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Snow in Vietnam
If you take elements of Nguyen Phan Que Mai's THE MOUNTAINS SING and Amy Tan's THE JOY LUCK CLUB, then throw in sprinkles of Kevin Kwon's CRAZY RICH ASIANS, you'll get Amy M. Le's debut historical fiction novel, SNOW IN VIETNAM. There are elements of humor, romance and heartache injected throughout these pages of fear and uncertainty.
Growing up in war-torn Vietnam was normal, even idyllic at times, for Snow, the youngest of seven children in her family. Although her heart belongs to an American GI, she honors her father by marrying a Vietnamese man. Her halcyon life unravels as the Vietnam War ravages her country and the threat of communism culminates with the fall of Saigon. Life in unified Vietnam under the new regime becomes unbearable. Betrayed by her husband and left with a dying child to raise, Snow must set aside her morals and push herself to the limit emotionally, physically, and mentally, to buy her way out of the country. Her decision to escape and find sanctuary in America takes her adrift in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand with her daughter, nephew, and other boat refugees. For days, they are at the mercy of pirates, storms, and dire conditions. Ultimately, Snow settles into a refugee camp on the island of Galang in Indonesia, but life there is deplorable. The threat of repatriation and the will to keep her family alive keeps her motivated to hustle for a ticket to freedom.
SNOW IN VIETNAM was written to honor the memory of the author's mother. The novel was a finalist for the 2018 Pacific Northwest Writers Association literary award. This story is dedicated to the boat people of Vietnam and all the refugees who risked their lives in a desperate search for safety and freedom.
Praise for SNOW IN
"The book is beautifully written, the story told with equal amounts of heart and skill and this reader could hardly tear away from the story for real-life each day. The plight of the Vietnamese boat people is told in heartbreaking detail as Snow's journey to America is continually thwarted. I loved this book that reminded me of Amy Tan's richness of story and detail. It was a joy to read and I look forward to the author's second book." -Kim Hornsby, USA Today Bestselling Author and Amazon #1 Bestselling Author
"I love the title... I also loved the novel. Amy Le should be pleased with her work." -Bill McCloud, Vietnam Veterans of America
"Well-developed characters, a brave and admirable protagonist, a vivid setting and heartbreaking struggles that felt real combine to make SNOW IN VIETNAM a compelling, unforgettable read." -Alicia Dean, Award-Winning Author of Heart of the Witch
"Compelling, informative, and beautifully written." -Frances Evlin, Author of Circles of Deception
"I stayed up all night reading because I literally could not put it down." -Diana LeBeau, Beta reader
"The author has the uncanny ability to make the reader feel he or she is right in the middle of this tense and danger-filled escape." -Greg Simpson, Vietnam War Veteran
Growing up in war-torn Vietnam was normal, even idyllic at times, for Snow, the youngest of seven children in her family. Although her heart belongs to an American GI, she honors her father by marrying a Vietnamese man. Her halcyon life unravels as the Vietnam War ravages her country and the threat of communism culminates with the fall of Saigon. Life in unified Vietnam under the new regime becomes unbearable. Betrayed by her husband and left with a dying child to raise, Snow must set aside her morals and push herself to the limit emotionally, physically, and mentally, to buy her way out of the country. Her decision to escape and find sanctuary in America takes her adrift in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand with her daughter, nephew, and other boat refugees. For days, they are at the mercy of pirates, storms, and dire conditions. Ultimately, Snow settles into a refugee camp on the island of Galang in Indonesia, but life there is deplorable. The threat of repatriation and the will to keep her family alive keeps her motivated to hustle for a ticket to freedom.
SNOW IN VIETNAM was written to honor the memory of the author's mother. The novel was a finalist for the 2018 Pacific Northwest Writers Association literary award. This story is dedicated to the boat people of Vietnam and all the refugees who risked their lives in a desperate search for safety and freedom.
Praise for SNOW IN
"The book is beautifully written, the story told with equal amounts of heart and skill and this reader could hardly tear away from the story for real-life each day. The plight of the Vietnamese boat people is told in heartbreaking detail as Snow's journey to America is continually thwarted. I loved this book that reminded me of Amy Tan's richness of story and detail. It was a joy to read and I look forward to the author's second book." -Kim Hornsby, USA Today Bestselling Author and Amazon #1 Bestselling Author
"I love the title... I also loved the novel. Amy Le should be pleased with her work." -Bill McCloud, Vietnam Veterans of America
"Well-developed characters, a brave and admirable protagonist, a vivid setting and heartbreaking struggles that felt real combine to make SNOW IN VIETNAM a compelling, unforgettable read." -Alicia Dean, Award-Winning Author of Heart of the Witch
"Compelling, informative, and beautifully written." -Frances Evlin, Author of Circles of Deception
"I stayed up all night reading because I literally could not put it down." -Diana LeBeau, Beta reader
"The author has the uncanny ability to make the reader feel he or she is right in the middle of this tense and danger-filled escape." -Greg Simpson, Vietnam War Veteran
242 pages, Hardcover
Published June 1, 2019
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8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 19, 2021
Since I volunteered in the 1980's teaching ESL to the Vietnamese this book really gave me insight into their desire to escape communism in their country. They had nothing. Everything was taken from them. They were eating bugs and rodents to survive. It took you on their travels trying to escape by boat. Pirates captured them and they were held prisoner again. Sponsors were finally found for Snow, her daughter and her nephew. They arrived in Seattle. The second book is Snow in Seattle. This book really opened my eyes to their plight. Also, it showed how miserable the American soldiers were treated when they came home.
November 16, 2019
What an outstanding book depicting the escape from Vietnam after the North Vietnamese took control of Vietnam in April 1975. Snow and various family members faced incredible danger,disappointment, hunger, sickness, and horrific odds of ever finding the freedom they sought. Amy-M-Le gives the reader a front row seat to this incredible journey. Also she offers up bits and pieces of the Vietnamese culture and steadfast determination of Vietnamese people finding what some people take for granted Freedom. Buy this book and be taken on a harrowing journey.
April 25, 2020
The books from the authors I meet and become friends with are so very special in my heart!I received “Snow in Vietnam” from Amy Le when I signed up for her newsletter. It was the last copy of her 1st cover design. It’s not my usual genre, women’s fiction, but the story was very engaging. To no surprise, the reader ends up rooting SO hard for Tuyet & her dramatic escape from communism.It’s emotional. It’s dramatic. It’ll definitely pull at your heart-strings. Check out this book and support an indie author!
December 27, 2024
SNOW in Vietnam by Amy M. Le is a captivating novel that illustrates resiliency as well as the height and depth of every human emotion. The reader is led through the pain of lost love on a pilgrimage from war-torn Vietnam to the devastation and degradation of the power-hungry communist regime. With determination and at times not more than sheer will, Snow overcomes seemingly insurmountable obstacles to flee Vietnam, taking her daughter and nephew with her on a quest for freedom. They will endure being lost at sea, attacked by pirates, and living in squalor and devastating conditions of a relocation camp. She is a remarkable woman fueled by love for her family and a desire to help others. This book is more than an excellent read, it boasts lessons in history, the simultaneous depravity and goodness of man, and ultimately that people can endure and survive the unimaginable.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews