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A review by serendipitysbooks
Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Dust Child is a fabulous blend of historical and contemporary fiction set in Viêt Nam. In 1969-1970 we follow Trang and her sister who travel to Sāi Gōn and work as bar girls in order to help their family out of a financial predicament. In 2016 we meet Dan, an American veteran of the war who travels to Viêt Nam with his wife Linda in the hopes the trip will help him overcome his PTSD. Unbeknown to her he is also looking for his lost love and their child. We also meet Phong, a Black Amerasian man, who is trying to obtain a visa to move his family to the United States.
I love the compassion with the which this story was told and the way it highlighted many victims of the war. Not just the American soldiers who saw and did things they were in no way prepared for, and whom western readers will be familiar with, but also the Vietnamese women forced into sex work and/or abused and assaulted by traumatised soldiers, and their biracial children, often unwanted by their mothers and/ or abandoned by their American fathers, with many forced to grow up on the streets, ostracised by Vietnamese society and facing discrimination and prejudice decades later. I appreciated the way the author didn’t excuse the behaviour of Dan or other American soldiers, but did put their actions in context. I also really appreciated the way Phong was not a victim of the circumstances of his birth. He’s a fully rounded character with a loving family, a love for music, a talent for carpentry and a meaningful life. Early on I was a little worried that the plot stands were going to tie up too neatly and conveniently. I needn’t have worried. The ending is certainly satisfying but it wasn’t an unrealistic fairytale ending, not every question was answered, and the author managed to throw in an unexpected yet believable twist. This is a beautifully told story, true to Vietnamese culture and experience. It highlights the experience of biracial Amerasians born as a result of the war, including the discrimination they faced from both sides and the difficulties of parents and their children reuniting, even when both parties were willing. That it is based on aspects of many real life stories the author was told as part of her work towards a PhD adds to both its authenticity and poignancy.
I love the compassion with the which this story was told and the way it highlighted many victims of the war. Not just the American soldiers who saw and did things they were in no way prepared for, and whom western readers will be familiar with, but also the Vietnamese women forced into sex work and/or abused and assaulted by traumatised soldiers, and their biracial children, often unwanted by their mothers and/ or abandoned by their American fathers, with many forced to grow up on the streets, ostracised by Vietnamese society and facing discrimination and prejudice decades later. I appreciated the way the author didn’t excuse the behaviour of Dan or other American soldiers, but did put their actions in context. I also really appreciated the way Phong was not a victim of the circumstances of his birth. He’s a fully rounded character with a loving family, a love for music, a talent for carpentry and a meaningful life. Early on I was a little worried that the plot stands were going to tie up too neatly and conveniently. I needn’t have worried. The ending is certainly satisfying but it wasn’t an unrealistic fairytale ending, not every question was answered, and the author managed to throw in an unexpected yet believable twist. This is a beautifully told story, true to Vietnamese culture and experience. It highlights the experience of biracial Amerasians born as a result of the war, including the discrimination they faced from both sides and the difficulties of parents and their children reuniting, even when both parties were willing. That it is based on aspects of many real life stories the author was told as part of her work towards a PhD adds to both its authenticity and poignancy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Racism, and War
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual assault
Minor: Self harm