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harlando's review against another edition
4.0
This was an interesting comic memoir of a youth in Vietnam during the war. I thought it was interesting for its insider perspective on the war. The author’s father was a South Vietnamese diplomat. I didn’t find the children endearing at all and suspect they were little monsters. I sympathized with his poor, manic depressive mother. She was rich, living well, and far safer than most Vietnamese, but was stuck with a house full of rambunctious children and few outlets for here anxiety.
I don’t read that many memoirs because they often depress me. They make me feel like nothing interesting happens in my life. I know that is relative. My life is much more exciting that many, but probably not worthy of a memoir.
I don’t read that many memoirs because they often depress me. They make me feel like nothing interesting happens in my life. I know that is relative. My life is much more exciting that many, but probably not worthy of a memoir.
supersabs's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
tense
fast-paced
aldole's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Mental illness
robinks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
5.0
It was so powerful to read about the Vietnam War as experienced by a child living in Saigon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and War
Moderate: Bullying, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Vomit and Death of parent
logbook's review against another edition
3.0
The book is a memoir that takes place when the writer was a child, so I will not judge Troung's immediate history, which he had no control over. But I wish he delved into the intricacies of each "side" (or "non-side") more, although I realize that the majority of diasporic Vietnamese writing has an anti-communist bias.
Troung sometimes does touch upon the ills and corruption during the Diem presidency, but he always follows it with a line about the communists being worst than the presidency. And I, by no means, wish that this was a pro-communist book, but the Vietnam War involved so many complexities regarding how it affected familial structures, displacement/immigration, and Vietnamese society in general that it was disappointing to see a better-than/worse-than dichotomy. But, regardless, Such a Lovely Little War had captivating storytelling, and I would recommend it to anyone contemplating a Vietnam War book [written by an old white dude].
Troung sometimes does touch upon the ills and corruption during the Diem presidency, but he always follows it with a line about the communists being worst than the presidency. And I, by no means, wish that this was a pro-communist book, but the Vietnam War involved so many complexities regarding how it affected familial structures, displacement/immigration, and Vietnamese society in general that it was disappointing to see a better-than/worse-than dichotomy. But, regardless, Such a Lovely Little War had captivating storytelling, and I would recommend it to anyone contemplating a Vietnam War book [written by an old white dude].
andystone's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely wonderful book that blends personal memoir with historical understanding. The book presents a side of the Vietnam War that I’ve never heard of before in a memorable, heartbreaking and beautiful way. Highly recommended.