I finally finished The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh. I meant to finish it during AANHPI month, but I got busy and distracted, so there’s that. I wanted to finish it by mid-June though, so I could start reading queer novels for Pride Month.
I’d give this book 4 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As the first person in my family to be born in the U.S., it was interesting reading the perspectives from the different generations of women (the refugees who fled to America during the Vietnam War and the first generation Americans who grew up having to toe the line between assimilating into American society and respecting familial traditions).
I learned some new Vietnamese words that I didn’t know before. For example, đặc biệt means special. In the book, someone’s mom always called her special in a demeaning way. I know đặc biệt from ordering rice and noodle dishes at Vietnamese restaurants.
I’d like to read more fictional books written about the Vietnamese diaspora that are based on local legends/mythology etc. I don’t know much of the country’s history or folklore because my parents didn’t spend a lot of time passing on this information. It kinda helps me feel some type of connection to my background.
Does anyone know of other Vietnamese diaspora stories?