Reviews with content warning for Physical abuse - Banyan Moon

To be blunt: Ann felt like a shell of a character. I kept reading because the other POVs were strong enough, but overall this book didn't work for me.

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nerdatlas5's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective 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

3.5

It was an interesting read. The whole books is about how secrets and trauma linger between generations and follow Ann and her mom healing their relationship after Grandma's death, with little inserts from Grandma's ghost as she tells us the secrets that they will never fully know. They are all messy people, but the book has us and them make peace with that. I'd also call the book light on plot. The book moves forward as time moves forward for the characters and the greatest influence on the characters is simply that passage of time. This isn't to say nothing happened, but reading this kinda just felt like floating along through almost a year of Ann's life. Thao Thai does a great job threading the themes of the book throughout the characters' arcs and the plot of the book

The shifting narratives did get in the way a little by halting the momentum of the previous pov, but not enough to make me truly dislike it.

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marioosa517's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

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bea_reads_books's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I can’t believe this is a debut novel 😦 This is genuinely such an incredible book I don’t even know how to put most of my thoughts into words. It kind of reminds me of Hula by ‘Iolani Hakes which I read earlier this month. There are similar themes of generational trauma, imperfect people just doing their best, and the rifts that form between mothers and daughters and how they change over time. There were so many emotional moments, so much I relate to despite being little like these women outside of also being a mother.

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aksmith92's review

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The Setup: Banyan Moon is a moving and intricately woven debut novel that delves into the lives of three generations of Vietnamese American women: Minh, her daughter Huong, and her granddaughter Ann. From 1960s Vietnam to present-day Florida, the novel explores legacy, identity, and the fraught yet tender relationships between mothers and daughters.

The narrative unfolds with the passing of Minh, the Tran family's matriarch, which prompts Ann to return to her childhood abode, the enigmatic Banyan House, to reconcile with her estranged mother, Huong. Ann, a successful artist grappling with an unexpected pregnancy and a turbulent relationship, embarks on a journey of self-discovery as she and Huong sift through Minh's belongings, unearthing long-buried family secrets.

Through alternating timelines, Thai reveals the rich backstories of each woman. Minh's narrative takes readers from her youth in Vietnam to her struggles as a single mother in America, and even after her death. Huong's story highlights her escape from an abusive marriage, while Ann's journey focuses on her search for identity and understanding within the context of her family's history.

What I Liked: I adored Thai's writing—it was atmospheric and had such emotional depth. There were so many beautiful analogies, metaphors, and quotes. I felt seeped in this novel, and it was a stunning read. Thai also captured the Tran women's complexities through their relationships and individual struggles. The narrative's dual timelines enhanced the reader's understanding of how past traumas and sacrifices shaped the present, making Banyan Moon resonant and thought-provoking. I thoroughly enjoyed Thai's exploration of cultural heritage and family dynamics - there were incredible details in this novel that made it feel real.

Lastly, the novel was infused with a unique blend of magical realism and Southern Gothic elements. Though not essential to the plot, these elements added an ethereal and original touch to the story. They created a world where the boundaries between reality and the supernatural were blurred, enhancing the reader's experience. The poignant examination of love, grief, and forgiveness, combined with this unique blend of genres, made Banyan Moon a captivating read.

What I Didn't Like: While the writing was terrific and the overall storyline was beautiful, where I think it fell flat was character development and nuance. Minh, Huong, and Ann all seemed similar in their emotional capacity, character development, and overall decision-making. In a way, they all seemed emotionally detached from everyone and everything but each other, and I felt like something was missing. Maybe that was the point: generations of women continued the cycle repeatedly. But it was frustrating and didn't provide a lot of nuance to their own individual characters - they just all seemed the same. Additionally, they were not necessarily likable characters, which I could have gotten on board with if they were exciting and nuanced. I think that was lacking here, and I had trouble rooting for (or against) them - I was simply disinterested in their progression. I was thankful to have the plot with a couple of twists along the way to keep me vested because, without that, this would not have been a good read for me. Take it with a grain of salt, though, because I heavily err on the importance of connecting with the characters, their nuance, and their uniqueness.

Also, unexpected pregnancies are not my jam (not a spoiler!); however, it had little sway on my rating because it truly was part of the point.

Lastly, all the trauma, frustration, and anger were tied up so neatly at the end. I don't mind this per se, but I think it made the last 10% feel slightly rushed and thrown together.

Overall, though, this was a beautiful read, and I look forward to seeing what Thao Thai produces in the future.

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kappafrog's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-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

4.25

This book felt like an instant classic. I was totally drawn into the story and read it in two days. It was my first time in a long time reading a family saga like this, and I really enjoyed it.

