Cross Currents

Jun 03, 2012 Ashley Setzer rated it 3 of 5 stars

I downloaded this book while still in the afterglow of a trip to Ko Phi Phi island in Thailand. Shors absolutely captures the feel of the island -- the sounds, the smells, the tiny details that really give you a sense of the place. As realistic as his setting is, however, I found the characters to be unrealistically good. That's not to say they don't have flaws, but they are hyper-aware of those flaws and they spend long passages talking about themselves, each other, and their relationships to e...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Ellen Hinkle rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't read as much as I used to (children, work, etc.) so when I buy a book, I expect a lot out of it. A friend had recommended Cross Currents to me, and because I wasn't familar with the author's work, I picked up the book with some reluctance. The cover definitely caught my eye. Though it took me maybe 15 pages to get into the book, I was hooked fairly quickly. Cross Currents is a beautiful story set in a beautiful place. The novel takes place in Thailand and revolves around two families (re...more

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Nov 03, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Reviewed By- JoAnne
Copy Provided By- Author's Publicist
This was a wonderful novel about family, survival and love. The main characters were a family of 5 plus their grandmother from Ko Phi Phi island in Thailand and two American brothers. Shors did a masterful job of showing us the interactions between family members in their own family as well as between the two families. The vivid descriptions of the island, boats, restaurant, bungalows, the beach and the pier made you able to visualize the wo...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: family-dynamics, favorite-male-authors, latest-reads, moral-message, paperback-i-own

I'm a long-time fan of John Shors, having jumped head first on his fan-wagon when I cracked the opening pages of "The Marble Sky." I had never read anything quite like that novel. It was simply spectacular and I recommend it to everyone. Since that novel, Shors has continued to produce incredibly stellar work; most recently the slightly heartbreaking and amazingly soulful "The Dragon House" about a children's shelter in Viet Nam.

My expectations, then were very high for "Cross Currents." So when...more I'm a long-time fan of John Shors, having jumped head first on his fan-wagon when I cracked the opening pages of "The Marble Sky." I had never read anything quite like that novel. It was simply spectacular and I recommend it to everyone. Since that novel, Shors has continued to produce incredibly stellar work; most recently the slightly heartbreaking and amazingly soulful "The Dragon House" about a children's shelter in Viet Nam.

My expectations, then were very high for "Cross Currents." So when it was a bit slow in the uptake for John's usual book it was frightening for someone who loves his work like I do. There was too much information about the children of the Thai family on which the novel focuses for me. I didn't really care about the minute details of the family's day-to-day activities. I was ready for the "Shor Show" that I knew he was able to produce!!

I nearly put the book down and wondered what happened to --why was this novel so different? What happened was what happens to all good fans of a favorite author: I refused to give up on the novel. I kept picking it back up and I kept reading. Soon the story began to really develop the American character, Patch, giving him a depth of angst, heart and unselfishness. When his brother and girlfriend come to Thailand's island of Ko Phi Phi to see him; and Ryan wants to convince Patch to take a difficult, untenable turn in his life, the plot really heats up. Suddenly, this book was reading like a true Shors novel!

I relay all of this to you simply to let you know that this may be a novel you'll have to give a chance. It's a wonderful story. What John was doing in the beginning was causing us to get to know the local family that his American protagonist came to love. He wanted us to understand the character and culture of the island people whose lives were destroyed in the Ko Phi Phi tsunami.

In "Cross Currents" there are characters you'll fall in love with who have depth of feeling and intensity of humanity. When the tragedy of the tsunami devastates Ko Phi Phi you'll be crushed in the throes of the ocean with a horror only akin to that that must have been felt by those trapped on the island that day. I could not believe how vividly Shors showed me those moments! I could see it so clearly and winced with sympathetic agony when his characters were torn and thrown in the impossible turbulence.

This is a powerful story full of the passion of human kindness, true love and personal sacrifice. This is a real John Shors novel. I'm happy to recommend it to you as strongly as I do his other books.

5 stars for life!

(less)

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Sep 15, 2011 Michele Weiner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Spoiler Alert: Don't read if you don't want to know what happened.

