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Bronze Drum: A Novel of Sisters and War
In 40 CE, in the Au Lac region of ancient Vietnam, two daughters of a Vietnamese Lord fill their days training, studying, and trying to stay true to Vietnamese traditions. While Trung Trac is disciplined and wise, always excelling in her duty, Trung Nhi is fierce and free spirited, more concerned with spending time in the gardens and with lovers.
But these sister's lives—and the lives of their people—are shadowed by the oppressive rule of the Han Chinese. They are forced to adopt Confucian teachings, secure marriages, and pay ever‑increasing taxes. As the peoples' frustration boils over, the country comes ever closer to the edge of war.
When Trung Trac and Trung Nhi's father is executed, their world comes crashing down around them. With no men to save them against the Han's encroaching regime, they must rise and unite the women of Vietnam into an army. Solidifying their status as champions of women and Vietnam, they usher in a period of freedom and independence for their people.
Vivid, lyrical, and filled with adventure, The Bronze Drum is a true story of standing up for one's people, culture, and country that has been passed down through generations of Vietnamese families through oral tradition. Phong Nguyen's breathtaking novel takes these real women out of legends and celebrates their loves, losses, and resilience in this inspirational story of women's strength and power even in the face of the greatest obstacles.
But these sister's lives—and the lives of their people—are shadowed by the oppressive rule of the Han Chinese. They are forced to adopt Confucian teachings, secure marriages, and pay ever‑increasing taxes. As the peoples' frustration boils over, the country comes ever closer to the edge of war.
When Trung Trac and Trung Nhi's father is executed, their world comes crashing down around them. With no men to save them against the Han's encroaching regime, they must rise and unite the women of Vietnam into an army. Solidifying their status as champions of women and Vietnam, they usher in a period of freedom and independence for their people.
Vivid, lyrical, and filled with adventure, The Bronze Drum is a true story of standing up for one's people, culture, and country that has been passed down through generations of Vietnamese families through oral tradition. Phong Nguyen's breathtaking novel takes these real women out of legends and celebrates their loves, losses, and resilience in this inspirational story of women's strength and power even in the face of the greatest obstacles.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 420 reviews
July 31, 2022
Trung Trac and Trung Nhi are the daughters of a Vietnamese lord who must pay homage to the oppressive Han Chinese rulers. Though very different, the sisters both find themselves being punished for maintaining traditional beliefs and standing up for what they believe is right. Rather than bowing to their oppressors, they decide that the only way to survive is to fight back and protect their country and their people.
I really wanted to love this work. Historical fiction, especially ancient history, is one of my favorite genres. However, this work did not live up to my expectations.
The writing style left much to be desired. It was simple and stilted, which became increasingly frustrating to read. This work should have been an epic work but due to its writing style it felt more like reading a poorly written essay. The author also heavily relied on telling rather than showing, which only added to the lack of interest this book generated. Descriptions of the setting and the world were lacking and made the work lack the depth and immersion I expect in well written books.
Unfortunately, the characters were extremely flat. The two sisters felt like caricatures/stereotypes rather than real people – “one is disciplined and wise…one is fierce and free spirited.” But that’s the extent of the character development. The secondary characters were like cardboard cutouts, with no real depth, development, or growth. With no relatable characters, this work became a chore to finish. There was no way to connect emotionally to any of the characters.
I did enjoy the premise of this story and that the author chose to tell the story of these two sisters. There were also some interesting incorporations of folklore, history, and culture that were well incorporated throughout the plot.
Overall, I did not enjoy this work. I think it needs to be reworked to add characters that were easier to connect to emotionally, more meaningful descriptions, and the writing style was updated. As it lacks in all of these areas, I can’t recommend this book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me a review copy of this work, which will be published on August 9th, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I really wanted to love this work. Historical fiction, especially ancient history, is one of my favorite genres. However, this work did not live up to my expectations.
The writing style left much to be desired. It was simple and stilted, which became increasingly frustrating to read. This work should have been an epic work but due to its writing style it felt more like reading a poorly written essay. The author also heavily relied on telling rather than showing, which only added to the lack of interest this book generated. Descriptions of the setting and the world were lacking and made the work lack the depth and immersion I expect in well written books.
Unfortunately, the characters were extremely flat. The two sisters felt like caricatures/stereotypes rather than real people – “one is disciplined and wise…one is fierce and free spirited.” But that’s the extent of the character development. The secondary characters were like cardboard cutouts, with no real depth, development, or growth. With no relatable characters, this work became a chore to finish. There was no way to connect emotionally to any of the characters.
I did enjoy the premise of this story and that the author chose to tell the story of these two sisters. There were also some interesting incorporations of folklore, history, and culture that were well incorporated throughout the plot.
Overall, I did not enjoy this work. I think it needs to be reworked to add characters that were easier to connect to emotionally, more meaningful descriptions, and the writing style was updated. As it lacks in all of these areas, I can’t recommend this book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me a review copy of this work, which will be published on August 9th, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
April 28, 2024
In the annals of history, certain figures emerge as luminous beacons, defying convention and reshaping the course of nations. Among these legends stand the Trưng Sisters—Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị—a pair of indomitable women who etched their names into the very fabric of ancient Vietnam. Their audacious rebellion against Hán rule in 40 CE reverberates through time, a testament to their unwavering spirit and unyielding courage.
“Bronze Drum” by Phong Nguyen is a portal—a gateway that transports us across centuries, allowing us to witness the fierce determination of these remarkable sisters and their all-female army. Within its pages, we tread the hallowed ground where valor meets destiny, where the clash of swords echoes like a heartbeat.
The novel unfurls against the backdrop of a tumultuous era—the Bắc thuộc period—when the land bore the scars of invasions, and the ink of history ran thin. Phong Nguyen's endeavor is nothing short of audacious: to resurrect the Trưng Sisters from the shadows, to breathe life into their defiance, and to weave their legacy into the very tapestry of our collective memory. And what a tale it is! The sisters' rebellion—a tempest of courage—sweeps across the regions of Cửu Chân, Nhật Nam, Hợp Phố, and the sixty-five fortresses beyond the mountain passes, shaking the foundations of an empire. With the ease of turning one’s hand, they establish a realm, ascending as sovereigns. Their triumph stands as a beacon, illuminating the latent power of our land.
But let us not shy away from the flaws—the chinks in the armor. The prose, at times, feels like a bronze drum beaten too cautiously, failing to resonate fully. The characters yearn for breath, their voices muffled by the weight of history. And ah, a litany of historical inaccuracies that detract from the authenticity of the tale—the jagged edges that mar the otherwise polished surface. Misplaced names, contrived cultural elements, the anachronistic use of the áo dài, and inconsistent transliteration of Hán names—vacillating between Hán Việt and Pinyin—disrupt the reading experience.
For those who tread the path of historical fiction, research is the compass. I beckon you to explore the annals of Đại Việt through ‘Đại Việt Sử Ký Toàn Thư’, to traverse the epochs with ‘Việt Nam Sử Lược’, and to delve into the essence of our civilization through ‘Văn Minh Vật Chất Người Việt’. These three books, like ancient maps, will guide you through the labyrinth of time.
And so, “Bronze Drum” stands—a beacon of daring, a dazzling gem in the crown of forgotten heroines. Writers, take heed: as you wield your pens, honor the Trưng Sisters. They are more than mere words on parchment; they are the beating heart of a nation reborn.
“The sisters Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị, though women, summoned the courage to call out, and the regions of Cửu Chân, Nhật Nam, Hợp Phố, and all sixty-five fortresses beyond the passes rallied to their call. With ease akin to the turning of one’s hand, they established a realm and ascended as sovereigns. This bears witness to the potential of our land of Việt to erect an empire most grand. Alas, it is of great lament that from the lineage of Triệu to the time before the Ngô, spanning over a millennium, the menfolk did naught but bow and acquiesce, serving as vassals to the northerners. Do they not bear shame when compared to the Trưng sisters, women of valor? Oh, it is as if they have cast themselves aside.” - Đại Việt Sử Ký Toàn Thư.
May their story echo through eternity, like the resounding beat of a bronze drum. 🥁✨
“Bronze Drum” by Phong Nguyen is a portal—a gateway that transports us across centuries, allowing us to witness the fierce determination of these remarkable sisters and their all-female army. Within its pages, we tread the hallowed ground where valor meets destiny, where the clash of swords echoes like a heartbeat.
