Queen B’s Decree: My first introduction to this author was recent, when I read her debut for a book club. Thus, I was pretty excited to see another release from her coming out soon.
Dust Child was both a very emotional, yet educational read for me. I feel as if there is so much I never knew about the Vietnamese War and the repercussions to both the American soldiers and the Vietnamese people. Dust Child is told in alternating timelines from back in 1969 and in modern day, 2016, and it tells the stories of a few intermingling characters. Phong, an Amerasian, trying to get his family to America after a lifetime of racism and hardship; Dan, an American war vet coming back to Vietnam to find the woman and child he left behind; and Trang, the woman Dan left behind.
I don’t know how, but despite the desperation and traumatic events all the characters go through, at the end, I was left with this feeling of happiness and hopefulness. It’s as if Dust Child is the story of resiliency and hope.
Overall, a fantastic read.
Book: Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
Series: standalone
Genre: Fiction
Hotness: no salsa
Plot Devices/Tropes: war, alternating timelines