Draft:The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai

= The Mountains Sing = The Mountains Sing is a historical novel written in 2020 by a Vietnamese writer named Nguyen Phan Que Mai. This novel was published by the Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill company and has received widespread praise for its narrative of the Vietnamese experience over the 20th century while focusing predominately on the Vietnam War and its aftermath.

Background
Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai is a poet and novelist having been awarded for her work. She is known for bringing a deep personal and familial connection to the history of Vietnam within her writing. “The Mountains Sing” is her first ever novel written in English, and it expands greatly on her personal and family’s experiences. She delves into the interconnectedness of her family history while also expressing how historical events shaped Vietnam over the past century.

Plot Summary
The Mountains Sing tells a story about the Tran family dating back several generations. The overall plot is based around the highly resilient matriarch Dieu Lan and her granddaughter, Huong. The story alternates between their two perspectives spanning all the way from the French colonial period through the Japanese occupation, land reform, the Vietnam War, and post-war Vietnam.

Dieu Lan dives deeper into her chilling experiences having survived a great number of hardships such a the Gret Hunger and Land Reform. Her granddaughter, Huong, offers a more modern view expanding on the aftermath of the Vietnam War and ongoing struggle experienced across the Vietnamese people. This novel does a phenomenal job capturing the sheer strength and resilience of the Vietnamese people and an enduring bond of family during a harrowing time.

Family and Resilience
This novel shines brightly on the unbreakable and unnerving bond of family. Although having faced incredible adversity, the Tran family supports each other through thick and think. This showcases a true and unshakeable bond of family, love, and unity.

War and Trauma
The Mountains Sings highlights the traumatic effects of the Vietnam War and the impact it had on both individuals and families. It expressively captures the physical and emotional wounds left by the conflict and the overall long-term impact that violence and displacement had.

Cultural Heritage and Identity
Nguyen Phan Que Mai emphasized the great importance of cultural heritage as well as identity. Through the story told of Dieu and Huong, we gain a valuable insight about the traditions of the Vietnamese people, their folklore, and a very deep sense of connection with the characters and Vietnam.

Critical Reception
The Mountains Sing was widely praised for many reasons, highlighted from the New York Times, it was emphasized for its lyrical prose, rich storytelling, and historical depth.[2] Critics have praised the author for her great skill and ability to integrate personal and national histories together in a highly compelling novel as described by Publisher Weekly.[3]

The author has received numerous awards for this novel to include:


 * Winner of the 2020 Lannan Literary Award Fellowship for Fiction
 * Winner of the 2020 American Book Award
 * Finalist for the 2021 Dayton Literary Peace Prize
 * A New York Times Editors' Choice

About the Author
Nguyen Phan Que Mai was born in Vietnam in 1973. She has published several poems, short stories, and novels most predominately in Vietnamese. However, she wrote this novel in English allowing her to widen the reach to a greater audience. She is described as being well known for her ability to preserve and promote Vietnamese culture and heritage through her work and reflect deeply on her connection to the history of her homeland.

Publication Details

 * Title: The Mountains Sing
 * Author: Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
 * Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
 * Publication Date: March 17, 2020
 * Pages: 352
 * ISBN: 978-1616208189

See Also:

 * Vietnam War
 * Vietnamese diaspora
 * Vietnamese literature
 * History of Vietnam
 * Nguyễn dynasty