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4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Abandonment, War
I really liked this book and found the story compelling enough to overlook the dual timelines (not my favorite method of storytelling in historical fiction). I don’t know a lot about Vietnam and this book was an excellent jumping off point for further learning. At the same time, the story itself was juicy enough that it didn’t feel like a textbook.
The reason for four stars instead of five is that I didn’t love the writing style itself. Half of the book was told in the format of Grandma telling Huong about her life story, so there was a lot of telling versus showing. Huong’s chapters ended up feeling very similar on account of her character being incredibly naive. It was interesting that we were told she was the smartest in her class despite her seemingly not knowing anything about how humans interact at the age of 15. I found myself feeling endeared to her as a child and then remembering that she’s 15, not 10. Her chapters felt a little simplistic for the content of the story.
But that’s the thing, the content of the story was very good! The narrators just weren’t my favorite. There were times it really felt like the author was speaking directly to the reader. I am intrigued enough to read more of her books and see if the characters are stronger in those, because the story was good!
The reason for four stars instead of five is that I didn’t love the writing style itself. Half of the book was told in the format of Grandma telling Huong about her life story, so there was a lot of telling versus showing. Huong’s chapters ended up feeling very similar on account of her character being incredibly naive. It was interesting that we were told she was the smartest in her class despite her seemingly not knowing anything about how humans interact at the age of 15. I found myself feeling endeared to her as a child and then remembering that she’s 15, not 10. Her chapters felt a little simplistic for the content of the story.
But that’s the thing, the content of the story was very good! The narrators just weren’t my favorite. There were times it really felt like the author was speaking directly to the reader. I am intrigued enough to read more of her books and see if the characters are stronger in those, because the story was good!
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
4 stars = Fantastic and easy to recommend.
“Would the ghosts of war ever release us from their grip?”
A lovely, though depressing story, told from a refreshing perspective that covers almost a century of Vietnam’s history and the effects it had on its citizens. Now that I am actively looking for it, it is surprising to see a fairly sparse amount of literature available that is set in Vietnam and written by a Vietnamese author. This was an excellent find, and the first book that the poetic author has written in English.
“The challenges faced by Vietnamese people throughout history are as tall as the tallest mountains. If you stand too close, you won’t be able to see their peaks. Once you step away from the currents of life, you will have the full view.”
She mentions in the acknowledgements that she wanted to cover some of the turbulent events of her country’s past that have not yet been sufficiently documented in Vietnamese fiction, including the Great Hunger and the Land Reform. This was indeed the first novel I have read that covered these incidents, and I always appreciate historical fiction more when it conveys knowledge about actual people and happenings from the past.
“I was astonished when Grandma told me how her life had been cursed by a fortune-teller’s prediction, and how she had survived the French occupation, the Japanese invasion, the Great Hunger, and the Land Reform.”
It is a bildungsroman told through alternating POVs of a grandmother and her granddaughter. Their voices are not strikingly different from one another, but the chapters are clearly marked with the location and year making it easy to differentiate who is narrating since their stories occur several decades apart. This novel stands out from the multitude of others about this subject because it is told from the perspective of Vietnamese women, while most historical fiction books on this topic are from a Western POV, and the overwhelming majority of war novels in general are narrated by male characters.
“If people were willing to read each other, and see the light of other cultures, there would be no war on earth.”
The story is atmospheric and transportive with the inclusion of proverbs, poems and lullabies. I appreciate that the author frequently includes short phrases in the Vietnamese language with diacritical marks, seamlessly inserting the English translation close by. The reader walks away with an increased appreciation for the beautiful country, its rich culture and complex history.
“Whenever humans failed us, it was nature who could help save us.”
I would recommend this autobiographical novel to readers that appreciate poetic prose and are willing to wade through tragedy and sorrow to reach the peace and sweetness found at the end. It is an excellent pick as well for lovers of historical fiction that would like to read something about this time in history from a non-Western point of view.
“If you bear grudges, you’re the one who’ll have to bear the burden of sorrow.”
-----
First Sentence: My grandmother used to tell me that when our ancestors die, they don’t just disappear, they continue to watch over us.
Favorite Quote: I thought I’d find satisfaction seeing my enemy dead, but the sight only made me empty and sad. I realized that blood that is shed can’t make blood flow again in other people’s veins.
“Would the ghosts of war ever release us from their grip?”
A lovely, though depressing story, told from a refreshing perspective that covers almost a century of Vietnam’s history and the effects it had on its citizens. Now that I am actively looking for it, it is surprising to see a fairly sparse amount of literature available that is set in Vietnam and written by a Vietnamese author. This was an excellent find, and the first book that the poetic author has written in English.
“The challenges faced by Vietnamese people throughout history are as tall as the tallest mountains. If you stand too close, you won’t be able to see their peaks. Once you step away from the currents of life, you will have the full view.”
She mentions in the acknowledgements that she wanted to cover some of the turbulent events of her country’s past that have not yet been sufficiently documented in Vietnamese fiction, including the Great Hunger and the Land Reform. This was indeed the first novel I have read that covered these incidents, and I always appreciate historical fiction more when it conveys knowledge about actual people and happenings from the past.
“I was astonished when Grandma told me how her life had been cursed by a fortune-teller’s prediction, and how she had survived the French occupation, the Japanese invasion, the Great Hunger, and the Land Reform.”
It is a bildungsroman told through alternating POVs of a grandmother and her granddaughter. Their voices are not strikingly different from one another, but the chapters are clearly marked with the location and year making it easy to differentiate who is narrating since their stories occur several decades apart. This novel stands out from the multitude of others about this subject because it is told from the perspective of Vietnamese women, while most historical fiction books on this topic are from a Western POV, and the overwhelming majority of war novels in general are narrated by male characters.
“If people were willing to read each other, and see the light of other cultures, there would be no war on earth.”
The story is atmospheric and transportive with the inclusion of proverbs, poems and lullabies. I appreciate that the author frequently includes short phrases in the Vietnamese language with diacritical marks, seamlessly inserting the English translation close by. The reader walks away with an increased appreciation for the beautiful country, its rich culture and complex history.
“Whenever humans failed us, it was nature who could help save us.”
I would recommend this autobiographical novel to readers that appreciate poetic prose and are willing to wade through tragedy and sorrow to reach the peace and sweetness found at the end. It is an excellent pick as well for lovers of historical fiction that would like to read something about this time in history from a non-Western point of view.
“If you bear grudges, you’re the one who’ll have to bear the burden of sorrow.”
-----
First Sentence: My grandmother used to tell me that when our ancestors die, they don’t just disappear, they continue to watch over us.
Favorite Quote: I thought I’d find satisfaction seeing my enemy dead, but the sight only made me empty and sad. I realized that blood that is shed can’t make blood flow again in other people’s veins.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
sad
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes