Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Dust Child
- Narrated by: Quyen Ngo
- Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Dust Child
Buy Now for £13.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
Summary
In 1969, two sisters from rural Việt Nam leave their parents’ home and travel to the bustling city of Sài Gòn. Soon their lives are swept up in the unstoppable flames of a war that is blazing through their country. They begin working as ‘bar girls’ in one of the drinking dens frequented by American GIs, forced to accept that survival now might mean compromising the values they once treasured.
Decades later, two men wander through the streets and marketplaces of a very different Sài Gòn: modern, forward-looking, healing. Phong – the son of a Black American soldier and a Vietnamese woman – embarks on a search to find his parents and a way out of Việt Nam, while Dan, a war veteran, hopes that retracing the steps of his youth will ease the PTSD that has plagued him for decades.
When the lives of these unforgettable characters converge, each is forced to reckon with the explosive events of history that still ripple through their lives. Now they must work out what it takes to move forward in this richly poetic saga from Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai at her very best.
Critic reviews
"Dazzling. Sharply drawn and hauntingly beautiful." (Elif Shafek, Women's Prize-shortlisted author of The Island of Missing Trees)
"Achingly honest and ultimately hopeful." (Library Journal, starred review)
"Another triumph! Powerful and deeply empathetic. A heartbreaking tale of lost ideals, human devotion, and hard-won redemption." (Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sympathizer)
More from the same
What listeners say about Dust Child
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- yvonney
- 07-08-23
Brilliant heart felt
Best storyline ever . Highly recommended and so emotionally charged. Bringing characters to life. True to life.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- JB
- 25-03-24
beautifully written and superbly narrated
This was a beautifully written and superbly narrated book. The storyline was captivating with each of the main characters’ back stories developing well. The background of the war in Vietnam with the impact felt by combatants, civilians and their families and communities was portrayed effectively and sympathetically.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Christina
- 27-02-24
Incredible!
I adore this author. I've devoured both of her books and can't wait for the next.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- HFN
- 10-09-23
Incredible story
The background of this story and research make it fabulous . The prose can seem stiff in parts where there is a disconnect but i think overall is fabulous
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dixie_Chick
- 25-06-23
Wonderful - Highly Recommend
Fantastic writing born out by brilliant narration - this title is a must-listen! The characters are so real and believable and the events described in a way that draws the reader into the story. I’ve highly recommended this book to family and friends,
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Carrie
- 22-07-23
Reminds of Miss Saigon but with much more context
This is well researched and atmospheric book which captures the lives of bar girls in Vietnam. The story is similar to depictions of GI relationships in the musical Miss Saigon, but this book has given me far more insights into the culture and experiences of Vietnamese women. It was quite easy to guess how the characters lives are interconnected so the historical detail was the main draw of the book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!