The novel unfurls against the backdrop of a tumultuous era—the Bắc thuộc period—when the land bore the scars of invasions, and the ink of history ran thin. Phong Nguyen's endeavor is nothing short of audacious: to resurrect the Trưng Sisters from the shadows, to breathe life into their defiance, and to weave their legacy into the very tapestry of our collective memory. And what a tale it is! The sisters' rebellion—a tempest of courage—sweeps across the regions of Cửu Chân, Nhật Nam, Hợp Phố, and the sixty-five fortresses beyond the mountain passes, shaking the foundations of an empire. With the ease of turning one’s hand, they establish a realm, ascending as sovereigns. Their triumph stands as a beacon, illuminating the latent power of our land.
But let us not shy away from the flaws—the chinks in the armor. The prose, at times, feels like a bronze drum beaten too cautiously, failing to resonate fully. The characters yearn for breath, their voices muffled by the weight of history. And ah, a litany of historical inaccuracies that detract from the authenticity of the tale—the jagged edges that mar the otherwise polished surface. Misplaced names, contrived cultural elements, the anachronistic use of the áo dài, and inconsistent transliteration of Hán names—vacillating between Hán Việt and Pinyin—disrupt the reading experience.
For those who tread the path of historical fiction, research is the compass. I beckon you to explore the annals of Đại Việt through ‘Đại Việt Sử Ký Toàn Thư’, to traverse the epochs with ‘Việt Nam Sử Lược’, and to delve into the essence of our civilization through ‘Văn Minh Vật Chất Người Việt’. These three books, like ancient maps, will guide you through the labyrinth of time.
And so, “Bronze Drum” stands—a beacon of daring, a dazzling gem in the crown of forgotten heroines. Writers, take heed: as you wield your pens, honor the Trưng Sisters. They are more than mere words on parchment; they are the beating heart of a nation reborn.
“The sisters Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị, though women, summoned the courage to call out, and the regions of Cửu Chân, Nhật Nam, Hợp Phố, and all sixty-five fortresses beyond the passes rallied to their call. With ease akin to the turning of one’s hand, they established a realm and ascended as sovereigns. This bears witness to the potential of our land of Việt to erect an empire most grand. Alas, it is of great lament that from the lineage of Triệu to the time before the Ngô, spanning over a millennium, the menfolk did naught but bow and acquiesce, serving as vassals to the northerners. Do they not bear shame when compared to the Trưng sisters, women of valor? Oh, it is as if they have cast themselves aside.” - Đại Việt Sử Ký Toàn Thư.
May their story echo through eternity, like the resounding beat of a bronze drum. 🥁✨
October 3, 2022
Bronze Drum story is set in ancient Vietnam, with two warrior sisters. Trung Trac is the older sister and is disciplined and wise. Trung Nhi is younger and free spirited. Their father, the Lord of Nhat Nam, maintains peace with the Han Chinese rulers, their enemy. But the tensions are getting greater.
The sisters believe in maintaining their traditions, which includes women having freedom of partnership, and them ruling the family, not men. They don’t want to bow to their oppressor, who enforces marriage and a patriarchal system. Thus, they pick fight over subordination.
This fascinating story of two ancient warrior sisters with two clashing cultures is something I appreciate for its uniqueness. Something that hasn’t been told before, at least in English language.
It’s captivating to learn about those two legendary sisters and that’s what interested me into this story. I liked their strong characters, but I wished for more emotions from them in order to connect with them better. I didn’t feel that I was fully connected with them.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The sisters believe in maintaining their traditions, which includes women having freedom of partnership, and them ruling the family, not men. They don’t want to bow to their oppressor, who enforces marriage and a patriarchal system. Thus, they pick fight over subordination.
This fascinating story of two ancient warrior sisters with two clashing cultures is something I appreciate for its uniqueness. Something that hasn’t been told before, at least in English language.
It’s captivating to learn about those two legendary sisters and that’s what interested me into this story. I liked their strong characters, but I wished for more emotions from them in order to connect with them better. I didn’t feel that I was fully connected with them.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 10, 2024
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: The Trung sisters are actual historical people who lived in 1st-century CE Vietnam. The country we know as Vietnam is, in fact, largely their legacy...these two women were the tutelary spirits of the local ethnic group's desire to be out from under the extremely heavy burden of the Han Empire, ruled by the Han Chinese people. ("Han" in Chinese just means "people" so you certainly know you're not ethnically labeling them when using the term.)
What Author Nguyen has done with this retelling of the Trung Sisters' legend is, given where and with whom he's published his novel, to offer the wider American public something that has been lacking all my life: A sense of Vietnam as an actual country, not simply a state created by then screwed over by, colonial masters. The Viet people are distinct from their neighbors in many ways, not least of them their foundational myth retold here. The sisters were daughters of a local aristocrat whose claim to fame was instilling in them a sense of themselves as different from the Han people oppressing them with taxes and slave-labor demands. This led to the sisters, when their father was murdered by the colonial masters, being made an example of. (A thing thoroughly unpleasant, I needn't remind you...the powerful don't and have never stinted in their cruelty towards those they wish to make examples of.)
What makes the Trungs different, in the sweep of two thousand years of History, is that they didn't command men. Other women have done that. The Trungs had no truck with pusillanimous men, knuckling under to the Han overlords to stay alive.
They raised an army of liberation. Made up of women. As traditional Viet women, that is to say the rulers of their world, they were simply doing what came naturally. Protecting your homeland on the fierceness of those who stand to lose the most by its subsumation into a foreign empire makes a lot of sense.
Not, as you'll imagine, to the Han. The rebellion wasn't successful in all its aims, freedom and matriarchy lost to the simply overwhelming military might of the Han, but the sense of the VIET as a PEOPLE was deeply ingrained.
There is a much-needed glossary in the book; I've seen some criticism of the author's use of formal, seemingly stilted language. Honestly, it seems that way to me too. Then I consider an important fact: This is a legend. It's the distilled essence of the legendary founders of the Viet people's sense of themselves as a unique, valid, culturally rich polity. Rules of twenty-first century grammar and usage, even in Viet which most decidedly this book isn't written in, would be inappropriate. And, let's face it, if you are the kind of reader who blenches at a modicum of work being asked of you to experience this, or any other, story, there's a sea of bland, blah word-blobs out there. Go fish.
Me? I'll be here with the Trungs, a little in awe and a lot in love.
My Review: The Trung sisters are actual historical people who lived in 1st-century CE Vietnam. The country we know as Vietnam is, in fact, largely their legacy...these two women were the tutelary spirits of the local ethnic group's desire to be out from under the extremely heavy burden of the Han Empire, ruled by the Han Chinese people. ("Han" in Chinese just means "people" so you certainly know you're not ethnically labeling them when using the term.)
What Author Nguyen has done with this retelling of the Trung Sisters' legend is, given where and with whom he's published his novel, to offer the wider American public something that has been lacking all my life: A sense of Vietnam as an actual country, not simply a state created by then screwed over by, colonial masters. The Viet people are distinct from their neighbors in many ways, not least of them their foundational myth retold here. The sisters were daughters of a local aristocrat whose claim to fame was instilling in them a sense of themselves as different from the Han people oppressing them with taxes and slave-labor demands. This led to the sisters, when their father was murdered by the colonial masters, being made an example of. (A thing thoroughly unpleasant, I needn't remind you...the powerful don't and have never stinted in their cruelty towards those they wish to make examples of.)
What makes the Trungs different, in the sweep of two thousand years of History, is that they didn't command men. Other women have done that. The Trungs had no truck with pusillanimous men, knuckling under to the Han overlords to stay alive.
They raised an army of liberation. Made up of women. As traditional Viet women, that is to say the rulers of their world, they were simply doing what came naturally. Protecting your homeland on the fierceness of those who stand to lose the most by its subsumation into a foreign empire makes a lot of sense.
Not, as you'll imagine, to the Han. The rebellion wasn't successful in all its aims, freedom and matriarchy lost to the simply overwhelming military might of the Han, but the sense of the VIET as a PEOPLE was deeply ingrained.
