Language: R (77 swears, 29 “f,” 1 “c” + Vietnamese swears); Mature Content: R; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: ADULT - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Phong is desperate for the better life that America promises for his family, but his visa is continually denied without proof that he is Amerasian. Dan has returned to Vietnam with his wife, Linda, hoping to heal his memories of the war. As these families search for the truths that were lost to war, they must also accept that war and truth are not pretty.
My understanding of the Vietnam war has always been small, glossed over between lessons on WWII and the Cold War. Nguyễn forces her characters and readers to face the effects of the Vietnam War on the people who stayed long after the bombs stopped. I enjoyed seeing how Vietnamese culture changed over time, even as I wanted to weep for all those who lost loved ones and struggled to make the best decisions they could. These intertwined stories are engrossing because they are gritty and real, even when they are uncomfortable.
Phong is half Black and half Vietnamese, Dan and Linda are white, and the majority of the other characters are Vietnamese. The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs and pornography, alcohol use, nudity, masturbation, sexual harassment, prostitution, mentions of rape, and oral and vaginal sex. The violence rating is for mentions of bombs, grenades, gun use, child abuse, domestic violence, suicide, self harm, war memories, and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
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