Patch is a free-sprited American 23-year-old who takes a vacation in Thailand. In order to extend his time in paradise by a few weeks, he decides to sell some marijuana for profit. He gets caught, strikes a policeman, and runs off to Ko Phi Phi, a resort village on the coast. There he meets Lek, his wife Saira, her mother Yai, and their three children. The family is typical of Thailand. they are hard-working, happy, and devoted to...more Spoiler Alert: Don't read if you don't want to know what happened.

Patch is a free-sprited American 23-year-old who takes a vacation in Thailand. In order to extend his time in paradise by a few weeks, he decides to sell some marijuana for profit. He gets caught, strikes a policeman, and runs off to Ko Phi Phi, a resort village on the coast. There he meets Lek, his wife Saira, her mother Yai, and their three children. The family is typical of Thailand. they are hard-working, happy, and devoted to one another. Nothing is more important than family in Thailan. Curiously, all references to Lek's family of origin are missing, as are any brothers, sisters or cousins. The daily runs a group of bungaloes and a restaurant. To make ends meet, the children are pressed into service selling drinks to the tourists and meeting each tourist boat to persuade rich visitors to stay at the Rainbow Resort. Saira works all day long cooking and cleaning, and giving massages on the beach while Lek, injured while gathering bird's eggs, drags himself on a painful hip to do the men's work. The fugitive Patch becomes involved with the family, helping Lek with repairs, building a brick path and a treehouse for the kids. Everyone loves Patch, but they also know he's running from some trouble. As he becomes a member of the family, Saira and Lek discuss the fact that his continued presence will sooner or later bring them great trouble. They don't yet know what he did, but they know that a tourist visa last up to 90 days, and Patch has been with them for five months. One day, the police come and put up a picture of Patch on the equivalent of the post office wall. Lek removes it, but he knows Patch must soon go. He doesn't tell Patch, though. He wants to get a few more chores done first!! Patch is determined to avoid jail in Thailand and plans to stow away on a freighter to India and then make his way to the American embassy and claim he lost his passport. This was not such a foolproof plan, but he didn't want to risk his life in a Thai jail where he believed he would be harmed by the police for hitting one of them and making him lose face. Patch's brother, Ryan, shows up. Ryan is Patch's opposite. He is focused, career-driven, and cut. Patch is skinny and has time for everyone. Both share a desire to help people, and Ryan has brought his girlfriend Brooke, who has been raped and is still struggling to recover. She and Ryan are not clicking, but she and Patch have vibes. When Ryan insists that Patch turn himself in and pay his dues, promising to bribe enough people to make him safe in jail, Brooke sides with Patch and his unrealistic plan to escape. They fight, make up, fight again. Brooke and Ryan decide to split, Ryan goes for a massage and falls in love with the massage girl, Dao, who is looking for a hard-working man, not a free spirit. Lek finally tells Patch he has to leave, Saira finally gets Patch to confess his sin, and Brooke and Patch share a kiss. Ryan gets pissed, punches Patch, and packs to leave. He has given up on Patch. He will leave him to his fate. Brooke gets Dao, who convinces Ryan to stay. Patch asks her to give Ryan a message: I'll turn myself in. It's Christmas Day. Ryan and Dao move to a hotel in the hills to be alone. the net day, the family and Patch are at the beach when the tidal wave hits without warning. the next twenty pages are devoted to the struggle to survive. Ryan saves Dao, Patch and two of Lek's children, while Brooke, in a different place, saves the infant. Ryan is guided to Patch, way out in the ocean already with the two kids, by a mystical woman's voice. He gives Patch his life preserver and dies in the ocean, happily. Patch and the kids are rescued by Lek's whole family in their boat. Ryan has told Patch to use his passport, in his hilltop hotel room, to get out with Brooke, and then to be happy with her. Patch has decided that he will help people for a living. Terrible plot, lyrical writing, but not what I expected. (less)

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Sep 11, 2011 Molly rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: EVERYONE

Recommended to Molly by: Crazy Book Tours

Shelves: book-review

Stunning. Absolutely stunning. That is the best way to describe this novel by John Shors. His emotional passion, his richly detailed events, and his tenderly created characters work together in a way that pulls the readers in instantly and takes them on an emotional, thought provoking journey.

