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oceanwriter's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I’m almost always up for a book centered on family drama. Banyan Moon brings this to the table with the extra layers of generational struggles and the differences brought on by being raised in different cultures.
When Minh passes away, her daughter Huong and granddaughter Ann come together to mourn their losses. For Huong, her mourning feels doubled, envious of the good relationship Ann had with Minh that she could never achieve. For Ann, she’s also mourning the seemingly perfect life she’d built that began to grumble simultaneously. Together, Ann and Huong strive to mend their own complicated relationship all while uncovering long-kept secrets that had been hiding in Minh’s house all along.
I found the book to be a slower pace than I like to read with my eyes. I think I would have gotten more out of it had I listened to the audiobook. Having already purchased the hardcover and long waits at the library I pushed through. Minh was definitely the most interesting part of the story for me. I also very much enjoyed the complicated relationships between the three women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child abuse, Infertility, and Murder
mtnest's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
brynpemery's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
A good debut, but it was a bit underwhelming. I felt like the characters’ lack of communication throughout was unrealistic and there only as a plot device. I also found most of the twists pretty predictable. It was compelling reading though, and I enjoyed the exploration of mother/daughter relationships and generational secrets
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Infertility, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
r_lumbrix's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Blood, and Murder
natalieba's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
First, I must say that I had the most wonderful reading experience each time I picked up Banyan Moon by Thao Thai. I wanted to savor it while also eagerly pushing forward to find out what happened next in the lives of Thai’s characters. Her writing is beautiful - descriptive, heartfelt and piercing. The three women at the heart of the novel are complex, often unlikeable, and very real. And the relationships they have with each other and the various men in their lives (husbands, fathers, brothers) are equally complex. I truly enjoyed reading this book.
So, why not 5 stars? There were a few nagging holes, choices the author made, and inconsistencies that I just couldn’t reconcile or get behind. Most of these were near the end, which brought my rating down. But I still recommend this book and think anyone who likes complex family stories will really enjoy this one.
So, why not 5 stars? There were a few nagging holes, choices the author made, and inconsistencies that I just couldn’t reconcile or get behind. Most of these were near the end, which brought my rating down. But I still recommend this book and think anyone who likes complex family stories will really enjoy this one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Murder
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