The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

 

Publisher: HarperCollins UK

On Sale Date:  March 17th 2020

Pages: 352

This is a review of a book that I bought 

The Mountains Sing tells the moving story of four generations of the Tran family, in 20th century Vietnam.

Huong grows up during the war in Vietnam. Her parents and uncles have signed up for the North Vietnamese Army and leave trough the Ho Chi Minh trail to fight against the American army. Huong stays behind with her grandmother in Hanoi. Daily life is very difficult during the war, and Huong wants nothing more then her parents coming back alive and well. Her grandmother, born in 1920 is loving, caring and kind,  and she tells Huong the story of her own life; about the French colonisation/occupation of Vietnam, the Japanese invasion, her life on the farm, and how she had to leave her farm with her six children during the Land Reform and how she survived the time of the Great Hunger.

The Mountains Sing is detailed novel set in different decades, the present and the past. It is a story of the inter-generational effects of repeated trauma and displacement. It highlights the impact and cost of the events that led up to Vietnam War and the war itself on the Vietnamese people from their perspective while interweaving in the language and traditions of their culture.It is also the coming of age story of the youngest family member who hears all the family history through stories, develops a love of reading and eventually becomes a poet and writes a book. Sometimes though the stories of the grandmother where a bit long, and altough it was beautifully written, it sometimes made the story slow, and at some points the story missed some more plot development and speed.

But further on it is an entertaining read, not as strong as the author's newest book Dust Child, but it's a book not to miss for everyone interested in Vietnam.