Upon opening the pages of Cross Currents, I thought to myself, that I wouldn't really like this novel. After reading more about it, I just didn't think it would be for me. But, committed to giving this auth...more Stunning. Absolutely stunning. That is the best way to describe this novel by John Shors. His emotional passion, his richly detailed events, and his tenderly created characters work together in a way that pulls the readers in instantly and takes them on an emotional, thought provoking journey.

Upon opening the pages of Cross Currents, I thought to myself, that I wouldn't really like this novel. After reading more about it, I just didn't think it would be for me. But, committed to giving this author a chance, I read it. When I closed the book, I was so happy that I didn't pass it by. It really, truly blew me away.

Lek and Sarai were beautiful characters. They really showed the readers, through Mr. Shors detailed pages, what it's like to try to make the best of what you have. Patch, the American staying with Lek and Sarai and their family, helping them out around their resort, was another passionately created character. Though Patch was in trouble and hiding out with Lek and Sarai, earning his keep, I still enjoyed his character. Watching him interact with the Thai family was awesome. It showed how two cultures can be brought together and really learn about each other, really interact and become friends. Enter Ryan and Brook, Patch's brother and his girlfriend. Two more characters to fall in love with!

I loved this author. I am now a forever fan! This novel is so much more than just a great read. It's a story that will leave you breathless, thinking about places far off, wondering what life is really like there on an island like Ko Phi Phi, what life is really like when you have to make ends meet. But it will also show you the TRUE power of friendship, of a devoted family, of sticking together no matter what the end result will be. I definitely give this novel a 5 Book worthy rating and will be putting it at the top of my recommendation list. I am anxious to go back and read more of this author's work, as well as, seeing what he has in store for his new (and previously devoted!) fans.(less)

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Sep 10, 2011 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lek lives on the island of Ko Phi Phi with his wife, Sarai, his children Suchin, Niran, Achara, and Sarai’s mother. Lek and Sarai owned and operated Rainbow Resort. There are not any tourists staying at the resort currently other than Patch. Though, Patch does not really count. Patch has been staying with Lek and his family for over five months now.

Patch is running from the law. He hurt a police officer and is trying to figure out what his next move will be. In the meantime, he is helping Lek w...more

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Aug 21, 2011 Louise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: literature-fiction

A mesmerizing, poignant, life affirming read! CROSS CURRENTS will leave you with a thankfulness for your life and an awareness of the global tragedies that can pound us without warning. To one day be leading an idyllic and carefree life then to be thrown into a maelstrom of tragedy the next is a reminder to us all just how precious life is. Just how precarious our situations can be. Never take anything for granted because that very thing could disappear in the blink of an eye. Be thankful people...more

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May 27, 2011 John rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

Full disclosure here: I'm the author...

Cross Currents is a novel that I take great pride in. Here is a summary:

On December 26, 2004, one of the largest earthquakes in human history occurred off the coast of Indonesia, creating a series of massive tsunamis that struck countries bordering the Indian Ocean. Waves varied in height, some reaching almost one hundred feet tall. It is estimated that 230,000 people, representing forty nationalities, died in the catastrophe.

Ko Phi Phi is a beautiful, but...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Staci rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Staci by: John Shors

Shelves: 2011-reads

First thoughts when I finished this magnificent novel: "I'm a damn emotional wreck!"

I have to say that I'm blown away by Shors writing. I could kick myself for waiting so long to experience his talent but now that I have, I will be reading all of his books. I'm amazed at how he was able to lull me into this sense of peace and beauty. I could imagine myself on the beach in Ko Phi Phi. I could smell the wonderful food that Sarai made for her guests and family. I could hear the children's laughter...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Serena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Cross Currents by John Shors is set in the paradise of Ko Phi Phi in Thailand in 2004 as the lives of two families — struggling resort owners Lek and Sarai and brothers Patch and Ryan — cross paths. In paradise anything seems possible, especially for Patch who is running from the Thai police after a stupid mistake, but even more so for Lek and Sarai’s children with so much ahead of them.

