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Listen, Slowly
A California girl born and raised, Mai can't wait to spend her vacation at the beach. Instead, though, she has to travel to Vietnam with her grandmother, who is going back to find out what really happened to her husband during the Vietnam War. Mai's parents think this trip will be a great opportunity for their out-of-touch daughter to learn more about her culture. But to Mai, those are their roots, not her own. Vietnam is hot, smelly, and the last place she wants to be. Besides barely speaking the language, she doesn't know the geography, the local customs, or even her distant relatives. To survive her trip, Mai must find a balance between her two completely different worlds.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published February 17, 2015
323 people are currently reading
7454 people want to read
About the author
Thanhhà Lại
10 books742 followersPlease contact my website with messages www.thanhhalai.com
Thanhhà Lại was born in Vietnam. At the end of the war, she fled with her family to Alabama. There, she learned English from fourth graders and then spent the next decade correcting her grammar. Starting her writing life as a journalist, she worked at The Orange County Register. She switched to fiction, leading to an MFA from New York University and short story publications in various journals and anthologies. Then came Inside Out & Back Again, a National Book Award and Newbery Honor-winning verse novel based in part on her childhood as a refugee in Alabama. Next was Listen, Slowly, another middle grade novel featuring a young Vietnamese-American girl. Butterfly Yellow is her first YA novel. Her debut picture book is Hundred Years of Happiness, illustrated by Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien.
Her latest book is When Clouds Touch Us, the long-awaited sequel to Inside Out & Back Again. When Clouds Touch Us is out May 9th, 2023.
Thanhhà lives with her husband, daughter and a little white dog just north of New York City.
To stay updated about Thanhhà's writing, visit www.thanhhalai.com and follow her on social media:
Twitter: twitter.com/ThanhhaLai
Instagram: instagram.com/thanhha_lai
Thanhhà Lại was born in Vietnam. At the end of the war, she fled with her family to Alabama. There, she learned English from fourth graders and then spent the next decade correcting her grammar. Starting her writing life as a journalist, she worked at The Orange County Register. She switched to fiction, leading to an MFA from New York University and short story publications in various journals and anthologies. Then came Inside Out & Back Again, a National Book Award and Newbery Honor-winning verse novel based in part on her childhood as a refugee in Alabama. Next was Listen, Slowly, another middle grade novel featuring a young Vietnamese-American girl. Butterfly Yellow is her first YA novel. Her debut picture book is Hundred Years of Happiness, illustrated by Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien.
Her latest book is When Clouds Touch Us, the long-awaited sequel to Inside Out & Back Again. When Clouds Touch Us is out May 9th, 2023.
Thanhhà lives with her husband, daughter and a little white dog just north of New York City.
To stay updated about Thanhhà's writing, visit www.thanhhalai.com and follow her on social media:
Twitter: twitter.com/ThanhhaLai
Instagram: instagram.com/thanhha_lai
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,128 reviews
May 19, 2015
This is a really solid middle grade novel, but I may have really enjoyed this because it reminded me a lot of myself when I was younger. I saw a lot of myself in Mai, particularly my experiences traveling to India and trying to communicate with my relatives their with their broken English and my broken Malayalam and eating the delicious food and dealing with the different world in so many ways. It really just gave me a lot of nostalgia feels.
November 8, 2016
Read for the 2016 YA/MG Book Battle.
Mai’s summer is ruined when her parents ship her off to Vietnam to be company for her grandmother, who’s received word that her husband, lost to The War decades ago, might still be alive. Bà is returning to the village where she and Ông lived, which means Mai will have the chance to “discover her roots” as her mother puts it. Mai can only see a summer away from Southern California, which is the only roots she knows—her friends and her life and the boy she has a crush on. Learning otherwise is going to change her.
Unfortunately, Mai’s bratty attitude makes her really unsympathetic to this adult reader. Her parents aren’t asking all that much of her—not even an entire summer—and I never felt that they were being terribly unfair. And what Mai leaves behind doesn’t seem like much to sacrifice, particularly her “best friend” Montana, who comes across as more of a frenemy than anything else. Mai’s worried that Montana will steal the boy she has a crush on (whom she invariably refers to as HE and HIM, not quite able to say his name even in the privacy of her own head, which became seriously annoying) because that’s the sort of thing Montana does. And yet Mai’s supposed to be a smart girl, all honors classes and SAT vocabulary. Possibly I’m expecting too much of a twelve-year-old, and intelligence doesn’t translate to emotional maturity. But it was very difficult to feel sympathetic.
On the other hand, the writing is extremely evocative, bringing to life the summer weather of Vietnam (or Việt Nam; Mai realizes how differently she sees the country when she thinks of it with those different names). I felt every moment of sweaty, wet heat and every mosquito bite. I enjoyed Mai’s developing relationship with her cousin (however distantly related) Út, whose friendship makes Montana’s false, shallow relationship more obvious. Út and her love of frogs made a fun recurring theme, particularly the scene where she and Mai go illegally at night to capture a special kind of glowing frog to take back to the village. Overall, the development of the secondary characters could be stronger, but Út and Bà definitely are powerful presences, as is Ông, for all he’s absent.
I have mixed feelings about the plot, which is interesting—there’s some mystery about Ông’s past that’s reinforced by how everyone involved is dancing around issues of politeness and honor—but whose tension is artificially maintained by Mai’s father’s disappearance just at the right time to keep everything from resolving neatly. His reappearance is a little too pat—again, it happens just at the right time for him to participate in learning what Ông’s last message to Bà was. And Mai’s choice at the end—stay longer, or return home early as she’s wanted to the whole time—comes across more as narrative necessity than supported by the rest of her actions. But I was moved by the story of Ông and Bà, and I was also very impressed that the book didn’t come off as some kind of polemic in which Mai Learns The True Meaning of Family. I’m not convinced Mai’s really matured, by the end, but I believe she has actually learned something about family and relationships, enough that her decision feels right. If I’d respected Mai better, I would have enjoyed the book more.
Mai’s summer is ruined when her parents ship her off to Vietnam to be company for her grandmother, who’s received word that her husband, lost to The War decades ago, might still be alive. Bà is returning to the village where she and Ông lived, which means Mai will have the chance to “discover her roots” as her mother puts it. Mai can only see a summer away from Southern California, which is the only roots she knows—her friends and her life and the boy she has a crush on. Learning otherwise is going to change her.
