A Mother's Tale & Other Stories


Fiction - Literary
150 Pages
Reviewed on 02/15/2022
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite

A Mother's Tale & Other Stories is an amalgamation of interconnected stories set during the Vietnam War. Written by Khanh Ha, the book contains eleven short stories loosely connected by the characters and themes. "Heartbreak Grass" focuses on a newly recruited soldier of the North Vietnamese Army witnessing the life of a quadruple amputee who suffers a harrowing fate after his stint in the South fighting against the Americans. "In A Far Country" sees a mother eagerly waiting for news of her son who went MIA in Vietnam two decades ago. In "The River of White Water Lilies", a soldier writes home to his mother about his experiences in the jungles of Vietnam. "A Mother's Tale" is a heartbreaking story of a mother traveling to Vietnam after the war, seeking her son's fate.

A Mother's Tale & Other Stories is a poignant and thoughtful book that provides a keen insight into the lives of ordinary people impacted by war. Author Khanh Ha showcases the brutal nature of war through a set of personal and intimate stories that put a mark on your soul. Each tale focuses upon a specific set of characters who provide a rare glimpse into the ground realities of war from both sides of the conflict. This book reiterates the age-old adage that there are no winners in war. The characters feel real, and I found them thoroughly compelling. Every story felt captivating, and I found myself absolutely immersed in the pages. If you're interested in intimate stories about war that explore the human condition, I highly recommend this book.