From the moment readers enter Shors’ world, readers are engrossed in the sand, the sun, the stars, and the hum...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Sally Pearce rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, favorites

John Shors has hit another home run with CROSS CURRENTS! This was a delightful book set in Ko Phi Phi, Thailand in December 2004. From the location and the time frame, you might think it's a book about the tsunami that swept for thousands of miles at that time, but, while that is part of the story, it is not all of it by any means. The tsunami happens in the last eighth of the book (approximately).

Most of the book is a simple, but complex story of love and families. The Thai people are wonderfu...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Mirah W rated it 5 of 5 stars

John Shors did it again. He created some realistic characters and placed them in situations to test the human spirit and learn more about themselves. I was apprehensive about reading a book about the Indian Ocean Tsunami. I've been wary of books about such topics since living in Japan during the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. I was afraid that someone would not be able to write about such a tragedy and remain respectful but true to the event. I don't know why I was concerned. After rea...more

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Oct 20, 2011 Anita Laydon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

The back cover of “Cross Currents” includes blurbs from bestselling authors Wally Lamb and Amy Tan. They must recognize what I also see in Shors: a talented author who makes distant lands feel close to home.

“Cross Currents” is set on the Thailand island of Ko Phi Phi, a popular tourist destination. In December 2004, the island was hit by a tsunami that killed approximately one-third of the island’s 10,000 residents and visitors.

The majority of the book leads up to that fateful day. And readers w...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Joanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Let me start off by saying that I loved the writing in this novel! Shors portrayed the beauty of Thailand so wonderfully that I would love to take my next vacation there. We have the opportunity to be given this story through several different viewpoints, which helps the story unfold in a way that makes you want to stay up late into the night reading.

Lek and Sarai are happy Thailand residents that own a small resort right on the beach. They love the life they have with their children in the smal...more Let me start off by saying that I loved the writing in this novel! Shors portrayed the beauty of Thailand so wonderfully that I would love to take my next vacation there. We have the opportunity to be given this story through several different viewpoints, which helps the story unfold in a way that makes you want to stay up late into the night reading.

Lek and Sarai are happy Thailand residents that own a small resort right on the beach. They love the life they have with their children in the small tourist community, but struggle daily to cover the costs of daily needs. Could the upkeep of the resort and the basic financial needs be more than they expected? Throughout the novel they consider uprooting their family to move to the city to give them more financial options.

Patch is a carefree man who seems to live one day at a time. After getting into trouble in Bangkok, he fleas to the remote Island of Ko Phi Phi, hoping to hide from the authorities. He turns out to be an answered prayer when he arrives at the Rainbow Resort, being able to help Lek and Sarai with maintenance issues they couldn't otherwise afford. Not only does this family let him into their resort, but they also open their home and hearts to him and treat him like a member of the family. Patch knows this can only last so long as he is hiding from the law.

Things start to change for Patch when his brother, Ryan, shows up to help him sort out his legal dilemma. Ryan brought his girlfriend Brooke along with him, hoping they will have a chance to strengthen their relationship while they are in paradise. He's not sure if they can strengthen a romance that never sparked in the first place.

I loved this novel that not only had me wrapped up in the lives and emotions of the characters, but had me holding my breath several times as I felt that something was about to shatter their lives as they knew it. I'm not going to give any more of this novel away, but this book will sweep you away with it's themes of love, forgiveness, familial obligations, and survival. I think it would also make a great book club selection and don't hesitate in recommending it.(less)

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Jul 06, 2012 Athornton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Started this yesterday but had to stay awake to finish reading it. I really enjoyed the last book I read by him about the Taj Mahal also. This one was about the island of Ko Phi Phi (which I didn't know even existed) and about different people living/ visiting the island in the week prior to the tsunami in 2004 and who survived, what happened. I can't believe it's been 7 1/2 years already since the tsunami! I enjoyed the character developments and the ending was good, I kind of figured out what...more

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Oct 18, 2011 Meg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, sent-for-review, contemporary-fiction, indie-lit-awards

John Shors' Cross Currents is a hair-raising, memorable and atmospheric novel that transported me directly to Thailand. Most of us remember what happened on Dec. 26 -- an 9.1-magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean created devastating tsunamis that ripped through most countries bordering the sea. More than 230,000 people in 14 countries were killed, with Indonesia being the hardest hit.

