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mirandyli's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Colonisation, Car accident, Torture, Toxic relationship, Death, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Classism, Bullying, Death of parent, Racism, War, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Grief, and Racial slurs
maevebm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: War and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death of parent, Bullying, Car accident, Grief, and Homophobia
amandalorianxo's review
- 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
4.0
Hu’o’ng, Tua’n and Ben each encompass a point of view and at times we are exposed to how war can deeply impact a person as well as trying to identify with roots you may not be familiar with growing up in the West vs the East.
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Grief
Minor: Homophobia, Xenophobia, and War
racostacos's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Bullying, War, Racism, and Death of parent
emilyeehaw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
i quite enjoyed this book, it was relatively short but managed to pack a lot within its pages. this book honestly reminded me of one of my fave’s…everything i never told you. a lot of similar themes regarding family dynamics, especially those between siblings. i would have LOVED to have gotten more scenes between tuan and ben, especially when they were young.
truly something to be said about the motif of water in queer stories…..it’s about the rebirth, the cleansing, the emerging from the bottom of a pool a new person EXACTLY.
a lot of great discussion in this book about how immigrants and refugees are treated in america as well!
Moderate: Racism
Minor: War
just_one_more_paige's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Car accident, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia
Moderate: War, Homophobia, Alcohol, Death, and Violence
jayisreading's review
4.5
The writing in Things We Lost to the Water is absolutely gorgeous, with stunning imagery and lyricism. Language is especially powerful in this novel, as Nguyen weaves Vietnamese and English together that adds to an already lush story, showing the intimacy of Vietnamese within the family and community; it’s a way to carry their heritage, similarly to many other immigrant families.
I would have loved if this book was a little longer, especially because the second half of the book—especially the final chapter—felt a bit rushed. Despite this, it was still a powerful read. I really look forward to future works by Nguyen.
Graphic: Bullying and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Torture
Minor: War
k_meredith's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: War, Racial slurs, and Death
Moderate: Homophobia and Xenophobia
Minor: Bullying and Panic attacks/disorders
afiya_a's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Minor: Bullying, Homophobia, Torture, and War