Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

16 reviews

amyeicher's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Abandonment, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Racism, Self harm, Alcoholism, Rape, Racial slurs, and Pregnancy

ajira's review against another edition

emotional informative 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Infidelity, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Death

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Grief

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Misogyny

nadia's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Pregnancy, and War

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

augie_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Xenophobia, Racism, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Grief, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Death, and Abortion

proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

1969 åker systrarna Trang och Qunh till Saigon för att arbeta och hjälpa sina föräldrar med skulderna. De får jobb på en bar där de ska flirta med amerikanska soldater och få dem att köpa drinkar. 

Dan, amerikansk helikopterpilot under Vietnam-kriget, bestämmer sig i nutid för att åka tillbaka till Vietnam och konfrontera sitt förflutna. Samtidigt söker Phong efter sina föräldrar efter att ha blivit lämnad på barnhem som baby. 

Askans barn kallas de barn som har en vietnamesisk mamma och en amerikansk pappa. De flesta växte upp under svåra förhållanden och bespottades av alla. Tyvärr en tragisk verklighet där man kan se att Vietnam-kriget (eller det amerikanska kriget, som vietnameserna kallar det) fortfarande har konsekvenser. Ännu en gång har jag fått lära mig mer om effekterna av detta krig och det skär i hjärtat att tänka på alla liv som förstörts. Tack och lov finns här även värme och hopp, så allt är inte tragiskt och nattsvart. 

Jag kan förstå att "Där askan blommar" är nominerad till Årets bok, men jag blir ändå inte lika överväldigad som jag blev av författarens förra bok, "När bergen sjunger". Kanske beror det bara på att jag inte hade några speciella förväntningar inför läsningen av den boken, medan jag nu visste vad jag kunde förvänta mig. Kanske beror det på att jag hade ovanligt svårt att hålla isär de vietnamesiska namnen och blandade ihop karaktärerna mer än en gång. Jag vet inte riktigt, men det här är ändå en väldigt bra bok och jag tycker att författarens båda böcker bör läsas av alla som tycker om att lära sig saker medan de läser, samtidigt som de uppskattar ett fint språk och en bra berättad historia.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Colonisation, Death, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Cultural appropriation, Grief, Pregnancy, Racism, and War

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Infertility, Addiction, Suicide, and Infidelity

thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Infidelity, Pregnancy, War, Racism, Sexual assault, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Rape and Self harm

maidinnah's review against another edition

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

4.75

A thoughtful, nuanced, and empathetic account of the Vietnam war through the intertwining storylines of a Vietnamese prostitute, an American veteran, and an Amerasian “dust child”. This stirring tale explores the fallout — the broken families, the mutual resentments, the haunting secrets — and calls forth tremendous amounts of forgiveness from every side. Quê Mai Nguyễn reminds us that we may not be able to heal every wound when the dust settles, but peace can still be found when we move forward. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Murder, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

Minor: Self harm

astridhawk's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

A very haunting book, which was less about Vietnamese culture than I expected, and more about the victims of war beyond those killed, and the atrocities that persist well beyond wartime.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Pregnancy, Grief, War, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Alcohol, and Racism

Minor: Abortion and Sexism

klutzykara's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative 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? It's complicated

5.0

Wow, this was so good! I definitely want to pick up The Mountains Sing asap to experience more from this author! I loved the writing and characters in this so much. All three point of views were engaging and interesting to read about, although I admit I was probably most invested in Trang's story. I did not want to put it down and really enjoyed all parts of the novel. It was paced well and I thought the ending was very good.

Very impactful and memorable read. I would highly recommend it - it's definitely one of the best historical fiction novels I've read over the years. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, War, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Abortion

d0505's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Death of parent, Racism, War, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Alcohol and Infidelity