The writing style is really beautiful. I highlighted so many different passages. Here are a few favourite quotes:

"We would never have to lean on our stories to save us. We'd never need saving at all. Our roots would lift from the earth and carry us someplace where the dread would not pull us down."

"I see Banyan House for what it is: a home for women, a shaggy, worn, and vicious protector of the bruised, the tender."

"How love, for all its treachery, finds me in the last, unexpected moments of light."

"And I didn't tell him that none of it had been wasted at all, because I knew he would not see it that way."

Each of the three main characters was so complicated. Ann was the least sympathetic, as she had a coldness towards her mother that was hard to read at times, but her character growth was really great. My favourite of the three was Huong.

I wish we had gotten her voice once again at the end, after the Banyan House burned down. I could tell that a weight had been lifted off her after it was gone, the room where Vinh died finally destroyed like she'd wanted it to be for all those years. I suspect she knew that Phuoc was the one who burned the house down, from some of the hints we got in the dialogue. Whether she confronted him about it and that was why he moved away, I'm not sure. I was really glad that Ann came to appreciate her mother more by the end.

Minh's passages were always so interesting, looking back on her long life. With each of these women, you understood why they did the things they did. I wish I had a more eloquent way of describing how rich the relationships in this book are. You can really feel the weight of the atmosphere of the places described in the book too. The heat and humidity of the Florida summer hangs down over everyone like bugs dancing on the water of a swamp. The Banyan House had such personality, and I loved the way that the folk tale about the moon was woven through.

I was glad that Ann and Wes didn't end up together. Their scenes were often really nice, but Crystal talking about how unhappy Fiona had been made me very wary of him at the end. I was a little disappointed that some of the secrets the Tran women kept weren't communicated to each other, after the ominous passages about how the Banyan House couldn't handle the weight of all the secrets, and neither could they. I also had very mixed feelings about Ann naming her son Bính. It felt like a root to the past that wasn't needed, especially since we knew what a cad the original Bính was, though she of course didn't. It was an odd note for me and I'm not sure how it'll sit with me over time. There was also one mystery that was never addressed, the cryptic references Minh made to "the Lady" who had once owned the house.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes family sagas. This one feels like it will be talked about for a long time to come, read in classes and book clubs with discussions of all the symbolism, layers of truth, and revelations that come as the story goes on. It was hard to read at times and is very sad, but the three women were so interesting to read about.

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ziggyreadz's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

i really enjoyed Banyan Moon. i thought the characters were really interesting and compelling in the way they tangled together. that is the main focus of the book, so if you’re into character centered narratives, specifically family/inter-generational narratives, i highly recommend.

i may be biased because i love this kind of story about trauma and complicated people, but i really enjoyed how they each stood as their own characters but were stronger together.

i didn’t find the perspective switching to be jarring at all, though i listened to the audio book, and each of the three women had different narrators. i especially liked Huong’s reader, as she always sounded like she was on the edge of desperation, which reflects Huong’s character. the different perspectives and arcs within the perspectives provided an interesting mix of stories from Vietnam and stories from Florida, where the present day of the book takes place.

the way the book explored different kinds of relationships with men and their complicated problems was really masterful. i felt that everything was handled really well despite the relationships being (outwardly) pretty diverse.

of course it was really interesting to see the three women’s relationships with each other. there were some gaps with Huong and Ann — i understood on a surface level why they had a tense relationship in the past, but i felt like other things took up the space needed to explore that more, especially since it was so central to the narrative.

the book is slow but i enjoyed that, it gave the characters room to breathe. the last 1/4 though is very fast and dramatic, and while it was very immersive, i felt like it was a little out of place given the rest of the pacing and plot of the book. several dramatic things happen, and i feel it would have been better with fewer things, so that it felt more consistent.

the end was a little too neat for me. i wish it had not wrapped up as well, though i was generally happy with the resolution. i just felt that the ending was too simple for a complicated book like Banyan Moon.

the only other thing that bothered me a bit was that sometimes the writing felt a little strange (very infrequently). there were a lot of metaphors, both in dialogue and internal monologue, that felt a little too absurd to be taken seriously. overall, i did enjoy the writing though.

if the premise of this book appeals to you, definitely check it out. it’s a really rewarding experience. the only reason why my rating is not higher is because i felt the book mostly accomplished its ambitions, but fell a bit short towards the end.

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fkshg8465's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.0

Looks like I’m getting my fill of Vietnamese literature this year. This one was very good. A departure from the model minority story and an irreverence for purity culture. Minh’s perspective was my favorite, and I really loved that she was still narrating after she wouldn’t normally.

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