Vi. Una mujer minúscula

by Kim Thúy, Laura Salas Rodríguez (Translator)

Vi es la única hija de una familia vietnamita muy singular: una madre trabajadora, de extracción humilde, y un padre rico y mimado que nunca tuvo que crecer. La Guerra de Vietnam destruirá el equilibrio familiar conseguido por la madre, un personaje «de otro tiempo». Vi, junto a ella y sus hermanos, huirá a Canadá, tras pasar por un campo de refugiados; su padre no tendrá la misma suerte… Hay novelas que suelen ser llamadas «perfectas» en cuanto parecen mecanismos de relojería suiza; en otras, sin embargo, la vida se cuela por todas partes y la realidad, que es imperfecta, se impone sobre el artificio. Verdad y verosimilitud se confunden entonces. Ésta es una novela sobre la vida de una mujer joven que nació en un antiquísimo Vietnam, en rotunda transformación, y que creció en un Occidente de emigrantes atados a tabúes y contradicciones sin fin. Es una novela sobre refugiados y emigrantes, pero también sobre el amor y el misterio de la existencia en cualquier lugar de la Tierra. Flores y lecturas, comidas y viajes, además de ternura y nostalgia, van conformando la idiosincrasia de Vi, que recorre nuestro extenso mundo como si en realidad fuera diminuto, tanto como indica su propio nombre: Vi, que en vietnamita significa literalmente «preciosa minúscula microscópica».

Genres: Fiction, Canada, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Asia, France, Contemporary

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2016

About the author

Kim Thúy arrived in Canada in 1979, at the age of ten. She has worked as a seamstress, interpreter, lawyer and restaurant owner. She currently lives in Montreal where she devotes herself to writing.

Her debut novel Ru won the Governor General's Award for French language fiction at the 2010 Governor General's Awards. An English edition, translated by Sheila Fischman, was published in 2012 and was a shortlisted nominee for the 2012 Scotiabank Giller Prize.

Thúy spent her early childhood in Vietnam before fleeing with her parents as boat people and settling in the Montreal suburb of Longueuil. She has degrees in law, linguistics and translation from the Université de Montréal.

Reviews

[Pakinam Mahmoud · Rating 2 out of 5]

فتاة من فيتنام رواية للكاتبة الكندية من أصل فيتنامي كيم ثوي تدور أحداثها حول حياة الفتاة الفيتنامية 'في' التي هاجرت مع عائلتها من فيتنام بسبب الحرب وحصلت على حق اللجوء في كندا...

إستطاعت الكاتبة أن تلقي الضوء علي محاولة الفتاة التأقلم في مجتمع مختلف ومنفتح تماماً عن مجتمعها و كيف كانت تعيش في صراع ما بين عاداتها،ثقافتها وموروثات عائلتها و مابين حياتها الجديدة...

الرواية غريبة شوية..محسيتهاش رواية ..ممكن تكون أقرب لسيرة ذاتية..معرفش الصراحة..مش قادرة أصنفها أوي..
الشخصيات غير مرسومة بعناية...الفصول قصيرة ومختصرة بزيادة... مفيش أي تشويق..مفيش حتي أحداث مهمة أو أي حاجة إنت مستنيها أثناء القراءة...

رواية مكتوبة بطريقة غير تقليدية بس مقدرتش أحبها و معرفتش أندمج معها..

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kim Thúy's beautiful short story, Vi, is a must read for fiction lovers!

I won't lie, the fact that this book is so short was what drew me to it. I needed a quick read to keep me occupied while I was in a waiting room and this book was short enough to devour in one sitting. While this book might lack in quantity, it hits a real punch on the quality. I'm honestly surprised Kim is not a bigger author, because this book was mind-blowingly awesome. And yes, I am making mind-blowingly a word.

