The novel starts with the Trung women of modern day New Orleans, working their way backwards and detailing the lives of several Trung women all the way to Lady Trieu in 226 AD and the Trung sisters’ rebellion in 40 AD. But these powerful warriors may seem a far cry from these powerful women.
Xuan and her daughters Trac, Nhi, and Trieu are immigrants from Vietnam to America. For Xuan’s daughters especially, this manifests in a confusing “in between” nationality, a war with both American prejudices and Vietnamese cultural heritage, a divide between parent and child, and the shame that festers from all of this. ..
Tran’s mother’s pageant trophy is a source of inspiration for her novel, as it represents her own heritage. She candidly details in her author’s note how she does not know much about her family history, and how she participated in the erasure of her own family. Through the use of her mother’s pageant trophy, Tran embraces her heritage and learns to appreciate it more.
The novel, “The Sympathizer,” tells the story of a Vietnamese American family’s connection to Vietnam through a trophy from the Vietnam War. The trophy represents memories and mysteries for Xuan Trung, the protagonist’s mother, but it is also a tie to her upbringing in Vietnam and to the generations of other women in her family. ..
Despite juggling so many pieces, Tran has an incredible ability to completely immerse us in each woman’s life. The multiple perspectives can be difficult to follow, but the resulting stories are compelling and engaging.
The characters in Daughters of the New Year are complex and compelling, and their story is one of generational change and love. I felt like I was being pulled away from them, but diving back in was always so easy because there are no single characters in this book who aren’t two-dimensional, with their own distinct and compelling voices. Each contributes to a complex tapestry of an incredible and moving generational saga.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hanover Square Press for providing me with an advance copy of Daughter of the New Year! The novel will be published on October 11th, 2022. You can pre-order it here! ..
