposition between them and Ben.
- Examining four members of a somewhat dysfunctional family. Ben, Siripon, Manda, and Kamron are the main characters that the chapters generally focus on. Sometimes we see them in broad strokes, and sometimes we get more intimate details, like their secret thoughts and fears. They all have good and bad in them, but none of them seem to fit well together. Those cracks only show more with time.
- Queer acceptance. One of the most important themes here is Ben’s queerness. As a kid, he shows his more feminine side, leading his aunt and father to bring in a monk to exorcise a girl’s spirit from his body. They fear him being gay, and this is the solution they find. But it has terrible consequences that persist for years, leaving Ben to suffer. Ultimately, Ben is indeed gay, and his family must learn to accept him as he is.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Abrupt ending. As I reached the final pages, it felt like there was still so much left unresolved. By the time an important subject is brought up, readers are left to wonder which way it would go. This is a book, with enough themes and characters, that may have benefited from a slightly longer page count and more resolution.
Final Thoughts
The Outer Country is a beautifully written and poignant novel spanning Thailand and California, from the 1970s through the end of the century. The prose is at once stark and intimate, and I felt for the characters, especially Ben and Siripon. I do wish there was more tying it all together by the end, but it was still a moving work of literary fiction. I look forward to reading more from Davin Malasarn.
Special thanks to One World and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
What I Liked:
- Thai culture and immigrant experience. The Outer Country is the first book I’ve read that centers Thai people. Manda, Siripon, and Kamron are all immigrants from Thailand, learning to make Los Angeles their new home despite language barriers, religious differences, and unfamiliar foods. Conversely, Ben grows up in California, mastering English when his family still struggles, assimilating to American culture while his family holds onto Thai traditions in certain ways. I enjoyed seeing the three adults navigate their new life, but I also appreciated the juxtaposition between them and Ben.
- Examining four members of a somewhat dysfunctional family. Ben, Siripon, Manda, and Kamron are the main characters that the chapters generally focus on. Sometimes we see them in broad strokes, and sometimes we get more intimate details, like their secret thoughts and fears. They all have good and bad in them, but none of them seem to fit well together. Those cracks only show more with time.
- Queer acceptance. One of the most important themes here is Ben’s queerness. As a kid, he shows his more feminine side, leading his aunt and father to bring in a monk to exorcise a girl’s spirit from his body. They fear him being gay, and this is the solution they find. But it has terrible consequences that persist for years, leaving Ben to suffer. Ultimately, Ben is indeed gay, and his family must learn to accept him as he is.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Abrupt ending. As I reached the final pages, it felt like there was still so much left unresolved. By the time an important subject is brought up, readers are left to wonder which way it would go. This is a book, with enough themes and characters, that may have benefited from a slightly longer page count and more resolution.
Final Thoughts
The Outer Country is a beautifully written and poignant novel spanning Thailand and California, from the 1970s through the end of the century. The prose is at once stark and intimate, and I felt for the characters, especially Ben and Siripon. I do wish there was more tying it all together by the end, but it was still a moving work of literary fiction. I look forward to reading more from Davin Malasarn.
Special thanks to One World and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
June 8, 2026
Two sisters could not be more different. Siripon receives the praise of her parents for her focused ambition, her looks, invest in her education and see her as the one to put forward into the world. Her older sister, Manda, is the one left behind to help tend with life. Until, after years in "The Outer Country", her sister reaches out to her to come help with her new baby. In this child Manda sees her own chance to edge in on something her sister has for once. After all, with Siripon working so much, surely the boy needs proper guidance.
Manda is the closest with little Ben in his early days. Until she sees signs of something that 'isn't right'. Something that digs up terrible, cold, memories of her real motivation for leaving everything she knew behind. For his own good, she convinces his father, he needs an exorcism of sorts. To make him 'normal' again.
But you cannot change who you are. As he grows, Ben can bury the memory of that night but his body cannot. It transforms into anxiety with an unpleasant remedy. He cannot keep anything down when he gets wound up. He also cannot change who he is - a gay boy struggling to both be himself and anything but.
This story over all is about finding your voice. While the sisters do vent their pressures in different ways, as does Ben, they share a similar drive. They all want to please. They all are strong willed and determined. They all are just looking for some form of agency, control, in their lives. Even as the process makes them suffocate with one another. A process not made any easier by a man who feels like he's lost all of his and turns to drink and spitefulness instead.
