Quế Mai's debut English-language novel, "The Mountains Sing," offers a unique perspective rarely explored. It delves into the lives of North Vietnamese people across four generations, from the 1930s to the present day. Born in Vietnam in 1973, the author draws from her family, friends, and neighbors' experiences, capturing the resilience and hardships of a people marked by invasion, occupation, and socio- political upheaval.
The novel's narrative unfolds through two main characters and two intertwining timelines. The first protagonist, Trấn Diệu Lan (the Grandma), was born in 1920 into a prosperous farming family, while the second, Hủỏng (the Granddaughter), grows up during the Vietnam-American War, with her parents serving in different roles. The story progresses chronologically for each character, but the timelines themselves alternate, so one chapter may feature a young Trấn Diệu Lan, while the next presents her as an elderly woman. Pre-1970 scenes are narrated in the first person by the Grandma, and post-1970 scenes are told from the perspective of the Granddaughter, creating a nuanced storytelling structure that may be a bit challenging to follow. Readers will have to navigate between these multiple voices.
The book will reflecting on the war focuses on its impact on the people. Quế Mai's narrative is driven by how Trấn Diệu Lan, Hủỏng, and their family respond to the immense, impersonal threats that endanger their existence. These include the French, who are ruthless and condescending colonizers; the Japanese, who are vicious in expanding their "co-prosperity sphere"; and the Americans, who drop bombs and use pesticides. While external enemies have caused significant harm, Quế Mai doesn't shy away from scrutinizing the Communist government in North Vietnam. Notably, she portrays the Communist Land Reform, where even moderately successful individuals could lose their property or even their lives as "capitalist landlords." While portraying the downfall of her own family, the author somewhere gleams over the exploitation of landowners and portrays them as kind patrons.
Written in a straight and descriptive tone, the author excels at introducing readers to an unfamiliar world and culture, incorporating Vietnamese words, religious practices, and beliefs, and providing insight into everyday life. She consistently and effectively weaves everyday details into her storylines.
"The Mountains Sing has a wide-ranging narrative, spanning from 1930 to 2017 in a relatively short book of 339 pages. In contrast to a conventional three-act structure, the story unfolds around significant events, such as the impactful sequence set during the Land Reform, characterized by precise observations that blur the line between fiction and nonfiction. However, the book's weakness lies in its characterizations, as Trấn Diệu Lan and Hủỏng come across as nearly identical. Their voices are so similar that one would struggle to distinguish between them if randomly opening a chapter without glancing at the chapter heading. Additionally, keeping track of the extended family can be challenging until later in the novel when more time is spent with them."
Nonetheless, this book will take readers on an intriguing journey of discovering a nation torn by a powerful external aggressor and pulled in different directions from within. The author has given voice to diverse opinions. The horror left behind by a devastating war also gave space to hope and resilience of humanity.
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