KnitAFett reviewed The Mountains Sing by Phan Quế Mai Nguyễn
Intergenerational story in war-torn Vietnam.
5 stars
This book follows Hương (Guava) and her grandmother, Diêu Lan, as they navigate the chaos that is tearing through their home in Việt Nam due to the war. The 1970s timeline is told by Hương, and Diêu Lan tells her background from the 40s to the reader while sharing her history with her granddaughter. My one gripe is that it was sometimes hard to remember what timeline I was in because the storytelling from both ends was a little similar. This may have mostly been due to listening to the audiobook, so ymmv. Considering that this is Nguyễn’s first English book, I give her a pass.
This can be a tough read at times because of the events that occur to the characters due to the wars and Communist reform, and the overall nastiness of human nature. This is one that I would suggest checking trigger warnings on before …
This book follows Hương (Guava) and her grandmother, Diêu Lan, as they navigate the chaos that is tearing through their home in Việt Nam due to the war. The 1970s timeline is told by Hương, and Diêu Lan tells her background from the 40s to the reader while sharing her history with her granddaughter. My one gripe is that it was sometimes hard to remember what timeline I was in because the storytelling from both ends was a little similar. This may have mostly been due to listening to the audiobook, so ymmv. Considering that this is Nguyễn’s first English book, I give her a pass.
This can be a tough read at times because of the events that occur to the characters due to the wars and Communist reform, and the overall nastiness of human nature. This is one that I would suggest checking trigger warnings on before beginning.
This was a very fresh perspective for me as I've never read anything based in the history of war-torn Việt Nam or the Communist reform that occurred. Even with the heavy topics, this was a surprisingly easy read and I became very invested in the characters. I felt like I was there witnessing what was happening and sharing their trials with them. I will be continuing to dive into the sides of the Việt Nam war that I have not been introduced to until now. Being able to start this journey by taking in the words of someone who experienced the effect of the wars first-hand is always a great thing. Definitely one that I recommend.
