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A review by introvertsbookclub
She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.75
I don’t enjoy being scared so I was a little apprehensive about reading this, but it was so much more than a scary story.
The novel is so rich, it is difficult to summarise – a closeted daughter, an overworked mother, a father who has left his family behind while he searches for belonging in his birth country, a closeted daughter resenting him for leaving and trying to protect her siblings from further pain and disappointment while navigating her own relationship with a country, culture and language she feels distanced from. Oh, and a legacy of racism that has invaded the present in the form of colonialism-romanticising neighbours and an old house haunted by a racist ghost.
It is incredible how much emotion and tension is packed into this novel. The story is driven by self-doubt and a fear of revealing your true self, but also a desire to belong and to protect the people you love; to earn their approval and avoid the pain of rejection. It explores the trauma that legacies of racism and colonialism continue to inflict in the present day. It was vivid and intimately written, but the ending, while satisfying on some counts, was a little lacking on others. Overall, it was an amazing read and I definitely want to read more from this author.
The novel is so rich, it is difficult to summarise – a closeted daughter, an overworked mother, a father who has left his family behind while he searches for belonging in his birth country, a closeted daughter resenting him for leaving and trying to protect her siblings from further pain and disappointment while navigating her own relationship with a country, culture and language she feels distanced from. Oh, and a legacy of racism that has invaded the present in the form of colonialism-romanticising neighbours and an old house haunted by a racist ghost.
It is incredible how much emotion and tension is packed into this novel. The story is driven by self-doubt and a fear of revealing your true self, but also a desire to belong and to protect the people you love; to earn their approval and avoid the pain of rejection. It explores the trauma that legacies of racism and colonialism continue to inflict in the present day. It was vivid and intimately written, but the ending, while satisfying on some counts, was a little lacking on others. Overall, it was an amazing read and I definitely want to read more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism