Between the words

Between the words

Unpredictability and unexpected thoughts make Chatrawee Sentanissak's book an excellent read

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Between the words

'No one can cook prawn fried-rice as deliciously as the Glasses-Auntie in front of my soi. No matter who passes into my life, I take every single one of them here to eat at this store."

Chatrawee Sentanissak.

"You've grown up so beautifully, but take care of yourself and your heart too, child. I'll just try to cook my best, so you come back often and I can at least keep an eye on you."

These unspoken words are two sides from a relationship: between a girl who grew up eating at the same mom-and-pop restaurant all her life and the auntie who owns it. Along with 49 other relations of all sorts between two different beings, these two-paged monologues are the structure of Chatrawee Sentanissak's Thai-language book Lost In Conversation.

Drawing on things that have been left unsaid, this latest addition from publishing house Bun Books looks like a sweet, short read — especially with its pastel salmon-hued cover that opens to reveal narratives written as easy-to-read stanzas and creepy-cute illustrations in between each. It's something that can be polished off in one sitting, but the author, who is also the editor at Bun Books, says: "The text may be short, but let it stay with you for a bit. You might read only a few chapters before bed each night, instead of the whole book at once, so you can give some thought to the different characters and situations."

Lostinconversation

Chatrawee's concise but slow-sinking words will make readers realise that speech, especially in today's fast-paced and digitalised world, should never, ever be taken for granted. The Chulalongkorn arts graduate observes that the equation of relationships is curiously delicate enough as it is. Change a few factors, such as words (or unsaid words), and the whole equation could change completely.

"What you say to someone, or don't say to them, can completely change your life. Sometimes, it's not telling the whole story that also changes things. But it can be a challenge to decide when to speak or not, because sometimes, you may say things aloud, but the situation doesn't get any better." 

As an avid reader of poetry, literature from the Rama V era and Marquez, Chatrawee is not exactly your 20-something, cute, girly-girl that Bun Books targets. She's had to do some self-tweaking ever since coming to work at this cheery publishing house, nevertheless, her first book is a good attempt to fit the Bun Book mould without completely throwing herself out the window.

Lost In Conversation's penetrative nature means the book leaves something other than happy thoughts for the reader to chew on, even if it never gets to the point of social-issues dark. Although heavier and more serious themes would have not fit under the house's sunny banner (though it would have been an even more fascinating read!), Chatrawee does take you into the shoes of a one night-stander, a rebellious teen and a moody husband, among other less lovable characters, for something less "cheerful".

Funny and imaginative is in the entry between a worshipper and the spirit that lives in the spirit house. Nevertheless, most rapports she explores are ones we all can relate to — be it the taxi driver and rejected passenger; the college senior and alumni that won't seem to go away; diehard groupies and concert organisers — all the way to the expected relationships between friends, lovers, room mates, siblings and work colleagues.

With 30% of the stories taken right out of real life around the 24-year-old, the rest is inspired by mainstream news, web boards and people she knows. Whether she reflects on life realistically or too optimistically is not the main fixation. The author comments: "Even if it was based on a real story, other people could have reacted in an infinite amount of ways, unlike the two specific characters. It is after all, for entertainment, as well."

The thrill of this book all comes from its unpredictability and unexpected thoughts that were lost between conversations. It's striking in its ability to let readers see plights in an entirely different way they may never have before — which may (or may not) offer solace on getting over broken hearts and lost friendships. Sometimes, you dive into a narrative easily rooting for one side, but emerge out of the story unsure who to support anymore after hearing the other.

If anything, Lost In Conversation is a reminder that the lack of this god-given function, one we have evolved to possess, could lead to a fountain of regret. Just like us all, Chatrawee has been through times she wished she didn't stay quiet, as well.

"I think my friend was feeling bad, but I didn't really explain as to why I did something a certain way," she recalls. "I didn't want to seem like I was guilty, but perhaps if I just told her what was on my mind, things would have been better."


Find Lost in Conversation at leading bookstores for 185 baht.

 

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