A review by carefulfearanddeaddevotion
Banyan Moon by Thao Thai

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Very well written, good, complex characters.

My one complaint about this book is that, while WE learn the Tran women's secrets, they don't learn each other's secrets or --forgive the cheese--hearts. Sure, Huong and Ann are closer at the end of the story, but it doesn't really feel earned or stable. They (and Huong+Minh) start the story not understanding each other and I don't think they ever do. The things in their past that kept or drove them apart are never really resolved. Something about it just doesn't feel 100% satisfying. I kind of really disliked Ann for most of the book. Very bratty and unforgiving imo. I felt <i>extremely</i>bad for Huong: terrible (to put it lightly) romantic relationships, misunderstood and excluded by her mother and daughter.... 

Also, what was the point of Crystal mentioning that thing about Fiona crying and Wes storming out of the house? Ann never brought it up to Wes and it never came up again. Just felt really random and pointless


Minh's murder of Vinh and the subsequent coverup by her and Huong also felt really random. You'd think it would affect their relationship more or that we'd get some hint of it before. Huong says "what would Ann think if she knew I was the reason she doesn't have a father" towards the beginning of the book, but that could literally mean anything. In fact, I thought she meant that she drove him away by being "too demanding" (wanting basic respect and love in her relationship), and even after we find out, I don't see even a little bit how it could be her fault. Her and Minh's relationship did not at all seem like that of two people who shared this massive secret. It wasn't relevant at all to their story until it was just plonked in towards the end -- something that, again, was never tied up or in.
 
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