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A review by loriluo
Daughters of the New Year by E.M. Tran
4.0
In "Daughters of the New Year", Tran gives us a multi-generational novel focusing on the women in a Vietnamese family. Unlike most novels, however, its told in a reverse timeline, starting with the present and working through the past.
The first half of the novel focuses on Tran, Nhi, and Trieu who are all daughters of Xuan. They've grown up as Vietnamese American in New Orleans, and each has dealt with the pressures and expectations put on them in different ways, much of which comes from their mother's belief in their astrology and the implications of their zodiac signs. Tran, the oldest, has long been the overachiever and is pursuing a prestigious law career, but is trying to claim her own independence from her parents and come to terms with her sexuality. Nhi, the middle child, has stepped into mainstream media as a participant in a Bachelor-esque program as the only minority - while it's being filmed in Vietnam. Trieu, the youngest, is the one full of unmet potential.
We get to see the ways that these characters interact with each other, and the events and experience that have shaped them over time. There's a lot of ground that Train covers in the novel, but she does an incredible job revealing the many layers of misunderstanding and built-up resentment that immigrant children can have for their parents, which are then countered by the perspectives and experiences their parents have undergone. She's also able to highlight and celebrate the Asian experience and Vietnamese culture, but also notes how jarring and difficult it is to grow up as a minority in a different country, where your appearance and upbringing is so different to everyone else. I also appreciated the strong sense of place and time the novel had, with events like 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the Vietnam War having an impact, and loved the number of poignant experiences that were detailed in this novel.
The writing is beautifully structured, and Tran is able to take on so many different female perspectives throughout the novel, and I especially loved the sections that focused on food and the cuisine and ingredients that are so integral to Vietnamese culture. Very much a recommended read to anyone!
Thank you Hanover Square Press for the advance copy of this novel!
The first half of the novel focuses on Tran, Nhi, and Trieu who are all daughters of Xuan. They've grown up as Vietnamese American in New Orleans, and each has dealt with the pressures and expectations put on them in different ways, much of which comes from their mother's belief in their astrology and the implications of their zodiac signs. Tran, the oldest, has long been the overachiever and is pursuing a prestigious law career, but is trying to claim her own independence from her parents and come to terms with her sexuality. Nhi, the middle child, has stepped into mainstream media as a participant in a Bachelor-esque program as the only minority - while it's being filmed in Vietnam. Trieu, the youngest, is the one full of unmet potential.
We get to see the ways that these characters interact with each other, and the events and experience that have shaped them over time. There's a lot of ground that Train covers in the novel, but she does an incredible job revealing the many layers of misunderstanding and built-up resentment that immigrant children can have for their parents, which are then countered by the perspectives and experiences their parents have undergone. She's also able to highlight and celebrate the Asian experience and Vietnamese culture, but also notes how jarring and difficult it is to grow up as a minority in a different country, where your appearance and upbringing is so different to everyone else. I also appreciated the strong sense of place and time the novel had, with events like 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the Vietnam War having an impact, and loved the number of poignant experiences that were detailed in this novel.
The writing is beautifully structured, and Tran is able to take on so many different female perspectives throughout the novel, and I especially loved the sections that focused on food and the cuisine and ingredients that are so integral to Vietnamese culture. Very much a recommended read to anyone!
Thank you Hanover Square Press for the advance copy of this novel!