But this isn't just a book about the disaster. Every chapter -- every page -- brims with the certainty that so...more John Shors' Cross Currents is a hair-raising, memorable and atmospheric novel that transported me directly to Thailand. Most of us remember what happened on Dec. 26 -- an 9.1-magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean created devastating tsunamis that ripped through most countries bordering the sea. More than 230,000 people in 14 countries were killed, with Indonesia being the hardest hit.

But this isn't just a book about the disaster. Every chapter -- every page -- brims with the certainty that something catastrophic is going to happen, but we're so lost in the world of Lek, Sarai and their beloved children that we lose track of the thing we are to fear most. Patch, Ryan and Brooke's stories ran seamlessly alongside those of the Ko Phi Phi residents, and I felt close to every character in this novel.

Shors' writing is rich and detailed; readers can feel the sun and salty sea on their skin. I immediately bonded with Sarai and Lek's plight, wondering how they could keep their business running in a time when there were too few tourists and far too many resorts. Suchin and Niran, their young children, captured my heart with their warmth and humor. Yai, the children's grandmother, was also a source of amusement and kindness throughout the story.

Cross Currents worked best for me as a work of contemporary fiction exploring family dynamics -- and there was certainly plenty to discuss with estranged brothers Patch and Ryan. For the most part, Ryan was a source of annoyance -- but I think that was quite purposeful. While he seems selfish and self-righteous, his girlfriend Brooke is kind-hearted and easy going. They made an unlikely pair from the beginning, and I didn't begrudge her changing feelings. While I found some of her interactions with Ryan unbelievable, especially toward the end, I was transfixed by the love story and pleased with the result.

Our family saga does become a horror, and my chest seized with the knowledge that everything was changing. Shors' book is less about the tsunami and more about the endurance of the human spirit, however, and that's what kept me up until 1 a.m. on a work night: believing in these people and desperately needing to know that they would be all right.

Fans of contemporary and literary fiction who enjoy adventurous novels with a healthy dash of foreshadowing will also be transfixed by Cross Currents. After falling in love with Thailand through Shors' eyes, it's on my list of places to visit; the butterfly-shaped island that his characters call home totally enchanted me.

4.5/5 stars(less)

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Jun 14, 2011 Christa Borne rated it 5 of 5 stars

As a book critic, I am sent many novels, some of which I read and enjoy, but do not have the space to review. Cross Currents is such a novel. I adored this story, which is set in Ko Phi Phi, Thailand, and involves a variety of characters--young and old, Thai and American, male and female. As the story progressed I felt increasingly connected with these characters, and by the time the wave hit, I was reading late into the night and stayed up until I finished. This is rare novel--both lyrical and...more

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May 11, 2011 Gail Peters rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to get an early read of Cross Currents, which takes place on a beautiful island in Thailand. As far as I know, this is the first novel about the 2004 tsunami. But it's more than just a story about the wave. It's really a novel that centers on the lives of three Americans and six Thais in the days leading up to the tsunami, and the reader becomes very much caught up in these lives, and roots for these characters in the face of such a calamity. This is foremost a novel about hop...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Athira (Reading on a Rainy Day) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, source-review, f-general, fiction, source-own, format-tree, personal-library

Lek and Sarai try to make ends meet, managing a small resort in Thailand's Ko Phi Phi island, but money is short, their buildings and surroundings need maintenance, and their children need to be put through school. In addition, one of their tenants, an American man named Patch, has already been staying at their resort for much longer than is allowed on a normal visa, making Sarai nervous. Patch, however, is trying to stay low after attacking a cop who had busted him when he was buying marijuana....more Lek and Sarai try to make ends meet, managing a small resort in Thailand's Ko Phi Phi island, but money is short, their buildings and surroundings need maintenance, and their children need to be put through school. In addition, one of their tenants, an American man named Patch, has already been staying at their resort for much longer than is allowed on a normal visa, making Sarai nervous. Patch, however, is trying to stay low after attacking a cop who had busted him when he was buying marijuana. His do-the-right-thing brother, Ryan is on his way to the island to convince Patch to turn himself to the authorities. Ryan, on the other hand, is having difficulties with his girlfriend, Brooke, who has also accompanied him to the island. While the individual characters battle out their personal problems, the readers (we) know that they are running on a timer - the 2004 tsunami is just round the corner.

