Reviews tagging 'Miscarriage'

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

50 reviews

nitar8's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.0


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paigehf's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0


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njh_books's review

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dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Artwork is great.

The events flip back and forth between different time periods and adds to the story as Bui learns more about her parents’ and her own past while also trying to determine what it means for her present. 

Heartbreaking but also hopeful. The last scene with the son is truly thought provoking and beautiful.


My knowledge of Vietnam improved with this story as often events were discussed that I then looked into on my own.

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lprongs's review against another edition

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informative reflective medium-paced

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koreanlinda's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

4.25

I felt lots of pain by reading this book. The book is ridden with violence that Thi's family experienced in Vietnam. Thi's mother is the one who gets lots of focus for her pain from repeated miscarriages as well as pregnancies and deliveries during the war. Although the story and graphics are compelling, I could not shed so many "whys" while reading it. Why did Thi's mother keep getting pregnant in environments where it's dangerous for the mother and baby? Why did Thi's father not take care of his children in the absence of Thi's mother? It is hard to blame anyone in the story because they are all victims of extremely traumatic experiences; however, I couldn't help but feel resentful for adults with responsibilities.

I learned a lot about what Vietnamese and Vietnamese Americans went through in the last few generations. I recommend coupling this book with Year of the Rabbit by Tian Veasna, which talks about a painful part of Cambodian history around a similar time as this book. 

Review by Linda (Any Pronouns) in Feb 2024
Personal essays on DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Artwork on Instagram @KoreanLinda


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caoxtina's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0


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kirkspockreads's review

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0


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cecilie_who_reads's review against another edition

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dark informative reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

A story of survival, endurance and plans thwarted by the casual arrogance of several warring parties, told without self pity and in neutral tones. This graphic chronicle follows tells and shows the stories of Thi Bui's parents. As for the emotions, it tells about Thi Bui's reactions to this, but does not beg the reader to feel the same way.
But her parents as children and young people are so well conveyed that you feel it could be you. The lack of safety, the repeated chock of having all plans overturned, sneaks in on you in your armchair. It invites the reader (and, as Thi Bui says, her own self too) to renewed respect for the survivors, even those that spend their days in a dark room, grumpy and unapproachable for apparently no reason.



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ittywitty's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0


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odetojersey's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

4.0


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