A review by reuben_books
The Quiet American by Graham Greene

Did not finish book. Stopped at 54%.

This book is incredibly racist and misogynistic, especially in the way it portrays and treats Phuong. She is only there to make a point of tension between the two male main characters. She's infantilised so much, and xenophobically othered. They talk about her as if she's not there, even when she's sat at the table with them. She's purely an object to be won and serve the men. The book isn't making commentary on how badly she's treated, the author is just writing as if he believes this is the right way to treat women.
 
The quote that was the final straw and made me DNF:
 - Pyle - "But she loves you, doesn’t she?"
 - Fowler - "Not like that. It isn't in their nature... It's a cliche to call them children... They love you in return for kindness, security, the presents you give them - they hate you for a blow or an injustice." 
 
Also, all of the Vietnamese are portrayed as having zero intelligence, like they are animals rather than humans. The only people the foreigners deem to be fit to be talked to as peers are other white foreigners. 
 
This book is technically well written, but Greene's disgraceful portrayal of the Vietnamese people, and women in particular, meant I couldn't continue reading. I wasn't enjoying it, and I don't really care about war stories anyway.