As a personal policy, I never read books set against a recent catastrophe, like the Katrina hurricane, or the 9/11 or even school shootings, unless it is nonfiction or my memory of the event is vague at best. I find it difficult to get over the feeling that the tragic event is being exploited (it probably is not being, it's just too fresh in my mind to make me feel otherwise). But when John Shors offered me his book Cross Currents, I had to bend my own rule for two reasons - one, the tsunami wasn't the major player of the book. In fact, it could have been any tragedy, but the idea behind the story - how you go by your life and its issues and one day you wake up to see everything gone just like that, was very powerful. And second, the day the tsunami happened, I was sitting with my family on a beach in Chennai, where the water came up to half the beach and we were standing there absolutely riveted! Thank goodness there was no major damage!

Cross Currents started out wonderful. I read it first, sometime last year, but didn't get past the first few pages because I wasn't getting the time to read it. And then, I learned that it was nominated for the Indie Lit Awards. So I decided to wait until it was time to start reading the nominations. However, past that beautiful start, I couldn't find much that held me hooked to the book. I pretty much hate saying that because I had a lot of expectations out of this book, but it just didn't work for me.

None of the characters intrigued me. A few were likable, but I didn't feel like rooting for anyone. Ryan bugged me because of how dominating and stubborn he was, but when he began to get attracted to another woman in the second half of the book, and still expected his 'girlfriend' Brooke to be committed to him, I just about got annoyed with him. The other characters felt too do-goody to me to feel strongly about them.

The narrative didn't score too high with me either. Parts of it slogged for me, and I was anxious to get past that to see what would happen next. I also wasn't too impressed with how many times the characters kept mentioning about 'a good future', or '10 more days' or 'a few more weeks', but then I guess my knowledge of what was coming biased me against that. For me the main draw of the book was the fickleness of life. How you can sit and make plans to do a ton of things, and it only takes an instant for all that to be thrashed to rubble. How you can decorate and redecorate your house, and a tornado whips it to shards. How you can make plans to meet a long lost friend, and an accident makes that an impossibility. All through my reading of this book, that thought was heavily present, and it was very humbling to acknowledge it. With that in mind, I wished things didn't tie up so nicely in the end, because I would never have expected loose ends to get sorted out. But I guess, for closure, it has to be allowed.

Still, this was a really fast-paced book - the plot moved quickly too, and Shors' descriptive writing made me want to visit Thailand. The description of the deadly waves was also spot-on and vivid. I would have liked to see what happened next in the aftermath, but I appreciated the ending enough to formulate my own what-next and acknowledge the message of the book. I know I wasn't too moved by this book, but I definitely thought it was insightful and thought-provoking.(less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Sheree rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Sheree by: Staci

Shelves: own, general-fiction, read-in-2012, reviews

The gorgeous cover of Cross Currents caught my eye and after reading Staci's glowing review (Life in the Thumb), I knew I had to have it (... something that happens regularly when I visit Staci's blog.) What a beautiful story, having spent 3 weeks in Thailand years ago I immediately felt I'd returned; mesmerised by the breathtaking beauty of Ko Phi Phi and it's people.

With tender insight Shors describes the interactions between Thai family members Lek, his wife Sarai, her mother Yai, their thre...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Sandi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, 2011

It’s really hard to review a book that turned out not to be the book you thought you were reading. I knew that this novel was about Ko Phi Phi, an island that was decimated in the 2004 Indonesian tsunami. It’s part of the blurb and part of the author’s introduction. So, I kept waiting for that darned wave. Unlike the characters, I knew it was coming. About halfway through, I looked up the date that the tsunami occurred so I would know how close it was. I grew quite impatient for the devastation....more

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Nov 11, 2011 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fiction

Oh boy, this book absolutely sucked me in. Stors sets the scene on a gorgeous tropical island in Thailand. This sounds like a place that I would love to visit. Gorgeous beaches, clear water, yummy food. Stors then introduces us to some wonderful characters. There are the American brothers: Ryan and Patch. There is the gorgeous American woman: Brooke, Ryan's girlfriend. Then there is the Rainbow Resort family: Sarai and Lek and their 3 cute little children and the incomparable grandmother, Yai. S...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Jessica Lawlor rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

