April 2023
THE FABULIST
by Uthis Haemamool
Shortlisted for S.E.A. Write Award 2015 First Thai novel published by PRH SEA From one of Thailand’s most prominent writers, THE FABULIST is a mesmerizing family saga told in five parts, each by a different narrator and written in a distinctive genre/format. The story follows four generations of a Thai family, from the matriarch (who was a tree, a naga, a deer, and a rock before she became a woman) to her eldest son, a doctor who embarks upon a quest for justice in the afterlife after suffering a stroke, from the doctor's wife (who lives out the soap opera of her dreams) to a ghostwriter who turns family tragedy into fiction. Their stories contradict each other and the reader is left with more questions than answers, but all is revealed in the last chapter as a young woman from the next generation returns to her hometown and the truth is finally out. Uthis Haemamool blends origin myths, recorded history, religious fables and domestic high-drama into THE FABULIST, offering a rare look at Thailand's ordinary people. A challenging but highly satisfying read, just like the best kind of literature.
