Dust Child

De: Que Mai Phan Nguyen

Narrado por: Quyen Ngo

From the internationally bestselling author of The Mountains Sing, a suspenseful and moving saga about family secrets, hidden trauma, and the overriding power of forgiveness, set during the war and in present-day Việt Nam.

In 1969, sisters Trang and Quỳnh, desperate to help their parents pay off debts, leave their rural village and become “bar girls” in Sài Gòn, drinking, flirting (and more) with American GIs in return for money. As the war moves closer to the city, the once-innocent Trang gets swept up in an irresistible romance with a young and charming American helicopter pilot. Decades later, an American veteran, Dan, returns to Việt Nam with his wife, Linda, hoping to find a way to heal from his PTSD and, unbeknownst to her, reckon with secrets from his past.

At the same time, Phong—the son of a Black American soldier and a Vietnamese woman—embarks on a search to find both his parents and a way out of Việt Nam. Abandoned in front of an orphanage, Phong grew up being called “the dust of life,” “Black American imperialist,” and “child of the enemy,” and he dreams of a better life for himself and his family in the U.S.

Past and present converge as these characters come together to confront decisions made during a time of war—decisions that force them to look deep within and find common ground across race, generation, culture, and language. Suspenseful, poetic, and perfect for fans of Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko or Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing, Dust Child tells an unforgettable and immersive story of how those who inherited tragedy can redefine their destinies through love, hard-earned wisdom, compassion, courage, and joy.

©2023 Que Mai Phan Nguyen (P)2023 Algonquin Books

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai will win many more readers with her powerful and deeply empathetic second novel. From the horrors of war and its enduring afterlife for men and women, lovers and children, soldiers and civilians, she weaves a heartbreaking tale of lost ideals, human devotion, and hard-won redemption. Dust Child establishes Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai as one of our finest observers of the devastating consequences of war, and proves, once more, her ability to captivate readers and lure them into Viet Nam’s rich and poignant history."—Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Sympathizer and The Committed

"Dazzling. Sharply drawn and hauntingly beautiful."—Elif Shafak, author of The Island of Missing Trees

"Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai shows us the capacity we hold to confront our pasts, for the purpose of life is not to remain intact, but to break open, to let loss be a guide, to face the echoes of longing. In Dust Child, rupture leads to emotional richness and pain creates the pathways worth walking. I truly cannot wait for the rest of the world to celebrate this book."—Chanel Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Know My Name

Please read this book

This book is so good. It makes you feel so many emotions, and gives a view through fiction of a perspective that Americans rarely, if ever get and is very powerful

relatable, emotional, informative

A well written story with sympathetic characters. it depicts a most human aspect of American Vietnam war. it is thought provoking and touching. the marathon was expert as well

Beautiful!

Very informative and well written. I loved all the characters that display their human nature and condition. I will look for other books from this author.

What an excellent book

I just love this book. This was a very thoughtful look at other aspects of war.

Inspiring

This book wrecked me, but then built me back up and has given me hope. A great story of growth and forgiveness. Of suffering but also love. Beautifully written and beautifully performed.

I rarely cry reading a book

This book was far removed from the types of books that I typically read or listen to. I cannot say more strongly: this book is a must read for a number of reasons.  I had a little knowledge of the lives of the Vietnamese people, and what they went through during this war. The stories were so real, and so human, and the performance was excellent. This book was excellent and will stay with me for years to come.

The story is so believable

The characters are very authentic and the story’s accuracy reflects the events of a terrible war that never should have been fought

HISTORICAL FICTION WITH REAL LIFE DRAMA AND TRAUMA! EXCELLENT WRITING AND NARRATION

It's so powerful and heartwarming to dive deep into real life stories, prejudices. and adversity that so many people deal with. The realities of so many people are heartbreaking, but there is HOPE. Congratulations to the Author. This could be a movie, I was hoping to find it. When we share our past and get into acceptance we can grow, we are not alone.

Touching story

The story is a touching one, depicting some of the fallout of war, the impact on civilians, but also the situation of way too many women, whether in war or peace. The limited choices faced by two sisters in a patriarchal society and whose parents had debts to pay beyond their means would have been quite limited even in peace time. Though people look at this book as a story of an Amerasian whose father was black, and his struggles, of the plight of Amerasians who were born of mostly irresponsible US soldiers in Vietnam, it is definitely more than that. It is also the story of young women duped into sex work, a story that, sadly, is all too common today, as well. The story is moving but the level of coincidence as it reaches its end is even more absurd than in a Victorian novel. The narrator did a fine job.

Another amazing book by Nguyen Phan Que Mai

Nguyen Phan Que Mai brings you into the life of people living out the aftermath of the Vietnam War. She places you in the life of various characters to understand many perspectives. Eye opening for me! As always, her writing is wonderful.