“Sawat, I want to go into the water…” Phuket, Thailand, seemed to be the perfect getaway choice for twenty-two-year-old Calum Armstrong: What he saw, and did, on that holiday proves to have far- reaching consequences; not only for himself, but also for those closest to him. In Germany, uncompromising Frankfurt detective, Otto Netzer,is leading the manhunt for a brutal serial killer who preys on … on heavily-pregnant women… Neither Calum, nor the killer, yet realise that their destiny lies in the hands of a mythical creature who resides beneath the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea. Intriguing and exotic, Kevin Ansbro’s novel explores how our actions can come back to haunt us in the most unexpected ways. ‘Murder, myth and Mr Ordinary meet up in this extraordinary novel. However bad the weather is here, Ansbro’s vivid writing will transport you to a sun-drenched tropical island – with darkness at its heart. I loved it!’ – Karen Holmes, editor 2QT
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So much has been said about this novel that I feel as though I’d only be repetitious writing about the plot and characters. If you’re an avid fan of fantasy and magic realism then this book, which is solidly written, is for you.
Having been to England, Thailand, and Germany many times I somehow expected more from the scenes that were set in these countries—not that they weren’t well-drawn, but I felt that the settings, except for the Tsunami, could have been more enhanced.
I think I can safely say that the author was extremely ambitious trying to manage successfully to achieve his goal of connecting the dots of all the intersecting storylines.
Full disclosure. I was already a fan of Kevin Ansbro’s work, from the minute I picked up his novel, The Fish That Climbed a Tree. Partly that’s because he has such a way with words, but also because of his highly relatable characters whose journey we share.
I’ve never been to Thailand, but Ansbro’s lovingly detailed description of the people, culture, and environment has made me feel as if I’d been there. And I thoroughly enjoyed the visit. We see the country from two perspectives, first from life among the tourists at a very high-end hotel and second from a close-up of the way of life of the poor Thais doing their best to eke out a living. Both felt real and true. I even feel as if I’ve experienced a powerful, frightening tsunami up close. I’ve never been to Norwich, England either, but now I feel as if I have.
The novel is told to us through several different perspectives. The bulk of the story comes to us through the eyes of young lovers, Hannah Cunningham and Calum Armstrong, both from Norwich. But we’re also given several other points of view: Sawat Leelapun, whom Calum meets on his first trip to Patong, Thailand and who becomes his close friend; the mythological Kinnara; the crazed serial killer, and several lesser characters along the way. Each of the points of view gives us a different, personal perspective on what is going on in front of us.
Kinnara is many things. It’s a romance. It’s magical realism. It’s a cross-cultural adventure. It’s mythology. And all of these diverse genres are blended seamlessly throughout the novel. Even time is a flexible thing, going back and forth from present to past and back again. So, Kinnara is a complex novel, but that never gets in the way of our enjoyment of the page-turning action, or our ability to empathize with nearly every character in the book.
When this is all put together by a highly-skilled writer, with an enormous imagination like Kevin Ansbro, you end up with a reading experience that stays with you well beyond the last page. Kinnara is not the book you think it will be when you first pick it up. It will blow your expectations away.
Ansbro is great writer and “Kinnara” is magical realism at its best.
Kevin Ansbro is a great writer, and “Kinnara” is a spectacular journey of love, magic, trust, faith and mystery. The reader is instantly engaged, enchanted and pulled into this story. “Kinnara” ignites quickly and proceeds like the best fireworks display: surprising and wowing, as the reader eagerly anticipates the next page. “Kinnara” is spectaular, sublime, and mesmerizing while allowing the reader to ponder the bigger questions in life: love, faith, trust.
The mystery of “Kinnara” is revealed by journeying with Ansbro to different cultures and eras as the author’s words and the book’s plot artfully weave between realism and magic to blend a beautiful story that epitomizes the best of magical realism. A brilliantly told story full of love, magic, humor, trust, faith and mystery.
This is a multi dimensional read. It covers a serial killer, young romance and the myths and legends around Thailand. The author has taken the time to understand the culture of Thailand and brings it to life in such a rich and cultural way. I was engrossed in the story for many reasons.
It starts out by grabbing you from the serial killers POV, before you’re swiftly moved on and you’re once again swept away, this time by young love and their POVs. You don’t have time to dwell on this before the author explains about the legend and the monster/ghost at the bottom of the sea.
At times this book is simply breathtaking, as Thailand is described to such a degree I really wanted to be there. The next moment you find your heart pounding as you are taken to the next victim of the serial killer.
Yes this book is different from any book I have ever read before. It is completely unique, gripping and captivating. It really is a must read.
I read Kevin Ansbro’s Kinnara when I was in desperate need of an escape. It turned out to be a perfect choice because of its dreamy mythological aspects interspersed with the story of young love and strong friendships. The writing is clever, smooth and engaging; the characters are vividly drawn and immediately likeable. I really enjoyed all the scenes in Thailand, learning more about Thai customs and feeling surrounded by the lush, vibrant scenery. There’s plenty of drama in this story, some of it very chilling, others powerful examples of more ordinary human dilemmas.
All in all, Kinnara was a joy to read. Every time I turned on my Kindle, I was immediately transported away from my sick bed and caught up in a colorful, endearing tale.
I was drawn to read Kinnara after coming across two of Kevin Ansbro’s short stories which were highly entertaining. However, I did not expect to be so enthralled by this novel. As each chapter drew me in and introduced me to the realistic cast I quickly found myself soaking up word after word eager to discover where the story would take me and I was not disappointed. Even though I tried second guessing several times; I could not have predicted the eventual outcomes such was the expertly crafted prose. There were several laugh out loud moments for me and being set in an era I can relate to nostalgia greeted me on several occasions. I found being transported to Thailand fascinating and shed a tear more than once. The overall story of Kinnara and how he came to be was just exceptional and I have the utmost admiration to the author for creating such a captivating read.