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challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Characters: 6.5/10
Percival Chen is… a lot. He’s a textbook tragic antihero—so devoted to his Chinese identity that he treats Vietnam like it’s just a mildly annoying neighbor, and his own son like a PR problem. Sure, he's complex, but he’s also exhausting. His growth is glacial and mostly reactive; I kept waiting for him to stop being the most oblivious man in Southeast Asia. Secondary characters like Mak and Mr. Cho had promise, but Lam doesn’t always give them room to breathe. For every richly drawn Foong Jie, there’s a love interest who exists purely to stir up drama or serve as a moral test. And don't get me started on the women—they often feel like props, not people.
Percival Chen is… a lot. He’s a textbook tragic antihero—so devoted to his Chinese identity that he treats Vietnam like it’s just a mildly annoying neighbor, and his own son like a PR problem. Sure, he's complex, but he’s also exhausting. His growth is glacial and mostly reactive; I kept waiting for him to stop being the most oblivious man in Southeast Asia. Secondary characters like Mak and Mr. Cho had promise, but Lam doesn’t always give them room to breathe. For every richly drawn Foong Jie, there’s a love interest who exists purely to stir up drama or serve as a moral test. And don't get me started on the women—they often feel like props, not people.
Atmosphere / Setting: 8/10
Yes, the Saigon of this book is immersive, but Lam leans hard on familiar colonial-exotic aesthetics. You’ve got your cognac, your silk cheongsams, your political whispers in smoky bars—it’s all very cinematic, but sometimes in a way that feels curated rather than lived-in. When the novel shifts into war-torn bureaucracy and prison horror, it feels jarringly abrupt, like we’ve been yanked into a different book. I got whiplash, not emotional payoff.
Yes, the Saigon of this book is immersive, but Lam leans hard on familiar colonial-exotic aesthetics. You’ve got your cognac, your silk cheongsams, your political whispers in smoky bars—it’s all very cinematic, but sometimes in a way that feels curated rather than lived-in. When the novel shifts into war-torn bureaucracy and prison horror, it feels jarringly abrupt, like we’ve been yanked into a different book. I got whiplash, not emotional payoff.
Writing Style: 7/10
Lam can write, no question, but the prose occasionally reads like it’s trying a bit too hard to impress. The metaphors are sharp until they aren’t, and the tone swerves from taut and compelling to overly polished, like it doesn’t trust the reader to sit with ambiguity. There’s a kind of restrained literary smugness here—as if Lam is constantly reminding us, “I’m a doctor, and also an award-winning author. Let me describe this ceiling fan in three existentially loaded sentences.”
Lam can write, no question, but the prose occasionally reads like it’s trying a bit too hard to impress. The metaphors are sharp until they aren’t, and the tone swerves from taut and compelling to overly polished, like it doesn’t trust the reader to sit with ambiguity. There’s a kind of restrained literary smugness here—as if Lam is constantly reminding us, “I’m a doctor, and also an award-winning author. Let me describe this ceiling fan in three existentially loaded sentences.”
Plot: 6.5/10
The story takes forever to get going. The first half is essentially a long prologue to the real drama, and while I get that Lam is trying to build a house of cards to eventually blow over, he uses too many cards. It feels bloated. When things do escalate—betrayals, beatings, bureaucratic nightmares—they’re compelling, but not always earned. And while the stakes are high, the pacing is all over the place. Some scenes drag like a slow Tuesday staff meeting, and others blow by in a rush that undercuts their emotional weight.
The story takes forever to get going. The first half is essentially a long prologue to the real drama, and while I get that Lam is trying to build a house of cards to eventually blow over, he uses too many cards. It feels bloated. When things do escalate—betrayals, beatings, bureaucratic nightmares—they’re compelling, but not always earned. And while the stakes are high, the pacing is all over the place. Some scenes drag like a slow Tuesday staff meeting, and others blow by in a rush that undercuts their emotional weight.
