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porkkutletbowl's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape
inlaraland's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
(4.5/5 stars)
Reading this book feels like you're floating out in the water, and you never know when a current might pull you in. The timeline moves backwards from present to past, giving you only a brief perspective on the experiences that the characters face during certain periods of their life.
Daughters of the New Year is a story about generational trauma, immigrants, cultural detachment, fading memories, and the fate of horoscopes. Told through the perspective of mothers and daughters from different generations, you see how each of their experiences shape their decisions, and inevitably how those factors influence their relationships with one another as time goes by.
I wish this book was longer - I wish I had more answers about the lives of the characters who grew dear to my heart, but I think the lack of closure mirrors one of the many messages in this novel. This book forces you to be empathetic, to find a space in understanding characters who are neither good or bad, but a very human gray. The plot isn't quite linear, so if you're looking for a traditionally structured story then this might not be for you as reading each part about the characters almost feels like a personal investigation into their lives.
However, I will say that this story is a small seed of Vietnam's complex history, and does a great job at highlighting how that very seed spreads its roots from one generation to the next.
If you enjoyed reading "The Mountain Sings" and "Of Women & Salt" then I would give this a try!
Reading this book feels like you're floating out in the water, and you never know when a current might pull you in. The timeline moves backwards from present to past, giving you only a brief perspective on the experiences that the characters face during certain periods of their life.
Daughters of the New Year is a story about generational trauma, immigrants, cultural detachment, fading memories, and the fate of horoscopes. Told through the perspective of mothers and daughters from different generations, you see how each of their experiences shape their decisions, and inevitably how those factors influence their relationships with one another as time goes by.
I wish this book was longer - I wish I had more answers about the lives of the characters who grew dear to my heart, but I think the lack of closure mirrors one of the many messages in this novel. This book forces you to be empathetic, to find a space in understanding characters who are neither good or bad, but a very human gray. The plot isn't quite linear, so if you're looking for a traditionally structured story then this might not be for you as reading each part about the characters almost feels like a personal investigation into their lives.
However, I will say that this story is a small seed of Vietnam's complex history, and does a great job at highlighting how that very seed spreads its roots from one generation to the next.
If you enjoyed reading "The Mountain Sings" and "Of Women & Salt" then I would give this a try!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, and War
amiably's review
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? N/A
2.0
so glad that it's over ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
Minor: Racism
metawish's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While the book might be about a Vietnamese American family's experience, anyone who has immigrant parents will see themselves here. The author delves into how families work and how our histories change the context of our actions, humanizing parents and children alike. The author also experiments with time in the plot, an experiment I find successful in revealing information and moving the plot forward.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, War, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Animal death, Bullying, Sexual assault, and Murder
Minor: Rape
astraeal's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
moving backward in time is a cool concept EXCEPT the chapters all kinda ended abruptly, sometimes in the middle of something big, and that just left me frustrated that i will never know what happened next, how this plot for this character ended.
i did like how we were discovering more and more about the women of the family, uncovering layer after layer
i did like how we were discovering more and more about the women of the family, uncovering layer after layer
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Bullying, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: War, Death, Sexual assault, Blood, and Colonisation
randrus's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Sexual assault
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