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Aloha Vietnam
A rich journey across the Pacific Ocean to find one's true home and identity amidst loss, grief, and mental illness. Anh Nguyen is 17 years old and a senior in high school working on a watercolor art series when she experiences her first manic episode. She is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, put on medications, and she and her Vietnamese-American family are suddenly thrown into the world of mental health treatment and recovery.
Anh's mother Xuan grapples with understanding her daughter's struggles, while also trying to make sense of her own loss and grief of leaving behind her family and motherland of Vietnam to raise her children in America. The family find refuge across the Pacific Ocean on the warm shores of Honolulu, Hawaii, Anh navigates growing up in a refugee family in a new land and culture, and dealing with the struggles of her own mind. She finds solace in her love for the ocean and her art.
This is the story of finding one's identity and place of belonging in a shifting landscape of tradition, heritage, and culture, and the healing power of art, water, and love. Editorial Powered by story and strengthened by science, Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen, like Lisa Genova before her, has penned a gripping story of one family's journey through the heartbreak of mental illness. A beautifully written coming-of-age story that details the highs and lows of bi-polar disorder, against the cross-cultural grace and beauty of two Pacific locations - Vietnam and Hawaii. A poignant and moving novel. - R. Bruce Logan & Elaine Head, authors of Back to Tours of the Heart As an Asian American child and adolescent psychiatrist, I highly recommend Aloha Vietnam not only for its sensitive portrayal of illness, but also for its moving depiction of an immigrant's experience." - Dr. Harry Wang, MD, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Edge of your seat fixed as soon as I settled with Aloha Vietnam I was hooked on the raw emotion pouring deep from within the words. Elizabeth's passion for her cultural roots bursts throughout this poignant encounter of a family both found and lost within their new experiences. I loved it. - Natalie Farrell Artist. Presenter. Writer + Author of "Light The Way" At the heart of the story is the mother-daughter relationship told through the backdrop of the emotions of a lost culture, the grief of which can be tasted through the pages. - Victoria Smisek, author of "Falling Awake - A Heroine's Journey" This enchanting book is a potent mix of loss, strength, love, and healing. - Deborah DLP Writer Beautifully Unfinished Woman
About the
Elizabeth Nguyen, MD was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her parents were refugees from Vietnam who arrived in Honolulu in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War.
She received her BA from Stanford University in Human Biology, her MD from Northwestern University, and her Psychiatry Residency and Child Psychiatry Fellowship training at UC Davis. She started her career in community mental health, with specific interests in cross-cultural psychiatry, the intersection of spirituality and mental health, and the healing power of water and the natural world.
Of the inspiration behind and the intention for Aloha Vietnam, Elizabeth "There is so much trauma and healing in the human ancestral lineages, and water, art, and storytelling help us in becoming whole and natural again. This book is my love offering to the land and the people of Vietnam and Hawaii, and the vast Pacific Ocean that connects them. It is my hope that it provides beauty and healing to the trauma and suffering that has come through generations of loss and the struggles of mental illness." You can find her online www.multidimensionalpsychiatry.com and www.waterkeeperscommunity.com
Anh's mother Xuan grapples with understanding her daughter's struggles, while also trying to make sense of her own loss and grief of leaving behind her family and motherland of Vietnam to raise her children in America. The family find refuge across the Pacific Ocean on the warm shores of Honolulu, Hawaii, Anh navigates growing up in a refugee family in a new land and culture, and dealing with the struggles of her own mind. She finds solace in her love for the ocean and her art.
This is the story of finding one's identity and place of belonging in a shifting landscape of tradition, heritage, and culture, and the healing power of art, water, and love. Editorial Powered by story and strengthened by science, Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen, like Lisa Genova before her, has penned a gripping story of one family's journey through the heartbreak of mental illness. A beautifully written coming-of-age story that details the highs and lows of bi-polar disorder, against the cross-cultural grace and beauty of two Pacific locations - Vietnam and Hawaii. A poignant and moving novel. - R. Bruce Logan & Elaine Head, authors of Back to Tours of the Heart As an Asian American child and adolescent psychiatrist, I highly recommend Aloha Vietnam not only for its sensitive portrayal of illness, but also for its moving depiction of an immigrant's experience." - Dr. Harry Wang, MD, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Edge of your seat fixed as soon as I settled with Aloha Vietnam I was hooked on the raw emotion pouring deep from within the words. Elizabeth's passion for her cultural roots bursts throughout this poignant encounter of a family both found and lost within their new experiences. I loved it. - Natalie Farrell Artist. Presenter. Writer + Author of "Light The Way" At the heart of the story is the mother-daughter relationship told through the backdrop of the emotions of a lost culture, the grief of which can be tasted through the pages. - Victoria Smisek, author of "Falling Awake - A Heroine's Journey" This enchanting book is a potent mix of loss, strength, love, and healing. - Deborah DLP Writer Beautifully Unfinished Woman
About the
Elizabeth Nguyen, MD was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her parents were refugees from Vietnam who arrived in Honolulu in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War.
She received her BA from Stanford University in Human Biology, her MD from Northwestern University, and her Psychiatry Residency and Child Psychiatry Fellowship training at UC Davis. She started her career in community mental health, with specific interests in cross-cultural psychiatry, the intersection of spirituality and mental health, and the healing power of water and the natural world.