There is a much-needed glossary in the book; I've seen some criticism of the author's use of formal, seemingly stilted language. Honestly, it seems that way to me too. Then I consider an important fact: This is a legend. It's the distilled essence of the legendary founders of the Viet people's sense of themselves as a unique, valid, culturally rich polity. Rules of twenty-first century grammar and usage, even in Viet which most decidedly this book isn't written in, would be inappropriate. And, let's face it, if you are the kind of reader who blenches at a modicum of work being asked of you to experience this, or any other, story, there's a sea of bland, blah word-blobs out there. Go fish.
Me? I'll be here with the Trungs, a little in awe and a lot in love.
August 7, 2022
"This was precisely what love was to Thi Sach, a craft that could only be perfected over the span of a lifetime."
It may seem odd to preface the review of a war book with a love quote, but this seems to be the underlying theme of this historical epic masterfully re-imagined through the artful pen (or computer keys) of Phong Nguyen. Nguyen had a difficult task, to bring to life, possibly for the first time in American fiction, the real-life warriors and legendary Trung sisters of what is now Vietnam. This is an important piece of history I never learned, and is an inspiring message to young women. (This is not a YA book but can be read by middle school and up. The last part of the book does detail war scenes, so preview first if your child is sensitive.)
Not only do we learn of these brave sisters who fought off the invading culture of the Han, but of the woman-centric culture of the Viets. Women did not marry, they chose their lovers, who sometimes came and went. They ruled the family. When the Hans took over, they enforced marriage and a patriarchal system. For a brief period, the Trung sisters defended their land and customs to become legendary heroes.
Nguyen's talent is to easily slip into the voice and tone of the times he writes about. (I loved and admired the vernacular in The Adventures of Joe Harper and I fell happily under the spell of the more subtle, quiet language that befits this ancient story.) The Trung sisters are not cardboard characters but real, multifaceted, and never act falsely. The locale is lush and beautifully brought to life, as are all the Viet characters. A glossary helps with the authentic language.
Back to the highlighted quote: what for me stands out is the complex theme of love and friendship and familial bonds, all of which help to transcend any tragedy. The sister bond is particularly strong, crafted over a turbulent lifetime.
For people wanting more history after they have read the book (if you read before, it will give away the ending): https://www.history.com/news/trung-si...
Highly recommend. This book can be enjoyed for its historical significance (though the author almost jokingly adds that his father wants us all to keep in mind his son has written a fictional take) and also for the gripping and masterful novel that it is. Maybe there will be a movie spin-off. In any case, it should have a wide readership.
It may seem odd to preface the review of a war book with a love quote, but this seems to be the underlying theme of this historical epic masterfully re-imagined through the artful pen (or computer keys) of Phong Nguyen. Nguyen had a difficult task, to bring to life, possibly for the first time in American fiction, the real-life warriors and legendary Trung sisters of what is now Vietnam. This is an important piece of history I never learned, and is an inspiring message to young women. (This is not a YA book but can be read by middle school and up. The last part of the book does detail war scenes, so preview first if your child is sensitive.)
Not only do we learn of these brave sisters who fought off the invading culture of the Han, but of the woman-centric culture of the Viets. Women did not marry, they chose their lovers, who sometimes came and went. They ruled the family. When the Hans took over, they enforced marriage and a patriarchal system. For a brief period, the Trung sisters defended their land and customs to become legendary heroes.
Nguyen's talent is to easily slip into the voice and tone of the times he writes about. (I loved and admired the vernacular in The Adventures of Joe Harper and I fell happily under the spell of the more subtle, quiet language that befits this ancient story.) The Trung sisters are not cardboard characters but real, multifaceted, and never act falsely. The locale is lush and beautifully brought to life, as are all the Viet characters. A glossary helps with the authentic language.
Back to the highlighted quote: what for me stands out is the complex theme of love and friendship and familial bonds, all of which help to transcend any tragedy. The sister bond is particularly strong, crafted over a turbulent lifetime.
For people wanting more history after they have read the book (if you read before, it will give away the ending): https://www.history.com/news/trung-si...
Highly recommend. This book can be enjoyed for its historical significance (though the author almost jokingly adds that his father wants us all to keep in mind his son has written a fictional take) and also for the gripping and masterful novel that it is. Maybe there will be a movie spin-off. In any case, it should have a wide readership.
August 27, 2022
Bronze Drum is an interesting novel of a very different time, Lac Viet or Vietnam of 40 CE. In a fictional work that combines elements of history and myth, the author has created a picture of a time when the Viet people were straining under the unwanted control of the Han (modern Chinese).
Trung Trac and Trung Nhi are daughters of a Vietnamese lord, trained to be leaders in the future. They are historical figures, but of course, much of the story here has been built around the bones of legend. There are tales of loves and loss, jealousy and purpose but the major focus is loyalty to family and culture. There will come a time when they will raise an army for their country.
The titular bronze drum has an important role throughout the novel. While the pace of the novel slows at times, I found that seemed to correlate with the domestic aspects of the novel vs those devoted to organizing or planning for war.
Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction, especially of Southeast Asia.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Trung Trac and Trung Nhi are daughters of a Vietnamese lord, trained to be leaders in the future. They are historical figures, but of course, much of the story here has been built around the bones of legend. There are tales of loves and loss, jealousy and purpose but the major focus is loyalty to family and culture. There will come a time when they will raise an army for their country.
The titular bronze drum has an important role throughout the novel. While the pace of the novel slows at times, I found that seemed to correlate with the domestic aspects of the novel vs those devoted to organizing or planning for war.
Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction, especially of Southeast Asia.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
August 25, 2022
4.0 stars
I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but I was drawn to this one through my love of Asian inspired ownvoices fiction. While this particular novel is grounded in history, the sweeping story was incredible and appealed to my love of epic fantasy.
The two characters at the heart of this story were incredibly, powerful women. This is the kind of true story that makes me want to look up the real events.
While I am always fascinated by Eastern cultures, I will acknowledge that I know very little about Vietnamese culture and so I appreciated those elements.
I would recommend this to any reader looking for an incredible story that pulls a strong feminist tale out of history.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but I was drawn to this one through my love of Asian inspired ownvoices fiction. While this particular novel is grounded in history, the sweeping story was incredible and appealed to my love of epic fantasy.
The two characters at the heart of this story were incredibly, powerful women. This is the kind of true story that makes me want to look up the real events.
While I am always fascinated by Eastern cultures, I will acknowledge that I know very little about Vietnamese culture and so I appreciated those elements.
I would recommend this to any reader looking for an incredible story that pulls a strong feminist tale out of history.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
August 25, 2022
DNF
You don't need to read the whole book to know it is bad. Save the suffering for others.
You don't need to read the whole book to know it is bad. Save the suffering for others.
August 9, 2022
Format: audiobook
Author: Phong Nguyen ~ Title: Bronze Drum ~ Narrator: Quyen Ngo
Content: 4 stars ~ Narration: 5 stars
Complete audiobook review
Based on true events, Bronze Drum is an inspiring story of two sisters (Trung Trac and Trung Nhi) that gathered an army of 80,000 Vietnam women to overthrow the Han Chinese and liberate their people. We follow the two sisters from their youth. Trung Trac and Trung Nhi were pretty different. One was a perfect daughter, obedient, and the other was rebellious. Throughout this story, we also take a peek into Vietnam culture. Interestingly, that women could choose and stay unmarried.
I recommend this novel to readers of historical tales of brave women and warriors.
The audiobook was a good choice, and the narration was perfect. This way, I could hear the pronunciation of all those names. I loved all the different sounds of drums that the narrator imitated. I was a bit lost a few times, and I think it was because of time lapses and partially because the names confused me. A combination of book and audiobook would be even better.
Thanks to Hachette Audio for the ALC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
Author: Phong Nguyen ~ Title: Bronze Drum ~ Narrator: Quyen Ngo
Content: 4 stars ~ Narration: 5 stars
Complete audiobook review
Based on true events, Bronze Drum is an inspiring story of two sisters (Trung Trac and Trung Nhi) that gathered an army of 80,000 Vietnam women to overthrow the Han Chinese and liberate their people. We follow the two sisters from their youth. Trung Trac and Trung Nhi were pretty different. One was a perfect daughter, obedient, and the other was rebellious. Throughout this story, we also take a peek into Vietnam culture. Interestingly, that women could choose and stay unmarried.
