A review by maybak
Wandering Souls by Cécile Pin

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad slow-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

I’ve listened to the audiobook version and found it quite enjoyable. I liked how the author, Cecile Pin, mixed fiction with historical facts (Margareth Thatcher’s July 1979 letter to the Nguyen family) and modern news stories (the 2019 Essex lorry deaths of Vietnamese migrants). She has weaved historical context with the experience of modern-day Vietnamese immigrants and their children born in Britain. 

I find that the main character, Anh, was beautifully written. Pin managed to give her a lot of depth and layers as we start the story with Anh as a little girl facing the
loss of her parents and siblings
. We see her coming of age and navigating life in a foreign country with a heavy responsibility on her shoulders—looking out for her two younger brothers, Thanh and Minh. 

I found the way she wrote about how this ordeal each affected them and their relationship as siblings very powerful. Pin created complex characters that seem very realistic with their own flaws, tourments and unachieved dreams. This was a beautiful ode to the migrant experience, and surviving such a great loss at a tender age. 
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