A review by tfpjr492
Banyan Moon by Thao Thai

emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

BANYAN MOON by Thao Thai is a fictional tale that describes the troubles of a Vietnamese family, which has settled in America. The focus of this tale is the relationship of three generations of women in the family. The youngest is Ann. Unlike the other two women, Ann was born in America.

Ann seems to be content in her life as a freelance illustrator, living with her boyfriend professor in a lakeside cabin. Her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend confesses an infidelity. She responds by telling her boyfriend that they will take a break from their romance. She then discovers that she is pregnant. 

“But it’s not just me anymore. There’s an us that does not include Noah (boyfriend) - me and the Fetus. Whatever docility I had cultivated is gone. In its place, something wild, unquenchable.”

Next, Ann gets a phone call from her estranged mother, and she learns that her beloved grandmother has died. Ann immediately decides to travel back home.

This series of events sets up an emotionally strained reunion with her mother. The visit to her childhood home rekindles old memories, new mysteries, and opportunities for a new life.

This reader found the book to be a tough read due to secondary themes of physical and emotional abuse, violence, and estrangement. This book is recommended for readers, who enjoy a tale about the mysteries of the human heart and the human yearning for a better life.