Intrigue: 6/10
I wanted to be hooked. I should have been hooked. But the book plays coy with its own tension. Half the time, I felt like I was reading the literary version of a man checking his watch and avoiding eye contact while chaos unfolds outside. The intrigue simmers without ever boiling over, and I often found myself slogging through long stretches just to get to the next “real” moment. It’s the kind of book that pretends to be a thriller in slow motion but forgets to thrill.
I wanted to be hooked. I should have been hooked. But the book plays coy with its own tension. Half the time, I felt like I was reading the literary version of a man checking his watch and avoiding eye contact while chaos unfolds outside. The intrigue simmers without ever boiling over, and I often found myself slogging through long stretches just to get to the next “real” moment. It’s the kind of book that pretends to be a thriller in slow motion but forgets to thrill.
Logic / Relationships: 6/10
Character choices range from “understandably flawed” to “is this man actively trying to lose?” Percival’s blind loyalty to Chinese nationalism in the middle of a Vietnamese revolution is baffling, even for a character defined by his delusion. Relationships often feel like narrative tools rather than organic dynamics. The father-son arc, which should be the emotional core, spends most of the book simmering on low. And romantic connections? Please. A half-hearted nod toward depth, then off to the next crisis.
Character choices range from “understandably flawed” to “is this man actively trying to lose?” Percival’s blind loyalty to Chinese nationalism in the middle of a Vietnamese revolution is baffling, even for a character defined by his delusion. Relationships often feel like narrative tools rather than organic dynamics. The father-son arc, which should be the emotional core, spends most of the book simmering on low. And romantic connections? Please. A half-hearted nod toward depth, then off to the next crisis.
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Did I enjoy it? Occasionally. But I also kept checking how many pages were left. It’s like a five-course meal where the appetizer is promising, the main course is tepid, and dessert is a weird emotional sucker punch. There’s literary value here, but it often felt like work. It didn’t meet the hype, and I wouldn’t rush to recommend it unless someone specifically wanted “existential angst in colonial Saigon, but slow.”
Did I enjoy it? Occasionally. But I also kept checking how many pages were left. It’s like a five-course meal where the appetizer is promising, the main course is tepid, and dessert is a weird emotional sucker punch. There’s literary value here, but it often felt like work. It didn’t meet the hype, and I wouldn’t rush to recommend it unless someone specifically wanted “existential angst in colonial Saigon, but slow.”
Final verdict: The Headmaster’s Wager has all the ingredients of a great novel, but Lam spends so much time setting the table that by the time dinner’s served, it’s cold. It’s ambitious and atmospheric, but way too in love with its own melancholy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Police brutality, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Classism
Minor: Cursing, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
The Headmaster’s Wager doesn’t shy away from depicting the psychological toll of war, political oppression, and cultural alienation. Much of the violence is deeply personal, and the emotional weight of betrayal, loss, and identity crisis lingers long after the final page. There's also a slow-burning dread threaded throughout, as the protagonist’s stubborn delusions clash tragically with historical reality. This is not a light read, but it’s an impactful one.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Following the life of Percival, a Chinese living in Vietnam during the 50s, 60s, and 70s you are taken on a journey of corruption, greed, ignorance, and love.
This book was not an easy read, and I don't think it was meant to be an easy read. The main character is a hot mess and very human, I think that is why I kept reading. His story is tragic, and his perseverance is admirable, I couldn't fault him on his decisions because who is to say I would/wouldn't do any differently. The author created a story that felt very real and honest, painting a brutal picture of this time while also capturing some of the beauty. I struggled with the pacing sometimes and the lack of self-control from the main character, however, it was an excellent story of such a difficult time.
This book was not an easy read, and I don't think it was meant to be an easy read. The main character is a hot mess and very human, I think that is why I kept reading. His story is tragic, and his perseverance is admirable, I couldn't fault him on his decisions because who is to say I would/wouldn't do any differently. The author created a story that felt very real and honest, painting a brutal picture of this time while also capturing some of the beauty. I struggled with the pacing sometimes and the lack of self-control from the main character, however, it was an excellent story of such a difficult time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Transphobia, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, War
Minor: Suicide