While dealing with very serious themes, and invoking a rightfully tense atmosphere, I kept waiting for this book to hit harder. In reflection I think the reason it did not is actually stylistic genius. There is a sort of detachment, a coldness, in each of their perspectives. Ben frequently refers to the adults in his life by their names instead of their relationships. Siripon is constantly yearning to please and cutting off her own wishes. Manda is analytical and to the point. No nonsense. All of these things cut them off from the world and, as side effect, the reader. So while I can admire the choice it did keep me from really falling into the novel.
I also have to issue a few triggers. One is the excessive accounts of regurgitation. I would like to say I'm of a moderate reaction but after a while I just had to shut my brain off a little so I wouldn't feel ill myself. There is also an intimate relationship that I would describe as coercive even if it seems later one character is consenting. I think the situation they perceive themselves in has to be accounted for. There is also a suicide attempt and mention of other harmful events.
Manda is the closest with little Ben in his early days. Until she sees signs of something that 'isn't right'. Something that digs up terrible, cold, memories of her real motivation for leaving everything she knew behind. For his own good, she convinces his father, he needs an exorcism of sorts. To make him 'normal' again.
But you cannot change who you are. As he grows, Ben can bury the memory of that night but his body cannot. It transforms into anxiety with an unpleasant remedy. He cannot keep anything down when he gets wound up. He also cannot change who he is - a gay boy struggling to both be himself and anything but.
This story over all is about finding your voice. While the sisters do vent their pressures in different ways, as does Ben, they share a similar drive. They all want to please. They all are strong willed and determined. They all are just looking for some form of agency, control, in their lives. Even as the process makes them suffocate with one another. A process not made any easier by a man who feels like he's lost all of his and turns to drink and spitefulness instead.
While dealing with very serious themes, and invoking a rightfully tense atmosphere, I kept waiting for this book to hit harder. In reflection I think the reason it did not is actually stylistic genius. There is a sort of detachment, a coldness, in each of their perspectives. Ben frequently refers to the adults in his life by their names instead of their relationships. Siripon is constantly yearning to please and cutting off her own wishes. Manda is analytical and to the point. No nonsense. All of these things cut them off from the world and, as side effect, the reader. So while I can admire the choice it did keep me from really falling into the novel.
I also have to issue a few triggers. One is the excessive accounts of regurgitation. I would like to say I'm of a moderate reaction but after a while I just had to shut my brain off a little so I wouldn't feel ill myself. There is also an intimate relationship that I would describe as coercive even if it seems later one character is consenting. I think the situation they perceive themselves in has to be accounted for. There is also a suicide attempt and mention of other harmful events.
July 30, 2026
Davin Malasarn's debut novel, The Outer Country, opens with the quiet devastation of a choice when Manda and Siripon's parents decide to send only one daughter from Phet Buri, Thailand to America, the "Outer Country" of the title. The rupture reshapes two sisters' lives for a generation. Manda, the elder, resents her parents choosing her younger sister, and the bitterness that follows doesn't fade so much as fossilize, waiting decades to crack open again when Siripon's son, Ben, is born. Manda arrives in the “Outer Country” that very same day so that Ben’s birth places both women back into the same house, Siripon’s home, navigating their complex relationship with the child at the core.
This novel has extraordinary scope. It moves fluidly between the mangrove forests of Thailand, a modest stucco house in Los Angeles, and the sandstone quadrangles of Stanford. At the same time, it carries remarkable restraint. Malasarn writes family secrets the way they actually detonate in real life: slowly, unevenly, and at the worst possible moments. By the time the novel's hidden truths surface, you realize you've been holding your breath for two hundred pages.
At the emotional center of the novel is Ben, whose coming-of-age forms the book's quietest and most affecting thread. As a young teenager, he comes out to his mother, Siripon in a moment that ripples outward through the family. Malasarn develops Ben through a journey marked by real obstacles, some imposed by family and culture, some Ben places on himself. It isn't until he meets Collin and enters Stanford that he begins to find steadier ground. What's remarkable is how Malasarn weaves Ben's queerness into the fabric of who he is, inseparable from the family's larger questions about belonging, distance, and what gets inherited across generations. One advance reader called the novel a landmark addition to queer literary fiction, and it's easy to see why. Malasarn’s The Outer Country is a book that inhabits and prioritizes Ben’s interiority as much as its immigrant-family drama. Rather than competing narratives, both threads are a complete, emotionally gutting and satisfying story.
