the_perpetual_isolationist 's review for:

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

4.25

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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A man with two faces, divided by conflicting ideologies and beliefs, and a country once torn apart, must now confront the bitter struggle for reconciliation and acceptance. The novel highlights the struggles of the Vietnamese diaspora after the Vietnam War, the cultural clashes with the West, and America’s attempts to romanticize the war to fit its own narrative. Though the war has officially ended, both the country and the main character—still divided—continue to grapple with inner turmoil. As the story progresses, it delves deeper into the narrator’s psyche, revealing darker layers with each chapter.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, War