Unfortunately, Mai’s bratty attitude makes her really unsympathetic to this adult reader. Her parents aren’t asking all that much of her—not even an entire summer—and I never felt that they were being terribly unfair. And what Mai leaves behind doesn’t seem like much to sacrifice, particularly her “best friend” Montana, who comes across as more of a frenemy than anything else. Mai’s worried that Montana will steal the boy she has a crush on (whom she invariably refers to as HE and HIM, not quite able to say his name even in the privacy of her own head, which became seriously annoying) because that’s the sort of thing Montana does. And yet Mai’s supposed to be a smart girl, all honors classes and SAT vocabulary. Possibly I’m expecting too much of a twelve-year-old, and intelligence doesn’t translate to emotional maturity. But it was very difficult to feel sympathetic.
On the other hand, the writing is extremely evocative, bringing to life the summer weather of Vietnam (or Việt Nam; Mai realizes how differently she sees the country when she thinks of it with those different names). I felt every moment of sweaty, wet heat and every mosquito bite. I enjoyed Mai’s developing relationship with her cousin (however distantly related) Út, whose friendship makes Montana’s false, shallow relationship more obvious. Út and her love of frogs made a fun recurring theme, particularly the scene where she and Mai go illegally at night to capture a special kind of glowing frog to take back to the village. Overall, the development of the secondary characters could be stronger, but Út and Bà definitely are powerful presences, as is Ông, for all he’s absent.
I have mixed feelings about the plot, which is interesting—there’s some mystery about Ông’s past that’s reinforced by how everyone involved is dancing around issues of politeness and honor—but whose tension is artificially maintained by Mai’s father’s disappearance just at the right time to keep everything from resolving neatly. His reappearance is a little too pat—again, it happens just at the right time for him to participate in learning what Ông’s last message to Bà was. And Mai’s choice at the end—stay longer, or return home early as she’s wanted to the whole time—comes across more as narrative necessity than supported by the rest of her actions. But I was moved by the story of Ông and Bà, and I was also very impressed that the book didn’t come off as some kind of polemic in which Mai Learns The True Meaning of Family. I’m not convinced Mai’s really matured, by the end, but I believe she has actually learned something about family and relationships, enough that her decision feels right. If I’d respected Mai better, I would have enjoyed the book more.
March 22, 2015
I was so excited to receive an advance copy of this book!
I must admit, I first fell in love with the cover. It's simply beautiful. The colors, the lake, the figures... Everything perfectly matches the feeling of the book. Whoever designed this cover art is a genius.
As for the story, I didn't give it five stars only because I am not twelve anymore. Which doesn't mean that this book is only for young readers, but it teaches a lesson about culture, diversity, and friendship that is still fairly new to a younger audience. Twelve-year-old me would have absolutely loved this book. I ended up traveling to other countries anyway, but this story would have definitely pushed me in that direction a little earlier. This is a book that I would want my kids to read.
Thanhhà Lại's love for Vietnam (or should I say Việt Nam?), its culture, and its language, is wildly contagious. I dare anybody to read this book without thinking, at least once, about packing their bags and going to Vietnam for a vacation. Maybe a long one.
I'm looking forward to reading Inside Out and Back Again.
I must admit, I first fell in love with the cover. It's simply beautiful. The colors, the lake, the figures... Everything perfectly matches the feeling of the book. Whoever designed this cover art is a genius.
As for the story, I didn't give it five stars only because I am not twelve anymore. Which doesn't mean that this book is only for young readers, but it teaches a lesson about culture, diversity, and friendship that is still fairly new to a younger audience. Twelve-year-old me would have absolutely loved this book. I ended up traveling to other countries anyway, but this story would have definitely pushed me in that direction a little earlier. This is a book that I would want my kids to read.
Thanhhà Lại's love for Vietnam (or should I say Việt Nam?), its culture, and its language, is wildly contagious. I dare anybody to read this book without thinking, at least once, about packing their bags and going to Vietnam for a vacation. Maybe a long one.
I'm looking forward to reading Inside Out and Back Again.
June 22, 2015
"Mong Nho Em Dem Tung Hat Mua"
When I read these words, I cried. Seven words that had built up so much suspense could cause me to cry and bring fulfillment and grief to Mai's grandmother.
I really don't know if this book has been far more sentimental coming from a family of refugees and immigrants, but this book just touched me more than any other book- maybe tied with "Inside Out and Back Again."
My family and I can relate to this book so much; my grandma herself still believes that my two aunts and uncle are still alive- somewhere in Thailand- after all these 30 years since the war. When I mentioned that I was reading a book that included a grandma who still thought her husband was still alive, my dad mentioned his mother.
Every single aspect of this story touched me and brought me closer to the story. Mai reminded me so much of myself- a Vietnamese American who was gifted with a gift that she did not appreciate: the Vietnamese culture and language. She was able to speak and understand Vietnamese with her grandmother when she was little, but threw it all away as she grew up. I myself can understand conversational Vietnamese and read/write, but have problems when trying to speak conversations. As I was reading, I wished I could converse with my grandma like Mai. Yet, while Mia/Mai hated the idea of traveling to Vietnam, if I was asked where my dream vacation would be, the sole place I would like to travel to would be Vietnam.
This story gave me the real feel of Vietnam- or should I say Viet Nam. It's not the tropical paradise advertisers say it is. Mosquito-infested and humid as it is, it is my parents' true home. "Listen, Slowly" did not sugar-coat it. Mai struggles with boy problems, pimples, humidity, fatigue, mosquitoes, and leeches. Yet, through all of the pains of Vietnam, Mai found a new life and love. She has new understanding of her grandmother- as well as her extended family out of her home in Laguna, California. She meets her new friends Anh Minh and Ut, who- in my opinion- would top snobby typical white-girl Montana any day.
Ut is the tomboy who Mai despises at the beginning of the story, but finds a bonding with- friendship, braces, and frogs. They grow together and complete one another. At first, Ut is the lonely girl who no one dares to befriend, but after Mai and Ut experience memorable moments together, they are inseparable.
Writing this has brought me to tears once again, but this story and image of life will forever affect me. The Vietnamese culture's feeling of others before you and giving is not well represented in America. This book has caused me to forever watch my actions and represent my country well. :)
When I read these words, I cried. Seven words that had built up so much suspense could cause me to cry and bring fulfillment and grief to Mai's grandmother.
I really don't know if this book has been far more sentimental coming from a family of refugees and immigrants, but this book just touched me more than any other book- maybe tied with "Inside Out and Back Again."
My family and I can relate to this book so much; my grandma herself still believes that my two aunts and uncle are still alive- somewhere in Thailand- after all these 30 years since the war. When I mentioned that I was reading a book that included a grandma who still thought her husband was still alive, my dad mentioned his mother.