This novel has extraordinary scope. It moves fluidly between the mangrove forests of Thailand, a modest stucco house in Los Angeles, and the sandstone quadrangles of Stanford. At the same time, it carries remarkable restraint. Malasarn writes family secrets the way they actually detonate in real life: slowly, unevenly, and at the worst possible moments. By the time the novel's hidden truths surface, you realize you've been holding your breath for two hundred pages.
At the emotional center of the novel is Ben, whose coming-of-age forms the book's quietest and most affecting thread. As a young teenager, he comes out to his mother, Siripon in a moment that ripples outward through the family. Malasarn develops Ben through a journey marked by real obstacles, some imposed by family and culture, some Ben places on himself. It isn't until he meets Collin and enters Stanford that he begins to find steadier ground. What's remarkable is how Malasarn weaves Ben's queerness into the fabric of who he is, inseparable from the family's larger questions about belonging, distance, and what gets inherited across generations. One advance reader called the novel a landmark addition to queer literary fiction, and it's easy to see why. Malasarn’s The Outer Country is a book that inhabits and prioritizes Ben’s interiority as much as its immigrant-family drama. Rather than competing narratives, both threads are a complete, emotionally gutting and satisfying story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks Netgalley for this opportunity!
The book covers a significant time span in the lives of two sisters who grew up in Thailand with the younger going off to the United States to study and become a doctor while the older sister, who expected to be picked to go, stayed behind, only to go to live with her sister once she was having a baby.
The main characters in this are not only the two sisters but also the younger sister's husband and their son. The approach to this book is really well done in terms of understanding generational and cultural expectations and how those change when you are no longer subjected to them in another country.
The downside is that this book could have been and probably should have been longer. Only the older sister was truly flushed out as a character with the younger sister being much more of a sympatheic "good mother" and the husband a very two dimensinoal alcholic father who also seems to not have any strength in this family at all.
The son is probably the only other character that we spend more time with and he turns out to be more of the main character than either of the sisters. Which almost doesn't fit the description of the book if you're expecting this to be a story about sisterly relationships. The son spends so much of the book dealing with true trauma forced upon him but yet as he grows older the description of how that impacts him becomes less and less clear.
Overall this is a good book, but I do feel the level of exploration into trauma and fleshing out of characters would have made this a stronger book
The book covers a significant time span in the lives of two sisters who grew up in Thailand with the younger going off to the United States to study and become a doctor while the older sister, who expected to be picked to go, stayed behind, only to go to live with her sister once she was having a baby.
The main characters in this are not only the two sisters but also the younger sister's husband and their son. The approach to this book is really well done in terms of understanding generational and cultural expectations and how those change when you are no longer subjected to them in another country.
The downside is that this book could have been and probably should have been longer. Only the older sister was truly flushed out as a character with the younger sister being much more of a sympatheic "good mother" and the husband a very two dimensinoal alcholic father who also seems to not have any strength in this family at all.
The son is probably the only other character that we spend more time with and he turns out to be more of the main character than either of the sisters. Which almost doesn't fit the description of the book if you're expecting this to be a story about sisterly relationships. The son spends so much of the book dealing with true trauma forced upon him but yet as he grows older the description of how that impacts him becomes less and less clear.
Overall this is a good book, but I do feel the level of exploration into trauma and fleshing out of characters would have made this a stronger book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2026
I believe that there is an audience for every book out there, and not everyone is going to enjoy this intergenerational tale of a family trying to do what’s best for their own with what they’re given. Autofictional or not - I haven’t read interviews or articles of the book - the story felt deeply necessary and eerily real. I felt seen, which is funny and ironic, because communications of love in our culture are almost always implicit; this story is unique in the sense that we, the reader, are invited to empathize the personal trauma of everyone and judge the consequences of the action that they take in the name of love. The author effectively hides events and characters from some key scenes, and it felt real like I was talking to my own family.
