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4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
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:
Complicated
challenging
dark
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:
No
adventurous
sad
tense
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, War
Wow, this is a beautiful story!
The author uses vivid imagery, detailed character development, and lovely metaphors to transport us in place and time.
A wonderful book!
The author uses vivid imagery, detailed character development, and lovely metaphors to transport us in place and time.
A wonderful book!
emotional
hopeful
informative
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Its a really solid book, a bit slow at first but afterwards you just get hooked and can't stop reading.
I started this book to understand more about this period of war, and I came a cross a story of surviving, family, vietnamiese poem and culture, finding your loved one, etc.
I read the french translation and I can only say that it was really good, 👍
Its definitely a book I would recommand, enjoy the story, cry, laugh, love :)
I started this book to understand more about this period of war, and I came a cross a story of surviving, family, vietnamiese poem and culture, finding your loved one, etc.
I read the french translation and I can only say that it was really good, 👍
Its definitely a book I would recommand, enjoy the story, cry, laugh, love :)
How can I pack all my longing for you in the smallness of words?
Longing for country, love, family, home.... The Mountains Sing is the multi-generational story of the Tran family and their roles in the Vietnam War. It begins with the bombing of Hanoi, wherein grandmother Dien Lau and her granddaughter Huong narrowly escape. Their house is bombed by Americans, and the grandmother takes on the illegal job of a trader in order to earn money to rebuild their house and send Huong to school. Through the course of this rebuilding, the Vietnam War ends, and one by one their family members come home. Huong's dad, Uncle Sang, Uncle Dat, and Uncle Thuan are all drafted by force into the Viet Cong army. Her mom, working as a field doctor, follow them into the war in the attempt to find her husband. Uncle Thuan dies. Uncle Dat stepped on a land mine and returns home without legs. Uncle Sang returns home disowning his family because he's trying to climb the North Vietnamese miltiary career. Her mom returns home with clear PTSD from assault and an abortion. They've lost contact with Uncle Minh for years. Huong is growing up and her family is shattered, even after the war. Nobody wants to befriend her due to her grandma's job, which goes against communist ideology. As the present day plays out, Huong's narrative is interspersed with her grandmother's--whose father was killed by the Japanese during the Indochina wars, survived the Great Hunger, and survived the Land Reform that destroyed her entire life. It killed her brother and separated her from her child, Minh. She and her children walked to Hanoi wherein she tried to found a new life, but she had to abandon her children along the way. After a lot of difficulty, she managed to reunite her kids and send them to school, which brings us to Huong today. Huong falls in love with Tam, a fellow uprooted "country bumpkin". However, she discovers that he's the grandson of her grandma's abuser--but they resolve it eventually and all turns out well. They find Uncle Minh in the end, dying of cancer, and he tells them of how he survived in South Vietnam then lost it all due to becoming a South Vietnamese soldier--despite the risk that he'll face his siblings, who were drafted by the VC. Uncle Sang's newborn also dies due to his exposure to Agent Orange. Regardless, the story ends happily and on a hopeful note.
I read this for an upcoming Vietnam trip (Saigon!) while watching a five-episode Netflix documentary, which worked well to give me some background on the history tackled in this book, which is a Vietnam War bildungsroman of sorts. It felt overwhleming and unreal at times, like can a family really go through all this tragedy? But yes, yes they can, and it is not my place to question that experience. I believe it, too, knowing how horrific and sinister America is. I liked the non-linear mutilayeredness of it--added complexity to the otherwise straightforward telling. The writing style is mediocre,nothing beautifully poetic to write home about. Reads like YA, which isn't bad in itself but it is what it is. I appreciated the rich use of proverbs, though, really informative about how Vietnamese communication and thinking is. I also liked the honorifics, as a fellow SE Asian. The writing on a whole felt too expository for me, as it sometimes felt like a rundown on Vietnam's Top Cultural Hits and Events, which isn't the most subtle show-not-tell ever but I appreciate it for the learning experience.
Sometimes you come back all wrong, man. The trauma of war is not limited to the war itself, but through generations and generations. This is well-illustrated within the book, especially considering the conflicts brought about by contrasting political ideologies. How far does it go? Would you sell out your family? Apparently, sometimes, yes. How much do you gain in grasping ideology and how much do you lose? Seeing experiences of communism in practice vs. in preaching was also pretty eye-opening. Nothing is saved from the abuse of power.