Every single aspect of this story touched me and brought me closer to the story. Mai reminded me so much of myself- a Vietnamese American who was gifted with a gift that she did not appreciate: the Vietnamese culture and language. She was able to speak and understand Vietnamese with her grandmother when she was little, but threw it all away as she grew up. I myself can understand conversational Vietnamese and read/write, but have problems when trying to speak conversations. As I was reading, I wished I could converse with my grandma like Mai. Yet, while Mia/Mai hated the idea of traveling to Vietnam, if I was asked where my dream vacation would be, the sole place I would like to travel to would be Vietnam.
This story gave me the real feel of Vietnam- or should I say Viet Nam. It's not the tropical paradise advertisers say it is. Mosquito-infested and humid as it is, it is my parents' true home. "Listen, Slowly" did not sugar-coat it. Mai struggles with boy problems, pimples, humidity, fatigue, mosquitoes, and leeches. Yet, through all of the pains of Vietnam, Mai found a new life and love. She has new understanding of her grandmother- as well as her extended family out of her home in Laguna, California. She meets her new friends Anh Minh and Ut, who- in my opinion- would top snobby typical white-girl Montana any day.
Ut is the tomboy who Mai despises at the beginning of the story, but finds a bonding with- friendship, braces, and frogs. They grow together and complete one another. At first, Ut is the lonely girl who no one dares to befriend, but after Mai and Ut experience memorable moments together, they are inseparable.
Writing this has brought me to tears once again, but this story and image of life will forever affect me. The Vietnamese culture's feeling of others before you and giving is not well represented in America. This book has caused me to forever watch my actions and represent my country well. :)
February 26, 2015
Thanhhà Lại's second novel is also her first novel in prose. INSIDE OUT & BACK AGAIN announced her presence on the children's lit scene in a big way, winning both a National Book Award and a Newbery Honor. LISTEN, SLOWLY makes it clear that her debut was no fluke.
Mai is eagerly anticipating her summer with her best friend and crush, excited that at twelve, she's almost a teenager. But when a detective brings news that her Ong (grandfather) might be alive, she finds herself accompanying her grandmother to a small village in Vietnam for the summer. Mai is a bit of a whiner at this point, but no more than any kid giving up summer in the beach for summer with access to dial-up if you go to the local cafe. Worse, she only kinda sorta speaks the language.
I loved Mai's gentle growth throughout the novel. The first real connection she makes is easy, with a teen guy who is an exchange student in Houston during the school year and who can speak English with her. As she opens up, she makes more friends and learns more about the lives of the people around her. (And gets some good advice regarding using sunscreen not made for your face on your face.) She also becomes interested in the mystery of her grandfather, tracking just what happened to him after he escaped capture during the Vietnam War.
Thanhhà Lại develops her scenes sensually, with both pleasant and unpleasant details. There are itchy bug bites and glowing frogs and squelching mud. Mai makes visits to major cities as well, finding that life there is very different and she's equally unprepared for getting around. I also liked how she dealt with Mai's frustration that her family wants her to know more about her roots, but refuses to talk about why and how they emigrated. Mai's connections to her specific and unspecific roots both feel authentic.
LISTEN, SLOWLY is a book that makes you want to listen, slowly. It has family secrets and cross-cultural barriers and female friendship and all sorts of good stuff. It has a focus on language, getting it right, translating for others, and learning how to speak it so those less proficient can understand. Most of all, it has great writing. It's not a long read, aimed at fourth grade or so, but it is one that has enough depth for older readers too.
Mai is eagerly anticipating her summer with her best friend and crush, excited that at twelve, she's almost a teenager. But when a detective brings news that her Ong (grandfather) might be alive, she finds herself accompanying her grandmother to a small village in Vietnam for the summer. Mai is a bit of a whiner at this point, but no more than any kid giving up summer in the beach for summer with access to dial-up if you go to the local cafe. Worse, she only kinda sorta speaks the language.
I loved Mai's gentle growth throughout the novel. The first real connection she makes is easy, with a teen guy who is an exchange student in Houston during the school year and who can speak English with her. As she opens up, she makes more friends and learns more about the lives of the people around her. (And gets some good advice regarding using sunscreen not made for your face on your face.) She also becomes interested in the mystery of her grandfather, tracking just what happened to him after he escaped capture during the Vietnam War.
Thanhhà Lại develops her scenes sensually, with both pleasant and unpleasant details. There are itchy bug bites and glowing frogs and squelching mud. Mai makes visits to major cities as well, finding that life there is very different and she's equally unprepared for getting around. I also liked how she dealt with Mai's frustration that her family wants her to know more about her roots, but refuses to talk about why and how they emigrated. Mai's connections to her specific and unspecific roots both feel authentic.
LISTEN, SLOWLY is a book that makes you want to listen, slowly. It has family secrets and cross-cultural barriers and female friendship and all sorts of good stuff. It has a focus on language, getting it right, translating for others, and learning how to speak it so those less proficient can understand. Most of all, it has great writing. It's not a long read, aimed at fourth grade or so, but it is one that has enough depth for older readers too.
February 9, 2018
I personally enjoy short novels as they're pretty easy to read and usually tell a beautiful story, and thankfully, it is the same with this book.
Another journey of discovery, this time it involves Mai, the MC, tracing back to her roots. Having been raised in California, she is unwilling to travel to Vietnam, where her family originally came from. Told in a mesmerizing way, Mai slowly gets in touch with her roots and learn about the beauty of her culture: the language, the customs, the food, and the people.
Read a few years back, this is a perfect book for early Middle Schoolers.
Another journey of discovery, this time it involves Mai, the MC, tracing back to her roots. Having been raised in California, she is unwilling to travel to Vietnam, where her family originally came from. Told in a mesmerizing way, Mai slowly gets in touch with her roots and learn about the beauty of her culture: the language, the customs, the food, and the people.
Read a few years back, this is a perfect book for early Middle Schoolers.
July 11, 2015
More like 2.5 stars. I really liked the story but couldn't love the delivery. Maybe it was the narrator but Mei's voice was just so irritating and while I found her likable I had a hard time listening to her for the 6+ hours it took to get through it. I understand that the author was probably doing this on purpose to show how a selfish young girl can learn to appreciate her roots and show more care to her family but, oh the whining! That part backfired. I feel bad because I really liked her last book, Inside Out & Back Again.
Read
September 28, 2016Mai is a pretty typical California 12 year old: living her first crush, excited about spending the summer at the beach. Then her parents force her to accompany her grandmother back to Vietnam to search for the truth about what happened to her grandfather, who disappeared after the war. Bitter and frustrated Mai slowly morphs into a selfless and considerate kid as she falls in love with the Vietnam of her grandmother, and with her own heritage. This is a lovely middle grade novel that, frankly, everyone should read.
–Amanda Nelson
from The Best Books We Read In August 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/08/31/riot-r...
