Dust Child
Vietnam

Dust Child

by Que Mai Phan Nguyen

War & Conflict Historical Fiction 2023

Summary

Dust Child follows several characters whose lives were shaped by the Vietnam War and its long aftermath. In 1969, young Trang and her sister leave their rural village for Saigon, hoping to earn money for their struggling family. There, Trang becomes involved with an American serviceman, an encounter that changes the course of her life. Decades later, Phong, a Vietnamese man born to a Vietnamese mother and an African American father, searches for a way to leave Vietnam with his family. Meanwhile, an American veteran returns to the country he once fought in, hoping to confront his memories and make amends. As their stories intersect, the novel examines the lasting effects of war on families, particularly those who were marginalised or abandoned. Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai explores identity, parenthood, prejudice, and the possibility of reconciliation across generations.

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About the author
Que Mai Phan Nguyen
Que Mai Phan Nguyen

Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai is a Vietnamese writer, poet, translator, and author whose work often explores Vietnam’s history, war, displacement, and the experiences of people whose stories have been overlooked. Born in northern Vietnam and raised in the Mekong Delta, she has published extensively in both Vietnamese and English. Her novels include The Mountains Sing and Dust Child, and her writing has been translated into numerous languages.

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Details
Published
2023
Author
Que Mai Phan Nguyen