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ClareR (6101 KP) rated Wandering Souls in Books

Mar 25, 2023

Wandering Souls

Cecile Pin | 2023 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry

10.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Since reading Wandering Souls on The Pigeonhole, it has made it on to the Women’s Prize long list. And well-deserved it is too.

This is the story of a family who make it by boat to Hong Kong from Vietnam. At least Anh and her two brothers do. Their parents and younger siblings come after them and drown.

This is Anh’s story, and how she copes on their journey from Vietnam to Hong Kong, and then on to London where they settle permanently. It’s a story of loss, life-long trauma and the struggle to find security and happiness. It brought home the continuing issues of refugees - particularly those who take the dangerous route of the sea. It always makes me think of these lines from Warsan Shire’s “Home”:
“You have to understand that no one puts children in a boat
Unless the water is safer than the land”
Anh and her family want a better life than that of poverty, war and political oppression.

This is a dark story and the experiences have such a huge effect on every aspect of Anh and her brothers lives, and you can still see this in the interactions that Anh has with her own children.

It’s a wonderful book, and well worth reading. I’ve learnt so much about the Vietnamese people who resettled in the UK and their journeys here.

I wouldn’t be at all disappointed to see this make the short list.

Kudos

MissCagey (2652 KP) rated St. Vincent (2014) in Movies

Nov 16, 2017

St. Vincent (2014)

2014 | Comedy

7.8

(10 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Very funny (0 more)

The description of it put me off " Vietnam vet babysits his neighbour's child" gave me visions of something like The Pacifier but this couldn't be more untrue. It's such a heartwarming story and the child actor is just brilliant. Bill Murray is a grumpy veteran with issues over gambling and drinking and is like Michael Douglas's character in Falling Down. By chance he ends up being the baby sitter for a young boy who is quiet, polite and bullied at school. The film shows their relationship and the warmth and respect growing between them. Lots of laugh out loud moments and a couple of tearful ones. Well worth a watch.

Kudos

Cumberland (1142 KP) rated All The Broken Pieces in Books

Feb 4, 2019

All The Broken Pieces

Ann E. Burg | 2009 | Children, Young Adult (YA)

10.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Loved it

This is a middle grade read that was wrote in a poetry style. Matt is a young boy living with an adoptive family in the United States after the army pulled him out of Vietnam during the war.
This book was heartbreaking at times. Matt has suffered a lot, and he is still blaming himself for the past. He is a character that you want to cheer for, and see succeed. The book also does a great job of showing how other characters were effected by the war, and how that eventually has an impact on Matt's life.
I would consider this book a must read for its target age group.

Kudos

Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated Forrest Gump (1994) in Movies

Feb 3, 2018

Forrest Gump (1994)

1994 | Comedy, Drama, Romance

8.7

(94 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

EPIC

Tom Hanks plays Forrest Gump plays a young man who is very slow but, smart growing up in the south during the 60's with his mom (Field). His life through school, the Vietnam war where he befriends his LT (Sinise), his lust for the love of his life Jenny (wright), to coming home and becoming the shrimp king of the world and just on more historical adventures.

The movie is kind of set to Billy Joel's "We didn't start the fire" as a ton of these historical events take place during this movie in which forrest has some connection with. The movie aslo has one of the best 60's soundtracks set to it of all time.