With an air of an autobiographical sketch, Ru was a pleasure to read. Kim Thúy weaves a tale of what it is like to be a refugee in Canada and what is like to leave one’s home country.
Her novel follows Nguyen, a women once from Vietnam who is recounting her life. Sometimes a girl, other times a mother, her story telling is deeply engrossing making this book hard to put down.
The story, told in vignettes, jumps around in time and place as different thoughts flow through Nguyen’s mind. Sometimes reflecting on her own children, others reflecting on her mother and how her mother’s behaviour makes sense to her now that she is also a mother.
I really liked the style and meter. The words slowly pour over your eyes, each with a meaning deeper than their definition.
This novel gives you a lot to think about and is a good book to read in a time when the political climate is not looking kindly on refugees. I rate this book a 6 out of 10.
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