Set in beautiful Ko Phi Phi, an island in Thailand, Lek and Sarai struggle to make ends meet as resort owners on the picturesque island. Kind people, they are more than happy to take in Patch, a young American in exchange for his help around the resort. What Lek and Sarai don’t know is that Patch is running from the law after committing a crime. But even still, Patch is a decent man, and quickly grows close to Lek and Sarai and their two small children. When Ryan’s brother and his girlfriend Bro...more Set in beautiful Ko Phi Phi, an island in Thailand, Lek and Sarai struggle to make ends meet as resort owners on the picturesque island. Kind people, they are more than happy to take in Patch, a young American in exchange for his help around the resort. What Lek and Sarai don’t know is that Patch is running from the law after committing a crime. But even still, Patch is a decent man, and quickly grows close to Lek and Sarai and their two small children. When Ryan’s brother and his girlfriend Brooke travel to Thailand, everything changes. Ryan wants Patch to take responsibility and turn himself in to the authorities. Patch disagrees and Brooke gets caught in the middle when she finds herself falling for her boyfriends younger brother.

All the while, disaster is about to strike…

Many of you likely remember seeing television footage of the horrible 9.1 earthquake and tsunami that struck the Indian Ocean in December 2004 killing more than 230,000 people. I remember watching in horror thinking of the many people whose lives were changed forever in an instant. While this isn’t the kind of book I normally read and review, something about this book pulled at me, and I knew I had to accept it when I received a review request.

Warning: you will want to visit Thailand immediately after finishing CROSS CURRENTS. The absolutely stunning setting was one of my favorite parts of reading this book. Shors beautifully describes the island of Ko Phi Phi, so much so that so that it almost takes on a life of its own as one of the main characters in the story.

This book succeeded in making me want to learn more about Thai culture. I quickly fell in love with Lek, Sarai and their children, and enjoyed reading about how they worked so hard to put food on the table for their family, but smiled and enjoyed every minute of their lives. Their loving relationship and willingness to do anything to make their family happy was admirable. Patch was a welcome American addition to the family…I love how Lek and Sarai welcomed him in with open arms, and how Patch took care of the entire family as if they were his own.

Ryan definitely wasn’t my favorite character throughout the story. I knew he and I weren’t going to get along when he insisted on checking his email in beautiful Thailand in favor of exploring with his girlfriend Brooke. No thank you! Even though I didn’t like Ryan’s attitude in the beginning of the book, I loved watching him grow and change. By the end of the book, I was almost in tears after his heroic actions and his love of his brother.

My least favorite part of this book was the pace. While I enjoyed learning about the stories of each of the main characters, the entire book, I knew disaster was approaching and I felt that anticipation, but when it finally arrived, the book ended abruptly. From the description on the back of the book, I thought I’d see more action and more of what happened during the actual wave and the aftermath of the destruction. However, even though I would have liked to see more action, I appreciated the author’s skill in creating a serious sense of anticipation. With each new chapter, I felt my stomach turn just knowing what was coming.

Although I didn’t love the pace of the book, Shors expertly told the stories of five very different characters. When I put the book down, I truly felt like I knew each of them, their struggles and desires. Ultimately, I realized, this wasn’t a story about a disaster or destruction; it was a story about the good naturedness of people and how even the most unlikely people come together to help one another.(less)

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Sep 06, 2011 Grady rated it 5 of 5 stars

Nature/Nurture: John Shors Finds the Relationship Again

John Shors has secured his place among popular American novelists of the decade with this his sixth novel that combines a growing respect of the beauties of the globe and the intricacies of the manner in which characters seemingly misplaced in locales seek to find themselves only to discover that their place in the confusion of the world is close at hand, partially shaded by nature's vagaries.

CROSS CURRENTS is Shors reaction to the now almo...more Nature/Nurture: John Shors Finds the Relationship Again

John Shors has secured his place among popular American novelists of the decade with this his sixth novel that combines a growing respect of the beauties of the globe and the intricacies of the manner in which characters seemingly misplaced in locales seek to find themselves only to discover that their place in the confusion of the world is close at hand, partially shaded by nature's vagaries.

