The Lost Goddess

This book should be rewritten by someone that actually belongs to the Angkor/Cambodian culture or just not written at all. The plot started out okay, but quickly spiraled. The writing was tautological and the adjective choices were ridiculous. Pretty sure homeboy's favorite words are nihilistic and primeval. Both were featured several times throughout the book. He also put in gratuitous plot points that were beyond disturbing. They had no higher purpose other than shock value. Keep the fantasized beastiality, attempted rape, and Oedipus-esque situations to yourself, bruh. This book grossed me out in every possible way. His description of the Thai Trans sex workers pissed me off. Don't even get me started with Soriya's back story. It is not okay to use the following: “He-she” when referring to trans people, the “r” word when referring to people with cognitive disabilities, or the “m” word when referring to people of short stature. Who gave this wannabe white savior trash a green light? Every time I read any dialogue from any of the Cambodian, Thai, Chinese, or Laotian characters, it made me cringe. Not to mention his penchant for referring to all females in the book as “nubile,” EVEN WHEN THEY ARE PRACTICALLY CHILDREN. Ugh.