–Amanda Nelson
from The Best Books We Read In August 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/08/31/riot-r...
February 26, 2017
It's is really good, there are certain parts that I had to skip over though. It wasn't the best book I have ever read but by the end of the book it made me want to cry and and smile at the same time.
November 18, 2020
review in progress-
September 29, 2015
4.5 stars. I felt it was a solid middle grade read. The story is about Mai being forced to got with her Dad and Grandma to Vietnam, her grandma needs closure on finding out what happened to her husband, Mai's grandpa, who went missing during the war. Mai is going as her companion while her Dad goes north in Vietnam to help needy kids. Along, the way Mai meets new people and finds out about her culture.
I loved this book! Mai made me chuckle thru out the entire book. I recently lost my grandma and so much of the respect & relationship she had with her granny reminded me of mine. Being a descendant of immigrant grandparents, it can be hard to appreciate the country and culture of you ancestors because I grew up in the US.
I didn't give it a 5 star cause the ending was lackluster then I would have liked but nonetheless great read!
I loved this book! Mai made me chuckle thru out the entire book. I recently lost my grandma and so much of the respect & relationship she had with her granny reminded me of mine. Being a descendant of immigrant grandparents, it can be hard to appreciate the country and culture of you ancestors because I grew up in the US.
I didn't give it a 5 star cause the ending was lackluster then I would have liked but nonetheless great read!
July 27, 2015
Anyone that has braved the streets of Vietnam knows the thrill of linking arms and shuffling across the asphalt as cars swerve around bodies like rocks in the middle of a roaring stream. Honest. It is quite the experience. The author captures this unique cultural feature and so much more as Mai, a first generation American born girl, learns about her heritage on a vacation with her grandma to Hanoi, Vietnam. Not that twelve-year-old Mai is looking for any cultural roots. "OMG," she's looking for love "with HIM", while hanging at Laguna Beach with her best friend over summer vacation. Her plans and romantic ideas simmer in the hot sun until her parents douse her with reality making her travel with her Grandma Ba to Vietnam because Ba has new information regarding her husband who went missing during the "THE WAR." Mai's dad goes with on the trip, but he is a doctor whose first priority is to help children in Vietnam's remote areas in need of medical services. Mai's mom is a lawyer on a big case and both insist Mai escort Ba. The parents want Mai to know her heritage. Mai's knowledge has some humungous gaps considering she refers mainly to what she learned from watching a PBS documentary on the Fall of Saigon. Mai says she is "unicultural"; but this trip changes Mai teaching her what it means to be bicultural, enriching her life in ways she never expected.
Mai matures in small increments. She's spoiled, privileged and has a snarky attitude that is hilarious and balanced by a kind heart. She will do something nice followed by a "I rock!" She loves her Ba completely and will do anything for her, "I'm now too tired to yawn but I still rock as her caretaker, asking if her throat is sore." In the beginning all Mai can think about is leaving Vietnam as fast as possible, but she starts to empathize with Ba and appreciate Vietnam. Ba is one of the few adults that Mai listens to: "My body loosens and expands, remembering how it used to make room for her words to wiggle deep into the tiny crevice alongside my bones, muscles, and joints. Becoming a part of me." Ba is the eloquent character in the group, a foil to Mai's egocentric voice. The title of the book comes from one of my favorite passages as Ba describes dealing with the loss of a loved one to Mai, "I tell you of loss, my child, so you will listen slowly, and know that in life every emotion is fated to rear itself within your being." In our fast-paced world, listen slowly, can take on many meanings.
Mai struggles with learning the language bemoaning, "...she [Ut] doesn't understand my non-Frenchy English. It's exhausting but so is my life." She calls her attempts to communicate, "Tarzanish Vietnamese." She's impatient and strong-willed making for a strong female character. When the detective shows up, she hates it when adults take forever to get to the point. "OMG, what are the chances of me meeting the second wordiest human on the planet?" Or she attributes all the building designs to one architect. "Now that I'm no longer shocked by the maneuvers of every moped I notice that just about every house is built in the stacked style like Co Hanh's. It's confirmed. One architect designed for the whole country." Mosquitoes love her sugary blood and she goes to war with them after being turned into their pincushion. Funny observations such as the "doll-sized" food portions and "How am I supposed to get beyond lanky in a land where ice cream is made of red beans instead of cream?" That's not exactly true but Mai likes to exaggerate for a laugh. And boy, did I laugh a lot. She also captures the overcrowded roads in Asia with comments like, "...let me enjoy my cloud of toxic fumes from thousands of lawless mopeds in peace." She pulls some shenanigans on the women regarding thongs and starts to make friends with Ut, having far more exciting adventures than she would have at Laguna Beach.
Mai thinks of nothing but going home as fast as possible. She tries to manipulate events and others to make it happen, but later starts to adjust to her new culture and cousins. Ut is a strong-willed, frog-obsessed cousin who shaved her head - her reason is funny because it is practical but mortifies her beauty-obsessed mom - and she stands up to Mai's snobbish ways changing Mai's outlook in the process. The two develop a friendship where they respect and don't try to change each other. When Ut argues over 40 cents bargaining for food, Mai silently bargains behind her back so Ut thinks she got a good deal and Mai gets the food she wants. Mai wonders why everyone knows English better than she knows Vietnamese. Ut helps Mai along with the serious translator, Ahn Min, whom Mai can't resist poking fun at all the time.
Mai loves drama. In a subplot she whines that her love triangle in California is being replicated in Vietnam. In California, Mai and her best friend are interested in the same guy. She can't say his name because she has such a crush and refers to the boy as "HIM." By the end Mai has matured enough to say his name and not be so dramatic about talking to him. Ahn Min, her translator in Vietnam, is interested in another girl but a different girl is interested in him and thwarts his effort to get her attention. I am not sure how this ties in with the overall theme of a girl finding her heritage, but it does show Mai growing up and processing her crush on a boy and that people are the same and have the same basic needs regardless of where they live in the world. Some funny and memorable episodes happen during this part.
The author captures the frustration of learning a new language and how difficult it can be to communicate. Mai calls words she doesn't understand "ghost words." This imagery reminds me of Buddhism and how worshipers follow the "ghost" month where dead ancestors are allowed to spend a month visiting families, feasting, and finding victims among the living. Buddhism is the largest religion in Vietnam even though the government has periodically tried to extinguish it. When Mai goes to Saigon to locate the guard, she speaks sentences using Vietnamese mainly out of frustration and desperation. She's thrilled when this happens and the Vietnamese man understands her. Afterwards her usual cocky attitude comes back loud and clear, "I'm now officially bilingual and can rule the world!" It doesn't last long though. Pretty soon "The detective yells at us, using python sentences that strangle the air." What a great description of what it is like learning a language.