Of the inspiration behind and the intention for Aloha Vietnam, Elizabeth "There is so much trauma and healing in the human ancestral lineages, and water, art, and storytelling help us in becoming whole and natural again. This book is my love offering to the land and the people of Vietnam and Hawaii, and the vast Pacific Ocean that connects them. It is my hope that it provides beauty and healing to the trauma and suffering that has come through generations of loss and the struggles of mental illness." You can find her online www.multidimensionalpsychiatry.com and www.waterkeeperscommunity.com
- GenresFictionMental Health
230 pages, Paperback
Published December 14, 2022
8 people are currently reading
2289 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Nguyen
2 books10 followersElizabeth Nguyen, MD was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her parents were refugees from Vietnam who arrived in Honolulu in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War. She received her BA from Stanford University in Human Biology, her MD from Northwestern University, and her Psychiatry Residency and Child Psychiatry Fellowship training at UC Davis. She started her career in community mental health, with specific interests in cross-cultural psychiatry, the intersection of spirituality and mental health, and the healing power of water and the natural world. She currently lives in Davis, CA where she is in private psychiatry practice and makes frequent trips across the Pacific Ocean to the islands of Hawaii where her body and soul feel most at home. Of the inspiration behind and the intention for Aloha Vietnam, Elizabeth says: "There is so much trauma and healing in the human ancestral lineages, and water, art, and storytelling help us in becoming whole and natural again. This book is my love offering to the land and the people of Vietnam and Hawaii, and the vast Pacific Ocean that connects them. It is my hope that it provides beauty and healing to the trauma and suffering that has come through generations of loss and the struggles of mental illness." You can find her online at: www.multidimensionalpsychiatry.com and www.waterkeeperscommunity.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
May 25, 2023
A moving ode to familial bonds and ancestral lands against the backdrop of Hawaii. Told with honesty and grace, Aloha Vietnam is a powerful account of the first generation immigrant experience, as well as the struggles of facing the stigma that comes with tending to one’s mental health. This novel does a compelling job of weaving together memory and desire, tension and speculation like the watercolors Anh so carefully crafts. This is a story that shows all of the love and loss that is felt for the past, for families who never quite meet in the middle, for artists and writers making sense of the world around them. A passionate novel filled with emotion, and a intimately candid journey.
June 6, 2023
Real rating: 4.5 stars
Aloha Vietnam is a short, but heavy read that focuses on mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder, and the stigma it has within Asian communities.
This story switches between the perspectives of Anh, a second generation immigrant, and Xuan, Anh's mother and a first generation immigrant from Vietnam. There's a lot of exploration of the Generational gap - the differences in how they communicate, how they show love, their understanding of racism and belonging, and their views of mental illness.
The storytelling is so full of pain. Xuan laments for what's lost, the sacrifices that were made, and her fear that her actions had somehow caused Anh's mental illness. There's also a divide between how she sees America versus Anh. In comparison, Anh is fearful of herself - she doesn't understand her condition and no longer feels that she can trust herself or her brain (or she feels like she can so much so that she stops taking her medication). She notices the stark contrast between herself and others and how her mental illness and, at times, her race separate her from her peers. Anh's perspective was a fantastic exploration of mental illness and the truth of what many deal with when they're first diagnosed.
I also really liked the positive therapy rep in this book - as a reader, I appreciated being privy to the conversation. I think it gives a good idea of how therapy works and that there is so much to be gained by being in tune with your feelings and learning to express them properly to people.
All in all, a phenomenal read, but you definitely have to be in the right headspace for it. Check the TWs below and practice self-care.
TW: medical trauma, fatphobia, attempted suicide, grief, death of a parent, self-harm; mentions various effects of mental illness, miscarriage, infertility, war, death
eBook gifted by Book Publicity Services in exchange for an honest review.
Aloha Vietnam is a short, but heavy read that focuses on mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder, and the stigma it has within Asian communities.
This story switches between the perspectives of Anh, a second generation immigrant, and Xuan, Anh's mother and a first generation immigrant from Vietnam. There's a lot of exploration of the Generational gap - the differences in how they communicate, how they show love, their understanding of racism and belonging, and their views of mental illness.
The storytelling is so full of pain. Xuan laments for what's lost, the sacrifices that were made, and her fear that her actions had somehow caused Anh's mental illness. There's also a divide between how she sees America versus Anh. In comparison, Anh is fearful of herself - she doesn't understand her condition and no longer feels that she can trust herself or her brain (or she feels like she can so much so that she stops taking her medication). She notices the stark contrast between herself and others and how her mental illness and, at times, her race separate her from her peers. Anh's perspective was a fantastic exploration of mental illness and the truth of what many deal with when they're first diagnosed.
I also really liked the positive therapy rep in this book - as a reader, I appreciated being privy to the conversation. I think it gives a good idea of how therapy works and that there is so much to be gained by being in tune with your feelings and learning to express them properly to people.
All in all, a phenomenal read, but you definitely have to be in the right headspace for it. Check the TWs below and practice self-care.
TW: medical trauma, fatphobia, attempted suicide, grief, death of a parent, self-harm; mentions various effects of mental illness, miscarriage, infertility, war, death
eBook gifted by Book Publicity Services in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2023
this book follows anh, a 17 y/o girl born in hawaii, & xuan, her mom who immigrated from vietnam in search of a better life for her children, as they grapple with anh’s recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
i took so many notes as i went through this read. i learned so much about bipolar disorder & in-patient treatment from patient, family, & provider side. the different perspectives all shed light on different facets of the topic & added depth as characters navigated diagnosis & treatment in widely different ways. written by a child psychiatrist who is innately familiar with mental health treatment for children of the Asian diaspora, it was an educational & unique story that i have never heard before!!
i found it the most heartbreaking to read the xuan’s chapters, seeing how she blamed herself & was so desperate to figure out how to help her daughter. the added barrier of being an immigrant & non-native english speaker trying to navigate the us healthcare system made her situation even more tragic & frustrating.
the writing was a little too straightforward for me to feel super invested, but it didn't seriously take away from the story either. there were themes of intergenerational trauma & the healing properties of water/art therapy that could have been really poignant, but i wish they had been explored more!!
i also feel it’s important to note there is a VERY graphic description of a suicide attempt on page 176-177. while i understood why the attempt was a plot point, i don’t know how responsible it was to include such an explicit description. you could def skip those 2 pages & still follow the plot — which i highly rec if you know that will not be a safe passage for you to read!
overall, i really appreciated the themes of mental illness in the Asian community & the search for belonging experienced by refugees & their children. i see this book starting some really important conversations & reminding readers of the complexity of the Asian diaspora 💛
thank you to @bookpublicityservices for the #gifted copy!!
i took so many notes as i went through this read. i learned so much about bipolar disorder & in-patient treatment from patient, family, & provider side. the different perspectives all shed light on different facets of the topic & added depth as characters navigated diagnosis & treatment in widely different ways. written by a child psychiatrist who is innately familiar with mental health treatment for children of the Asian diaspora, it was an educational & unique story that i have never heard before!!
i found it the most heartbreaking to read the xuan’s chapters, seeing how she blamed herself & was so desperate to figure out how to help her daughter. the added barrier of being an immigrant & non-native english speaker trying to navigate the us healthcare system made her situation even more tragic & frustrating.
the writing was a little too straightforward for me to feel super invested, but it didn't seriously take away from the story either. there were themes of intergenerational trauma & the healing properties of water/art therapy that could have been really poignant, but i wish they had been explored more!!
i also feel it’s important to note there is a VERY graphic description of a suicide attempt on page 176-177. while i understood why the attempt was a plot point, i don’t know how responsible it was to include such an explicit description. you could def skip those 2 pages & still follow the plot — which i highly rec if you know that will not be a safe passage for you to read!
overall, i really appreciated the themes of mental illness in the Asian community & the search for belonging experienced by refugees & their children. i see this book starting some really important conversations & reminding readers of the complexity of the Asian diaspora 💛
thank you to @bookpublicityservices for the #gifted copy!!
September 9, 2023
In 'Aloha Vietnam', we follow a 17-year-old girl, Anh Nguyen, unravelling the realities of living with bipolar disorder and the experiences of a Vietnamese family in America.
Set against the backdrop of Hawaii, Anh's journey begins with her first manic episode. As she grapples with the challenges of her mental illness, her mother, Xuan wrestles with her own grief and the longing for her homeland. The narrative weaves together their parallel struggles, offering an exploration of the past and the current.
While we explored Anh's emotional battles and her vulnerabilities, I noticed certain parts of the story tend to repeat themselves, overshadowing the overall narrative. The exploration of family dynamics and cultural heritage in Xuan's section felt trivial. The portrayal of Hawaii also lacks a distinct impression, which diminishes the significance of the title.
Overall, I found the story lacking. Recommended to readers who want to look into the realm of bipolar, just don't expect anything more. Thanks @bookpublicityservices for the review copy.
Rating: 2.5 stars
Set against the backdrop of Hawaii, Anh's journey begins with her first manic episode. As she grapples with the challenges of her mental illness, her mother, Xuan wrestles with her own grief and the longing for her homeland. The narrative weaves together their parallel struggles, offering an exploration of the past and the current.
While we explored Anh's emotional battles and her vulnerabilities, I noticed certain parts of the story tend to repeat themselves, overshadowing the overall narrative. The exploration of family dynamics and cultural heritage in Xuan's section felt trivial. The portrayal of Hawaii also lacks a distinct impression, which diminishes the significance of the title.
Overall, I found the story lacking. Recommended to readers who want to look into the realm of bipolar, just don't expect anything more. Thanks @bookpublicityservices for the review copy.
Rating: 2.5 stars
May 10, 2023
4 ☆
Aloha Vietnam is a stunning story about what it means to be a daughter of immigrants struggling with mental illness. Told from 3 POVs, Anh, her mother, and her psychiatrist, we get a glimpse into Anh's journey after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and how it affects those around her as she enters adulthood.
I felt deeply seen by this book being a daughter of immigrants myself. It's a fine line trying to find your footing in the world while balancing the traditions and expectations of your parents and culture. Anh's pain is real, emotional, and extremely relatable. I applaud her strength as she navigates her relationship with her health and her family and strives a path towards healing. It's not a easy feat.
Thank you to BookPublicityServices for gifting me this book.
Aloha Vietnam is a stunning story about what it means to be a daughter of immigrants struggling with mental illness. Told from 3 POVs, Anh, her mother, and her psychiatrist, we get a glimpse into Anh's journey after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and how it affects those around her as she enters adulthood.
I felt deeply seen by this book being a daughter of immigrants myself. It's a fine line trying to find your footing in the world while balancing the traditions and expectations of your parents and culture. Anh's pain is real, emotional, and extremely relatable. I applaud her strength as she navigates her relationship with her health and her family and strives a path towards healing. It's not a easy feat.
Thank you to BookPublicityServices for gifting me this book.
January 18, 2023
Ms. Nguyen's first novel is a gem. I'm a lifelong reader and it's rare to find a book that takes you by the hand and invites you INTO the story, the voices, and the imagery. There are no unnecessary words. The story organically weaves between mother and daughter. Anh's and Xuan's vulnerable and, at times, desperate voices take us on a journey not only to deeply understand them, but ourselves. What is our relationship with our parents? Are we following our voices and desires or someone else's? We all need someone like Dr. Tanaka, Anh's therapist. Someone who gentle helps us find self love and acceptance and, in return, love our families and everyone else. After all, we all have stories and need healing. Thank you, Ms. Nguyen, for gifting us with your storytelling! I already miss Anh and Xuan and will reread the book, something I almost never do.
January 17, 2023
Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen's first book is amazing! The characters in her book take you through the experience of mental illness, teenage growing pains, parent-child relationships, in more than one generation too. They also shed light on how immigrants to the U.S. to seek a better life may feel. ... Missing their ancestral land and traditions, but at the same time, loving and appreciative of the country they were able to immigrate to and now call "home". And also, the story is set in beautiful Hawaii! That's like icing on the cake.
April 30, 2023
"Asian families deal with mental illness differently. They don't talk about it. There's too much shame and misunderstanding about it.."
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
•Generation gap
•Cultural identity and standards
•Honolulu setting
•Healing powers of art and the ocean
First, I want to say a big THANK YOU to Book Publicity Services and the author for sending me a copy of this beautiful book!
I breezed through this book, and as you can see, tabbed many pages! This is such an important read! Ever felt a wall in connecting with your parents? Trouble relating to your culture? Had mental issues that you didn't understand yourself? This book captures these tough subjects SO WELL. What I loved is the alternating points of views between mother Xuan and daughter Anh. We're taken on a journey with both of their internal struggles.
Growing up and living on the coast, I understand Anh's love for the ocean. Its so healing! 🌊
This is the perfect book to read for May Mental Awareness Month and AAPI Heritage Month!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
•Generation gap
•Cultural identity and standards
•Honolulu setting
•Healing powers of art and the ocean
First, I want to say a big THANK YOU to Book Publicity Services and the author for sending me a copy of this beautiful book!
I breezed through this book, and as you can see, tabbed many pages! This is such an important read! Ever felt a wall in connecting with your parents? Trouble relating to your culture? Had mental issues that you didn't understand yourself? This book captures these tough subjects SO WELL. What I loved is the alternating points of views between mother Xuan and daughter Anh. We're taken on a journey with both of their internal struggles.
Growing up and living on the coast, I understand Anh's love for the ocean. Its so healing! 🌊
This is the perfect book to read for May Mental Awareness Month and AAPI Heritage Month!
May 5, 2023
A must-read for anyone interested in how immigration and mental health intersect!
