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mirel's review against another edition
5.0
I started the book written in the 2nd person POV and found it very hard to get into. Then I was sent a copy by the author written in first person POV, and was caught up by the immediacy of the voice and the story. Read it from beginning to end in a 50-hour period...
The story provides a good glimpse into Viet Namese history and culture through the life of Thong Tran, a man who's grown up in war-torn Viet Nam. Coming from a murky past to an even less clear future as a spy in the United States, Thong is torn between his commitments to the various men who influenced his life and his commitments to wife and child in the United States. The book deals with the lies we tell ourselves, guilt and atonement, the horrors of war, family: in short, life. The seamless shifts between past and present, the lovely language and the many twists and turns in the story that constantly draw us in display the skills of a master storyteller. Well done!
The story provides a good glimpse into Viet Namese history and culture through the life of Thong Tran, a man who's grown up in war-torn Viet Nam. Coming from a murky past to an even less clear future as a spy in the United States, Thong is torn between his commitments to the various men who influenced his life and his commitments to wife and child in the United States. The book deals with the lies we tell ourselves, guilt and atonement, the horrors of war, family: in short, life. The seamless shifts between past and present, the lovely language and the many twists and turns in the story that constantly draw us in display the skills of a master storyteller. Well done!
laurencebc1's review
Won in a Goodreads Giveaway
DNF at page 92.
I had no emotional connection to any of the characters and the second person narrative made it really difficult to get into.
DNF at page 92.
I had no emotional connection to any of the characters and the second person narrative made it really difficult to get into.
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