Ly Tran

This is probably my favorite book of all the ones I've received from LibraryThing. The author's memoir of her childhood of poverty in Queens, in a family of Vietnamese immigrants, is riveting. And it's not just a glowing story of success against the odds: Some of her struggles are not the ones that might have been predicted. She is still young enough that her life could go in many directions, and it would be interesting to see another memoir by Ly Tran in some number of years. She certainly show more is a writer worth reading. show less

Admittedly, this book was a hard one to read. Not because it was poorly written. On the contrary, it is beautifully written. Ly Tran is an amazing storyteller; she enraptures with every word.

What was hard to read was Ly's treatment by her parents, especially her father, as she grew up as a Vietnamese immigrant in New York City. As I read about her childhood, I wanted someone to rescue her so she could find joy in her life. Denied eyeglasses, forced to work as a young child, viciously yelled show more at, and shamed by her family, Ly did not have it easy. I admire her tenacity, despite incredible odds.

As I finished House of Sticks, I yearned to learn more about how her parents are now. Did her father get help for his PTSD? Did her mother learn to speak up and advocate for herself more? While I may never know, I am relieved that Ly and her brothers have a strong bond and are making their ways in the world. I am rooting for Ly, and I hope she continues writing books. She's a talented writer!

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. show less

This is a close up view of how truly horrible it frequently is, in this country, to be immigrants. Ly's ability to describe in extraordinary detail what she and her family were experiencing is heartbreaking to read. Her personal story is powerful because she is so incredibly bright and fluent with her ability to write about her personal journey---which continues. Incredible that enough outside people were able to believe in her enough to eventually make a huge difference in her life.

Ms. Tran’s debut book is a beautifully-written memoir that explores the challenges facing immigrants from countries with vastly different cultures from the US and finding one’s place in the American salad bowl. Ms. Tran was a toddler when she accompanied her family—parents and three older brothers—to the United States from Vietnam in 1993. Her father had been drafted into the South Vietnamese army at the age of 19 at the height of the Vietnam War. After the war, he, like many other show more South Vietnamese men, was imprisoned in a communist re-education camp. He eventually was released after seven years (and a failed escape attempt), before he is married to a woman in the village across the river, although he is still harassed by the NVA. Eventually, they are able to leave via a program by the US government, and settle in Ridgewood, Queens. Ms. Tran writes of her courageous trials clearly and with flashes of humor as she tries to blaze her own trail in her adopted country. Impressive debut. I am grateful for winning an ARC of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. show less