Super Short Summary

The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai is a multigenerational family saga set against the backdrop of Vietnam's turbulent 20th-century history, focusing on the lives of Hương and her grandmother Diệu Lan. The narrative alternates between Diệu Lan's experiences from the 1930s to the 1950s, encompassing French colonialism, World War II, the Great Famine, and the Communist Land Reform, and Hương's story during the Vietnam War and its aftermath in the 1970s. The novel explores themes of resilience, family bonds, and the impact of historical events on personal lives. The book addresses issues including wartime violence, death, trauma, and systemic oppression.