Brothers and Ghosts

A groundbreaking work in German literature, Phạm’s novel marks a seminal accomplishment that tells the dignified, thorough, and epic story of a Vietnamese family through clear, gem-like sentences and unflinching observations. With Phạm’s vision, nothing is left unturned and all things are salvaged and lost at once. A courageous and bold achievement by a bright new voice. – Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

A young woman, torn between two cultures, belonging to neither.

A family, torn apart by a war they had no choice about.

Kiều calls herself Kim because it’s easier for Europeans to pronounce. She knows little about her Vietnamese family’s history until she receives a Facebook message from her estranged uncle in America, telling her that her grandmother is dying. Her father and uncle haven’t spoken since the end of the Vietnam War. One brother supported the Vietcong, while the other sided with the Americans.

When Kiều and her parents travel to America to join the rest of the family in California to open her grandmother’s will, questions relating to their past ― to what has been suppressed ― resurface and demand to be addressed.

Format/pages: paperback / 272 pages

ISBN: 9781915590046

Publisher: Scribe

Year: 2024