I recommend this novel to readers of historical tales of brave women and warriors.
The audiobook was a good choice, and the narration was perfect. This way, I could hear the pronunciation of all those names. I loved all the different sounds of drums that the narrator imitated. I was a bit lost a few times, and I think it was because of time lapses and partially because the names confused me. A combination of book and audiobook would be even better.
Thanks to Hachette Audio for the ALC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
March 24, 2023
i don't often read historical fiction, but i would love to see my viet sisters kicking some imperialist, colonizer ass.
August 10, 2022
While I did appreciate this book, I must say it did not quite live up to my expectations. But I do suppose it is possible that my expectations were too high. I was already invested in this story because I know the legend. And thus, I had many great imaginings in my mind.
I think where this story failed to truly capture me lies in the fact that the way in which the characters were presented/written did not draw me in emotionally. This tale should invoke a sense of sisterhood and kinship, but I did not quite get that feeling, and some of the decisions that the characters made also had me giving major side-eye. Still, I acknowledge the effort and overall liked it for what insight it did offer about this revolutionary time.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book, to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I think where this story failed to truly capture me lies in the fact that the way in which the characters were presented/written did not draw me in emotionally. This tale should invoke a sense of sisterhood and kinship, but I did not quite get that feeling, and some of the decisions that the characters made also had me giving major side-eye. Still, I acknowledge the effort and overall liked it for what insight it did offer about this revolutionary time.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book, to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 30, 2022
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
I cringed at the stilted, clunky writing style. It's simplistic and awkward. The book maintains a pedantic tone or approach. And the characters are caricatures, eg one daughter is achingly filial, the other rash and bold.
I cannot recommend this title.
Here are some examples of the writing:
The idleness of the sun-warmed day and Phan Minh's banter, alternately earnest and playful, blended into an ointment that spread along the surface of her skin.
Trung Trac, buoyed by love's levitation, could not fathom at that moment any impediment to her joy.
She tried to channel her sister's revolutionary spirit, to reject the Han, through violence if necessary, but the filial pattern was too intricately woven into the cloth of her being.
I cringed at the stilted, clunky writing style. It's simplistic and awkward. The book maintains a pedantic tone or approach. And the characters are caricatures, eg one daughter is achingly filial, the other rash and bold.
I cannot recommend this title.
Here are some examples of the writing:
The idleness of the sun-warmed day and Phan Minh's banter, alternately earnest and playful, blended into an ointment that spread along the surface of her skin.
Trung Trac, buoyed by love's levitation, could not fathom at that moment any impediment to her joy.
She tried to channel her sister's revolutionary spirit, to reject the Han, through violence if necessary, but the filial pattern was too intricately woven into the cloth of her being.
Want to read
July 23, 2022Pre-read/review thoughts (7/23/22): I'm Vietnamese. This book is about an ancient Vietnamese story I've heard bits and pieces of from my parents growing up. I now have an obligation to read this when it gets published and I'm super excited lol.
August 30, 2022
Okay, yeah. I'm not familiar with the history here so I was interested....But while I can really appreciate the anti- Han supremacy here, the book is written quite dully. You're not gonna get any messaging across like that. DNF at 10%.
September 16, 2022
Incredible! Intricate, poetic, bold, and intoxicating. Culturally rich and full of familiar struggles. The incompatible philosophies of the two cultures was a major draw in the story and history.
A remarkable story rich in Vietnamese history and tradition. I was completely swept up in the journey of the two sisters and the fate of the Vietnamese people. Being unfamiliar with Vietnamese names I had a slight struggle at the beginning of this story. The names and implied roles behind titles were slightly difficult to follow without prior understanding. The book itself was perfect right up until the first war with the Han. At that point the story began to drag and the characters started to lack depth. The women who were made General were primarily people I wasn’t given time to know. As a result I wasn’t as invested in their fates.
I also just felt like the last half of the book lacked heart. Whatever soul was pulsed through the first half seemed gone and I struggled to stay invested. I finished the book mainly to see which version of the sister’s deaths the story would portray. Since history is noticeably contradictory about that depending on the account. I happily recommend the first half of the story but, in my opinion, it should finish before the rebellion starts or right after it ends.
A remarkable story rich in Vietnamese history and tradition. I was completely swept up in the journey of the two sisters and the fate of the Vietnamese people. Being unfamiliar with Vietnamese names I had a slight struggle at the beginning of this story. The names and implied roles behind titles were slightly difficult to follow without prior understanding. The book itself was perfect right up until the first war with the Han. At that point the story began to drag and the characters started to lack depth. The women who were made General were primarily people I wasn’t given time to know. As a result I wasn’t as invested in their fates.
I also just felt like the last half of the book lacked heart. Whatever soul was pulsed through the first half seemed gone and I struggled to stay invested. I finished the book mainly to see which version of the sister’s deaths the story would portray. Since history is noticeably contradictory about that depending on the account. I happily recommend the first half of the story but, in my opinion, it should finish before the rebellion starts or right after it ends.
March 3, 2023
this was five stars up until part iii. this is historical fiction centering around the bronze drum and the sisters who fought for viet nam’s freedom. while the writing is quite simple, it definitely holds that essence of a traditional oral retelling.
what an amazing story. these women were willing to die for their country. these women proved themselves more powerful than any man.
what an amazing story. these women were willing to die for their country. these women proved themselves more powerful than any man.
March 25, 2023
2.5 stars I guess
The awkward 3-star review.
I really wanted to like this... I hadn't heard of the history before and I love the concept of retelling it, but in execution, it just didn't work for me.
While I do love the folkloric feel, I think this book was maybe too true to the original telling. This story was relatively new for me, but based on reviews by people who already knew the history, I'm not sure this telling adds much to it. To me, one of the main goals of a retelling is to make it more palatable for a modern fiction reader, and that often means cutting out the more slow-moving parts because modern readers tend to like a more fast-paced and streamlined plot.
The plot really only picked up the pace in the last third, and I honestly think it would have been way more effective if it had started from that point and shown the whole beginning of the story through flashbacks or something. Maybe that's harsh, but I actually really enjoyed the last section and I just wish that part of the story could have been the focus.
At times it just kind of felt more like reading a history book than a novel... except that it also still did focus on the narrative aspect to be anachronistic -- which, as he says in his acknowledgments, is definitely necessary with retellings to an extent. But when it also doesn't really work as history... what am I reading this for?
Even though the story is new to me, that doesn't mean I can't tell that not much has changed from the original. This book seems very true to the original story, which I admire in a way, but it's not really what I want to read. I want a retelling to challenge the source material, to give us new information we didn't have before.
So it was just kind of dense and unsatisfying, and I didn't feel very motivated to read it, although I did make it through to the end. Iam glad I did that, because the end is definitely better.
I love the idea to retell this fascinating history. But I do just have to ask myself whether the elements that I enjoyed in the novel are the result of Nguyen's writing choices or whether I just find the actual history really interesting...and don't gain much from the book other than spreading knowledge.
Content Warnings: suicidal ideation, murder of loved ones, imprisonment, threat of sexual violence
The awkward 3-star review.
I really wanted to like this... I hadn't heard of the history before and I love the concept of retelling it, but in execution, it just didn't work for me.
While I do love the folkloric feel, I think this book was maybe too true to the original telling. This story was relatively new for me, but based on reviews by people who already knew the history, I'm not sure this telling adds much to it. To me, one of the main goals of a retelling is to make it more palatable for a modern fiction reader, and that often means cutting out the more slow-moving parts because modern readers tend to like a more fast-paced and streamlined plot.
The plot really only picked up the pace in the last third, and I honestly think it would have been way more effective if it had started from that point and shown the whole beginning of the story through flashbacks or something. Maybe that's harsh, but I actually really enjoyed the last section and I just wish that part of the story could have been the focus.
At times it just kind of felt more like reading a history book than a novel... except that it also still did focus on the narrative aspect to be anachronistic -- which, as he says in his acknowledgments, is definitely necessary with retellings to an extent. But when it also doesn't really work as history... what am I reading this for?
Even though the story is new to me, that doesn't mean I can't tell that not much has changed from the original. This book seems very true to the original story, which I admire in a way, but it's not really what I want to read. I want a retelling to challenge the source material, to give us new information we didn't have before.