The cultural impact is probably the best part of this novel. Often, you can see silly cultural stereotypes in novels but this one did it right. You could tell Kim knew what she was talking about with the depth and nature of her words. It didn't feel cheap or obnoxious, it felt oddly satisfying to read about another culture that was not my own. Watching Vi's story take place over these pages was a fantastic adventure, since Kim wove her words so beautifully and made this story dance in my mind. I absolutely loved it!

I would have liked a better ending, I found it kind of "blah" compared to the rest of the novel. This book had me hooked and obsessed with Vi's journey and then the end just fell...well, flat. I would have liked something more. That was my only real issue with this novel. It is a translation (and my copy was an ARC) so there were some weird sentences with the translation but that wasn't a con for me. I moved passed those issues really easily when reading it.

Overall, this charming read is a great option if you want a story that will move you and impact your understanding of culture. I 100% recommend this book!

Four out of five stars.

I received an ARC of this book through Goodreads First Reads.

[Petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a GR Giveaway. Here is my honest review:

I loved this story. It's touching and felt real. A life of leaving one's home and fitting into a new home, mistakes made, stories left untold or unfinished made for a touching story. Vi's search for self, confidence and place made for terrific reading.

I really liked Kim Thuy's writing style. I haven't read her other book and plan to. Her sentences are short and yet state so much. The story is short, yet has a depth and span that goes beyond it's pages.

[Trang Tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book, Kim Thuy strikes again with her beautiful short but oh so meaningful sentences <3 Fell in love with the French language all over again ! As a girl born and raised in Vietnam myself, I can relate so much and I also discovered so much on my parents generations lives during war and misery.But what I liked the most is how Kim Thuy depicts the cultural differences between Vietnam and those who traveled to Canada and United States.

Un super gros merci à l'auteur pour ce beau cadeau de littérature à tous les lecteurs pour se rappeler encore une fois de ce Vietnam en beauté mais jamais gravée dans l'histoire, souvent oubliée de nos racines.

Trang- Book Blogger and Book Reviewer
http://bookidote.wordpress.com

[Heba]

" في عام ١٩٥٤ قسم خط العرض السابع عشر " فيتنام " إلى نصفين ، أما عام ١٩٧٥ فكان بمنزلة خط فاصل جديد بين فترة ما قبل الحرب وما بعدها وبين هيمنة السلطة وهيمنة الخوف..."
الفتاة " vi " تروي لنا حكاية عائلتها الفيتنامية ، ومحاولة الفرار أثناء تلك الفترة التاريخية القاسية مروراً بمعسكرات اللاجئين وصولاً إلى كندا...
كيف استطاعت والدتها وأخوتها التأقلم مع الحياة الجديدة محافظين على طقوس بلادهم وموروثاتهم العائلية...
في ظل أم مُحاربة...صامدة ، استطاع الأبناء أن يشقوا طريقهم عدا الفتاة تراها مُشوشة...خطواتها متعثرة ولا تعرف ماذا تريد...لربما يرجع ذلك لأن والدتها كانت تحاول طيلة حياتها حمايتها وألا يستنزف الحب قلبها مثلها ، فكانت تدفعها للانسحاب كوسيلة للدفاع والهجوم معاً ، فلما حاولت التمرد اقترفت المزيد من الأخطاء ورثتها الخسارة والخذلان..
إلى أن يستقر بها المقام مُجدداً في فيتنام الشمالية وتتعرف على وجوه مدنها المُنهك ، وهناك تختبر مشاعر الحب ليعيد تشكيلها من جديد...
ترى هل تحمل لها الأيام القادمة السعادة ؟ فبالرغم من إنها أصبحت لديها أجنحتها الخاصة إلا إنها مازالت لا تشعر بالأمان إلا بالإنزواء تحت جناحي من تحب....
ولكن ماذا لو كان طائر مُحلق يهددها برحيل مفاجيء وغياب محتمل...!!
كما لو كل الكائنات تغزل تارة قصص حب ووئام ، وتارة أخرى قصص بغض وانتقام......

