Reviews

The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen

rampaigetheory's review against another edition

informative reflective

5.0

Read for a class in college, very informative and teaches you a lot. It's always good to see other's perspectives and challenges they go through. 

lavenderbooks_'s review against another edition

Did not feel any connection to the stories — they felt too short that as soon as I felt invested in these characters’ stories, the story already ended. Would love to explore this author’s other work, but this short story format didn’t work for me.

emmarose111's review against another edition

emotional informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

alice_cardoso's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

bones_in_the_woods's review against another edition

Didn't like it enough to make time for it 

clusterofpetals's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

huyle's review against another edition

3.0

A book of multiple short stories that generate a mixed bag of feelings, some sad and some hopeful. The two articles in the end are good reads as well.

jessdurao's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

itschlve's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

I think I'd have liked this more if i read it before the sympathizer, somehow. Viet Thanh Nguyen's still is much more adapted to longer stories than short ones I find, very collection though, it remains really well executed but it lacked a little something for me (read the french translation) 

howtobebooks's review against another edition

4.0

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for my copy.

Viet Thanh Nguyen is a wonderful storyteller, bringing together both the hardships and opportunities faced by the refugee Vietnamese community. The stories are a complex mix of perspectives highlighting the difficulties of trying to balance identities. Only the theme seems to tie the stories together, which makes it slightly disjointed at times. And while I have read more emotive experiences, it still makes for an enjoyable read.