This does get pretty corny at times, but what can you do? Family is everything, women are strong, and love conquers all. I appreciate it for what it is, and the storytelling does endow it with complexity beyond these platitudes. I did get a little kilig from Tam and Huong's romance, because it started from books! That's my dream, too. It's corny and sweet. Hanoi is also sucha good setting, and I liked learning about the mythology behind it (the turtles of Hoan Kiem lake broke my heart). I'm filled with longing to go to Hanoi, and filled with disgust for America. I'm glad to have read this and it's good for historical and cultural learning.
Notes and such:
25
The first sunrays glimmered on the husks under my feet. I held the broom, sweeping sunlight into a pile
53
avoid spying eyes. Once our drawing was complete, Grandma brought it to the Old Quarter, where an architect drew a more complex plan based on ours. He added details for electric wiring and plumbing, even though we rarely had electricity, and no water could reach
57
mapped them out.
Grandma smiled as I dashed from one room to the next. There
64
Quiet pond
a frog leaps into
the sound of water
65
Công didn’t utter a single word during the entire funeral, but when he returned home, he stood in the front yard, the đàn nhị raised high above his head. His scream tore into the night as he shattered the instrument onto the brick floor
66
They surrounded her, becoming the soil of her life, demanding that she grow new roots.
86
noticed that summer has arrived? Phượng flowers are lighting up their torches alongside the streets. I dream about the day when I can walk with you under the red sky.
I held up
170
showed me the cover. The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
“Ah, Victor Hugo is an incredible writer.” I smiled. “I adore his poetry. I read this last year and dreamt about visiting France to see that magnificent cathedral.”
“I know.” Tâm returned the book to his bag. “I’d love to visit Paris one day, too. . . . And I was hoping our library would have a great collection. I’ve left most of my books at my village, for my sister.”
“That’s nice of you. . . . I have a few books and could lend you some.”
“Really?” Tâm’s eyes brightened. “That’d be great
25
The first sunrays glimmered on the husks under my feet. I held the broom, sweeping sunlight into a pile
53
avoid spying eyes. Once our drawing was complete, Grandma brought it to the Old Quarter, where an architect drew a more complex plan based on ours. He added details for electric wiring and plumbing, even though we rarely had electricity, and no water could reach
57
mapped them out.
Grandma smiled as I dashed from one room to the next. There
64
Quiet pond
a frog leaps into
the sound of water
65
Công didn’t utter a single word during the entire funeral, but when he returned home, he stood in the front yard, the đàn nhị raised high above his head. His scream tore into the night as he shattered the instrument onto the brick floor
66
They surrounded her, becoming the soil of her life, demanding that she grow new roots.
86
noticed that summer has arrived? Phượng flowers are lighting up their torches alongside the streets. I dream about the day when I can walk with you under the red sky.
I held up
170
showed me the cover. The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
“Ah, Victor Hugo is an incredible writer.” I smiled. “I adore his poetry. I read this last year and dreamt about visiting France to see that magnificent cathedral.”
“I know.” Tâm returned the book to his bag. “I’d love to visit Paris one day, too. . . . And I was hoping our library would have a great collection. I’ve left most of my books at my village, for my sister.”
“That’s nice of you. . . . I have a few books and could lend you some.”