Mai pokes fun at cultures and conventions in the United States and Vietnam. They don't hug each other in Vietnam and Mai forgets many times hugging her relatives when she is happy. They seem to like it. Even Ut, although she swats her in response out of embarrassment. It is one of many instances where Mai shares her culture with her cousins or vice versa. This is the excitement of learning a new culture and sharing differences in a healthy way. Mai also diplomatically refers to the past fighting as "THE WAR." In Vietnam it is called, "The American War" and in America it is called, "The Vietnam War." Her neutral stance avoids the name controversy and shows the war for what it was, a bloody war between two countries. Mai jokes about food, sizes, architecture, and clothes. "I don't know anyone here to care what I wear, much less how often and what brand. It's freeing." She's also such a teen with an egocentric attitude. "I'm so bored, the kind where you bite off all your nails and wish they'd grow back instantly so you could bite them again." She's a hoot. Learning about heritage and other cultures has slowly changed my views of the world and exposed my biases and stereotypes I didn't know I had. I'm trying to listen slowly. Don't miss this winner.
Mai matures in small increments. She's spoiled, privileged and has a snarky attitude that is hilarious and balanced by a kind heart. She will do something nice followed by a "I rock!" She loves her Ba completely and will do anything for her, "I'm now too tired to yawn but I still rock as her caretaker, asking if her throat is sore." In the beginning all Mai can think about is leaving Vietnam as fast as possible, but she starts to empathize with Ba and appreciate Vietnam. Ba is one of the few adults that Mai listens to: "My body loosens and expands, remembering how it used to make room for her words to wiggle deep into the tiny crevice alongside my bones, muscles, and joints. Becoming a part of me." Ba is the eloquent character in the group, a foil to Mai's egocentric voice. The title of the book comes from one of my favorite passages as Ba describes dealing with the loss of a loved one to Mai, "I tell you of loss, my child, so you will listen slowly, and know that in life every emotion is fated to rear itself within your being." In our fast-paced world, listen slowly, can take on many meanings.
Mai struggles with learning the language bemoaning, "...she [Ut] doesn't understand my non-Frenchy English. It's exhausting but so is my life." She calls her attempts to communicate, "Tarzanish Vietnamese." She's impatient and strong-willed making for a strong female character. When the detective shows up, she hates it when adults take forever to get to the point. "OMG, what are the chances of me meeting the second wordiest human on the planet?" Or she attributes all the building designs to one architect. "Now that I'm no longer shocked by the maneuvers of every moped I notice that just about every house is built in the stacked style like Co Hanh's. It's confirmed. One architect designed for the whole country." Mosquitoes love her sugary blood and she goes to war with them after being turned into their pincushion. Funny observations such as the "doll-sized" food portions and "How am I supposed to get beyond lanky in a land where ice cream is made of red beans instead of cream?" That's not exactly true but Mai likes to exaggerate for a laugh. And boy, did I laugh a lot. She also captures the overcrowded roads in Asia with comments like, "...let me enjoy my cloud of toxic fumes from thousands of lawless mopeds in peace." She pulls some shenanigans on the women regarding thongs and starts to make friends with Ut, having far more exciting adventures than she would have at Laguna Beach.
Mai thinks of nothing but going home as fast as possible. She tries to manipulate events and others to make it happen, but later starts to adjust to her new culture and cousins. Ut is a strong-willed, frog-obsessed cousin who shaved her head - her reason is funny because it is practical but mortifies her beauty-obsessed mom - and she stands up to Mai's snobbish ways changing Mai's outlook in the process. The two develop a friendship where they respect and don't try to change each other. When Ut argues over 40 cents bargaining for food, Mai silently bargains behind her back so Ut thinks she got a good deal and Mai gets the food she wants. Mai wonders why everyone knows English better than she knows Vietnamese. Ut helps Mai along with the serious translator, Ahn Min, whom Mai can't resist poking fun at all the time.
Mai loves drama. In a subplot she whines that her love triangle in California is being replicated in Vietnam. In California, Mai and her best friend are interested in the same guy. She can't say his name because she has such a crush and refers to the boy as "HIM." By the end Mai has matured enough to say his name and not be so dramatic about talking to him. Ahn Min, her translator in Vietnam, is interested in another girl but a different girl is interested in him and thwarts his effort to get her attention. I am not sure how this ties in with the overall theme of a girl finding her heritage, but it does show Mai growing up and processing her crush on a boy and that people are the same and have the same basic needs regardless of where they live in the world. Some funny and memorable episodes happen during this part.
The author captures the frustration of learning a new language and how difficult it can be to communicate. Mai calls words she doesn't understand "ghost words." This imagery reminds me of Buddhism and how worshipers follow the "ghost" month where dead ancestors are allowed to spend a month visiting families, feasting, and finding victims among the living. Buddhism is the largest religion in Vietnam even though the government has periodically tried to extinguish it. When Mai goes to Saigon to locate the guard, she speaks sentences using Vietnamese mainly out of frustration and desperation. She's thrilled when this happens and the Vietnamese man understands her. Afterwards her usual cocky attitude comes back loud and clear, "I'm now officially bilingual and can rule the world!" It doesn't last long though. Pretty soon "The detective yells at us, using python sentences that strangle the air." What a great description of what it is like learning a language.
Mai pokes fun at cultures and conventions in the United States and Vietnam. They don't hug each other in Vietnam and Mai forgets many times hugging her relatives when she is happy. They seem to like it. Even Ut, although she swats her in response out of embarrassment. It is one of many instances where Mai shares her culture with her cousins or vice versa. This is the excitement of learning a new culture and sharing differences in a healthy way. Mai also diplomatically refers to the past fighting as "THE WAR." In Vietnam it is called, "The American War" and in America it is called, "The Vietnam War." Her neutral stance avoids the name controversy and shows the war for what it was, a bloody war between two countries. Mai jokes about food, sizes, architecture, and clothes. "I don't know anyone here to care what I wear, much less how often and what brand. It's freeing." She's also such a teen with an egocentric attitude. "I'm so bored, the kind where you bite off all your nails and wish they'd grow back instantly so you could bite them again." She's a hoot. Learning about heritage and other cultures has slowly changed my views of the world and exposed my biases and stereotypes I didn't know I had. I'm trying to listen slowly. Don't miss this winner.
