62 pages • 2 hours read
Things We Lost to the Water
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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
Tuấn
Tuấn
The older son of Hương and Công, who navigates his Vietnamese heritage and the struggles of assimilation while growing up in New Orleans.
Bình (Ben)
Bình (Ben)
Hương and Công’s younger son, raised mostly in America, whose search for identity leads him away from his family’s expectations.
Vinh
Vinh
A Catholic immigrant from Vietnam who becomes Hương's partner and attempts, with varying success, to support her family.
Addy
Addy
Bình’s childhood best friend, a fellow child of immigrants, who later becomes Tuan's girlfriend.
Lan
Lan
Công’s second wife in Vietnam, who presents an alternate life path for Hương had she stayed in her home country.
304
Novel • Fiction
New Orleans • 1970s
2021
Adult
18+ years
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