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book by Kim Thuy that I have read. It is written with the same eloquence and extravagance as her book Ru.

One read Canada is a national, bilingual digital book club connecting readers to one another and their libraries. My local library is one such member. This years pick is this book, Vi, by Kim Thuy. The library members have made this book available in a digital format to all library patrons at the same time. One read Canada then ran live interviews with the author, one in English and one in French. This Canada wide opportunity was discussed at my last book club meeting, by Zoom, in January. (No book club members or library patrons were subjected to Covid risks by this simultaneous meeting and reading of this book).

So, as I started by saying, this book exudes grandiloquence and extraordinary diction, but not to the point of being pompous or bombastic. The writing is very enjoyable and appropriately matches the storytelling of the author. Much like Ru, this book takes us on the narrator’s journey from Vietnam, fleeing by boat, to a refugee camp and arriving in Canada. The story then continues with the life of a new immigrant from her childhood through to....

Each chapter is a short vignette of only a few pages yet the abundance of detail is more than sufficient to deliver the message of challenge, struggle, loss and accomplishment. Each story is filled with cultural references as well as Canadiana, all beautifully building the character of Vi.

While some chapters leave you wanting more story, more information, and may feel somewhat unfinished, they are enough to offer you an inside perspective of the plight of a new immigrant. Each chapter gracefully segues to the next. As the chapter begins in one place it morphs and evolves into another passionate articulation that is hours, miles, or years from whence it began. The entire book feels like one continuous sentence, yet disjointed, all delivered in one breathe....and then it is gone! For that reason it is best read in one sitting.

Although this is a literary fictional piece, you have to wonder if the characters are a reflection of the author and her experiences. I suppose all books are, but the descriptions often include such fine details that you ponder as they could only be true.

Translated from French, I also wonder if the original French version shares the same powerful literary effect. I suspect so. (Although I am proudly Canadian, I am not bilingual).

A short read, and even though it may lack the depth of a typical historical fiction, it is well worth the read for its sheer literary beauty.

[Bill on GR Sabbatical · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this fictionalized autobiography, in the form of vignettes, Vi, the narrator, first looks back through the generations of her family in Vietnam, up through the Communist victory of 1975. She then recounts escaping the country as a child with her mother and brothers by boat to Malaysia, from whence they eventually resettle in Canada, where she grows up and earns degrees in translation and law. Work and love keep her travelling the world, eventually back to Vietnam, where she reckons with her past. Her writing is often beautiful and I enjoyed the snapshots of Vietnamese immigrant life. I also enjoyed The Gangster We Are All Looking For by Lê Thi Diem Thúy, another fictionalized autobiography of a Vietnamese girl's escape from Vietnam after the war, but to San Diego.

[Penny (Literary Hoarders) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Kim Thuy is a beautiful writer. She's like Sarah Winman - beautiful use of words and not one extra one unnecessarily used. Sheila Fischman always translates from the French to English with just as much beauty as Thuy writes. She makes it just as lyrical and lovely as I'm sure it sounds in French.

I loved the style of how this was written - short vignettes of stories and I love how each short chapter was printed - the chapter "titles" were printed on the side with the English meaning of the Vietnamese word (if it was required).

The only thing that had me giving this 3.5 stars and not the full 4, is that the character of Vi was very flat and dry. There wasn't a lot of depth to her, and not as much to the other characters as well. While the stories told within the book were very good to read, there was just something flat and dry about Vi?

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. Maybe somewhat disappointed? I remember being rather blown away by "Ru", it was such a powerful story with so few words. I was expecting something similar and in a way this meets those expectations, but then again doesn't.

In terms of story, this felt very similar to "Ru". (Bear in mind it's been a few years since I read it so details are hazy at best in my mind.) The beginning was nice, plenty of background information of how people come to be those persons they are. But then something happens. Vi and her siblings grow up and it's just not interesting. The story picks up a bit when she's an adult well into working life and all that, but it still feels somewhat disjointed. Things happen, but there isn't much to bind the events together - sure, it's not always like that in life either, but this left me wanting something more.

At first I was a bit bummed with the ending, with a lot of loose ends and a very abrupt ending, but now that I think of it, it was maybe one of the best things about this. It somehow highlights the uncertainty of life, makes you understand that since we're at a certain point in Vi's life, there can't be a definite ending either.

This was a fast read, and while it wasn't a huge disappointment, it wasn't what I was hoping for. Thúy's language is beautiful and wonderful to read, but I wanted something more this time.

[pizca · Rating 3 out of 5]

"mi cuerpo había adoptado la forma de mis hermano y mi madre. Dormía entre sus brazos, sus costillas y los baches del suelo. ¿Cómo encontrarse de un día para otro en la blandura del colchón sin que me envolviese el sudor de mi familia, sin que me acunase su aliento?".
°
Vi y su familia se ven obligados a emigrar a Canadá tras la guerra de Vietnam pasando antes por un campo de refugiados. El fondo de esta novela nos muestra el sufrimiento, la violencia y la barbarie a la que se ven expuestos aquellos que tienen la desgracia de vivir una guerra. Tener que salir de tu país en un bote (boat people) y llegar a uno nuevo mutilada mental y físicamente (el caso de Hà) si has tenido "suerte" y no te ha tragado antes el mar.
°
La historia de Vi, su familia y sus amigos está marcada también por la tradición , los olores, los sabores, las idas y venidas en la memoria donde también hay cabida para lo bueno, para lo bello y para el amor.
"Durante el trayecto desde Saigón hasta el agua, mantuve el rostro pegado a su blusa, aún impregnada del aroma a melisa cidronela, que se negaba a cederle el sitio al del cilantro".
Así Thúy construye una novela realmente bonita que se lee en un plis, pero que deja poso.

[Noémie Hauver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Le charme de l’écriture poétique de Kim Thuy a encore une fois opéré sur moi. ✨

[فيصل السويدي · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.3
رائعة،،
تتأرجح بين الرواية والسيرة الذاتية وأدب الرحلات،،
فيتنام والصين وماليزيا وهونغ كونغ والبرازيل وألمانيا وسنغافورة وفرنسا وإيطاليا وكمبوديا وكندا وغيرها،،
أحببت الفصول المختصرة والمركزة،،
لا أعتقد أنها ستعجب (المتزمتين) الأوفياء للبناء الروائي القديم والذين لا يقبلون أن نحيد عنه قيد أنملة رغم وجود العديد من المسوغات للتغيير المبني على الإدراك،
يشبه البناء الروائي لهذه الرواية بناء البرتغالي ألفونسو كروش (وإن كان بشكل أكثر بساطة وأقل عمقاً وبلا أبعاد فلسفية بحتة)
أسلوب مختلف ومنوع ومغاير عما اعتدت عليه في أدب شرق آسيا
كانت تذكرة السفر مجانية وكانت الرحلة لطيفة

[Romie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am, once again, extremely sad

[❀ Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://ayearofbooksblog.com/2018/05/...

Life has been busy and although I have been reading, I have been slow to finish my blog posts. As fan of Kim Thuy, since devouring her debut book, Ru, I pre-ordered her latest book, Vi in preparation for meeting her at the FOLD festival in Brampton. The name Vi means “precious tiny one” and the character was lovingly protected by her three brothers during their journey and as they built their lives in Quebec. Although Vi is a fictional character, there are glimpses of Thuy’s strength, resilience and experiences shared within the novel.

Like Thuy, Vi escaped Vietnam as one of the “boat people”. Vi’s mother formed a plan to flee leaving her husband behind, to keep her brother’s alive by avoiding their conscription to war or the mine fields. They were lucky to escape with their lives despite the probable risks of drowning or being killed by pirates.