February 27, 2017
You can check out my full review on my blog -> Cover2CoverMom's Book Review: Listen, Slowly
Why it’s #DiverseKidLit: Vietnamese-American characters; Vietnamese-American author; Set in Vietnam
When 12-year-old Mai is forced to take a trip with her grandmother to Vietnam to find out once and for all what happened to her grandfather during the Vietnam War, to say she isn’t thrilled would be an understatement. I have to be honest here, I was very tempted to DNF this book after the first few chapters for the simple fact that Mai was such an annoying main character. Don’t get me wrong, I can completely see a 12-year-old Californian not being happy about spending her summer on a wild goose chase in Vietnam, but the spoiled brat persona was a tad too strong in the beginning. Thankfully the pre-teen angst is toned down as the book progresses.
I am happy to report that I am so glad that I stuck with this book, as I think this is a wonderful book rich with Vietnamese culture. I really enjoyed reading about Mai’s journey learning about her roots. If you know me, then you know how much I adore learning about cultures and customs that differ from my own. Lai writes everything so vividly that you will see the wonders that Vietnam has to offer, taste the delicious food, and even feel the humidity and itchiness of the mosquito bites… Hey it can’t all be puppies and rainbows, which was another aspect that I appreciated about this book. Lai doesn’t shy away from some of the drawbacks of Vietnam: crowded cities, overwhelming heat, the plethora of insects, etc. etc.
Mai goes through tremendous growth through this book, which I appreciated very much since I was not her biggest fan in the beginning. By the end of the book, her trip to Vietnam really puts her life into perspective and she starts to realize what is really important in life. Listen, Slowly isn’t an action-packed adventure, but rather a slower paced coming of age story that spans cultures.
The main character, Mai, is a 12-year-old but she felt older to me…. say around 14? I know this is classified as middle grade, but I would say it is going to appeal more to an older MA to younger YA audience, say 12-15 year olds? There are a few things mentioned (like developing breasts, thong underwear, etc. etc.) that I didn’t really think would appeal to anyone under 12.
I listened to this via audiobook, which I think was very helpful since there is a lot of Vietnamese words included in this book, so I didn’t have to attempt to figure out the correct way to pronounce the Vietnamese words. This was actually a pretty big focus in this book: language and the importance in getting it right. I was really able to HEAR the differences in the different accent marks and how they can make the tone go up or down in a word. I am not sure I would have fully understood had I read a physical copy of this book. This isn’t to say that reading this book in print form is not the way to go, just that this was a particular strength of the audiobook.
Why it’s #DiverseKidLit: Vietnamese-American characters; Vietnamese-American author; Set in Vietnam
When 12-year-old Mai is forced to take a trip with her grandmother to Vietnam to find out once and for all what happened to her grandfather during the Vietnam War, to say she isn’t thrilled would be an understatement. I have to be honest here, I was very tempted to DNF this book after the first few chapters for the simple fact that Mai was such an annoying main character. Don’t get me wrong, I can completely see a 12-year-old Californian not being happy about spending her summer on a wild goose chase in Vietnam, but the spoiled brat persona was a tad too strong in the beginning. Thankfully the pre-teen angst is toned down as the book progresses.
I am happy to report that I am so glad that I stuck with this book, as I think this is a wonderful book rich with Vietnamese culture. I really enjoyed reading about Mai’s journey learning about her roots. If you know me, then you know how much I adore learning about cultures and customs that differ from my own. Lai writes everything so vividly that you will see the wonders that Vietnam has to offer, taste the delicious food, and even feel the humidity and itchiness of the mosquito bites… Hey it can’t all be puppies and rainbows, which was another aspect that I appreciated about this book. Lai doesn’t shy away from some of the drawbacks of Vietnam: crowded cities, overwhelming heat, the plethora of insects, etc. etc.
Mai goes through tremendous growth through this book, which I appreciated very much since I was not her biggest fan in the beginning. By the end of the book, her trip to Vietnam really puts her life into perspective and she starts to realize what is really important in life. Listen, Slowly isn’t an action-packed adventure, but rather a slower paced coming of age story that spans cultures.
The main character, Mai, is a 12-year-old but she felt older to me…. say around 14? I know this is classified as middle grade, but I would say it is going to appeal more to an older MA to younger YA audience, say 12-15 year olds? There are a few things mentioned (like developing breasts, thong underwear, etc. etc.) that I didn’t really think would appeal to anyone under 12.
I listened to this via audiobook, which I think was very helpful since there is a lot of Vietnamese words included in this book, so I didn’t have to attempt to figure out the correct way to pronounce the Vietnamese words. This was actually a pretty big focus in this book: language and the importance in getting it right. I was really able to HEAR the differences in the different accent marks and how they can make the tone go up or down in a word. I am not sure I would have fully understood had I read a physical copy of this book. This isn’t to say that reading this book in print form is not the way to go, just that this was a particular strength of the audiobook.
June 20, 2016
Audiobook review
Intolerable:
--Frequent use of OMG & BTW by an annoying, fingernails on the chalkboard voice
--Sassy, whiny, OMG-toting middle school aged narrator who is that teenager you wish you never brought to Disneyland because she ruined the trip for everyone.
--The boy with the Texan accent who interpreted everything for her selflessly. Who the heck was he?
Excellent:
--the actress speaks all of the Vietnamese in the book, and speaks broken American English perfectly and musically. I couldn't have had that experience reading the print version.
The book in general
Intolerable:
--The protagonist. Who can stand her? Who? Can other middle school students recognize themselves in this character, and if they can, do they realize how annoying they've become? Or do they say, "Whoah, this girl is insufferable, yet she sounds just like me....." I don't know. Like I said about the audiobook, this girl could curdle ice cream. Anything good would be tainted by her spoiled reaction to it.
--The spoiling. No one EVER tells her to knock it off. She gets everything she wants, a life of privilege, perfect parents and grandmother, intelligence, everything. And all she can do is complain that her family is too perfect, that her vocabulary is too good, that she has to go on the vacation of a lifetime and be pampered by everyone who sees her. And the little turn-around she does at the end of the book teeters between unrealistic and actually not a change at all, as her decision benefits her as much as others.
--"HIM" and "HE" (OMG--GAG!)
Excellent:
--The vivid descriptions of Viet Nam. It was a virtual field trip.
--The grandmother plot. It would have made a nice short story.
--The science I learned (mostly about health)
Overall it was difficult to get through this book, but I persevered. It has enough value to warrant all of the good reviews, but I don't recommend it to adults, despite it's stunning cover. And I don't know how it will actually be received by middle school kids...the one girl who checked this out (7th grade) returned it unfinished shortly after borrowing it, but that's just one. I really, really, wish Mia/Mai had been less realistic... I guess I want to be in the head of a teenager who is a bit less self-absorbed, even though it's perfectly age-appropriate to be the way Mia/Mai is. ::sigh::
Intolerable:
--Frequent use of OMG & BTW by an annoying, fingernails on the chalkboard voice
--Sassy, whiny, OMG-toting middle school aged narrator who is that teenager you wish you never brought to Disneyland because she ruined the trip for everyone.
