Book Review: Trang Sen by Sarah Ann-Smith

Title: Trang Sen (a Novel)

Author: Sarah-Ann Smith

Publisher:  Pisgah Press

Published: April 17, 2012

Pages: 304

Source: ebook (from the author)

 

 

 

  

War and loss dog the heels of her and her family, yet Trang Sen, the Vietnamese heroine of Sarah-Ann Smith’s new novel, is defiant. Rebellious and headstrong even as a child, she struggles to make more of her life than seems possible. As she moves from her parents’ rice farm to the streets and alleys of Saigon, her world opens up — but as new paths become visible, others are shut off. Caught between her own dreams and the needs of her family, between her love for learning and the excitement of war-time Saigon, Trang Sen embarks on a journey that requires heartbreaking choices.
Americans tend to remember the Vietnam War as something painful that happened to us. We think much less about the experience or the much greater pain endured by the Vietnamese. In showing us that tragic time through the eyes of a Vietnamese woman growing up during the war, Smith also shows how Vietnamese lives were formed and deformed by that long travail, and about the kinds of choices so many were forced to make amid terrible circumstances.
 

 

 

The day when the author emailed me about reviewing this book, I really don't know what to expect on this but as I found out that this has a history involved I started to become excited. Finally I'm done reading it and it didn't disappoint me. While I was reading I remembered the first book that I've read with the touch of history too it happened for real actually. I remembered that and I seriously got hooked on this book right away. 

Every story I don't want to miss it. I want to continue reading it to know what will happen next and what will happen to Trang Sen. I adore her, she's a fighter no matter how many hindrances she had she learned to stand up on her own. This novel gave hope to other people that's how I see it. Reading this book,  I really felt goosebumps all over my body and I had mixed emotions and it made me cry. I felt pain and sadness but there's the happy part of course. But that's how I got so hooked in the story. 

I didn't understand at first what was the letter from Uncle Blake was all about but then I finally figured it out and I was able to understand everything. Well this book tackles the Vietnam-American war which is so intense. I'm a history lover and I really appreciate this book. I somehow understand things during those times it was like I was there seeing Trang Sen in her life. It's been a really challenging one for her but she can still handle things. I don't know how can she do that and how much courage she have to put in herself. 

The author, I salute her for making this novel. She let me see outside the box. She let me explore on that little scene and let me see what happened during those times. I will treasure this e-book and read it over again sometime. I love it so much and I thanked Sarah-Ann Smith for the opportunity to read this book.