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4.43 AVERAGE
4.43 AVERAGE
Fantastic heart wrenching memoir of an overlooked perspective of the Vietnam conflict. The author is a child of a Vietnamese father who was left behind by the Americans when Saigon fell. Fantastic storytelling through her childhood into university years.
1. As a fellow Vietnamese person with parents who were refugees —- this was ✨ trauma bonding ✨
2. Daughters of immigrant families deserve better
3. The unadulterated rage I felt while reading the authors story. Because her family members are identical to our own family members. And you cannot help but feel anger, guilt and forgiveness all at once.
4. She goes on a tangent at once point describing her family life to other people and it didn’t seem real as she was saying it out-loud. And #relatable.
Also. Fuck her therapist.
Edit:
Just saw that Long posted a review first on her book. And now I’m crying. Lol
2. Daughters of immigrant families deserve better
3. The unadulterated rage I felt while reading the authors story. Because her family members are identical to our own family members. And you cannot help but feel anger, guilt and forgiveness all at once.
4. She goes on a tangent at once point describing her family life to other people and it didn’t seem real as she was saying it out-loud. And #relatable.
Also. Fuck her therapist.
Edit:
Just saw that Long posted a review first on her book. And now I’m crying. Lol
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway (knowing nothing about the author prior to reading it) and really deeply enjoyed it. It’s a wonderful narrative work, both good and bad highlighted throughout the authors experiences. Some parts made me cry, others took my breath away and it concluded in a way that I really appreciated.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
A brave and powerful immigrant memoir that details the journey of Ly's life below the poverty line in Queens, her faithful family, and her own personal darkness. A complex series of loyalties and issues are woven together in a highly compelling autobiography from a very talented young writer. I couldn't put it down.
I could not put this book down. What an incredible story written so beautifully. I can’t wait to read her future novels.
4.5 stars. This powerful memoir is a most read for all Americans. The obstacles that Ly and her family faced in immigrating and starting a new life seemed insurmountable at times. They had barriers to money, jobs and housing, education, healthcare and basic communication. There is no doubt in my mind that immigration is not ever an easy choice.
I enjoyed Ly’s beautiful prose and descriptive writing, however some parts in the middle were a little slow. By the end though it all wrapped up nicely, and I had happy tears for how far she had come. An incredible person for sure.
I enjoyed Ly’s beautiful prose and descriptive writing, however some parts in the middle were a little slow. By the end though it all wrapped up nicely, and I had happy tears for how far she had come. An incredible person for sure.
Thank you to Dart Frogg Communications and Scribner for the finished hardcover copy of this book!
Ly Tran recounts her family's move to America from Vietnam and the many challenges she encountered as an immigrated Asian American growing up in New York City.
One of the most striking things about this memoir is the sheer vulnerability and honesty that Tran displays in her story. From brutal truths about her family to revelations about her mental health and its history, Tran shies away from nothing. In her writing, she admits having never told some of these stories before, making it an especially intimate memoir. Despite the heaviness of the stories Tran shares, she pushes through to include difficult details that bring her story to life. While Tran experiences a lot of the same things many Asian Americans and immigrants experience and have shared in other memoirs, her ability to dive into the raw areas of her life make these similar stories still feel very fresh and personal. These dramatic events, refined by the thought she's given those times so as to still make for clear and direct prose that, while provoking emotion in the reader, are not overly emotional so as to make for a messy and confusing read, too, lending Tran a voice of authority on her own life.
This level of disclosure helps to make the book compelling, but the actual narrative does as well. Tran keeps running stories going through the anecdotes, like her father's belief that glasses are a government conspiracy, rendering Tran unable to see clearly for years. The resolution of this conflict is long-coming, allowing Tran to refer to it in the context of other stories she tells. It works as a symbol or example of her relationship with her parents, too, which allows Tran to tell the overall story of her family and herself in a sideways fashion that helps to drive the "plot" of the memoir in a way that makes the book difficult to put down.
I also really loved Tran's writing style. The prose isn't overly anything, and Tran's slightly conversational approach suits the content and her willingness to share big secrets. With such private information shared in the book, it would be easy to veer into a diary-like style, but Tran keeps a good grip on the prose so as to keep it from being self-indulgent or anything else that threatens the authority of her voice while still managing to maintain the confidence of trust the reader feels in Tran.
Even if you don't consider yourself a fan of memoirs, this one is worth checking out. Once Tran's story has its hooks in you, it isn't likely to let go easily. Devour and savor this one at the same time, if you can. It's worth it.
Ly Tran recounts her family's move to America from Vietnam and the many challenges she encountered as an immigrated Asian American growing up in New York City.
One of the most striking things about this memoir is the sheer vulnerability and honesty that Tran displays in her story. From brutal truths about her family to revelations about her mental health and its history, Tran shies away from nothing. In her writing, she admits having never told some of these stories before, making it an especially intimate memoir. Despite the heaviness of the stories Tran shares, she pushes through to include difficult details that bring her story to life. While Tran experiences a lot of the same things many Asian Americans and immigrants experience and have shared in other memoirs, her ability to dive into the raw areas of her life make these similar stories still feel very fresh and personal. These dramatic events, refined by the thought she's given those times so as to still make for clear and direct prose that, while provoking emotion in the reader, are not overly emotional so as to make for a messy and confusing read, too, lending Tran a voice of authority on her own life.
This level of disclosure helps to make the book compelling, but the actual narrative does as well. Tran keeps running stories going through the anecdotes, like her father's belief that glasses are a government conspiracy, rendering Tran unable to see clearly for years. The resolution of this conflict is long-coming, allowing Tran to refer to it in the context of other stories she tells. It works as a symbol or example of her relationship with her parents, too, which allows Tran to tell the overall story of her family and herself in a sideways fashion that helps to drive the "plot" of the memoir in a way that makes the book difficult to put down.
I also really loved Tran's writing style. The prose isn't overly anything, and Tran's slightly conversational approach suits the content and her willingness to share big secrets. With such private information shared in the book, it would be easy to veer into a diary-like style, but Tran keeps a good grip on the prose so as to keep it from being self-indulgent or anything else that threatens the authority of her voice while still managing to maintain the confidence of trust the reader feels in Tran.
Even if you don't consider yourself a fan of memoirs, this one is worth checking out. Once Tran's story has its hooks in you, it isn't likely to let go easily. Devour and savor this one at the same time, if you can. It's worth it.
I chose this book solely after reading about it on a "best memoirs of 2021" list, and am so glad that I did. Tran is a wonderful storyteller, and her life experiences are compelling. I especially appreciated the part of her book about struggling with depression as a student at Hunter College: a reminder to me as a college professor that sometimes students are facing much bigger challenges than making it to class. It's clear that Tran loves her family deeply, and she shows a good deal of grace for her parents, and for the challenges they faced as well. Highly recommended.
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization