“Em’s concise approach achieves wonders by delivering a big story in a small space.”
– John Self, The Irish Times, on Em being shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award
“Just like tender, strong and graceful Vietnamese silk threads, Kim Thúy masterfully weaves us through Vietnam’s 20th-century history while binding us to the lives of its people so that their experiences expand our worldview. EM is an original, innovative, poetic and haunting novel that deserves to be read, shared, studied and discussed.”
– Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, internationally best-selling author of The Mountains Sing.
“A constellation of connected characters provides a snapshot of Vietnam and the Vietnamese diaspora in North America from French colonization to life after the war. … A brief, moving meditation on the nature of truth, memory, humanity, and violence: a powerful work of art.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“Expertly handled by her long-time translator, Sheila Fischman, the text juxtaposes horror and beauty to lasting effect. The prose is poised and elegant even when describing atrocity. … This is Thúy’s most ambitious and affecting book yet. Both sprawling and intimate, Em amplifies her storytelling and is a moving memorial to survivors and those who perished alike.”
– Quill & Quire, starred review (Canada)
