Brothers and Ghosts

A young woman, torn between two cultures, belonging to neither.

A family, torn apart by a war they had no choice about.

Kiều calls herself Kim because it’s easier for Europeans to pronounce. She knows little about her Vietnamese family’s history until she receives a Facebook message from her estranged uncle in America, telling her that her grandmother is dying. Her father and uncle haven’t spoken since the end of the Vietnam War. One brother supported the Vietcong, while the other sided with the Americans.

When Kiều and her parents travel to America to join the rest of the family in California to open her grandmother’s will, questions relating to their past — to what has been suppressed — resurface and demand to be addressed.

Translated from German by Daryl Lindsay and Charles Hawley.

Reviews:

‘Illuminating and unforgettable, Khuê Phạm’s Brothers and Ghosts is a house that reveals secrets behind each door: a country torn apart by colonialism and civil war, a family divided between loyalty and freedom.’ - Juhea Kim, author of Beasts of a Little Land

‘A powerful novel about the paths we take, the secrets we hide, and the familial duty that binds us. Khuê Phạm coaxes out the stories that live in darkness and the light she shines is captivating. Gorgeously written, Brothers and Ghosts is a book that stays with you long after you close it.’ - Eric Nguyen, author of Things We Lost to the Water