There are many other threads to unpack too, like suffocating shame which is present everywhere but I can’t quite seem to place its source. Family Expectations, sure, which weren’t told to us explicitly, but perhaps learned. Related to that is a call to duty in the family unit, to provide functionally and emotionally - the adult version of Siriporn almost felt like a caricature up until tragedy strikes at the end, and only opening up to her son in a way all too familiar as he becomes his own person. Ben’s journey hit close to home, I felt similar symptoms when I was younger and his whole journey of becoming himself despite the expectations is one that most queer youths would easily relate to (though in this case, surely there could be more heartaches and pain!). The story doesn’t favour one character’s arc though Kamron’s past makes him a bit more periphery. Manda is just beginning to go on a redemption journey with Ben, and by the end everyone seems to be dreaming of a new start, I love this at the end:
“There were other details he couldn’t figure out, gaps he had filled with monotony, as if her life - anyone’s life - was suspended when he forgot to pay attention to it.”
For Ben, this was a realization that comes with maturity and his own becoming into adulthood. Stylistically, this also seems to reflect the novel that presents diffracted perspectives, the narration jumping around subtly to different characters, each person in their own world yet inevitably tied by their care to the people who loves and hurt them the most.
There are many other threads to unpack too, like suffocating shame which is present everywhere but I can’t quite seem to place its source. Family Expectations, sure, which weren’t told to us explicitly, but perhaps learned. Related to that is a call to duty in the family unit, to provide functionally and emotionally - the adult version of Siriporn almost felt like a caricature up until tragedy strikes at the end, and only opening up to her son in a way all too familiar as he becomes his own person. Ben’s journey hit close to home, I felt similar symptoms when I was younger and his whole journey of becoming himself despite the expectations is one that most queer youths would easily relate to (though in this case, surely there could be more heartaches and pain!). The story doesn’t favour one character’s arc though Kamron’s past makes him a bit more periphery. Manda is just beginning to go on a redemption journey with Ben, and by the end everyone seems to be dreaming of a new start, I love this at the end:
“There were other details he couldn’t figure out, gaps he had filled with monotony, as if her life - anyone’s life - was suspended when he forgot to pay attention to it.”
For Ben, this was a realization that comes with maturity and his own becoming into adulthood. Stylistically, this also seems to reflect the novel that presents diffracted perspectives, the narration jumping around subtly to different characters, each person in their own world yet inevitably tied by their care to the people who loves and hurt them the most.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2026
"The Outer Country" by Davin Malasarn is a heartfelt narrative about a Thai family's life in America. The story highlights how the family members are compelled to fulfill their duties/make the "right" choices for others even if those choices might not be what is best or desired by the individual.
The novel examines the changing nature of relationships as we grow and adapt—featuring love, care, and efforts to do well, while acknowledging we are flawed humans with blind spots and fears. Just as Thai plants struggle to thrive in foreign soil, this transplanted family faces challenges to thrive despite nurturing efforts.
I highly recommend this engaging read. It resonated deeply with me as a non-binary, queer person raised in a religious home. The influence of religion and family expectations on parenting can be profound. Sometimes well-meaning intentions can result in harm - and it is noteworthy that this also took place during AIDS crisis.
Malasarn's book prompts reflection on life, regrets, forgiveness, and second chances. It is worth mentioning that I left this book with a sense of hope. Fans of books like "The Original Daughter" by Jemimah Wei, "American Han" by Lisa Lee, "Cursed Daughters” by Oyinkan Braithwaite, and "The Mires" by Tina Makerti may find this story meaningful. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House | One World for the ARC.
The novel examines the changing nature of relationships as we grow and adapt—featuring love, care, and efforts to do well, while acknowledging we are flawed humans with blind spots and fears. Just as Thai plants struggle to thrive in foreign soil, this transplanted family faces challenges to thrive despite nurturing efforts.
I highly recommend this engaging read. It resonated deeply with me as a non-binary, queer person raised in a religious home. The influence of religion and family expectations on parenting can be profound. Sometimes well-meaning intentions can result in harm - and it is noteworthy that this also took place during AIDS crisis.
Malasarn's book prompts reflection on life, regrets, forgiveness, and second chances. It is worth mentioning that I left this book with a sense of hope. Fans of books like "The Original Daughter" by Jemimah Wei, "American Han" by Lisa Lee, "Cursed Daughters” by Oyinkan Braithwaite, and "The Mires" by Tina Makerti may find this story meaningful. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House | One World for the ARC.