So it was just kind of dense and unsatisfying, and I didn't feel very motivated to read it, although I did make it through to the end. Iam glad I did that, because the end is definitely better.
I love the idea to retell this fascinating history. But I do just have to ask myself whether the elements that I enjoyed in the novel are the result of Nguyen's writing choices or whether I just find the actual history really interesting...and don't gain much from the book other than spreading knowledge.
Content Warnings: suicidal ideation, murder of loved ones, imprisonment, threat of sexual violence
August 6, 2022
Set in ancient Vietnam, Bronze Drum tells the legend of two sisters who led a rebellion against the Han Chinese rulers in their land. Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị are daughters of a lord and raised as ladies. But Lord Trưng knows that they may one day have to protect themselves from the Han and so he does everything he can to have them trained in the art of fighting and in leadership. As tragedies grip their family, Trắc and Nhị are driven to revenge, raising an army of eighty thousand women to defeat the Han.
I was very excited to read this story. As a child of Vietnamese immigrants, I am always thirsting for stories that involve Vietnamese history and culture. I had never heard of the legend of the Trưng warrior sisters before but I was immediately intrigued by the synopsis.
The first third of the book was a bit of a slow start for me. I struggled a bit to get into the story because I wasn't used to the writing style that was so different from what I usually read (which is mostly contemporary romance). After I got used to the prose of this book, I was able to fly through it. Phong Nguyen spent that first third of the book depicting the cushy lifestyle that the sisters lived. Once that peace was smashed and Nhị decided to do something about it, I couldn't stop turning the pages. There was a lot going on in the story and I was engrossed in every bit of the drama.
Trắc and Nhị's relationship was as complicated as any sister relationship. They had very different personalities - Trắc was more reserved and calculating whereas Nhị was more impulsive and wild. They resented each other for their differences yet they had a fierce love for one another at the same time. When it came time for them to lead the others, they were able to work well together (mostly) in their common cause.
Trắc and Nhị were fierce warriors who did the impossible of raising and leading an army of women to victory over the Han. They were driven not only by revenge for their loved ones, but also for love of their country, people, and ancestors. When Trắc declared herself as the "She-King", I pumped my fist in the air to celebrate her badassery.
Pick up this historical fiction novel for an engrossing and inspiring story about two sisters leading the charge in a revolution.
Mini guest review from my mom:
In the history class of our early school years, we learned about stories as myths. This story makes us Vietnamese women proud. To this day, later generations still remember and adore these heroines. Men think this story is just a myth to flatter women. Not everything in this book was what we learned in school, but the rest is just adding to the excitement of the reader. It’s nice to read stories of Vietnamese heroines that can be seen on American bookcases!
⚠️: death of a loved one, cruel punishment, murder, war, suicide
I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher.
I was very excited to read this story. As a child of Vietnamese immigrants, I am always thirsting for stories that involve Vietnamese history and culture. I had never heard of the legend of the Trưng warrior sisters before but I was immediately intrigued by the synopsis.
The first third of the book was a bit of a slow start for me. I struggled a bit to get into the story because I wasn't used to the writing style that was so different from what I usually read (which is mostly contemporary romance). After I got used to the prose of this book, I was able to fly through it. Phong Nguyen spent that first third of the book depicting the cushy lifestyle that the sisters lived. Once that peace was smashed and Nhị decided to do something about it, I couldn't stop turning the pages. There was a lot going on in the story and I was engrossed in every bit of the drama.
Trắc and Nhị's relationship was as complicated as any sister relationship. They had very different personalities - Trắc was more reserved and calculating whereas Nhị was more impulsive and wild. They resented each other for their differences yet they had a fierce love for one another at the same time. When it came time for them to lead the others, they were able to work well together (mostly) in their common cause.
Trắc and Nhị were fierce warriors who did the impossible of raising and leading an army of women to victory over the Han. They were driven not only by revenge for their loved ones, but also for love of their country, people, and ancestors. When Trắc declared herself as the "She-King", I pumped my fist in the air to celebrate her badassery.
Pick up this historical fiction novel for an engrossing and inspiring story about two sisters leading the charge in a revolution.
Mini guest review from my mom:
In the history class of our early school years, we learned about stories as myths. This story makes us Vietnamese women proud. To this day, later generations still remember and adore these heroines. Men think this story is just a myth to flatter women. Not everything in this book was what we learned in school, but the rest is just adding to the excitement of the reader. It’s nice to read stories of Vietnamese heroines that can be seen on American bookcases!
⚠️: death of a loved one, cruel punishment, murder, war, suicide
I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher.
August 6, 2022
'The problems of the Lạc Việt and the world are too large. What can one woman do?'
'Two women,' Thi Sách said, as a reminder that she would never be alone as long as she had a sister.
4.5⭐
Wow! I loved this book so much. Such an incredible and empowering read about women displaying resilience, courage and strength in spite of loss and tragedy, of them turning their grief into rage and their pain into action.
The story of the Trưng sisters is new to me and I really enjoyed learning about Vietnamese history and culture in this illuminating novel. The two sisters might feel stereotypical at first but were ultimately well-developed. I loved their character arcs and how they were not without flaws.
Bronze Drum is surprisingly fast-paced for a historical epic. While I wouldn't have minded more details and the book spilling into more than 400 pages, the upside is it was a quick read that I devoured. The prose is unique and grew on me.
I feel like this book has been overlooked for more hyped August releases, but don't sleep on it! It's a freaking dark horse and I'm so glad I read it!
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
Favourite quotes:
✨ "That those who love... would rather suffer from love than to be numb to feeling."
✨ "Did the Hán officers realize that by throwing these women into the fire, they were forging the very iron that would become their undoing?"
✨ "Trưng Nhị had begun to think of tragedy upon tragedy as the sinking of a body into water of unknown depths. Surely the body could sink no deeper than this, she thought. Then it dropped further, and the lake of her sorrow was revealed to be an ocean."
August 19, 2022
A few pages in I found some malapropisms (eg. 'populous' when they meant 'populace'), and that set me up to be thoroughly unimpressed with this book. It was not written well enough to be exciting, and I rushed through the last 50 pages simply to finish faster. About halfway through I decided I just didn't care at all, but for some reason I read the whole book. Since the story is legendary anyway, it could probably have been told better in about half the amount of pages. Boring!
June 8, 2025
The Trưng sisters, Trắc and Nhi, are as different than each other than sisters can be, but they are united in one thing - their outrage at the treatment of the Viet by the colonizing Han Chinese. When their outrages grow too heavy to bear, they raise an army of women to fight back.
It occurred to me while I was reading this book that not only do I know very little about Vietnam past the eponymous war (and even that mostly through the eyes of the American forces), I don't think I've ever read a book set there, fiction or non-fiction.
Nguyen writes in a sweeping, slightly detached way that I saw some readers struggled with, but I really liked it - it reminded me of how epics are narrated, and gave the whole book the feeling that we were listening to a story that had been honed and polished by generations of oral storytelling. The sisters and their companions are sometimes distant and larger than life, but that's the point! The Vietnam depicted is a place of legendary heroism and legendary misdeeds, and despite knowing nothing about it I was quickly drawn in.
However, I did think the ending felt rushed, maybe because of a restricted page count. After a long and well-detailed lead up to the great battles, the way down from the peak skids past so fast that we only get a few glimpses of how things fell apart. I would have liked to seen this explored in more depth for a more balanced story. Even the battles ran a bit together, especially the portions narrated by characters who were introduced at just about the same time.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
It occurred to me while I was reading this book that not only do I know very little about Vietnam past the eponymous war (and even that mostly through the eyes of the American forces), I don't think I've ever read a book set there, fiction or non-fiction.
Nguyen writes in a sweeping, slightly detached way that I saw some readers struggled with, but I really liked it - it reminded me of how epics are narrated, and gave the whole book the feeling that we were listening to a story that had been honed and polished by generations of oral storytelling. The sisters and their companions are sometimes distant and larger than life, but that's the point! The Vietnam depicted is a place of legendary heroism and legendary misdeeds, and despite knowing nothing about it I was quickly drawn in.
