The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
scrapeen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Torture, Sexual violence, Rape, War, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
randomman0880's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Grief, War, Murder, Sexual assault, and Torture
Moderate: Racism, Misogyny, and Racial slurs
deals heavily with post traumatic stress and trauma generallyveronicats's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Violence, Gore, Racism, Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, War, Sexual content, Slavery, Misogyny, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Murder, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Racial slurs, and Torture
welkinvault's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
This is a sprawling book. The fall of Saigon and the frantic wait for a plane to leave the country could have been a book on its own. Or the gently paced section in the 80s and 90s settling into immigrant life in California with its fascinating asides into how even Vietnamese food is not quite right with Chinese ingredients, or the blinkered racism from a university professor, let alone the movie shoot section (both incredible and WTF part of the book), that could also be another novel or two. The last section, where The Captain goes back with his closest friend (one of the few named men in the book) to help the communists and then subsequent capture and torture them - is just difficult, dark and heartbreaking. It took me a considerable amount of time to finish the last few chapters.Â
Graphic: Death, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Bullying
fongyay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Racism, Physical abuse, Murder, Death, Body horror, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, War, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Moderate: Body shaming, Vomit, and Racial slurs
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Fatphobia
aidrielle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Stalking, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
merle98's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Gore, Murder, Vomit, Xenophobia, War, Violence, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Death of parent, Death, Colonisation, Blood, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, and Abandonment
kshertz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Child death, War, Xenophobia, Violence, Torture, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gore, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Confinement, and Colonisation
ainereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, and Racism
sarahsthoughtsonbooks's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Also satire goes over my head, so I might have missed things.Â
This book made me put down the book then go down a rabbit hole of Wikipedia to learn more about the Vietnam War (or as it's also known, The American War). Love how Viet Thanh Nguyen wasn't pulling any punches, and he was not necessarily writing to the white audience or those without a working knowledge about the war.
Two themes that I picked up that on - not all on screen representation is good (parody/fictionalisation of Apocalypse Now), and belonging (will probably explore more of this in my IG caption).
Also, while the author has likely done many podcasts interviews, I highly recommend listening to Asian Enough, Season 1, Episode 2. It's my absolute favorite season 1 episode (and John Cho was the guest in the first episode, so that's a high bar in my eyes)
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Genocide, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Grief, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Torture