Since they spoke French, Vi and her family took refuge in Quebec, connecting with other relatives who had escaped Vietnam and rebuilding their lives. There were high expectations for success and Vi struggled to study linguistics. This is similar to Thuy’s experience and both the character and the author ended up becoming a lawyer.

After meeting Kim Thuy, it is difficult to differentiate the tales she told at the event from the stories she has written in Vi. The author and the book are both powerhouses of strength and resilience. Both the book and the author are full of stories that are condensed into a dainty package which is vibrant, generous and determined.

Reading Vi makes me want to reread my signed, copy of Ru and savour it again after making connections with the author’s experience. All her books are stories that you can read in one sitting. Please enjoy them but also read my post about meeting this remarkable woman who shares the stories that are difficult to tell and goes out of her way to meet people to hear their experiences.

Ru, Man and Vi are remarkable books but I hope that Kim Thuy will write her own story in the form of a memoir. The world needs to hear more about the experience of refugees, to understand and to be inspired to help others!

[Mai Laakso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vi kuvaa Vietnamia, josta kirjailijan perhe lähti venepakolaiseksi, kun hän oli kymmenvuotias. Perhe hajosi, sillä isä jäi Vietnamiin. Ehkä seuraavassa kirjassa kirjailija kertoo enemmän isästään, jota hän kuvasi runsaasti Vin alussa kuvaillessaan vietnamilaista kulttuuria ja sukua. Mies on Vietnamissa perheen pää, mutta se ei estänyt perheen äitiä lähtemästä pakolaiseksi lastensa kanssa. Olot Vietnamissa olivat epävarmat jatkuvan sotatilan vuoksi.

Kirjailija palasi Vietnamiin sen jälkeen, kun valmistui juristiksi. Juristin ammatti ei suinkaan ollut se, mitä perheen vanhin poika ja äiti olisivat halunneet hänen opiskelevan. Muuttaminen Vietnamiin ei myöskään ollut heistä suotavaa. Kirjailijan olisi pitänyt mennä naimisiin kunnon vietnamilaisen miehen kanssa, ja elää sovinnollista elämää. Rivien välistä on jo heti alusta lähtien noussut päättäväinen tyttö, joka etsi itseään ja kykyjään. Vin sivuilla löytyy jo viitteitä kiinnostuksesta sanojen merkityksiin.

Kim Thúy kuvaa kirjansa Vi sivuilla elämäänsä ja siihen liittyviä kipeitä traumoja. Koskettava tarina.

[Montse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una historia sobre los refugiados, pero también sobre la familia y la búsqueda del amor, narrada en primera persona y con aparente sencillez, que te deja exhausta. Mitad biografia mitad ficción nos cuenta que la vida es un círculo y siempre volvemos donde dejamos algo sin terminar.

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 3 out of 5]

*********** ARC FROM GIVEAWAY ***********
This is a more fluid storyline than Ru was.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Kim Thúy's writing style!!!
Her writing flows and shapes like I'm interpreting a dream.
I can't wait to read more of her work!
I do wish she had revealed what happened to Vincent and his Grandmother or whether or not Vi goes to meet her father and what happened if she did. It doesn't ruin the story that I never find these things out, I just hate loose ends.

[Christina P. Lê · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's more a 2.5 stars for me because I'm a bit torn. I'm not sure whether I liked this book or not. I thought Vi's family history was charming, how her grandfather fell in love with her grandmother or the way her parents met. When it comes to what was supposed to be the main story (Vi's), I felt indifferent though I could relate to certain aspects such as growing up in Quebec and following a more occidental lifestyle. When I turned the last page, I asked myself "What was the whole point to this story?" Beautifully written but needs a meaningful storyline for the main character.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed Kim Thúy’s work, and Vi is no exception. Thúy manages to put so much into short chapters and short sentences, and I’m always astounded by her beautiful writing. This book is about culture, family, being a refugee and finding your place in the world. It is at once delicate and strong, heartbreaking and comforting. I would have liked a more conclusive ending, but overall, I really enjoyed this!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sans doute le livre de Kim Thuy que j'ai le moins apprécier. Une histoire touchante oui, mais la narration n'a jamais été, à mes yeux, la force de cette auteure. Par contre, le style d'écriture, généralement si bien mené, est moins touchant, moins poétique dans ce livre et on se retrouve à le parcourir sans jamais être vraiment pris.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first name, Bảo Vi, showed my parents' determination to “protect the smallest one.” In a literal translation, I am “Tiny precious microscopic.” As is often the case in Vietnam, I did not match the image of my own name.