CROSS CURRENTS is Shors reaction to the now almost forgotten massively destructive tsunami that devastated much of Thailand in December 2004. His love of travel to exotic places seems to instill in him an obsession for his readers to visit the places that have meant much to him. In preparation for this particular novel he revisited Thailand several times, gathering information for his plot, but more important, soaking in the cultural differences in this exotic locales so that he might paint it more accurately.

He introduces us to a Thai family of simple means - Lek, Sarai, and their three children who make a living running an island tourist `resort' on the island of Ko Phi Phi. They have given harbor to an American lad by the name of Patch whom we later learn is avoiding the law after a poorly judged run-in with drug dealing. Patch and the children are particularly close and Patch's presence helps the little family survive.

From the United States comes Patches look alike brother Ryan with his girlfriend Brooke: Ryan is there in Thailand to convince Patch to turn himself in to the authorities, take his punishment and get on with his life. The brothers are very close, but different in their values systems. A rife divides not only the brothers but also unstable bond between Ryan and Brooke. After each of the brothers realizes the value of the other and the world begins to make a little sense, the tsunami comes and destroys the island and many of the inhabitants, but the fate of Patch and Ryan and Brooke and Ryan's newly discovered love of a massage girl Dao is altered in a strange way that brings closure to the story.

Shors has the ability to take us to the locations where he places his novels to the point that we can smell the air, feel the water, taste the cuisine, and most important understand the inhabitants of these far off lands' peoples. He has a gift in relating formation of relationships of all kinds and manipulates his characters in such a way that they become close friends of ours, making us feel their joys and sorrows like few other authors can. And a pleasure associated with his writing is the lack of need for exaggerated language or sex: everything happens naturally and while he doesn't concentrate on dwelling with issues that can become tiresome, nor does he deny these exist. It is a matter of taste in his writing that overcomes the need for smarmy writing. He has the gift as is obvious by the accolades from famous authors pasted in the first pages of his book. John Shors will be around for a long time.

Grady Harp(less)

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Sep 25, 2011 Kristin rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked this book, and I'd give it 3 1/2 stars if it was an option. It's the story of a Thai family and an American guest (with his visiting brother and his girlfriend) in the days leading up to the Christmas Tsunami. Their small guesthouse. So you know what's coming, get attached to the characters and are counting down the days, waiting to see how the tsunami will affect all of their lives. I really did like the story, found it a good, honest example of Thais and tourists/westerners interacting...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Allyson rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! I also love John Shors. All his books are set in exotic locales and to me, it seems that the setting is one of the characters in the novel. I loved the descriptions of the island of Ko Phi Phi and its people. He really brings his settings to life and that makes me want to read more. Add to that, the well developed characters and the super story line and you have a winner! I have loved all his books (admittedly some more than others) and I am anxiously looking forward to his ne...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Sherrie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: already-read

This book is all about a Thai family of simple means - Lek, Sarai, and their three children who make a living running an island tourist `resort' on the island of Ko Phi Phi. Lek has given Patch, he's on the run from the cops over a bad drug deal, a place to live for now. Patch helps around the resort and keeps the children occupied. Ryan, Patch's brother, is coming to make him see that he has to turn himself in to the law. But there is a monkey wrench in this. Patch falls in love with Ryan's gir...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Adriana Silva rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wond this novel through Goodreads.
In a few words" I was swept away by this novel"! Not only is it about love, loss, sacrifice, and family but John Shors writes with such passion that it takes you into the plots and makes you feel like your going through the love one minute and the great loss the next. Breathtaking and not one to miss!

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Nov 22, 2011 Elise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lyrical writing paints a beautiful picture of both relationships and location in this wonderful novel. Each time I picked up the book I could feel the warmth of the beach, smell the ocean scent. The love stories portrayed throughout the novel buoyed my spirits. Family love, romantic love, devotion to others were all depicted in a way which made me that much more grateful for the loves I have in my life. "Cross Currents" is a novel that took me away from the here & now and left me with a sens...more

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