I read Novel Without a Name (1995) and Paradise of the Blind (1988) and was quite impressed with both. This was written in 1996 and is much longer than the first two. (She has three other novels that I know of translated into English: No Man's Land, Beyond Illusions, and The Zenith.) Though there were sections that I enjoyed, this is easily my least favorite of the three. I thought it often predictable, didactic, and even occasionally lazy. In addition, though all three books were translated by the same team (Nina McPherson and Phan Huy Duong), this translation seemed awkward from time to time with odd word choices, syntax, and a reliance on cliches (a comment echoed a number of times on goodreads as well). Unlike the other works of hers that I have read, this one treats the war far more incidentally, focusing instead on life in post-war Vietnam and in particular on the marriage of Hung, a gifted composer. and his wife, Suong, an exceptional singer. Hung loses his job in a political power play and he quickly spirals into self-destructive behavior. He is mistaken by the regime as a “boat person” seeking to flee the country. As a result, he is sent to a re-education camp and his life and marriage take a drastic turn for the worse. I won’t spoil the ending but I will say that I found parts—if not much of it—hard to accept. There is plenty of social, political, and even philosophical commentary. Minor characters tend to be stick figures except for one relatively significant one who disappears from the narrative without a trace. I will admit much of my disappointment relates to my great respect for the other two novels, but despite the segments of the writing I liked here, despite the (generally) excellent portrayals of Hung and Suong, despite some moving and powerfully wrought sections, I can’t bring myself to recommend it. I’m sorry to see only no other reviews here and eagerly await others’ opinions. ( )

I could not get into this book -- the disjointed narrative, fuzzy characters, and the thoughts in italics did not work for me, even though, I am sure, the story is an important one. ( )