I loved Kim Thúy's words the first time I encountered them in Ru; her poetic and touching Canada Reads-winning novella about the Vietnamese refugee experience. And I admired Thúy's maturing voice in 2014's Mãn that sensually explored the expression of a woman's love through the food she prepares. Naturally, I was excited to pick up her new book Vi, but I have to admit I'm a bit disappointed in this one – it has neither the gorgeous writing of Thúy's first book or the clear plotting of her second; it feels rather pointless overall (but noting that the main character, Vi, is a “graduate in translation and law”, as is Thúy herself as noted in her author bio, she may have been reaching for something even more autobiographical here; perhaps making this less universal.) Still happy to have reconnected with Thúy here and will continue to pick up anything she writes.

Told from the first-person, Vi begins by sharing her ancestors stories – particularly focussing on the love stories of her grandparents and parents. A happy and well-off Vietnamese childhood is soon interrupted by war, and her mother is able to leave with her and her brothers on a smuggler's boat out of the country. Eventually landing in a Malaysian refugee camp (as did Thúy's own family), this slim book only briefly covers that refugee experience:

Quite soon, dragging one's empty pail for three hours to reach the well became as banal as the pains from chronic dysentery. The discomfort of physical and mental proximity diminished, to the rhythm of spontaneous laughter and miraculous reunions. In this isolated world, friendships were born of the simplest bond. Two classmates became two sisters, two natives of the same town helped each other out as if they were cousins, two orphans formed a family.

Vi's mother is fluent in French and her family is soon accepted by the Canadian government and settled in Montreal (as did Thúy's own family). Although Vi's oldest brother plans for her to become a surgeon, a puppy love compels Vi to follow a young man to Ottawa, where she has middling success studying translation; followed by law school and the social tutelage of her mother's old friend, Hà. It is this education, and the failed love affair, that launch Vi on some international NGO work, and she travels extensively through Asia and Europe to her mother's disapproval; and as always, Thúy is lush in her descriptions of exotic food and settings. The following long passage, from when she has finally found a settled love and place, is quoted in full because it seemed to me to be the heart of Vi's story:

Whispering Hà's words into the hollow of Vincent's collarbone, I realized that my mother had taught me above all to become as invisible as possible, or at least to transform myself into a shadow so that no one would attack me, to pass through walls and melt into my surroundings. She insisted that in the art of war, the first lesson consisted of mastering one's disappearance, which was at the same time the best attack and the best defence. Until I saw the light shining like crystals in Vincent's beads of perspiration, I had always thought that my mother preferred her boys out of habit, out of love for my father. My voice echoing in the circle of Vincent's arms finally led me to understand my mother's desire to have me grow up differently, to launch myself elsewhere, to offer myself a fate different from her own. It took me two continents and an ocean to grasp that she had had to go against her nature to entrust the education of her own daughter to Hà, another woman, far away from her, and her exact opposite.

Ah, but we can't so easily escape our fates, and Vi's echoes her mother's in many ways; ending on a similar note of uncertainty. And just because I liked the writing and the resonance of these passages, I'm including the description of when Vi's grandfather fell in love with her grandmother at first sight:

Some believed that he was in love with her long-lashed almond eyes, others, with her fleshy lips, while still others were convinced that he'd been seduced by her full hips. No one had noticed the slender fingers holding a notebook against her bosom except my grandfather, who went on describing them for decades. He continued to evoke them long after age had transformed those smooth, tapering fingers into a fabulous myth or, at the very most, a lovers' tale.

