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lemaog's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I don’t normally like books with magical elements, but this one was a nice surprise! Even though it featured numerous ghosts and magical abilities.
The atmosphere was dark and the amazing prose transported you right to Saigon, the place where most of the story is set. To summarise the plot is impossible to me because even after finishing the last pages I’m still a bit confused about all the crazy shit that went on. I still rate this book quite highly because of it‘s uniqueness and because I overall enjoyed reading it.
The atmosphere was dark and the amazing prose transported you right to Saigon, the place where most of the story is set. To summarise the plot is impossible to me because even after finishing the last pages I’m still a bit confused about all the crazy shit that went on. I still rate this book quite highly because of it‘s uniqueness and because I overall enjoyed reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia
nikachu's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Violence, Blood, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexism
lotus440's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Sexism
kyahs's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I finished it as I was curious enough about what was going on. Although, I wanted it to end and the end did not meet my expectations. The book takes you through many characters interlinked lives, there is something missing in it for me and I did find it hard to follow. Now I've finished, if I started again it would probably all make sense but I do not want to do that.
Some great insight into Vietnamese food, culture and history.
Some great insight into Vietnamese food, culture and history.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
Moderate: Rape
Minor: War, Death, and Violence
alayamorning's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror
Moderate: Violence, Animal cruelty, Rape, Vomit, and Sexual assault
Minor: Eating disorder and Pregnancy
teainthelibrary's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Body horror
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Rape
tamara_joy's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Racism, and Rape
sarahec's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use
Minor: Incest and Rape
dianahincureads's review against another edition
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
Set entirely in Vietnam, Build Your House Around My Body is a slow burn. It takes its time introducing the different timelines and developing the characters. It paints a vivid portrait of Vietnam, both rural and urban. Aside from the mysterious atmosphere of the novel, this was definitely my favourite aspect. Vietnamese cuisine and culture are described in detail, with entire pages dedicated to traditional food and customs.
The unifying threads of the novel are supernatural. Ghosts are real. They walk among us. Vietnamese folklore comes to life and trauma manifests itself in concrete, terrifying ways. However, as the author mentions in an interview, the real spook in the novel is colonialism. Bouncing back and forth from 1945 to 2011, Build Your House Around My Body covers many turning points in Vietnam’s history and the impact the war had on the people.
The plot revolves around 2 women. Both of them disappear in mysterious circumstances, years apart. Winnie, an American Vietnamese, arrives in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City since 1976) in 2010 to distance herself from her family and start over. However, she is not mentally stable and starts doing everything in her power to erase herself. Winnie is gliding through life like a ghost. She strives to become invisible. At work, on the street, and even in small groups of people. Violet Kupersmith does a fantastic job exploring mental health, identity, and belonging through Winnie’s slow descent into madness.
Binh, on the other hand, is full of life, determined to have her way regardless of the consequences. She grows up in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, unable (and unwilling) to leave her hometown as all the other young adults move to big cities to try their luck.
Winnie and Binh are opposites in character. They belong to different worlds and yet their destinies are linked.
Build Your House Around My Body is a haunting journey throughout time across Vietnam.
I recommend this, especially if you enjoy slow burns and fantasy/supernatural elements.
The unifying threads of the novel are supernatural. Ghosts are real. They walk among us. Vietnamese folklore comes to life and trauma manifests itself in concrete, terrifying ways. However, as the author mentions in an interview, the real spook in the novel is colonialism. Bouncing back and forth from 1945 to 2011, Build Your House Around My Body covers many turning points in Vietnam’s history and the impact the war had on the people.
The plot revolves around 2 women. Both of them disappear in mysterious circumstances, years apart. Winnie, an American Vietnamese, arrives in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City since 1976) in 2010 to distance herself from her family and start over. However, she is not mentally stable and starts doing everything in her power to erase herself. Winnie is gliding through life like a ghost. She strives to become invisible. At work, on the street, and even in small groups of people. Violet Kupersmith does a fantastic job exploring mental health, identity, and belonging through Winnie’s slow descent into madness.
Binh, on the other hand, is full of life, determined to have her way regardless of the consequences. She grows up in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, unable (and unwilling) to leave her hometown as all the other young adults move to big cities to try their luck.
Winnie and Binh are opposites in character. They belong to different worlds and yet their destinies are linked.
Build Your House Around My Body is a haunting journey throughout time across Vietnam.
I recommend this, especially if you enjoy slow burns and fantasy/supernatural elements.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Drug use, Addiction, and Death
Minor: Rape, Incest, Vomit, and Eating disorder
writingcaia's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
What a trip this book was!
Using family trees and native Vietnamese myths and folklore, the author tells the story of several characters to encompass such a large part of Vietnam’s most recent history (going back more than 50 years), and it all starts with the disappearance of a Vietnamese American young woman with severe mental issues by the time it occurs, some of them are real some are hauntings.
Going back from there we will find the nature of the man she lives with, his brother, and most importantly the girl who was their everything when they were young. A wild girl who hunts snakes, and she’s the connection to a ghost hunter and exorcist, a man the forest chose to save from the war, to a mother without a daughter, to French occupation, to rape and serfdom.
It’s not the easiest read due to its complicated timeline, that keeps shifting, going back and forward with no great logic, but you get used to it after a while and when the dots all start connecting, when you understand that what matters are the different stories and the history, not the timeline or that one story it becomes addictive.
Not knowing Vietnam or its people I believe this is the closest I will ever get, as the book brilliantly woven a tale that encompasses so much of the culture, history, and people, also the present and how it is affected by its folklore and past.
Definitely a read I recommend, especially if you’re looking for a great read for API month.
Using family trees and native Vietnamese myths and folklore, the author tells the story of several characters to encompass such a large part of Vietnam’s most recent history (going back more than 50 years), and it all starts with the disappearance of a Vietnamese American young woman with severe mental issues by the time it occurs, some of them are real some are hauntings.
Going back from there we will find the nature of the man she lives with, his brother, and most importantly the girl who was their everything when they were young. A wild girl who hunts snakes, and she’s the connection to a ghost hunter and exorcist, a man the forest chose to save from the war, to a mother without a daughter, to French occupation, to rape and serfdom.
It’s not the easiest read due to its complicated timeline, that keeps shifting, going back and forward with no great logic, but you get used to it after a while and when the dots all start connecting, when you understand that what matters are the different stories and the history, not the timeline or that one story it becomes addictive.
Not knowing Vietnam or its people I believe this is the closest I will ever get, as the book brilliantly woven a tale that encompasses so much of the culture, history, and people, also the present and how it is affected by its folklore and past.
Definitely a read I recommend, especially if you’re looking for a great read for API month.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Colonisation, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexual harassment, War, Incest, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pedophilia, and Rape