--The boy with the Texan accent who interpreted everything for her selflessly. Who the heck was he?
Excellent:
--the actress speaks all of the Vietnamese in the book, and speaks broken American English perfectly and musically. I couldn't have had that experience reading the print version.
The book in general
Intolerable:
--The protagonist. Who can stand her? Who? Can other middle school students recognize themselves in this character, and if they can, do they realize how annoying they've become? Or do they say, "Whoah, this girl is insufferable, yet she sounds just like me....." I don't know. Like I said about the audiobook, this girl could curdle ice cream. Anything good would be tainted by her spoiled reaction to it.
--The spoiling. No one EVER tells her to knock it off. She gets everything she wants, a life of privilege, perfect parents and grandmother, intelligence, everything. And all she can do is complain that her family is too perfect, that her vocabulary is too good, that she has to go on the vacation of a lifetime and be pampered by everyone who sees her. And the little turn-around she does at the end of the book teeters between unrealistic and actually not a change at all, as her decision benefits her as much as others.
--"HIM" and "HE" (OMG--GAG!)
Excellent:
--The vivid descriptions of Viet Nam. It was a virtual field trip.
--The grandmother plot. It would have made a nice short story.
--The science I learned (mostly about health)
Overall it was difficult to get through this book, but I persevered. It has enough value to warrant all of the good reviews, but I don't recommend it to adults, despite it's stunning cover. And I don't know how it will actually be received by middle school kids...the one girl who checked this out (7th grade) returned it unfinished shortly after borrowing it, but that's just one. I really, really, wish Mia/Mai had been less realistic... I guess I want to be in the head of a teenager who is a bit less self-absorbed, even though it's perfectly age-appropriate to be the way Mia/Mai is. ::sigh::
January 25, 2022
This is a really, really good one. In a way, it's a classic MG novel, I think, because it's one of those seldom-published (recently, at least) How-I-Spent-My-Summer-Vacation books. Reading this after reading Gone Away Lake, for example, is an interesting experience!
Mai leaps off the page right from the beginning - from her insistence that she's not bi-cultural but uni-cultural - all the way until the book's end. Her voice is fabulous; her voice is this story, quippy and vulnerable and young, and yet her growth is believable and always consistent with that voice.
Listen, Slowly is very unfinished, though it ends when the key conflict is resolved. Still, a lot of threads are left undone, and I want more story!
Mai leaps off the page right from the beginning - from her insistence that she's not bi-cultural but uni-cultural - all the way until the book's end. Her voice is fabulous; her voice is this story, quippy and vulnerable and young, and yet her growth is believable and always consistent with that voice.
Listen, Slowly is very unfinished, though it ends when the key conflict is resolved. Still, a lot of threads are left undone, and I want more story!
July 24, 2018
This was a slow-moving but ultimately rewarding junior book. The main character is fairly annoying, but that is important to the plot and she does show true character development. I loved the setting and learning more about Vietnam's culture and language. I enjoyed this, but I probably wouldn't read it again.
July 24, 2021
#middlegradereadersbuddyread
“I tell you of loss, my child, so you will listen, slowly, and know that in life every emotion is fated to rear itself within your being. Don’t judge it proper or ugly. It’s simply there and yours.”
This book was awesome. Mai is a great MC. She is a typical preteen and I loved every moment of her journey . This book is humorous and engaging and the perfect choice for #summerreading !
March 5, 2024
this is really good! I wouldn't really reccomend to boys but yea...
September 1, 2024
Basically, ditto Tessa's review.
This was initially hard to get into because of how unlikable and self-absorbed the main character is. You know the character growth is coming, but man does it feel painful to get there. Then it does and the payoff really is sweet.
Not quite what I was expecting, especially not for a book whose quote defined much of my experience in Thailand, but worth it for its own experience.
This was initially hard to get into because of how unlikable and self-absorbed the main character is. You know the character growth is coming, but man does it feel painful to get there. Then it does and the payoff really is sweet.
Not quite what I was expecting, especially not for a book whose quote defined much of my experience in Thailand, but worth it for its own experience.
May 19, 2019
Continuing my TBR project:
This is one the oldest selection on my TBR list - Originally added February 17, 2015.
I really like multi-cultural books for middle-schoolers. This particular story is about a Southern California 12-year-old who is forced to visit Vietnam with her grandmother. The grandmother is going there to try to find out what happened to her husband during the Vietnam War. It’s about the ultimate importance of home and family. Glad I read it.
This is one the oldest selection on my TBR list - Originally added February 17, 2015.
I really like multi-cultural books for middle-schoolers. This particular story is about a Southern California 12-year-old who is forced to visit Vietnam with her grandmother. The grandmother is going there to try to find out what happened to her husband during the Vietnam War. It’s about the ultimate importance of home and family. Glad I read it.
September 24, 2016
A warm journey to Viêt Nam, but sadly from the point of view of a spoiled 12 years old American girl.
Mai's grandmother has to return to Viêt Nam during summer, so Mai has to accompany her. As she scheduled holidays on the beach with her best friend and isn't really interested in Viêt Nam, she's very disappointed and eager to come back to the US as soon as possible. Luckily, at some point, she'll find a friend and be happy to discover a new country (!).
I didn't especially enjoy the writing (it wasn't smooth enough for my tastes), nor the characterization. Mai was really whinny in the first part and represented the worst parts in my opinion of a pre-teen. She was focused on her insta-love interest and on the Facebook bikini pictures of her best friend (normally, you can't have a FB account before 13 years old and the sexualization/shaming of 12 yo tends to bother me...). The relationship with her parents also felt like a nightmare as she was launched in a new country without knowing the language or what was happening. On the second part, she started to enjoy her stay in Viêt Nam and the story was more well paced, so it was finally pleasant to read. I liked to discover the cultural parts, with food, clothes, habits, nature and cities, so for this aspect, the read was satisfying for me.
Mai's grandmother has to return to Viêt Nam during summer, so Mai has to accompany her. As she scheduled holidays on the beach with her best friend and isn't really interested in Viêt Nam, she's very disappointed and eager to come back to the US as soon as possible. Luckily, at some point, she'll find a friend and be happy to discover a new country (!).
I didn't especially enjoy the writing (it wasn't smooth enough for my tastes), nor the characterization. Mai was really whinny in the first part and represented the worst parts in my opinion of a pre-teen. She was focused on her insta-love interest and on the Facebook bikini pictures of her best friend (normally, you can't have a FB account before 13 years old and the sexualization/shaming of 12 yo tends to bother me...). The relationship with her parents also felt like a nightmare as she was launched in a new country without knowing the language or what was happening. On the second part, she started to enjoy her stay in Viêt Nam and the story was more well paced, so it was finally pleasant to read. I liked to discover the cultural parts, with food, clothes, habits, nature and cities, so for this aspect, the read was satisfying for me.