May 6, 2026
Did Manda's decision to have a monk conduct a sort of exorcism ceremony on her four year old nephew Ben alter not only their lives but the lives of her sister Siripon and brother in law Kamron? Siripon was sent to the US from Thailand by their family, where she meets Kamron and builds a life working as a nurse. After a tragedy at the school where she teaches, Manda follows, just in time for Ben's birth. She struggles with English but revels in her garden and most of all in Ben. And then she finds him dancing the female part in a Staying Alive. Ben becomes a boy who throws up when he's nervous, Kamron goes back to drinking. This shifts third person perspective between Siripon, Manda, Kamron and most poignantly Ben, who comes out to his mother as a young teen. His journey is tough, in part because of limits he imposes on himself, at least until he meets Collin and later enters Stanford. This has some surprising twists (no spoilers). It's an immersive novel of an immigrant family with wonderful detail. It's thoughtful and beautifully written. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great read and I'm eager to see more from Malasarn.
May 27, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel.
I've been in a bit of a slump with eARCs, but this one was really good. The story centers around a family that has sent its two eldest daughters to "The Outer Country," aka the US. The family has created a weird dynamic of competition between the daughters who are all seeking their parents' approval. The second eldest, Siripon, was sent to Los Angeles (over the eldest daughter, Manda) after college where she found a husband and had the first living son of the family, Ben (Rattawut).
The story begins when Manda arrives in LA to "help" Siripon raise her son. We follow that son from childhood through to college. What his mother doesn't know is that when Ben was about six years old, his aunt and father, Kamron, led an exorcism to rid Ben of the spirit that made him gay. That one act has ramifications that follow Ben as he grows up.
I really felt for Ben and for his mother. Siripon was made into a people pleaser, taking care of everyone and leaving herself with nothing. As Ben changes, Siripon begins to change as well.
This novel was so good. I'm getting a copy ASAP.
I've been in a bit of a slump with eARCs, but this one was really good. The story centers around a family that has sent its two eldest daughters to "The Outer Country," aka the US. The family has created a weird dynamic of competition between the daughters who are all seeking their parents' approval. The second eldest, Siripon, was sent to Los Angeles (over the eldest daughter, Manda) after college where she found a husband and had the first living son of the family, Ben (Rattawut).
The story begins when Manda arrives in LA to "help" Siripon raise her son. We follow that son from childhood through to college. What his mother doesn't know is that when Ben was about six years old, his aunt and father, Kamron, led an exorcism to rid Ben of the spirit that made him gay. That one act has ramifications that follow Ben as he grows up.
I really felt for Ben and for his mother. Siripon was made into a people pleaser, taking care of everyone and leaving herself with nothing. As Ben changes, Siripon begins to change as well.
This novel was so good. I'm getting a copy ASAP.
June 13, 2026
***Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review***
Intergenerational immigrant family fumblings intersect with the consequences of a traumatic, secretive conversion event to explore the complicated natures of family, love, sexuality, and more. The story begins where the lives of two Thai sisters diverge, as one is sent to the US while the other remains. Years later, the sisters are reunited in the US when the first one is pregnant. The resulting child, Ben, is loved deeply but differently. When he displays characteristics considered abnormal for his gender, his aunt and father engage a monk to rid him of these behaviors. Instead of changing him though, he suffers greatly for years. The impact of the aunt and father's actions end up being a large part of why he feels so disconnected from them. Ben has to learn on his own to embody his queerness and reconcile what was done to him.
Intergenerational immigrant family fumblings intersect with the consequences of a traumatic, secretive conversion event to explore the complicated natures of family, love, sexuality, and more. The story begins where the lives of two Thai sisters diverge, as one is sent to the US while the other remains. Years later, the sisters are reunited in the US when the first one is pregnant. The resulting child, Ben, is loved deeply but differently. When he displays characteristics considered abnormal for his gender, his aunt and father engage a monk to rid him of these behaviors. Instead of changing him though, he suffers greatly for years. The impact of the aunt and father's actions end up being a large part of why he feels so disconnected from them. Ben has to learn on his own to embody his queerness and reconcile what was done to him.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Available May 2026.