As a budding psychiatrist, this beautiful book made quite an impression on me. I devoured Anh’s story, with all of its honest and thoughtful reflections, and found myself missing her voice once I finished the book (which I delayed for many months, for this reason). I found that many of the cultural challenges described in the book mirrored my own experience as the daughter of two immigrants - knowing we are not alone is one of the most powerful gifts a book can give us. A must-read for anyone interested in learning about the role that culture plays in mental health.
As a budding psychiatrist, this beautiful book made quite an impression on me. I devoured Anh’s story, with all of its honest and thoughtful reflections, and found myself missing her voice once I finished the book (which I delayed for many months, for this reason). I found that many of the cultural challenges described in the book mirrored my own experience as the daughter of two immigrants - knowing we are not alone is one of the most powerful gifts a book can give us. A must-read for anyone interested in learning about the role that culture plays in mental health.
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October 13, 2023“This is the story of finding one’s identity and place of belonging in a shifting landscape or tradition, heritage, and culture, and the healing power of art, water and love.”
This story really resonated with me as the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants. I felt so seen— Anh’s pain and feeling of not belonging. Not feeling understood by her parents or peers. The story ended beautifully. Really well written, and quick and easy read.
This story really resonated with me as the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants. I felt so seen— Anh’s pain and feeling of not belonging. Not feeling understood by her parents or peers. The story ended beautifully. Really well written, and quick and easy read.
May 22, 2023
This story gave me a realistic idea of what it’s like to live with a mental illness and helped me empathize with those who struggle with it. Each pov portrayed the differences in perspective between an Asian American mother and daughter really well.
I related mostly to the concept of coming to terms with the condition of your mental health and finding an outlet that helps you feel better. On top of that, I liked that it was set in O’ahu. It’s the only island I’ve visited in Hawaii so far and it’s a special place for me, so the story felt all the more real. Despite having heavy topics, the idea of the main character being near the ocean and loving it was quite calming for me, as it was for her.
To be completely transparent, this isn’t a genre I would normally look for at the bookstore, and I wouldn’t re-read it. But it was an insightful and educational read for AAPI Heritage and Mental Health Awareness Month.
Thank you to Book Publicity Services (@bookpublicityservices on IG) for my gifted copy!
I related mostly to the concept of coming to terms with the condition of your mental health and finding an outlet that helps you feel better. On top of that, I liked that it was set in O’ahu. It’s the only island I’ve visited in Hawaii so far and it’s a special place for me, so the story felt all the more real. Despite having heavy topics, the idea of the main character being near the ocean and loving it was quite calming for me, as it was for her.
To be completely transparent, this isn’t a genre I would normally look for at the bookstore, and I wouldn’t re-read it. But it was an insightful and educational read for AAPI Heritage and Mental Health Awareness Month.
Thank you to Book Publicity Services (@bookpublicityservices on IG) for my gifted copy!
May 3, 2023
First off this cover is so beautiful! The book itself was just as beautiful! Such a thought provoking and dear to the heart story! Can’t stress enough the importance of this book! Thanks to @bookpublicityservices for sharing book with me! This story is amazing, thanks so much to the author for writing this!
September 15, 2023
Aloha Vietnam tackles multiple issues the hardship of mental illness, coming from an immigrant family, the pressures of perfectionism, and learning to let go of the past while still understanding where you come from.
This book has major mental health triggers as we journey with Anh as she gets diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in the early 90’s as a senior in high school. We also see the pov of her parents who came to Hawaii from Vietnam after the war.
This a beautiful book of hurt and healing.
This book has major mental health triggers as we journey with Anh as she gets diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in the early 90’s as a senior in high school. We also see the pov of her parents who came to Hawaii from Vietnam after the war.
This a beautiful book of hurt and healing.
July 4, 2023
Readers interested in mental health issues and in the lives of immigrant families will appreciate this novel by Elizabeth Nguyen. Like her main character Anh, Nguyen is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees who raised her in Hawaii. In the novel, Anh is 17 when she has her first manic episode. She’s fortunate to have a caring doctor but soon becomes overwhelmed by her condition, exacerbated by her embarrassment with her classmates, her worry about being a burden on her family, and her discomfort with taking daily medication. On top of that, she needs to be thinking about her grades, college, and career. Anh’s mother, Xuan, cares deeply but doesn’t know how to help and blames herself. She wants Anh to be successful but she doesn’t understand the things that actually make Anh feel better, like art and the ocean.
Anh felt very real to me. Nguyen effectively takes readers inside her mind, even as she’s experiencing traumatic episodes. A warning, this book can be hard to read at times. I could relate to Anh’s challenges in this book, even though I don’t have her condition nor am I of Vietnamese descent. Many of the themes are universal, such as Anh’s difficulty in sharing her needs with her family and friends, and their difficulty in being able to relate to understanding what she’s going through. I could relate to Anh’s struggle to make choices about her life after high school and her feelings of loneliness in college, of wanting to fit in with others but still be true to herself.
It’s not the most artfully written novel – it’s well written but a bit clunky at times. It’s very direct, which I think is why it felt like a memoir rather than fiction. But I appreciated that it was heartfelt and I learned quite a bit about bipolar disorder.
I loved the settings of Oahu and California, and the beautiful cover. I was particularly interested in the characters’ experience as Vietnamese-Americans living in Hawaii and then Anh’s experience of going to California, where there is a much smaller Vietnamese community. This was a thoughtful book that was written very realistically due to the author’s expertise in the subject of mental illness and her own experiences as a Vietnamese-American. I recommend it.
Note: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Book Publicity Services. This book was published December 14, 2022 by The Unbound Press. My full review is at http://thebookstop.wordpress.com.
Anh felt very real to me. Nguyen effectively takes readers inside her mind, even as she’s experiencing traumatic episodes. A warning, this book can be hard to read at times. I could relate to Anh’s challenges in this book, even though I don’t have her condition nor am I of Vietnamese descent. Many of the themes are universal, such as Anh’s difficulty in sharing her needs with her family and friends, and their difficulty in being able to relate to understanding what she’s going through. I could relate to Anh’s struggle to make choices about her life after high school and her feelings of loneliness in college, of wanting to fit in with others but still be true to herself.
It’s not the most artfully written novel – it’s well written but a bit clunky at times. It’s very direct, which I think is why it felt like a memoir rather than fiction. But I appreciated that it was heartfelt and I learned quite a bit about bipolar disorder.
