“Dust Child” by Nguyen Phan Que Mai
I chose to read this book as it is based in Vietnam. It does include the period of the war when American forces were destroying the countryside using chemicals which hopefully nowadays would never be considered. Whilst there are sections covering the war where we follow two sisters, Trang and Quynh, the main story coalesces around the principle characters during 2016. This selection was a good choice; the book has a lot to offer the reader.
There are three main family strands within the storyline. The aforementioned sisters, then Phong, who is an Amerasian [one of mixed America and Vietnamese birth] and his family. Finally Dan, an American ex-helicopter pilot, accompanied by his wife, Linda, returning to visit Vietnam for the first time since his combat days. His past haunts him and he has secrets from Linda which distance allowed him to bury, but not to his own well-being or mental health, flashbacks ever present in his mind.
The sisters are country girls helping their parents with their rice farm. Their father a veteran of the long war is bed ridden and in debt. They are persuaded by a friend who has already left their village for Sai Gon to accompany her to earn good money as bar girls where they are given names of Kim and Lan. Their innocence is soon washed away as they entertain the American GIs. After sometime Kim meets a young American pilot who seems different to the others. This is Dan and they start a close relationship, Dan providing Kim with a flat much against her sister’s better judgement. The inevitable pregnancy ensues; Dan, by now worn weary by war, disappears leaving the sisters to cope with the baby’s birth.
Phong as an orphan was left outside a convent to be brought up by a Nun. His father an African-American, his mother Vietnamese. He stands out due to his dark skin and has endured bullying and deprivation. He has come through this and is now happily married with two children but is seeking an American visa for his whole family to emigrate to the States for a better life. We learn about his loving childhood cared for by Sister Nha but when she dies he is left alone. Phong is a beautifully crafted character, and as the dust child of the title he adds much to enhance and enrich the storyline; his life filled with the love of his family.
Dan and Linda are on holiday and have hired the services of a local guide, Thien. Dan has never told Linda about Kim or how he deserted her when she became pregnant. He has plans to find Kim and his naiveness in thinking he could achieve this without disturbing his marriage is soon exposed, not helped by Thien. It is Dan’s search, now assisted by Thien, who improves as you get to know more about him, that leads their story forwards. Phong meets them and their lives become entangled as the events in this book unfold, linking the three strands together.
The writing is good, the author is also a poet, this is evident in her use of language as she describes her homeland. The reader feels the countryside, it’s beauty, and then vividly the destruction left by the Americans. There was much barbarity which is not avoided but the overall impression the reader is left with is of the beauty of Vietnam today. The twists and turns of the story make for a rewarding read, one that is easy to add to my read and recommended listing.