What are the ties that hold a family together? And what if the truth will hurt the very thing you hold most dear? In The Outer Country, Davin Malasarn introduces us to the Chiwitchaiya family as they navigate their new life in America and maintain their family and cultural values. I especially enjoyed the character of Siripon and the way Malasarn captured the complicated nature of motherhood. Manda, Siripon's older sister and in many ways a foil, sometimes grated me. Most of all, I loved the way Malasarn treated the family with tenderness and care, showing that there is the possibility to change old narratives and heal family trauma. Malasarn's writing is descriptive, poetic, and emotionally resonant. Definitely read this debut!
Available May 2026.
What are the ties that hold a family together? And what if the truth will hurt the very thing you hold most dear? In The Outer Country, Davin Malasarn introduces us to the Chiwitchaiya family as they navigate their new life in America and maintain their family and cultural values. I especially enjoyed the character of Siripon and the way Malasarn captured the complicated nature of motherhood. Manda, Siripon's older sister and in many ways a foil, sometimes grated me. Most of all, I loved the way Malasarn treated the family with tenderness and care, showing that there is the possibility to change old narratives and heal family trauma. Malasarn's writing is descriptive, poetic, and emotionally resonant. Definitely read this debut!
June 1, 2026
I'm always interested in generational stories and this one was well done! This novel was actually based on the author's experience with his aunt and father arranging a Buddhist exorcism when they find out he is queer. This is also a story between a pair of sisters long estranged by oceans and time, trying to find ways to reconnect and co-existent in the Outer Country (America). Each of these characters are neither black or white but morally gray, each trying to reckon with daily life. I gravitated to Ben's story because it was painful to see him go through so much after the exorcism, especially at school and at home. He started to come into his own as he continues to grow up and move away from what his parents and aunt expect of him.
May 17, 2026
I can already tell that this is a book that’s going to stay with me for a long time. It’s been about 2 weeks since I finished it and it’s still on my mind daily because the story was 1) super compelling and 2) unlike anything i’ve read before!!
as i get older, i’m understanding more and more that adults are often just doing the best they can in the way that they know how to. this felt so prevalent in this book, because some of the actions seem so outlandish to me on the surface, but the author does a good job at showing you the motivations behind their choices and how they made sense to the character. obviously this doesn’t erase any of the harm these choices resulted in, but that feels even more heartbreaking to me: knowing what the intentions were and seeing the actual fall out and harm caused in the aftermath.
i really appreciated how this story showed the struggle of immigrant parents and family and the generations after them who have to adjust to a new environment while also trying to hold on to their heritage. one of the parts that really stood out to me was when one of our main characters, Ben (who the story revolves around, even if he’s not the POV for the entire book), realizes that even though he wants to communicate with his mom he doesn’t really have a way to do so effectively (and in the way that he wishes to) because their main languages are no longer the same. the loss of language is something i’ve spoken to quite a few friends about— how we wish we could speak the languages of our grandparents and how languages can be lost within a few generations.
the ending for me was a bit abrupt and i do wish we got a little more closure, but overall i really liked this book and the stories it told.
thank you to One World Books for the free copy!!
as i get older, i’m understanding more and more that adults are often just doing the best they can in the way that they know how to. this felt so prevalent in this book, because some of the actions seem so outlandish to me on the surface, but the author does a good job at showing you the motivations behind their choices and how they made sense to the character. obviously this doesn’t erase any of the harm these choices resulted in, but that feels even more heartbreaking to me: knowing what the intentions were and seeing the actual fall out and harm caused in the aftermath.
i really appreciated how this story showed the struggle of immigrant parents and family and the generations after them who have to adjust to a new environment while also trying to hold on to their heritage. one of the parts that really stood out to me was when one of our main characters, Ben (who the story revolves around, even if he’s not the POV for the entire book), realizes that even though he wants to communicate with his mom he doesn’t really have a way to do so effectively (and in the way that he wishes to) because their main languages are no longer the same. the loss of language is something i’ve spoken to quite a few friends about— how we wish we could speak the languages of our grandparents and how languages can be lost within a few generations.
the ending for me was a bit abrupt and i do wish we got a little more closure, but overall i really liked this book and the stories it told.
thank you to One World Books for the free copy!!