However, I did think the ending felt rushed, maybe because of a restricted page count. After a long and well-detailed lead up to the great battles, the way down from the peak skids past so fast that we only get a few glimpses of how things fell apart. I would have liked to seen this explored in more depth for a more balanced story. Even the battles ran a bit together, especially the portions narrated by characters who were introduced at just about the same time.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
September 17, 2022
✨ Review ✨ Bronze Drum by Phong Nguyen; Narrated by Quyen Ngo
I had been putting off this book for a bit because I'd read a couple of other long books that had similar sorts of vibes and I needed a bit of space, but I can't believe I put this one off for so long.
This book traces the story of two warrior sisters, Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, who lived in 40CE Vietnam. While much of the book details their training, studying, and youth, eventually the women go on to lead an army of women to "overthrow the Han Chinese and rule as kings over a united people."
In a time and place I don't really know much about, I learned a lot about the ways that the Han Chinese Confucian principles conflicted with traditional Vietnamese ways of life. I was really fascinated with the matriarchal structures present in Vietnam, and this made for a really beautiful book for badass girl power 2 centuries ago.
The writing style seems to be one of the biggest negative comments this book receives, but it's following a mythic style, similar to books like Circe, and for me it seemed to fit what the author was going for. The audio narrator also made this writing style feel natural and fitting with the book.
The book was perhaps a bit long, but maybe that was my fault for trying to binge it in a day (super bingeable). I really enjoyed this and the book made me want to learn more about ancient Vietnam!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: historical fiction
Location: 40CE Vietnam
Pub Date: out now!
Read this if you like:
⭕️ strong female warriors
⭕️ historical fiction set in Asia
⭕️ mythic writing style
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio, and #netgalley for advanced listening and e- copies of this book!
I had been putting off this book for a bit because I'd read a couple of other long books that had similar sorts of vibes and I needed a bit of space, but I can't believe I put this one off for so long.
This book traces the story of two warrior sisters, Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, who lived in 40CE Vietnam. While much of the book details their training, studying, and youth, eventually the women go on to lead an army of women to "overthrow the Han Chinese and rule as kings over a united people."
In a time and place I don't really know much about, I learned a lot about the ways that the Han Chinese Confucian principles conflicted with traditional Vietnamese ways of life. I was really fascinated with the matriarchal structures present in Vietnam, and this made for a really beautiful book for badass girl power 2 centuries ago.
The writing style seems to be one of the biggest negative comments this book receives, but it's following a mythic style, similar to books like Circe, and for me it seemed to fit what the author was going for. The audio narrator also made this writing style feel natural and fitting with the book.
The book was perhaps a bit long, but maybe that was my fault for trying to binge it in a day (super bingeable). I really enjoyed this and the book made me want to learn more about ancient Vietnam!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: historical fiction
Location: 40CE Vietnam
Pub Date: out now!
Read this if you like:
⭕️ strong female warriors
⭕️ historical fiction set in Asia
⭕️ mythic writing style
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio, and #netgalley for advanced listening and e- copies of this book!
April 23, 2023
Uma história épica sobre duas irmãs guerreiras que lutaram pela independência do seu país, é também a história do Antigo Vietnam dominado pela clã Han e como as mulheres vietnamitas atreveram-se á lutar para voltar a possuir a sua liberdade.
As irmãs Trung tornaram-se uma lenda, mesmo não tendo conseguido ganhar a guerra tornam-se o símbolo que séculos mais tarde levaria Đien Biên Phú a conseguir a vitória para o seu país. A obra é contado num formato de uma narrativa oral, demonstrando a força feminina, a irmandade existente entre os vietnamitas e a união inquebrável das irmãs. Foi um livro que ensinou-me muito sobre a cultura e parte da História do Vietnam, que fez-me admirar a coragem destas mulheres lendárias que nunca se vergaram perante o inimigo.
As irmãs Trung tornaram-se uma lenda, mesmo não tendo conseguido ganhar a guerra tornam-se o símbolo que séculos mais tarde levaria Đien Biên Phú a conseguir a vitória para o seu país. A obra é contado num formato de uma narrativa oral, demonstrando a força feminina, a irmandade existente entre os vietnamitas e a união inquebrável das irmãs. Foi um livro que ensinou-me muito sobre a cultura e parte da História do Vietnam, que fez-me admirar a coragem destas mulheres lendárias que nunca se vergaram perante o inimigo.
September 2, 2022
"My suffering will never be as great as some, she told herself, and I have no business suffering when justice is yet to be done."
3.5 rounded up. I was surprised I liked this one so much. It started out tough, a little fable-ish and slow as you are introduced to the village, the people and the family. And the Han. But soon the story sped up and I was completely pulled in.
I loved learning about the sisters and just how different their personalities were. I liked how they each chose their life and their story. I loved how strong they showed themselves to be and how they raised up others, especially women, to show what they were capable of. The ending broke my heart. SO good.
3.5 rounded up. I was surprised I liked this one so much. It started out tough, a little fable-ish and slow as you are introduced to the village, the people and the family. And the Han. But soon the story sped up and I was completely pulled in.
I loved learning about the sisters and just how different their personalities were. I liked how they each chose their life and their story. I loved how strong they showed themselves to be and how they raised up others, especially women, to show what they were capable of. The ending broke my heart. SO good.
July 8, 2024
Content Warning: violence, death (including that of a child), war, colonization, misogyny.
In the Lạc Việt region of ancient Vietnam, Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhi are the daughters of a Lord, living in a world smothered by colonization. Growing up under the thumb of their Han colonizers, Trắc and Nhi struggle to stay true to the beliefs and traditions of their ancestors, training in the hopes that one day, they will become Lords after their father, and, perhaps, begin a revolution that will be the undoing of the Han. But while Nhi is impulsive, vengeful, and hellbent on becoming a woman that the Han will fear, Trắc feels caught between filial duty and the desire to be her own person. As Nhi and Trắc become more and more unhappy with their life under Han rule, the country is also reaching its breaking point, primed for an insurrection that Nhi and Trắc will end up being more involved in than they could ever have envisioned.
How painful it is to say that this book was a disappointment for me! It had actually been on my radar since it came out (all the way back in 2022), and I'd never quite gotten around to it, but when I got it as a gift, I decided it was time to see if Bronze Drum was everything I'd imagined it to be. This is a story based off the real lives of two sisters, who did end up leading a major rebellion against the Han (Chinese) colonization of Vietnam, one of them also becoming Vietnam's first ever queen. There is a lot of mixed legend in with the story, as is expected of anything that happened so long ago, but Nguyen's fictional account isn't meant to dissect where the two meet, but rather to explore how Trắc and Nhi might have grown up, and how their radicalization might've taken place.
First and foremost, this examination and exploration of Vietnamese history is fascinating, and while there are deliberate anachronisms (such as the inclusion of áo dài), it's obvious that Nguyen did a lot of research into this time period and that this was a passion project for him. It's fascinating to see a Vietnam that is fighting against its Chinese colonization, and in particular Confucianism, which is so deeply different from the original beliefs of ancient Vietnam. For example, women had much more power in Vietnamese society before being forced to take upon Confucianist philosophy and rhetoric: before, Trắc and Nhi would have been allowed to take on their father's position, title, and land once he died; now, they are forced to find a husband, preferably Han, who will inherit everything their father leaves, since he has no sons.
This is obviously not to say that pre-Han Vietnam was perfect, nor was it a paradise for everyone, but it's a good example of the ways that colonization contort and disturb the belief systems of a people and, in turn, destroys the flow of a country's natural life. It's also a good way of examining how patriarchal, racist, and homophobic structures are aided and, in some cases, created by colonization, but that's a topic for another day.
But now, unfortunately, I must get into what made this book a disappointment for me. Primarily, it has to do with the writing. Typically, I'm not one to be fussy about writing style, so long as it is clear, grammatically correct, and imparts the emotion that's needed into the story -- and while Nguyen's is most definitely the first two, the last one is what I struggled with. It feels as if we are observing this story from a distance, as if we are being told this tale from some third-party narrator, although that is not the case. Trắc and Nhi are one-dimensional, written only as both foils and opposites of one another, and despite the fact that they go through many emotional trials, it somehow never feels as if we are privy to their inner emotions or motivations.
