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balladofreadingqueer's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed this short story collection following the lives of different Vietnamese immigrants and Vietnamese Americans.
These stories were all quite different but themes of family distance and connection, cultural identity, the Vietnam war and misunderstandings.
My favourite stories were those that included queer characters/storylines (obviously) like Love Leather where a Vietnamese immigrant works at a gay BDSM shop and Close to the Bone where the son is gay but his family largely ignored it.
I also enjoyed the stories that focused on the macabre. Like Hunger discussing Cannibalism, Grandma’s Tales with the dead(ish) grandma in the freezer and self-immolation in Birds of Paradise Lost. Would recommend.
These stories were all quite different but themes of family distance and connection, cultural identity, the Vietnam war and misunderstandings.
My favourite stories were those that included queer characters/storylines (obviously) like Love Leather where a Vietnamese immigrant works at a gay BDSM shop and Close to the Bone where the son is gay but his family largely ignored it.
I also enjoyed the stories that focused on the macabre. Like Hunger discussing Cannibalism, Grandma’s Tales with the dead(ish) grandma in the freezer and self-immolation in Birds of Paradise Lost. Would recommend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Racism, Suicide, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, and War
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