“Really?” Tâm’s eyes brightened. “That’d be great
Longing for country, love, family, home.... The Mountains Sing is the multi-generational story of the Tran family and their roles in the Vietnam War. It begins with the bombing of Hanoi, wherein grandmother Dien Lau and her granddaughter Huong narrowly escape. Their house is bombed by Americans, and the grandmother takes on the illegal job of a trader in order to earn money to rebuild their house and send Huong to school. Through the course of this rebuilding, the Vietnam War ends, and one by one their family members come home. Huong's dad, Uncle Sang, Uncle Dat, and Uncle Thuan are all drafted by force into the Viet Cong army. Her mom, working as a field doctor, follow them into the war in the attempt to find her husband. Uncle Thuan dies. Uncle Dat stepped on a land mine and returns home without legs. Uncle Sang returns home disowning his family because he's trying to climb the North Vietnamese miltiary career. Her mom returns home with clear PTSD from assault and an abortion. They've lost contact with Uncle Minh for years. Huong is growing up and her family is shattered, even after the war. Nobody wants to befriend her due to her grandma's job, which goes against communist ideology. As the present day plays out, Huong's narrative is interspersed with her grandmother's--whose father was killed by the Japanese during the Indochina wars, survived the Great Hunger, and survived the Land Reform that destroyed her entire life. It killed her brother and separated her from her child, Minh. She and her children walked to Hanoi wherein she tried to found a new life, but she had to abandon her children along the way. After a lot of difficulty, she managed to reunite her kids and send them to school, which brings us to Huong today. Huong falls in love with Tam, a fellow uprooted "country bumpkin". However, she discovers that he's the grandson of her grandma's abuser--but they resolve it eventually and all turns out well. They find Uncle Minh in the end, dying of cancer, and he tells them of how he survived in South Vietnam then lost it all due to becoming a South Vietnamese soldier--despite the risk that he'll face his siblings, who were drafted by the VC. Uncle Sang's newborn also dies due to his exposure to Agent Orange. Regardless, the story ends happily and on a hopeful note.
I read this for an upcoming Vietnam trip (Saigon!) while watching a five-episode Netflix documentary, which worked well to give me some background on the history tackled in this book, which is a Vietnam War bildungsroman of sorts. It felt overwhleming and unreal at times, like can a family really go through all this tragedy? But yes, yes they can, and it is not my place to question that experience. I believe it, too, knowing how horrific and sinister America is. I liked the non-linear mutilayeredness of it--added complexity to the otherwise straightforward telling. The writing style is mediocre,nothing beautifully poetic to write home about. Reads like YA, which isn't bad in itself but it is what it is. I appreciated the rich use of proverbs, though, really informative about how Vietnamese communication and thinking is. I also liked the honorifics, as a fellow SE Asian. The writing on a whole felt too expository for me, as it sometimes felt like a rundown on Vietnam's Top Cultural Hits and Events, which isn't the most subtle show-not-tell ever but I appreciate it for the learning experience.
Sometimes you come back all wrong, man. The trauma of war is not limited to the war itself, but through generations and generations. This is well-illustrated within the book, especially considering the conflicts brought about by contrasting political ideologies. How far does it go? Would you sell out your family? Apparently, sometimes, yes. How much do you gain in grasping ideology and how much do you lose? Seeing experiences of communism in practice vs. in preaching was also pretty eye-opening. Nothing is saved from the abuse of power.
This does get pretty corny at times, but what can you do? Family is everything, women are strong, and love conquers all. I appreciate it for what it is, and the storytelling does endow it with complexity beyond these platitudes. I did get a little kilig from Tam and Huong's romance, because it started from books! That's my dream, too. It's corny and sweet. Hanoi is also sucha good setting, and I liked learning about the mythology behind it (the turtles of Hoan Kiem lake broke my heart). I'm filled with longing to go to Hanoi, and filled with disgust for America. I'm glad to have read this and it's good for historical and cultural learning.
Notes and such:
25
The first sunrays glimmered on the husks under my feet. I held the broom, sweeping sunlight into a pile
53
avoid spying eyes. Once our drawing was complete, Grandma brought it to the Old Quarter, where an architect drew a more complex plan based on ours. He added details for electric wiring and plumbing, even though we rarely had electricity, and no water could reach
57
mapped them out.
Grandma smiled as I dashed from one room to the next. There
64
Quiet pond
a frog leaps into
the sound of water
65
Công didn’t utter a single word during the entire funeral, but when he returned home, he stood in the front yard, the đàn nhị raised high above his head. His scream tore into the night as he shattered the instrument onto the brick floor
66
They surrounded her, becoming the soil of her life, demanding that she grow new roots.
86
noticed that summer has arrived? Phượng flowers are lighting up their torches alongside the streets. I dream about the day when I can walk with you under the red sky.
I held up
170
showed me the cover. The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
“Ah, Victor Hugo is an incredible writer.” I smiled. “I adore his poetry. I read this last year and dreamt about visiting France to see that magnificent cathedral.”
