A review by the_ice_within
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The pace of the book was way too slow. While there were many truisms, and a masterpiece in literature and writing style, the plot itself was almost unbearable to keep up with… as there really wasn’t much of a plot. It was a fascinating depiction of the war, and intellectually and cultural-importance-wise I can see why this book won so many awards, but it was a tough book to get through. Not just because emotionally it was a dark book, but the complex writing and extremely slow pace honestly killed the mood for most of the middle of the book. It truly felt like I was trudging along with the character’s miserable life. 
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