Last updated on May 4, 2019
I recently finished reading Listen, Slowly by Thanhhà Lại after hearing it recommended by Anne at Modern Mrs Darcy. It’s a book about identity, friendship, change and loss. It’s a story about Mia/Mai, a young Vietnamese girl growing up in California. She’s looking forward to a summer at the beach with her best friend, but is instead whisked off to Vietnam on a trip with her grandmother. They are trying to learn what happened to her grandfather during the war. When she gets there, her blood is too sweet, her clothes are wrong, she understand and speaks little Vietnamese and she’s generally miserable about this disruption in her life.
During the time that Mai spends in Vietnam, she discovers more than she’s ever known before about her background, and about her parents and grandparents. She gets to meet numerous family members and experience the joy of family connections, friendships and being comfortable with herself. She even learns some Vietnamese.
This is a beautiful story. As someone who doesn’t speak any tonal languages, I have great admiration and respect for people who do. I enjoyed learning about Vietnamese diacritical marks, which are also something Mai gains appreciation for in the story
Mai is quirky and interesting. In many ways, she’s a typical teenager, consumed in her own life but she loves and respects her parents and grandparents. This allows her to experience another world, where she develops greater caring and consideration for others while learning about different types of friendships and relationships. There were times when I laughed out loud in this book. I highly recommend it.
Quotes
I’ve always thought these little marks are like decorations, a way to call attention to yourself like people who spell “Amy” as “Aimee” or “Aimy” or “Aymee” or Amee.”
I’m so bored, the kind where you bite off all your nails and wish they’d grow back instantly so you could bite them again.
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