August 2, 2026
4.5/ Great intergenerational family saga that follows two sisters from Thailand to California in the latter quarter of the 20th century, as well as the first gen child that whom they both treasure and struggle to understand. I thought it was a well written debut that shows us a unique world and experience. It is equal parts family saga and queer coming of age story, and the novel is split pretty well between the two arcs. Slower paced but entrancing for me, I was impressed with the characters and exploration of family dynamics. It does a fantastic job of exploring the push/pull of our closest relationships.
June 17, 2026
Siripon was the only redeemable character in this whole book. Sure she was flawed but she gave everything to her family and never put herself first. I would have kicked that sister and no good husband to the curb to see how they fared without her.
I didnt understand why Ben kept throwing up, was it just stress? Wish it was explained better. Also, I would’ve like to see more of the confrontation with Manda at the end and something with his dad as well.
Well written but everyone with the exception of Siripon was so narcissistic.
I didnt understand why Ben kept throwing up, was it just stress? Wish it was explained better. Also, I would’ve like to see more of the confrontation with Manda at the end and something with his dad as well.
Well written but everyone with the exception of Siripon was so narcissistic.
June 17, 2026
In this novel, we meet a young kid named Ben who is caught by his aunt Manda twirling around wearing a blanket like a woman. Without telling his mother, she hires a monk to cleanse him and get rid of the spirit, which is clearly a girl inside of him. This has a profound effect on Ben life this was a very well written book that I really enjoyed it definitely was not a light read and it had a lot of dark parts but overall I really thought it was excellent written and had some interesting characters who are pretty complex
June 3, 2026
Story of a family that moved to the Outer Country (aka US) and explores the challenges of navigating all areas of life. Explores the complex dynamics of family separated by distance and culture, the intricacies of marriage, children, generational trauma, affairs, and coming out.
I cannot speak to the accuracy of the culture portrayed but it felt believable.
I cannot speak to the accuracy of the culture portrayed but it felt believable.
June 12, 2026
I really loved this book. It’s about a Thai-American boy growing up in LA and discovering his identity. It’s also about the harm parents inflict on their children, consciously and unconsciously, in an effort to protect them. It’s definitely a tough story but it feels real and honest, not tragic. ❤️🏳️🌈
June 24, 2026
This was such a beautiful story! The fight between living a life your family wants for you or creating the life you want for yourself is something I know many people can resonate with. Seeing Ben release the thing that had been holding him for so long was beautiful and inspiring.
This was a gifted copy from One World Books!
This was a gifted copy from One World Books!
July 2, 2026
This is a such a beautiful and moving novel, a perfectly crafted braided story told through multiple perspectives and across time and space, as a young queer boy comes of age while his family (Thai immigrants living in Los Angeles) slowly unravels. I loved the characters deeply and was so moved by the ending.
August 2, 2026
Oh my gosh. What a beautifully written book. The compassion Malasarn had for all of these characters, while also holding their feet to the fire of their actions and their motivations. The subtleties, the connections, the disconnections. I felt for every single one of these characters. What a gorgeous debut.
August 6, 2026
a multigenerational, queer, immigrant family drama? as someone who loves to cry, yes. i could see the author's goal of serving readers with an immigrant story where the main conflict comes from within the family rather than externally from the hardships of a new country, and i think he pulled it off too.
thanks to the publisher for the ARC!
thanks to the publisher for the ARC!
May 18, 2026
Excellent. The author did a wonderful job of illustrating all of the characters' points of view. There were no real villains. Characters did awful things, but their actions made sense from their perspective. And some of them lamented those decisions.
June 18, 2026
Explored a lot of concepts like family dynamics, especially in an Asian household, sibling and parental relationships as well as concepts of masculinity. However there was a tendency of the narrative to drift/go in circles which could get frustrating
June 27, 2026
"We try to be good, and nothing comes of it. We do good a hundred times and they only see the one time we're bad,"
Not my favorite genre, but it was an easy read and it had some moments that reminded me of my own childhood, strange as it might be.
Not my favorite genre, but it was an easy read and it had some moments that reminded me of my own childhood, strange as it might be.
Review of advance copy received from Storygraph
Testttyuigvshsjsi
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Siripon's estranged sister, Manda, moves to the United States from Thailand to help with her baby, and becomes a second mother to him, but secrets both old and new threaten their family.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews