Author Origin: born in Saigon, South Vietnam. Currently lives in Montreal, Quebec.
Page Count:130
Genre: Fiction
Difficulty: Easy
Grade Level: 9-12
Key Talking Points: the nature of love, family expectations, the Vietnam War
Sensitive Subject Matter: war, rape, immigration
One more chapter, indeed. This is a beautiful novel, the first of my FOLD haul from this year's festival, that reads as snapshots of three generations of lives. I say snapshots because each chapter is only 1-3 pages long, and is so vivid in description and emotion that you are immersed in the moment you are sharing with the characters. The story is non linear, as ideas are picked up in one chapter and left hanging at the end, sometimes revisited a few chapters later, sometimes never at all, reminiscent of the loops and whorls of memory. The English language version I was reading is a translation of the original French, but I didn't find any awkwardness or feel 'lost-in-translation' at any point.
Summary: After a very brief introduction to our protagonist, Vi, the narrative swoops backwards to flesh out the history of her family. We are introduced to her grandparents, and then watch how the love of her parents unfolds and is shaped by their unique personalities. Side characters are given their own portraits of words as well, and, as Thúy mentioned during one of the panel events at the FOLD, do their best to steal the show with their endearing quirks. Even as we learn of the dramatic steps taken by Vi's mother to get them out of war-torn Vietnam, Vi herself plays only a background role. It is about half way through the novel that she begins to tell her own story and we learn that her invisibility throughout the first part of the text is a direct manifestation of her character, transcending the narrative itself. She explains that she was taught to be in the shadows by her mother, but now begins to be drawn out by the different events and choices of her life.
Vi distinguishes herself from most other young female protagonists, as she talks of the falling into and out of love so beautifully and yet without any pomp or circumstance; it isn't the shouting kind of love, it is subtle. For example, on page 74 we are given this description: "Like my mother with my father, like Hoa with Long, I came to love him slowly, patiently, counting and noting the number of times per week he pronounced my name" (Thúy). The mundanity of hearing your name spoken becomes something special and makes us as readers think of all the little things our partners do that we adore. As Vi grows and her life takes her in different directions, she shares her love with many people, some more traditional, like family, but some very unconventional. However, each type of love is described in a unique, yet everyday way that makes it feel all the more authentic. Her love also takes her away from her mother's expectations of her, and the tension this creates in her family is an interesting subtext to the rest of the story.
Teacher Note: This is a hard one. I feel like the writing is accessible to any grade, 9-12, however, the non-linear and unique plot construction described above make it not for everyone. Students with less mature reading tastes will miss the 'one-plus-one-equals' sort of storyline and find it difficult to stay engaged. A more mature reader, however, will be drawn in by the richness of the language and the intricacies of life that are represented. The novel would be a great core text for a writer's craft class, for example, as it is short but powerful, an economy of words where none is wasted, like a traditional short story that decided it wanted to spread its wings. The novel also offers avenues for exploration in its representation of historical events and the immigrant experience, while also having many interesting relationships that would benefit from the application of a feminist lens.
One of the hot topics right now for me as an educator is how we can offer texts that provide students with more than just a window into the extremes of another time, culture, or conflict, and instead provide diverse texts that are mirrors for students to see themselves reflected in. While it is true that one of the main conflicts of the novel is spurred on by the Vietnam War, it is just a backdrop to the more central conflicts of family and identity. This text is a mirror that makes all that look into it appreciate their own beauty.
Final Thought: From the perspective of someone who loves the art of writing, this was a real treat. I didn't even mind that so much was left open by the time the story concluded. It just seemed like I was welcomed into the lives of these people for a short while, and then lost my privileged position in their circle as we all went our separate ways; an amicable turning away rather than a forced separation. That is just how life is.
📚 Ms. CAN Lit
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