I loved the settings of Oahu and California, and the beautiful cover. I was particularly interested in the characters’ experience as Vietnamese-Americans living in Hawaii and then Anh’s experience of going to California, where there is a much smaller Vietnamese community. This was a thoughtful book that was written very realistically due to the author’s expertise in the subject of mental illness and her own experiences as a Vietnamese-American. I recommend it.
Note: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Book Publicity Services. This book was published December 14, 2022 by The Unbound Press. My full review is at http://thebookstop.wordpress.com.
May 25, 2023
Content warnings: suicide attempt, mental illness, self harm
A moving novel about a Vietnamese-American family and a young girl’s journey grappling with bipolar disorder. Anh Nguyen is a high school student when she experiences her first manic episode. When she is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, her mother Xuan struggles to understand her daughter’s mental illness, what she needs, and reflects on her journey to Hawaii from Vietnam after the war searching for a better life for her family. From the perspective of both daughter and mother, questions about identity, belonging, culture and tradition are explored in deep and thought-provoking ways.
This book at times was a bit challenging to read and I needed to put it down and come back to it when I was ready. So please ensure that when you are reading books that discuss challenging topics that you are engaging in self care 💙
That being said, I think the novel was uncomfortable sometimes for me because it hit very close to home. The perspective of Anh’s mother Xuan reflects quite accurately the same things I’ve heard Asian adults in my family say, and similar struggles they’ve faced as they don’t know how to support their children.
Writing from the perspectives of mother and daughter (and later the doctor) was really effective in this novel in portraying different ways of looking at the immigrant experience, and the experiences of someone suffering from mental illness but also those who love them and are trying to support them. It helped to develop empathy and understanding from everyone involved in the family, and I think these perspectives are necessary in conversations about mental illness.
Something really beautiful about this novel, and kind of an undercurrent throughout the story, was the power of art and nature to heal the mind, body, and spirit. Anh loved to paint and swim, and these were the only times when she found solace and peace. This novel shows that healing is possible; it may not be linear or easy and requires patience, but it will come.
A moving novel about a Vietnamese-American family and a young girl’s journey grappling with bipolar disorder. Anh Nguyen is a high school student when she experiences her first manic episode. When she is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, her mother Xuan struggles to understand her daughter’s mental illness, what she needs, and reflects on her journey to Hawaii from Vietnam after the war searching for a better life for her family. From the perspective of both daughter and mother, questions about identity, belonging, culture and tradition are explored in deep and thought-provoking ways.
This book at times was a bit challenging to read and I needed to put it down and come back to it when I was ready. So please ensure that when you are reading books that discuss challenging topics that you are engaging in self care 💙
That being said, I think the novel was uncomfortable sometimes for me because it hit very close to home. The perspective of Anh’s mother Xuan reflects quite accurately the same things I’ve heard Asian adults in my family say, and similar struggles they’ve faced as they don’t know how to support their children.
Writing from the perspectives of mother and daughter (and later the doctor) was really effective in this novel in portraying different ways of looking at the immigrant experience, and the experiences of someone suffering from mental illness but also those who love them and are trying to support them. It helped to develop empathy and understanding from everyone involved in the family, and I think these perspectives are necessary in conversations about mental illness.
Something really beautiful about this novel, and kind of an undercurrent throughout the story, was the power of art and nature to heal the mind, body, and spirit. Anh loved to paint and swim, and these were the only times when she found solace and peace. This novel shows that healing is possible; it may not be linear or easy and requires patience, but it will come.
May 13, 2023
Nguyen gives us a snapshot of life for a family who are coping with adapting to a new culture in a new country, doing everything they can to assimilate without losing their culture. But when their daughter is struck by a sudden medical crisis, they all must figure out how to understand what is happening and how to cope.
I was struck by the raw truth of Ahn's bipolar disorder and how it impacted her relationships and her hopes and dreams. The initial crisis she suffers is well documented from all sides, her own fears, her parents uncertainty and her doctor's desire to help. What is also really well illustrated is the lack of clear communication about the fact that this is a lifelong condition and that while genetics play a role, it is not a blame game situation. It is hard to read Ahn's parents questioning what they have done wrong and how their actions have led to the life they lead and Ahn's struggles. The exploration of culture on mental illness and how it impacts understanding is really well done. I appreciated the depiction of Ahn's struggle to feel her true self was blunted by the medication and how her self harm offered relief but real dangers.
This is the perfect read for both AAPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness month, it covers both topics and how they interplay perfectly. There are a lot of serious topics here so proceed with caution, however if you have someone in your life with mental illness, this may help build empathy.
Thanks to Book Publicity Services and the author for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
I was struck by the raw truth of Ahn's bipolar disorder and how it impacted her relationships and her hopes and dreams. The initial crisis she suffers is well documented from all sides, her own fears, her parents uncertainty and her doctor's desire to help. What is also really well illustrated is the lack of clear communication about the fact that this is a lifelong condition and that while genetics play a role, it is not a blame game situation. It is hard to read Ahn's parents questioning what they have done wrong and how their actions have led to the life they lead and Ahn's struggles. The exploration of culture on mental illness and how it impacts understanding is really well done. I appreciated the depiction of Ahn's struggle to feel her true self was blunted by the medication and how her self harm offered relief but real dangers.
This is the perfect read for both AAPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness month, it covers both topics and how they interplay perfectly. There are a lot of serious topics here so proceed with caution, however if you have someone in your life with mental illness, this may help build empathy.
Thanks to Book Publicity Services and the author for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
May 4, 2023
Anh Nguyen, a 17-year-old high school senior, experiences her first manic episode and is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Her Vietnamese-American family is suddenly thrown into the world of mental health treatment and recovery. Anh's mother, Xuan, is also struggling with her own loss and grief after leaving behind her family and homeland of Vietnam to raise her children in America.
On one side, we follow Anh's family grappling with the complexities of mental health treatment and recovery, and on the other side, Anh navigating the challenges of growing up in a Vietnamese family and adapting to a new land and culture in Hawaii,, while also dealing with her own mental health struggles.
Through her love for the ocean and art, she finds healing and a sense of belonging in a shifting landscape of tradition and culture.
"Aloha, Vietnam" is a powerful story of identity, family, mental health, and cultural belonging.
The book's easy-to-read style made it feel like a personal diary, giving us a glimpse into the characters' feelings and thoughts, making it all the more natural and relatable.