“I know.” Tâm returned the book to his bag. “I’d love to visit Paris one day, too. . . . And I was hoping our library would have a great collection. I’ve left most of my books at my village, for my sister.”
“That’s nice of you. . . . I have a few books and could lend you some.”
“Really?” Tâm’s eyes brightened. “That’d be great
25
The first sunrays glimmered on the husks under my feet. I held the broom, sweeping sunlight into a pile
53
avoid spying eyes. Once our drawing was complete, Grandma brought it to the Old Quarter, where an architect drew a more complex plan based on ours. He added details for electric wiring and plumbing, even though we rarely had electricity, and no water could reach
57
mapped them out.
Grandma smiled as I dashed from one room to the next. There
64
Quiet pond
a frog leaps into
the sound of water
65
Công didn’t utter a single word during the entire funeral, but when he returned home, he stood in the front yard, the đàn nhị raised high above his head. His scream tore into the night as he shattered the instrument onto the brick floor
66
They surrounded her, becoming the soil of her life, demanding that she grow new roots.
86
noticed that summer has arrived? Phượng flowers are lighting up their torches alongside the streets. I dream about the day when I can walk with you under the red sky.
I held up
170
showed me the cover. The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
“Ah, Victor Hugo is an incredible writer.” I smiled. “I adore his poetry. I read this last year and dreamt about visiting France to see that magnificent cathedral.”
“I know.” Tâm returned the book to his bag. “I’d love to visit Paris one day, too. . . . And I was hoping our library would have a great collection. I’ve left most of my books at my village, for my sister.”
“That’s nice of you. . . . I have a few books and could lend you some.”
“Really?” Tâm’s eyes brightened. “That’d be great
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don’t really know what to say about The Mountains Sing. I wanted to love it, but I ultimately found it one-dimensional and very conservative in its outlook. The author writes some beautiful descriptions of the Vietnamese landscape, buildings and food throughout the book, and these were my favourite parts to read. I also enjoyed learning lots of Vietnamese sayings and proverbs, although the rest of the dialogue felt over-explained and unnatural. There was little subtlety to The Mountains Sing, and the ‘war is bad, hard work is good’ message was repeatedly spelled out in black and white.
The book generally felt very childlike in its binary representations of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ people. The two main protagonists, Hủỏng and her grandmother, are almost entirely defined by their nobility and grace in the face of endless suffering, and the author paints a stark contrast between the benevolent, wealthy landowners and the ungrateful, braying mob of peasants who have come to take their land. Whilst the protagonist family constantly had their ‘goodness’ reinforced through acts of generosity and forgiveness, no mind was paid as to why the local community might be pissed that one family lived in an ancestral home large enough to house seven families. Instead, the peasants were portrayed as mean, greedy and physically ugly (except the few who demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the protagonist family). There was also an interesting dynamic where the Vietnamese communists were portrayed as mercilessly evil, whereas the American soldiers (and culture) were afforded much more kindness and nuance.
Overall this was a very politically loaded book, with in-your-face messaging about the morality of entrepreneurialism and the right to generational wealth and land. Whilst I’m not opposed to reading things which come from different political positions than my own, the lack of subtlety and one-dimensional characterisation meant I didn’t particularly enjoy reading The Mountains Sing.
The book generally felt very childlike in its binary representations of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ people. The two main protagonists, Hủỏng and her grandmother, are almost entirely defined by their nobility and grace in the face of endless suffering, and the author paints a stark contrast between the benevolent, wealthy landowners and the ungrateful, braying mob of peasants who have come to take their land. Whilst the protagonist family constantly had their ‘goodness’ reinforced through acts of generosity and forgiveness, no mind was paid as to why the local community might be pissed that one family lived in an ancestral home large enough to house seven families. Instead, the peasants were portrayed as mean, greedy and physically ugly (except the few who demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the protagonist family). There was also an interesting dynamic where the Vietnamese communists were portrayed as mercilessly evil, whereas the American soldiers (and culture) were afforded much more kindness and nuance.
Overall this was a very politically loaded book, with in-your-face messaging about the morality of entrepreneurialism and the right to generational wealth and land. Whilst I’m not opposed to reading things which come from different political positions than my own, the lack of subtlety and one-dimensional characterisation meant I didn’t particularly enjoy reading The Mountains Sing.
dark
emotional
fast-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