And when the ecologist-ornithologist Vincent fell in love with Vi, as she braided the hair of a street food hawker:

In the forest, amid dozens of animals of all sorts that appeared and disappeared around him, the colour of a feather, the length of a beak, the form of a nest, would catch his eye, and reveal to him the features of a species. As for what had captivated him about me, it was my ability to bend my legs, to curve my back, and to hunch my shoulders to match the fragility of the young merchant who was preparing portions of ant eggs with the help of small green leaves.

At 130 pages, Vi is a very quick read. Unfortunately, unlike Thúy's first two slim books, I found this one lacking depth and heft; I liked what there was, I just wanted more.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tycker mycket om Kim Thúys språk, det är så helt sitt eget. Däremot har jag fortfarande inte vant mig vid de tvära kasten mellan de olika korta berättelserna (som är mer små vinjetter än något annat). Jag får svårt att fästa mig vid en viss karaktär eller plats, en halv sida senare är vi med någon annan, i en annan del av världen. Samtidigt uppskattar jag detta och förstår att det är ett grepp, och visst stärker det berättelsen i sin helhet. Jag får helt enkelt gilla läget. En stark trea ändå!

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Kim Thuy's other book, Ru. Vi was incredibly touching, as well. The ending haunted me for days afterwards. As usual, very vivid writing that says so much in so few words. I admire this type of story-telling: so much said, in a simple, uncluttered, ruthlessly truthful voice; a young woman's life and loves, told with such poetic grace and beauty. I felt I knew Vi so well. Some books go on for hundreds of pages, and you won't have captured the spirit of the protagonist as well as you do in Thuy's novels. Highly, highly recommended!!!

[Juniper · Rating 4 out of 5]

lovely. kim thúy has such a gorgeous way with language and story, and shiela fischman - once again - does a wonderful job of translation. it is amazing how much thúy conveys in a minimalist sort of style.

[Johanna Lundin · Rating 3 out of 5]

En bok som sjunger långsamhetens lov, var språk är lika poetiskt utmålande som det är sparsmakat. Boken är dessutom oerhört vackert formgiven. Tunn men tjock av berättade.

[Kirjoihin kadonnut || Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vi on kaunis, lyhyt kuvaelma Vin, eli Kimin itsensä, elämästä. Kuinka hän lähtee venepakolaisena kotimaastaan Vietnamista perheensä kanssa pakoon ja opiskelee itsensä tulkiksi ja juristiksi. Juristin ammatti kuljettaa häntä ympäri maailmaa ja hänen elämänsä muokkautuu hyvin erilaiseksi, mitä perinteitä kunnioittava äiti olisi toivonut.

Vi on hajanaisista katkelmista koostuva eheä kokonaisuus, se tarjoilee tuokiokuvia Vin elämästä kauniisti kerrottuna. Tuntui kuin olisin istunut pöydän ääressä kirjailijan kanssa ja kuunnellut taiten kerrottuja tarinoita hänen elämästään ja hetkistään maailmalla.

[cafejuntoalibros · Rating 4 out of 5]

La escritura de Kim Thúy es arte, y del más sencillo, es prácticamente su esencia de su propia experiencia transcrita de principio a fin en esta historia. Una narración muy honesta que invita al lector la la historia de una construcción, la de una vida, de cero. Es un travesía por las raices de un pueblo en el que página a página vas conociéndo de historia, de costumbre, de cultura, de gastronomía, de idiosincrasia y hasta de libros. Es de aquellas novelas que te "obliga" a buscar en internet el significado de las palabras, los lugares, las festividades, los platos las costumbres. Es una novela que te despierta los sentidos, porque te acerca, porque esta llena de amor, aroma, utilizando los colores y todo lo que hay en la naturaleza.