This is the perfect book to read this month, as it is both the month of mental health awareness and AAPI heritage.
thank you to bookpublicityservices for gifting me this book
On one side, we follow Anh's family grappling with the complexities of mental health treatment and recovery, and on the other side, Anh navigating the challenges of growing up in a Vietnamese family and adapting to a new land and culture in Hawaii,, while also dealing with her own mental health struggles.
Through her love for the ocean and art, she finds healing and a sense of belonging in a shifting landscape of tradition and culture.
"Aloha, Vietnam" is a powerful story of identity, family, mental health, and cultural belonging.
The book's easy-to-read style made it feel like a personal diary, giving us a glimpse into the characters' feelings and thoughts, making it all the more natural and relatable.
This is the perfect book to read this month, as it is both the month of mental health awareness and AAPI heritage.
thank you to bookpublicityservices for gifting me this book
May 7, 2023
17-year-old high school senior Anh Nguyen is busy working on a watercolor art series when she experiences her first manic episode. After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and put on medications, she and her Vietnamese-American family are thrown into the world of mental health treatment and recovery.
I love the focus on destigmatizing mental health in ALOHA VIETNAM, especially in the Asian community. In particular, the inclusion of Anh and her doctor's sessions gives a realistic idea that going to therapy isn't a one-and-done thing, but rather a work-in-progress that both the patient/client and therapist have to put effort in.
While the idea of ALOHA VIETNAM is lovely, I don't particularly love the execution. The alternating POVs between Anh and her mom lack distinctions, and I often have to refer to the chapter title to separate the two voices. The last 30 pages also tried to fit too much and ended up too rushed.
Regardless, ALOHA VIETNAM is a vital work emphasizing the importance of family bonds and community support, especially for those navigating their mental health journey.
Thank you to bookpublicityservices for the gifted copy 🫶
I love the focus on destigmatizing mental health in ALOHA VIETNAM, especially in the Asian community. In particular, the inclusion of Anh and her doctor's sessions gives a realistic idea that going to therapy isn't a one-and-done thing, but rather a work-in-progress that both the patient/client and therapist have to put effort in.
While the idea of ALOHA VIETNAM is lovely, I don't particularly love the execution. The alternating POVs between Anh and her mom lack distinctions, and I often have to refer to the chapter title to separate the two voices. The last 30 pages also tried to fit too much and ended up too rushed.
Regardless, ALOHA VIETNAM is a vital work emphasizing the importance of family bonds and community support, especially for those navigating their mental health journey.
Thank you to bookpublicityservices for the gifted copy 🫶
May 18, 2023
Just wow. This book was absolutely beautiful and heart-wrenching. I don’t even know where to begin other than I was in tears after.
Aloha Vietnam follows Anh, a second gen immigrant navigating life after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and her mother, Xuan, who left Vietnam to raise her children in America.
There were many topics touched upon that I could relate to in this book, which is why it hurt more than I expected. Generational Trauma, misunderstanding mental illness, struggling with identity, dealing with loss and change, the “American Dream”, etc.
Seeing Anh struggle with mental illness was really tough. You could feel how lost she was and how helpless Xuan felt. Having both their POVs added to the story. Asian Americans can feel validated but also see their parents’ perspective. All of it made me want to hug my mom a little harder. Aloha Vietnam was also well-written for a first novel! I loved the descriptions of the ocean and Anh’s art and how they brought her peace 💛
I think this is the PERFECT book for AAPI Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. Thank you so much to @bookpublicityservices for sending me this book!
Aloha Vietnam follows Anh, a second gen immigrant navigating life after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and her mother, Xuan, who left Vietnam to raise her children in America.
There were many topics touched upon that I could relate to in this book, which is why it hurt more than I expected. Generational Trauma, misunderstanding mental illness, struggling with identity, dealing with loss and change, the “American Dream”, etc.
Seeing Anh struggle with mental illness was really tough. You could feel how lost she was and how helpless Xuan felt. Having both their POVs added to the story. Asian Americans can feel validated but also see their parents’ perspective. All of it made me want to hug my mom a little harder. Aloha Vietnam was also well-written for a first novel! I loved the descriptions of the ocean and Anh’s art and how they brought her peace 💛
I think this is the PERFECT book for AAPI Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. Thank you so much to @bookpublicityservices for sending me this book!
April 18, 2023
wow, truly unexpected.
to preface, I always go into books blind, so i truly was not expecting to read about mental illness in this book. Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen did a great job describing the internal battles that someone with a mental illness could have. There were times during the book in which I thought to myself, ‘this must be truly terrifying to face all by yourself’. I really felt for Anh and Xuan.
I was not able to truly related to Anh regarding her bipolar disorder, but I was able to empathize with her feelings as an immigrant child. Like Anh, I used to feel so out of place and never bothered correcting people whenever they mispronounced my last name either. There was a quote in particular that really spoke to me,
“And as hard as we tried, it seemed there would always be a gulf between where we came from and where we are.”
Thank you so much Book Publicity Services for sending me such an insightful gem!
to preface, I always go into books blind, so i truly was not expecting to read about mental illness in this book. Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen did a great job describing the internal battles that someone with a mental illness could have. There were times during the book in which I thought to myself, ‘this must be truly terrifying to face all by yourself’. I really felt for Anh and Xuan.
I was not able to truly related to Anh regarding her bipolar disorder, but I was able to empathize with her feelings as an immigrant child. Like Anh, I used to feel so out of place and never bothered correcting people whenever they mispronounced my last name either. There was a quote in particular that really spoke to me,
“And as hard as we tried, it seemed there would always be a gulf between where we came from and where we are.”
Thank you so much Book Publicity Services for sending me such an insightful gem!
January 27, 2023
Aloha Vietnam tells the story of a Vietnamese American teenager who experiences a psychotic episode and is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Through the perspectives of Anh and her mother Thuy, the reader learns how the illness disrupts Anh’s life and how she and her mother struggle to come to terms with how their lives have changed. The novel also explores the losses that immigrants experience as well as the challenges they face while trying to bridge the gap between the cultures and traditions of their home country and those of their new country. As an Asian American child and adolescent psychiatrist, I highly recommend Aloha Vietnam!
January 3, 2023
Elizabeth Nguyen has written a fantastic account of how it's possible to embrace one's mental health condition, and experience profound spiritual growth at the same time. This is a cross-cultural exploration that will take you on a voyage through the nexus of of divergent norms and traditions of Vietnam and Hawaii. It's also a gripping account of one family's struggle to understand and live with bi-polar disorder. I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates rich and emotional, lyrical fiction
April 19, 2023
"My mother tells me to be patient, that water eventually wears down stone because being fluid allows one to adapt to circumstances..."
As a West Coast girl, I loved all the references to water and how healing it was for the main character, Anh.
This is a beautifully written story that spans across two generations and from the point of view of three different characters. Anh struggles throughout the story with a mental illness, and you get to see how it is treated by the different characters with differing cultures.
Thank you Book Publicity Services for the ebook!
As a West Coast girl, I loved all the references to water and how healing it was for the main character, Anh.
This is a beautifully written story that spans across two generations and from the point of view of three different characters. Anh struggles throughout the story with a mental illness, and you get to see how it is treated by the different characters with differing cultures.
Thank you Book Publicity Services for the ebook!
April 28, 2023
"I wake up from the dream knowing there is a connection between the dream and my art and my bipolar illness."
This novel was beautifully written from three perspectives, a first generation American, a Vietnamese woman who moved to Hawaii after the Vietnam War and a psychiatrist. While there is a stigma that surrounds mental health, the stigma is even more present in Asian cultures and the topic of mental health/biopolar illness shined throughout the book.
Life in America was supposed to be the dream. But is it really the dream when you forget about one's own culture?
This novel was beautifully written from three perspectives, a first generation American, a Vietnamese woman who moved to Hawaii after the Vietnam War and a psychiatrist. While there is a stigma that surrounds mental health, the stigma is even more present in Asian cultures and the topic of mental health/biopolar illness shined throughout the book.
Life in America was supposed to be the dream. But is it really the dream when you forget about one's own culture?
May 17, 2023
4.75 stars! Such an amazing read about mental health, identity, and a relationship between a mom and a daughter 😭
May 9, 2023
I was very excited to read and review Aloha Vietnam in time for May, which in the US is AANHPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month.
I was even more excited to learn how much the main character and I have in common:
🌊 Her name is Anh (my Viet middle name)
🌊 She paints
🌊 Her parents immigrated from Vietnam
🌊 The couple who sponsored them were named Thuy and Thomas (for my mom, it was her niece Thuy and her husband Tom)
🌊 Anh struggles with the identity crisis of growing up Vietnamese in America
In this story, we meet Anh in the early 1990s as she is developing a watercolor series for a high school art show. As she goes through her day, the common irritations of a teenager grows into psychosis. She is hospitalized and diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
The point of view shifts primarily between Anh and her mother, Xuan, as Anh goes through treatment and eventually therapy.
This is where this book is such an important piece of work, because as Xuan puts it, "𝘐𝘯 𝘝𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘯𝘢𝘮, 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘥 '𝘬𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨' 𝘰𝘳 '𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘺'. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘬𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨." And further, "𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵. 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦."
This is the kind of book the Asian community needs to learn about and accept how to live within a spectrum of mental health. It is also important for healthcare providers to see and understand the perspective of the quiet model minority and how they (don't) navigate healthcare.
Following her diagnosis, we follow Anh in her journey through relapse as is so common for folks living with BPD while she tries to continue on with the expectations to finish high school, go to college, pursue a pre-med degree, and execute the Asian American dream of being the key that unlocks honor and good fortune for her family.
Her struggles with assimilation, culture loss, and familial expectations cut to the root of my experiences. And how she navigates these hardships with the support of her family and psychiatrist brings healing and cautious hopefulness.
All in all, this was a quick and important read. At times, the storytelling was a bit perfunctory similar to that of a technical writer turned creative writer and other times, there was vivid and lyrical imagery. A gripe I do have is that the time setting of the 70s and 90s wasn't too true to form given the language used, the comfort the supporting characters provided in the face of mental illness instead of the rampant stigma that there was, and the appearance of readily-available DVDs in 1993 when they weren't invented till 1995.
This is a book about mental illness, so you can assume there will be triggers, but I feel it is important to note the trigger warnings so that you can be prepared for self-care:
⚠️ Graphic, medically-detailed, on-page suicide attempt
⚠️ Mentions of past suicides (off page)
⚠️ Discussion of self-harm (how, why, on page)
⚠️ Loss & grief
⚠️ Confinement, psychiatric hold, 5150
I'd like to thank the author and Book Publicity Services for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
I was even more excited to learn how much the main character and I have in common:
🌊 Her name is Anh (my Viet middle name)
🌊 She paints
🌊 Her parents immigrated from Vietnam
🌊 The couple who sponsored them were named Thuy and Thomas (for my mom, it was her niece Thuy and her husband Tom)
🌊 Anh struggles with the identity crisis of growing up Vietnamese in America
In this story, we meet Anh in the early 1990s as she is developing a watercolor series for a high school art show. As she goes through her day, the common irritations of a teenager grows into psychosis. She is hospitalized and diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
The point of view shifts primarily between Anh and her mother, Xuan, as Anh goes through treatment and eventually therapy.
This is where this book is such an important piece of work, because as Xuan puts it, "𝘐𝘯 𝘝𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘯𝘢𝘮, 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘥 '𝘬𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨' 𝘰𝘳 '𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘺'. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘬𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨." And further, "𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵. 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦."
This is the kind of book the Asian community needs to learn about and accept how to live within a spectrum of mental health. It is also important for healthcare providers to see and understand the perspective of the quiet model minority and how they (don't) navigate healthcare.
Following her diagnosis, we follow Anh in her journey through relapse as is so common for folks living with BPD while she tries to continue on with the expectations to finish high school, go to college, pursue a pre-med degree, and execute the Asian American dream of being the key that unlocks honor and good fortune for her family.
Her struggles with assimilation, culture loss, and familial expectations cut to the root of my experiences. And how she navigates these hardships with the support of her family and psychiatrist brings healing and cautious hopefulness.
All in all, this was a quick and important read. At times, the storytelling was a bit perfunctory similar to that of a technical writer turned creative writer and other times, there was vivid and lyrical imagery. A gripe I do have is that the time setting of the 70s and 90s wasn't too true to form given the language used, the comfort the supporting characters provided in the face of mental illness instead of the rampant stigma that there was, and the appearance of readily-available DVDs in 1993 when they weren't invented till 1995.
