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A review by carolyn_librarian
Butterfly Yellow by Thanhhà Lại
3.0
I have read many books where English is not the main character’s first language, but none have done it so artfully and lyrically as Lai. Imagine having to learn a language so different than yours that you have to break each word down phonetically as if you are a child learning to read again. Lai does this in a lyrical manor that challenged me to slow down and sympathize with Hằng, our narrator as she struggled to be understood in a country where nearly everyone pronounces your name wrong. But beyond that, this story is about family love and the devotion of trying to right a wrong. Six years ago, Hằng’s lied about her and her brother being orphans in a desperate plan to escape to America the last days of the the Việt Nam. Her brother Linh is taken while she is left behind. The only clue she had left of where he was taken was a business card. Now Hằng has traveled from Việt Nam to a Thai refugee camp, all the way to Texas to reunite with her brother. But when Hằng finds her brother, he doesn’t remember her or anything about their life before.
Hằng story is about survival and unconditional love. At times it is heartbreaking because war is ruthless and so incredibly painful to hear about. But stories like these must be told so we can learn from our mistakes and not commit them again. The way Lai balances Hằng’s story is by switching points of view to LeeRoy, a wannabe cowboy who just was too polite to get himself out of Hằng’s lane. LeeRoy is swept up by Hằng’s antics and though they seem to be opposites, LeeRoy is drawn to her determination. Through LeeRoy, Hằng is able to be a teenager again and have a resemblance of normalcy. And their love-hate story is one that you can’t help but laugh and cheer for. At times, the dialogue is corny and the events are predictable, but that can easily be overlooked. Hằng teaches us about expectations and how to move forward even after the brutalist losses.
Hằng story is about survival and unconditional love. At times it is heartbreaking because war is ruthless and so incredibly painful to hear about. But stories like these must be told so we can learn from our mistakes and not commit them again. The way Lai balances Hằng’s story is by switching points of view to LeeRoy, a wannabe cowboy who just was too polite to get himself out of Hằng’s lane. LeeRoy is swept up by Hằng’s antics and though they seem to be opposites, LeeRoy is drawn to her determination. Through LeeRoy, Hằng is able to be a teenager again and have a resemblance of normalcy. And their love-hate story is one that you can’t help but laugh and cheer for. At times, the dialogue is corny and the events are predictable, but that can easily be overlooked. Hằng teaches us about expectations and how to move forward even after the brutalist losses.