The story of Jan Darra - A Thai erotic novel of the 1960s - E-book - Multi-format

Sex, guilt and retribution.  Apparently inspired by the goings-on at a neighbouring palace  during the author's childhood,  this 1965 novel is set in the expansive residence  of a retired nobleman whose carnal excesses  set the tone for the wholecommunity.  The story focuses on the sexual rivalry  between His Lordship and his despised son, Jan Darra,  who turns out not to be his son at all  and who, in time, will reap revenge over his tormentor.  Erotic pleasures described in hyperbolic, neoclassical fashion  are merely a pretext to create in intricate detail  a self-contained microcosm ruled by lust if not passion  and by scheming self-interest. With its skilful construction, psychological insights,  lush prose and steamy yet inoffensive sex scenes,  not to mention its overly Buddhist moral stance, this is an exceptional novel with few equivalents in the world of literature.