I also feel that though this is intended to be woman-focused, it still continuously centers men. Trắc and Nhi are motivated primarily by, respectively, a husband and a father. Not saying that that can't (obviously) impact their motivations or feelings, but their revolutionary fire always seems to be somehow male-heavy. There are many minor female characters who are never fleshed out that felt as if they would have been such interesting additions to the main narrative, like Mai and a few of the women Nhi and Trắc choose for their generals. Honestly, the male characters suffer from this one-dimensionality as well, so it isn't necessarily a gender problem, but most of the conversations between the women still revolves around men. It's a disappointing and disheartening issue, especially considering how this story is intended as a "feminist" tale of empowerment.
Also, on that note: Nhi and Trắc have no meaningful interactions whatsoever. This might seem like an exaggeration, and perhaps it is, as there seem to be some rather flawed attempts at inserting this into the narrative, but practically speaking, it simply never happens. All of their conversations are brief, strangely emotionless. As someone with a sister, it stuck out to me like a sore thumb, how strangely empty their conversations and ruminations on one another are. There's a simmering layer of resentment and love boiling just beneath the surface with regards to their sisterly relationship, but it's never actually explored, and the entire time, I was frustrated by how it seemed to be pushed to the side again and again. At its best, this story should be one about sisters, particularly since they are so divided in their opinions about everything that is important in their lives, but that potential is, unfortunately, never reached.
I did enjoy the history here, and some of the discussions of the impact of colonization are thoughtful (though also very brief). I wish there had been more depth to the conversations on misogyny that the women in this book face, particularly from the Han, but unfortunately, it's left mostly to the background.
Overall, this book was definitely not for me. I don't like having to be so negative, but there's really only a very little I liked here, and while I did genuinely enjoy some sections, they were not terribly frequent.
In the Lạc Việt region of ancient Vietnam, Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhi are the daughters of a Lord, living in a world smothered by colonization. Growing up under the thumb of their Han colonizers, Trắc and Nhi struggle to stay true to the beliefs and traditions of their ancestors, training in the hopes that one day, they will become Lords after their father, and, perhaps, begin a revolution that will be the undoing of the Han. But while Nhi is impulsive, vengeful, and hellbent on becoming a woman that the Han will fear, Trắc feels caught between filial duty and the desire to be her own person. As Nhi and Trắc become more and more unhappy with their life under Han rule, the country is also reaching its breaking point, primed for an insurrection that Nhi and Trắc will end up being more involved in than they could ever have envisioned.
How painful it is to say that this book was a disappointment for me! It had actually been on my radar since it came out (all the way back in 2022), and I'd never quite gotten around to it, but when I got it as a gift, I decided it was time to see if Bronze Drum was everything I'd imagined it to be. This is a story based off the real lives of two sisters, who did end up leading a major rebellion against the Han (Chinese) colonization of Vietnam, one of them also becoming Vietnam's first ever queen. There is a lot of mixed legend in with the story, as is expected of anything that happened so long ago, but Nguyen's fictional account isn't meant to dissect where the two meet, but rather to explore how Trắc and Nhi might have grown up, and how their radicalization might've taken place.
First and foremost, this examination and exploration of Vietnamese history is fascinating, and while there are deliberate anachronisms (such as the inclusion of áo dài), it's obvious that Nguyen did a lot of research into this time period and that this was a passion project for him. It's fascinating to see a Vietnam that is fighting against its Chinese colonization, and in particular Confucianism, which is so deeply different from the original beliefs of ancient Vietnam. For example, women had much more power in Vietnamese society before being forced to take upon Confucianist philosophy and rhetoric: before, Trắc and Nhi would have been allowed to take on their father's position, title, and land once he died; now, they are forced to find a husband, preferably Han, who will inherit everything their father leaves, since he has no sons.
This is obviously not to say that pre-Han Vietnam was perfect, nor was it a paradise for everyone, but it's a good example of the ways that colonization contort and disturb the belief systems of a people and, in turn, destroys the flow of a country's natural life. It's also a good way of examining how patriarchal, racist, and homophobic structures are aided and, in some cases, created by colonization, but that's a topic for another day.
But now, unfortunately, I must get into what made this book a disappointment for me. Primarily, it has to do with the writing. Typically, I'm not one to be fussy about writing style, so long as it is clear, grammatically correct, and imparts the emotion that's needed into the story -- and while Nguyen's is most definitely the first two, the last one is what I struggled with. It feels as if we are observing this story from a distance, as if we are being told this tale from some third-party narrator, although that is not the case. Trắc and Nhi are one-dimensional, written only as both foils and opposites of one another, and despite the fact that they go through many emotional trials, it somehow never feels as if we are privy to their inner emotions or motivations.
I also feel that though this is intended to be woman-focused, it still continuously centers men. Trắc and Nhi are motivated primarily by, respectively, a husband and a father. Not saying that that can't (obviously) impact their motivations or feelings, but their revolutionary fire always seems to be somehow male-heavy. There are many minor female characters who are never fleshed out that felt as if they would have been such interesting additions to the main narrative, like Mai and a few of the women Nhi and Trắc choose for their generals. Honestly, the male characters suffer from this one-dimensionality as well, so it isn't necessarily a gender problem, but most of the conversations between the women still revolves around men. It's a disappointing and disheartening issue, especially considering how this story is intended as a "feminist" tale of empowerment.
Also, on that note: Nhi and Trắc have no meaningful interactions whatsoever. This might seem like an exaggeration, and perhaps it is, as there seem to be some rather flawed attempts at inserting this into the narrative, but practically speaking, it simply never happens. All of their conversations are brief, strangely emotionless. As someone with a sister, it stuck out to me like a sore thumb, how strangely empty their conversations and ruminations on one another are. There's a simmering layer of resentment and love boiling just beneath the surface with regards to their sisterly relationship, but it's never actually explored, and the entire time, I was frustrated by how it seemed to be pushed to the side again and again. At its best, this story should be one about sisters, particularly since they are so divided in their opinions about everything that is important in their lives, but that potential is, unfortunately, never reached.
I did enjoy the history here, and some of the discussions of the impact of colonization are thoughtful (though also very brief). I wish there had been more depth to the conversations on misogyny that the women in this book face, particularly from the Han, but unfortunately, it's left mostly to the background.
Overall, this book was definitely not for me. I don't like having to be so negative, but there's really only a very little I liked here, and while I did genuinely enjoy some sections, they were not terribly frequent.
August 2, 2022
“They will say, not that we set the Lạc Việts free, but that we realized their freedom, and showed them how.” (An excerpt from BRONZE DRUM by Phong Nguyen)
BRONZE DRUM by Phong Nguyen is a story set in ancient Vietnam (the Bronze Age, 36-43 CE) based on the true story of two warrior sisters, Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị, who raised an army of 80,000 women to overthrow the Han Chinese.
This book was one of my five star predictions, and it really was a five-star read for me.
The whole story of the Trưng sisters can technically be read online, but the way Phong Nguyen reimagines this moment in history makes the experience feel so palpable, as if we’re really a part of the Trưng sisters’ lives. After the first 100 pages, I couldn’t put this book down. Each scene was so vivid for me, and I often thought about each character in the moments I took a break from reading.
Though BRONZE DRUM is a riveting account of what was happening during this time, I highly recommend mentally preparing for a war story, since there are graphic depictions of violence.
Thank you Grand Central Pub for the gifted ARC. BRONZE DRUM is available in stores on August 9th, 2022.
BRONZE DRUM by Phong Nguyen is a story set in ancient Vietnam (the Bronze Age, 36-43 CE) based on the true story of two warrior sisters, Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị, who raised an army of 80,000 women to overthrow the Han Chinese.
This book was one of my five star predictions, and it really was a five-star read for me.
The whole story of the Trưng sisters can technically be read online, but the way Phong Nguyen reimagines this moment in history makes the experience feel so palpable, as if we’re really a part of the Trưng sisters’ lives. After the first 100 pages, I couldn’t put this book down. Each scene was so vivid for me, and I often thought about each character in the moments I took a break from reading.
Though BRONZE DRUM is a riveting account of what was happening during this time, I highly recommend mentally preparing for a war story, since there are graphic depictions of violence.
Thank you Grand Central Pub for the gifted ARC. BRONZE DRUM is available in stores on August 9th, 2022.
