Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai’s Dust Child is a beautifully written, deeply moving novel about the Vietnam War’s lasting impact. Through the intertwined stories of an Amerasian man searching for his birth parents, a war veteran haunted by his past, and two Vietnamese sisters struggling to survive, Quế Mai delivers an unforgettable exploration of identity, guilt, and healing.
Shifting between past and present, the novel weaves multiple perspectives with grace. Phong, abandoned because of his mixed heritage, yearns for answers. Dan, a former American pilot, returns to Vietnam carrying secrets and regret. Trang and Quỳnh, two young women in 1969 Saigon, make heartbreaking choices to escape poverty. Their journeys converge in unexpected ways, revealing the wounds of war and human resilience.
Quế Mai’s writing is lyrical and immersive, painting a vivid picture of Vietnam’s history and culture. Her dissertation research on Amerasian children, including interviews with Vietnam veterans, gives the book a powerful authenticity. Her character development is excellent—I could feel Trang’s pain, the weight of her choices, and the scars they left.
Although not perfect, there is much to admire. The pacing lags slightly, but the depth of character and historical insight more than make up for it. Dust Child is a powerful, compassionate novel that lingers long after the last page. A 4.5-star read I highly recommend.
** Thanks to the publisher for a complimentary review copy. The opinions are my own.