Esta novela me pareció preciosa pero también muy particular ya que esta narrada como una biografía, mezclando los tiempos pasado y presente, remontando a dos generaciones atrás, contando la historia de sus abuelos y padres. Sumado a la delicadeza, ternura, nostalgia y sobre todo en la perfecta estructura de cada uno de los personajes que dan el realismo a la historia.

[Raul Salgado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha encantado esta historia, y realmente me ha tocado lo que vive Vi, pero sobre todo esas partes de su vida inconclusas me han parecido magníficas aunque me dejen en incertidumbre.

[Angelina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another slim novel by Kim Thuy told in her signature style of short non-linear vignettes. As with her previous books, I enjoyed the writing style - mostly the cultural aspects of the story and the fact that food is often present as part of it. A lot of themes were touched upon - love, war, the harrowing journeys of "boat people", life at refugee camps, life of immigrants, family relationships and the role of women in Vietnamese culture. However, none of these were explored in depth. The story itself and especially the sudden ending were a bit underwhelming. On the whole, it was a quick and pleasant read, although I expected a bit more.

[Lucas Sierra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una poética de la levedad (Comentario, 2020)

Una vida es los fragmentos de una vida. Escribimos la existencia con pequeñas postales a las que apenas une un hilo muy tenue. La literatura consigue, en ocasiones, poner esto en evidencia. Y si las postales están bien pintadas, si el hilo es firme manteniendo su delgadez, entonces disfrutamos de lecturas donde la ilusión de aprehender la complejidad de una existencia se cumple. Eso ocurre con Vi, la historia entramada por Kim Thúy es un recorrido vital por las postales que una emigrante vietnamita recupera al reconstruir su infancia, su huida, su juventud y su transición a la vida adulta. En el proceso aprende a amar, a atesorar la memoria y, eventualmente, considera incluso perdonar a sus padres, etapa de la madurez que enfrentamos tarde o temprano.

En la narrativa de Thúy me sentí viendo una película de Wong Kar Wai, eso, por supuesto, es un punto a favor. Así como In the modo for love, disfrutamos de Vi por su contenido azaroso, parpadeante, que nos permite trabajar sobre los grises para recomponer las transiciones, para llenar los silencios de lo no dicho con el gozo de la intuición. La prosa contribuye a ese efecto: telegráfica, llena de oraciones cortas, con imágenes bien logradas, pero sin exceso de detalles. Aquí hay la sucesión de cuadros que en el cine lograrían la ilusión del movimiento. Aquí la levedad del toque que caracteriza el trabajo de pintar con acuarelas. Me gusta esa metáfora: esta es una novela pintada con acuarelas.

Ahora, llegado a este punto he utilizado dos veces la palabra ilusión. Siento que la novela consigue en algunos puntos leerse como una obra onírica. No hay nada explícito que me sirva para fundamentar esta impresión, pero no por ello puedo descartar que durante la lectura me sentí, en ocasiones, como quien vive un sueño. No un sueño con dragones y robots gigantescos, un sueño de esos que es absolutamente cotidiano pero que mientras soñamos sabemos que es un sueño. Depende, quizás, de cierta cualidad del aire. Depende, quizás, de cierta cualidad del relato. En pintura, la acuarela es la poética de la levedad, quizás también esta escritura sea así y de allí mi impresión. Quizás el adjetivo minúscula que regala la autora a la protagonista contribuye a ello.

Pequeños detalles, miniaturas, formas de comprender el mundo en reliquias de la memoria, en ecos de humo trazados con letras de agua. Thúy escribe muy bien, y se disfruta, y permite entrar en un contexto ficcional del cual he leído poco (los conflictos de Vietnam desde la perspectiva local). Vale la pena pasearse por sus páginas, detenerse en los detalles, deslumbrarse como quien se pregunta por primera vez por el vuelo de los pájaros y no comprende cómo nunca se lo había preguntado antes.