62 pages • 2 hours read
Things We Lost to the Water
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Book Brief
304
Novel • Fiction
New Orleans • 1970s
2021
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Things We Lost to the Water by Eric Nguyen follows the lives of Hương and her sons Tuấn and Bình as they emigrate from Vietnam to New Orleans to rebuild their lives. The novel explores their struggles with identity, family, and assimilation, as each member faces distinct challenges and traumas in their journey to carve out a sense of home and belonging in a new country. Includes references to war, trauma, and anti-gay bias.
Melancholic
Nostalgic
Bittersweet
Emotional
Contemplative
Reviews & Readership
11,970 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Eric Nguyen’s Things We Lost to the Water has garnered praise for its evocative storytelling, rich character development, and immersive portrayal of the Vietnamese immigrant experience. However, some reviewers felt the narrative pacing lagged at times. Overall, it is celebrated for its emotional depth and cultural resonance, despite minor structural issues.
Who Should Read Things We Lost to the Water?
Fans of The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen or Pachinko by Min Jin Lee will appreciate Things We Lost to the Water. This work should captivate readers interested in multi-generational immigrant stories, family dynamics, and the Vietnamese diaspora, weaving rich narratives of resilience and identity.
11,970 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
304
Novel • Fiction
New Orleans • 1970s
2021
Adult
18+ years
Continue your reading experience
Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.