September 5, 2022
I'll be the first to admit that I'm a sucker for feminist retellings of myths and legends, especially when I get to experience a culture that doesn't often make it into mainstream literature. Where these retellings really shine is when they introduce extra layers of conflict that the characters chafe against and which force them to make difficult decisions. This adds something new to the conversation and makes these stories more than simple retellings. I don't think Bronze Drum accomplishes this.
In this novel we begin with a society that is already lauded as progressive for not forcing women to marry and letting them move between lovers. Patriotism to Lac Viet is, for the characters, an unchallenged virtue as their society is threatened by colonization and assimilation with the Han Chinese. The story would have been richer if there was room for criticism of this ancient Vietnamese culture; I want to see characters who recognize their home is imperfect but have to make a hard choice to fight on its behalf. Instead, we get a story with black and white heroes and villains.
I understand the desire to challenge the narrative that society has linearly improved over time by bringing attention to the perhaps unexpectedly progressive marriage customs of ancient Vietnam. However, the feminist sentiments in the novel lacked intersectionality. The world of the novel remains heavily gendered (with an intensity that veers on essentialism), aggressively heterosexual, and divided by class hierarchy. The characters occasionally wonder if they ought not to be aristocrats, but quickly dismiss it.
Take this moment for example, when the sisters are attempting to recruit their army of women: "'How is the King of the Viets sending our men to fight in their war any different from the emperor of the Han sending your men to fight in their wars?' ... 'It is different, first,' she began, 'because I am not asking you to send your men.'" The chapter simply ends there. So what are the other reasons? We know that any army of women is unexpected and interesting, but what essentially makes women so different? Why is it more acceptable to sacrifice women for rightful aristocrats than to sacrifice men for different aristocrats?
I don't ask that the author introduce a democratic movement where none existed, but I do want to see the characters wrestle with these questions more, even if they ultimately make the same choices. Their feminism only exists at face value when they do not grapple with any other issues.
This novel contained adult content, but the writing style felt geared toward a much younger audience by consistently breaking the rule of showing rather than telling. The introduction and prologue (which introduces a framing device that is never revisited) spell out the symbolism of the novel before the story even begins. The characters often discuss events and meanings and feelings without demonstrating them.
Here's an example: "The burnt remnants of her husband's book had been swept away by the wind and the only marking it left was a hint of char a few feet into the recess. It stood as a reminder of what little was left of us when we are gone and this drove Trung Vuong deeper into her conviction to fight for what was enduring - the honor of the Viets." My intelligence as a reader felt insulted here - why not describe the burnt remains and let me infer the connection to the character's loss? Why not let this character continue to demonstrate her conviction rather than telling me so often that she has it?
I wanted so much to think more for myself about the meanings of the story but had little opportunity to do so. The reader is beaten over the head with some story threads while others are introduced and never followed up on. I was tempted to skim through the last third of the novel as it seemed to have passed its natural conclusion - there was a point at which no further character development occurred and the story became much more of a recital of events than a novel. I thought this could be a feature of the framing device from the prologue, but since this was never touched on again, I couldn't be sure.
In general, there were places where I couldn't tell if the author was in earnest or introducing an element of myth into the story. For example, it's not true that women's menstrual cycles sync up, and especially not after spending a day or two together. Was that meant to be symbolic somehow, or did the author not check how women's bodies work? Either way, it was a jarring detail that felt like it didn't need to be included.
I feel an element of guilt at giving this book a negative review because I want stories like this to reach the mainstream, but this retelling was so poorly executed both in style and theme that I can't recommend it. However, here are some recommendations for other works that do accomplish what I wanted to get from this book:
- Nghi Vo's Singing Hills Cycle draws from historical myths but are rich with queer romance and indictment of monarchy
-Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel deliberately alters aspects of its source material to create a compelling narrative
-Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See is one of my favorites - its main character reinforces the status quo, but you see enough of her internal conflicts that you understand why
In this novel we begin with a society that is already lauded as progressive for not forcing women to marry and letting them move between lovers. Patriotism to Lac Viet is, for the characters, an unchallenged virtue as their society is threatened by colonization and assimilation with the Han Chinese. The story would have been richer if there was room for criticism of this ancient Vietnamese culture; I want to see characters who recognize their home is imperfect but have to make a hard choice to fight on its behalf. Instead, we get a story with black and white heroes and villains.
I understand the desire to challenge the narrative that society has linearly improved over time by bringing attention to the perhaps unexpectedly progressive marriage customs of ancient Vietnam. However, the feminist sentiments in the novel lacked intersectionality. The world of the novel remains heavily gendered (with an intensity that veers on essentialism), aggressively heterosexual, and divided by class hierarchy. The characters occasionally wonder if they ought not to be aristocrats, but quickly dismiss it.
Take this moment for example, when the sisters are attempting to recruit their army of women: "'How is the King of the Viets sending our men to fight in their war any different from the emperor of the Han sending your men to fight in their wars?' ... 'It is different, first,' she began, 'because I am not asking you to send your men.'" The chapter simply ends there. So what are the other reasons? We know that any army of women is unexpected and interesting, but what essentially makes women so different? Why is it more acceptable to sacrifice women for rightful aristocrats than to sacrifice men for different aristocrats?
I don't ask that the author introduce a democratic movement where none existed, but I do want to see the characters wrestle with these questions more, even if they ultimately make the same choices. Their feminism only exists at face value when they do not grapple with any other issues.
This novel contained adult content, but the writing style felt geared toward a much younger audience by consistently breaking the rule of showing rather than telling. The introduction and prologue (which introduces a framing device that is never revisited) spell out the symbolism of the novel before the story even begins. The characters often discuss events and meanings and feelings without demonstrating them.
Here's an example: "The burnt remnants of her husband's book had been swept away by the wind and the only marking it left was a hint of char a few feet into the recess. It stood as a reminder of what little was left of us when we are gone and this drove Trung Vuong deeper into her conviction to fight for what was enduring - the honor of the Viets." My intelligence as a reader felt insulted here - why not describe the burnt remains and let me infer the connection to the character's loss? Why not let this character continue to demonstrate her conviction rather than telling me so often that she has it?
I wanted so much to think more for myself about the meanings of the story but had little opportunity to do so. The reader is beaten over the head with some story threads while others are introduced and never followed up on. I was tempted to skim through the last third of the novel as it seemed to have passed its natural conclusion - there was a point at which no further character development occurred and the story became much more of a recital of events than a novel. I thought this could be a feature of the framing device from the prologue, but since this was never touched on again, I couldn't be sure.
In general, there were places where I couldn't tell if the author was in earnest or introducing an element of myth into the story. For example, it's not true that women's menstrual cycles sync up, and especially not after spending a day or two together. Was that meant to be symbolic somehow, or did the author not check how women's bodies work? Either way, it was a jarring detail that felt like it didn't need to be included.
I feel an element of guilt at giving this book a negative review because I want stories like this to reach the mainstream, but this retelling was so poorly executed both in style and theme that I can't recommend it. However, here are some recommendations for other works that do accomplish what I wanted to get from this book:
- Nghi Vo's Singing Hills Cycle draws from historical myths but are rich with queer romance and indictment of monarchy
-Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel deliberately alters aspects of its source material to create a compelling narrative
-Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See is one of my favorites - its main character reinforces the status quo, but you see enough of her internal conflicts that you understand why
January 29, 2023
This fictionalized story of sisters who are known as heroic warrior saints in Vietnamese history was a heartbreaking and heart-widening experience. I was not familiar with the story of the sisters. Nor had I read a novel set in ancient Vietnam, and I was transfixed by the idea of warrior sisters defending the existence of their nation. My enjoyment was enhanced even more by my good fortune to hear Phong talk about his writing process. I'm looking forward to reading what he writes next.
August 31, 2022
This book is so unique. It’s Vietnamese folklore with these stories and characters intricately weaves together to tell a beautiful story and I like it a lot!
September 28, 2022
So, this review is hard for me to write. I love the concept for this story very much. Historical fiction is something I read every so often, and I was really excited to read about a piece of history I didn't know too much about.
The hard part about this novel for me was somewhere in the writing and formatting. The characters weren't presented in a way for me to feel attached to them. Though I believe this piece of ancient history to be very important, I didn't grow attached in this version of the story.
The hard part about this novel for me was somewhere in the writing and formatting. The characters weren't presented in a way for me to feel attached to them. Though I believe this piece of ancient history to be very important, I didn't grow attached in this version of the story.
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