May 20, 2015
After the gentle first novel by this author, I was prepared to enjoy this second book, but the snippy, spoiled, prickly, too-old-for-her-age voice of the main character jarred me from the beginning. Twelve-year-old Mai is furious with her parents for putting her on a plane with her grandmother (who is a lovely character, but drowned out) to Vietnam. Mai had planned to spend the summer on the beach with her (dreadful) best friend. Instead, despite herself, she finds a broadened world view and develops some unique friendships, and gets in touch with her family's cultural background. This aspect of the novel I have no quibble with. But between Mai and all of the stereotypes this book was quite disappointing. The audience for this book is middle school to junior high.
April 10, 2017
3.5 really- it took some time to get into the book, but the ending had a great message. This was another book for my classroom book clubs, geared for my higher readers that deserve to be challenged with a book out of their comfort zone. This book follows Mai as she travels to Vietnam with her grandmother, and while Mai initially hates the idea of being away from her Laguna beach summer, she eventually comes to appreciate her Vietnamese culture and lave the family she has across the world. There are some parts that are hard to get through for various reasons (silliness and some disgusting parts mainly), but the ending was sweet.
January 8, 2016
I really wanted to like this book. It does do a good job of sharing an almost-teenager's perspective of Vietnam but the story was slow and hard to get into. I had to force myself to finish it.
January 10, 2016
Predictable from the start. Hard to follow at times. Slow. Really slow.
March 17, 2017
It was not as I expected it to be. I suppose I expected too much since 'Inside Out and Back Again' was amazing. However, 'Listen, Slowly' was not the best.
October 16, 2020
This is my second Thanhha Lai, and it's impressively distinct in style from Inside Out & Back Again. Both are great, but the voice of Listen, Slowly makes it my favorite of the two.
Right from the start, I adored Mai/Mia. She's such a middle schooler, aka a self-involved brat. Her summer has been ruined by the fact that she's being forced to visit Vietnam for the summer to help her grandmother with a mission to discover what became of her grandfather, who went missing during the war and was presumed dead. Mia's not interested in this mission, and she wants to stay home in California. She's especially worried because what's going to happen with her crush when she's gone all summer?!
Mai thinks of herself as American, rather than Vietnamese or Vietnamese-American. It's not so much that she knows nothing about the culture her grandparents and parents came out of but that she really does not feel connected to it. Obviously, this book is about Mai connecting to Vietnamese culture. This is shown in a lot of ways, but the ones I liked best were her use of Vietnamese and the fact that initially Vietnam is just like any other place she learned about in a documentary.
The plot itself felt rather anticlimactic, I'll admit. There is a plot, but it's very much Mai's emotional journey that's center stage. What I like about her emotional journey too is that it's a bit messy. Mai's grown by the end, but she's still a bit self-involved, and she's not going to be a completely different person after the trip, but it will be the start of slow, life-long changes for her.
Listen, Slowly is a really beautiful, character-driven story, and the audiobook was really great. I'm glad I chose that format, because getting to hear the different tones in Vietnamese that she was struggling with was really cool.
Right from the start, I adored Mai/Mia. She's such a middle schooler, aka a self-involved brat. Her summer has been ruined by the fact that she's being forced to visit Vietnam for the summer to help her grandmother with a mission to discover what became of her grandfather, who went missing during the war and was presumed dead. Mia's not interested in this mission, and she wants to stay home in California. She's especially worried because what's going to happen with her crush when she's gone all summer?!
Mai thinks of herself as American, rather than Vietnamese or Vietnamese-American. It's not so much that she knows nothing about the culture her grandparents and parents came out of but that she really does not feel connected to it. Obviously, this book is about Mai connecting to Vietnamese culture. This is shown in a lot of ways, but the ones I liked best were her use of Vietnamese and the fact that initially Vietnam is just like any other place she learned about in a documentary.
The plot itself felt rather anticlimactic, I'll admit. There is a plot, but it's very much Mai's emotional journey that's center stage. What I like about her emotional journey too is that it's a bit messy. Mai's grown by the end, but she's still a bit self-involved, and she's not going to be a completely different person after the trip, but it will be the start of slow, life-long changes for her.
Listen, Slowly is a really beautiful, character-driven story, and the audiobook was really great. I'm glad I chose that format, because getting to hear the different tones in Vietnamese that she was struggling with was really cool.
February 16, 2015
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
Thanhha Lai's Inside Out & Back Again took the kidlit world by storm a couple years ago, garnering both the National Book Award and a Newbery Honor. Anticipation for her second book, coming out this month, is high. In my opinion, Listen, Slowly is even better than Lai's first book.
Mai has plans for her summer. Plans that involve hanging out at the beach with her best friend, Montana, and Him-the boy she's had a crush on since he talked about a love poem in English class. Her plans most definitely do not involve accompanying her grandmother on a trip to Vietnam to discover information about her long missing grandfather. But try telling that to her do-gooder parents. Her father will be spending his summer in Vietnam doctoring needy children and can't be there to help Bà. Her mother is trying an important case and can't go to Vietnam at all. As the youngest cousin with no pressing academic plans, Mai is selected to go and make sure Bà is okay and has all she needs. Mai's goal is to get this excursion over with and fly home as soon as possible. As the days in Vietnam pass she is assaulted by mosquitos, heat, a rash of pimples, an attack of diarrhea from swallowing pond water, and not completely understanding the people around her all the time. But she also makes a new friend, learns more about her Bà and Ông, the war that tore her family apart, and the country whose rich history, culture and language runs through her California girl veins.
The rich setting and distinctive voice were my favorite aspects of Inside Out & Back Again. Lai's talent for both shine even brighter in Listen, Slowly. Mai's voice is perfect middle schooler. She is sassy, sarcastic, pouty, self-centered, sneaky, and argumentative. She is also kind, brave, loyal, and a little scared of the future and her place in it. She is a bit wrapped up in her own privilege too. Her parents want her to learn to give and be appreciative. She rolls her eyes a lot. I loved her to pieces. Upon reaching Vietnam, she learns a lot about family, friendship, and loyalty, but doesn't morph into a different person. She's still a snarky, sneaky, slightly awkward middle schooler. In Vietnam she makes a friend, one of her many cousins, named Út. Út loves frogs and being the bane of her mother's existence. The girls don't hit it off, but through many shared adventures and schemes become close friends.
The story is quiet and full of lush descriptions of Vietnam. