Book Review: Quiet As They Come by Angie Chau

This is a remarkably engaging quick read.
Quiet As They Come (Free Story for Kindle)
Angie Chau

File Size: 469 KB
Print Length: 202 pages
Publisher: Ig Publishing (August 17, 2010)
ASIN: B0042FZRD4
Genre: Asian American, Fiction
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Quiet As They Come is a beautiful and at times brutal portrait of a people caught between two cultures. Set in San Francisco from the 1980s to the present day, this debut collection explores the lives of several families of Vietnamese immigrants as they struggle to adjust to life in their new country, often haunted by the memories and customs of their old lives in Vietnam. While some are able to survive and assimilate, others are crushed by the promise of the "American Dream." No matter their fate, you will never be able to forget the people you meet in this remarkable collection.

Review:
Viet Tran was known by his friends in Vietnam as a quiet man of letters; co-workers consider him a hard worker and great listener. Viet is a slight, unimposing figure who prefers to maintain a low profile. Viet works through tai chi to help control his emotions. But behind his quiet façade are roiling emotions with memories he tries to forget. When a co-worker shows disrespect towards Viet's young daughter the man has no idea what demons he may awaken.

Quiet As They Come is just one short story from the collection of stories about the lives of Vietnamese immigrants trying to adjust in San Francisco in the 1980s. This was a pleasant surprise! It is just a short story but packed with a lot of life experience and emotional depth. Chau portrays her character with depth and dignity. Based on the surprising smoothness and depth of this one book, I expect that the full collection would be wonderfully engaging and insightful.

This was a free Kindle story on my TBR shelf from 2010 so it qualifies for Mount TBR Challenge.