Great book and excellent narration

A fantastic book that dwells in contradiction and ambiguity. By the end it ends up being much more than the sum of its impressive parts.

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A gripping and graphic account

Far more than just “set” during and after the end of the Vietnam War, The Sympathizer explores universal themes with an unsparing eye. It is graphic and explicit but not without sardonic humour and sly discursions. Outstanding narration.

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Excellent Novel

I was in high school at the time of the Vietnam war. It was a horrible war for all. This book is based at the time of the US leaving Vietnam and the years after. It really depicts the thinking at the time both east and west. It is very well done and the narrator Francois Chau was excellent.

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Amazing Story

This book explores the complexity of the Vietnamese experience in such depth. The dynamics during the final days of the Vietnam War, the struggle to adapt to American culture, the racism faced in their new home and their love and longing for the homeland provides the perfect construct for a most compelling story. The characters are fully fleshed out and as their stories unfolded I was deeply engaged as a reader. the narration is first class and lends authenticity to the story. a fabulous audio book that I would highly recommend.

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2 people found this helpful

A timely reminder

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel… in other words I laughed, I cried and couldn’t wait to hear the ending.

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A great book for anyone who enjoys a slower pace

Quaint and self-loathingly charming, even when violent.

I loved this book but the question here of course is, will you? And the answer lies in what style is to your liking. Before exploring that question, let's look at the content itself. That the book has abundant literary meat to chew cannot be denied. The Sympathizer is filled with insight into the human condition, offers a satisfying story with some nice plot twists, has a smooth and even pace, and succeeds in creating vivid characters with personal stories in a historical setting that is revived in the pages of the books and maps of our globe. Also, it delves into the dual psychology of anyone bilingual or the product of two cultures while having been raised in only one. I like to think the author would agree that we are all in one way or another, a "bastard".
And style....For someone who loves a quick read with a plot always taking the shortest route to the outcome, this book may not be for you. This book is a multi-course meal, not a drive-thru.
But for those happy or willing to savour a dish knowing another is on the way, you'll find your literary belly slowly but surely filled. The lengthy descriptions are often very witty, with an attention to detail giving much to think about, and certainly worthy of a second and third listen. The sense of nuance renders the story multi-faceted and for history buffs brings the newly post Vietnam war-era conflict in a revealing yet dark light.
I highly recommend.

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7 people found this helpful

great read

I really enjoyed this book it was reccomend by a neighbor and I was surprised how good it is.

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Bold, Sweeping, Violent, Dark & Extraordinary

This dark, challenging Pulitzer prize winning novel "explores the Vietnam war and the war's many legacies (public and personal) from the point of view of a unamed Vietnamese spy as he writes his confession (to whom and for why is not clear until the last few very dark chapters). The protagonist (as expected with a character experiencing the duality of being a spy, an unreliable narrator) is forever the outsider, the illegimate child of a French Catholic priest and young teen housekeeper, sent to the US (where he gets a university education and proves his prodigious intellect) and on his return becomes an aide to a General with ties to the CIA while being a mole for the communists.

This is a sprawling book, the fall of Saigon and the frantic waiting for a plane to leave the country could have been a book on its own. Or the gently paced section in the 80s/90s settling into immigrant life in California with its fascinating asides into how even Vietnamese food is not quite right with Chinese ingredients, or the blinkered racism from a university professor, let alone the movie shoot section (both an incredible and WTF part of the book - which had many of the more amusing moments), that could also be another novel. The last section, where The Captain goes back with his closest friend (one of the few named men in the book) to help the communists and then subsequent capture and torture them - is just difficult, dark and heartbreaking. It took me considerable time to finish the last few chapters.

Narration was superb.

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