Smile as They Bow

#272
Title: Smile as They Bow
Author: Nu Nu Yi
Translators: Thi Thi Aye and Alfred Birnbaum
Publisher:Hyperion
Year: 2008
Country: Burma/Myanmar
151 pages

Probably the only novel you'll read about Burmese religious transvestites. Some are gay; it is not clear whether they all are. At least one of the main characters is bisexual, or expedient in who he sleeps with. The novel easily evokes the sights, sounds, and smells of a popular religious festival, woven through which is the protagonist's narrative. His musings and the context provide ample information about Burmese customs and beliefs, as well as contemporary problems such as theft and misrepresentation. The primary focus of the novel is on a relationship that is both controlling and protective. It provides a glimpse in the kind of indentured servitude that is still acceptable in much of the world.