A review by randomman0880
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book occupies a very interesting part of literature in that it's an expectionally written book that handles Asian American identity and it's complexities well, exploring the historical and political contexts of the demographic without lecturing. However, occupying a niche that seemingly confronts Invisible Man and Miss Saigon, the book wields its own form of casual misogyny and unwieldy narrative that builds the main characters personality but seems unnecessarily excessive at times. The book sometimes uses its own brand of cruelty to demonstrate tragedy in contrast to the epic senseless violence that other Vietnam War stories often embrace, and I wish that this was less impactful on the story. The general treatment of several other side characters in the interest of atmospheric setting are in my opinion somewhat excessive.
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