This is a book about mental illness, so you can assume there will be triggers, but I feel it is important to note the trigger warnings so that you can be prepared for self-care:
⚠️ Graphic, medically-detailed, on-page suicide attempt
⚠️ Mentions of past suicides (off page)
⚠️ Discussion of self-harm (how, why, on page)
⚠️ Loss & grief
⚠️ Confinement, psychiatric hold, 5150
I'd like to thank the author and Book Publicity Services for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
May 18, 2023
Thank you to @Bookpublicityservices for the #Gifted copy of Dr. Nguyen’s debut novel, currently available.
This is an important story, especially for YA readers struggling with mental health and their families. Dr. Nguyen does an amazing job of placing the reader into the moment leading up to and during a mental crash. The depiction of what it must feel like to be bipolar and the treatment options in the 1990s are painfully articulated. Dr. Nguyen tells this story through a series of vignettes and small scenes told from the point of view of the teenage girl who is experiencing bipolar disorder, her mother and in a few instances her treating psychiatrist. By fictionalizing the account the story becomes humanized and relatable, we feel not only the pain of the patient, but also of her mother and doctor as they attempt to help her navigate her illness.
This is not only a story of mental health, but an immigrant story as well. Anh’s parents flee Vietnam after the war to provide their children with a better life. The trauma they bring with them, even as they successfully build a business in Oahu, spills over onto their children. We are allowed to experience the fear, confusion and guilt Anh’s mother feels for her daughter's illness. The self blame, and confusion over western medical practices adds depth and layers to the story. Anh’s interactions with microaggressions, overly ambitious expectations, and lack of autonomy in her identity are clearly shown as factors in her own illness.
This is a debut novel written by someone who is first and foremost a doctor. Because of this the craft of writing is a little limited. The scenes are well crafted, but the use of expository writing hangs a little heavy pulling some of the balance of the prose out of alignment. I recommend the reader remind themselves of the purpose of this novel as building understanding and empathy for the intersectionality of culture, generational trauma and mental health in the American system as they read.
I read this as I was finishing the Taste of War by Grace M. Cho. I was struck by the similarities between experiences, even though the structures of these books are very different. Pairing these two made for a stronger reading of both. Also combining with Dust Child creates a deeper understanding of what was happening in Vietnam around the same time.
This is an important story, especially for YA readers struggling with mental health and their families. Dr. Nguyen does an amazing job of placing the reader into the moment leading up to and during a mental crash. The depiction of what it must feel like to be bipolar and the treatment options in the 1990s are painfully articulated. Dr. Nguyen tells this story through a series of vignettes and small scenes told from the point of view of the teenage girl who is experiencing bipolar disorder, her mother and in a few instances her treating psychiatrist. By fictionalizing the account the story becomes humanized and relatable, we feel not only the pain of the patient, but also of her mother and doctor as they attempt to help her navigate her illness.
This is not only a story of mental health, but an immigrant story as well. Anh’s parents flee Vietnam after the war to provide their children with a better life. The trauma they bring with them, even as they successfully build a business in Oahu, spills over onto their children. We are allowed to experience the fear, confusion and guilt Anh’s mother feels for her daughter's illness. The self blame, and confusion over western medical practices adds depth and layers to the story. Anh’s interactions with microaggressions, overly ambitious expectations, and lack of autonomy in her identity are clearly shown as factors in her own illness.
This is a debut novel written by someone who is first and foremost a doctor. Because of this the craft of writing is a little limited. The scenes are well crafted, but the use of expository writing hangs a little heavy pulling some of the balance of the prose out of alignment. I recommend the reader remind themselves of the purpose of this novel as building understanding and empathy for the intersectionality of culture, generational trauma and mental health in the American system as they read.
I read this as I was finishing the Taste of War by Grace M. Cho. I was struck by the similarities between experiences, even though the structures of these books are very different. Pairing these two made for a stronger reading of both. Also combining with Dust Child creates a deeper understanding of what was happening in Vietnam around the same time.
September 27, 2023
this book was beautiful, heartbreaking and eye opening. it addressed so many important and heavy topics like mental health, generational trauma, and grief. it was definitely hard to read at times, the descriptions of suicide and mental illness were no joke. as hard as it was to read, i did love reading both Anh and Xuan’s POVs. as someone who doesn’t struggle with those issues, it was eye opening. the author did a great job at getting readers to feel all the emotions they both felt - the frustration, fear, helplessness. i definitely teared up toward the end.
the writing was beautiful. the descriptions of Hawaii, Vietnam, art, and food was amazing. the emphasis on how art can heal was something i’ve only heard a little bit about and after reading this book, i have a deeper appreciation for art and how it can heal and help people with trauma and mental illness.
on a lighter side, i was so happy UC Davis was shown in this book!! as a UCD alumn, it was so great to read the descriptions of this wonderful school and town, and know all the places mentioned!!
thank you to @bookpublicityservices on instagram for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!
the writing was beautiful. the descriptions of Hawaii, Vietnam, art, and food was amazing. the emphasis on how art can heal was something i’ve only heard a little bit about and after reading this book, i have a deeper appreciation for art and how it can heal and help people with trauma and mental illness.
on a lighter side, i was so happy UC Davis was shown in this book!! as a UCD alumn, it was so great to read the descriptions of this wonderful school and town, and know all the places mentioned!!
thank you to @bookpublicityservices on instagram for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!
March 5, 2024
Dr. Nguyen does a beautiful job writing a story with so much depth in a way that is easy to read and understand. While readers may not relate to the various topics and identities, but Dr. Nguyen still tells a story that readers can relate to. It is clear that the author put her heart and her own experiences into the writing, and that definitely pays off. Dr. Nguyen’s approachability, kindness, and open heart as a psychiatrist and person shine in her portrayal of the characters she writes. I loved being able to relate to some of the physical locations and emotional aspects of Anh’s journey. I appreciated the writing switching between Anh and her mother, showing how complicated and tied together a mother-daughter relationship can be.
May 15, 2023
I just finished this one up actually. Beautifully written, thought provoking and heart-rending, Aloha Vietnam had me drawn in from the start. Dual perspectives (one of my favourite things) helped to fill in the spaces between mother and daughter in an Asian immigrant family, while also shedding light not only on mental health but also the cultural stigma attached to it. There's a lot to think about while you read this one. And wow, do the characters feel so real! Their emotional journeys are thoroughly embedded in every page.
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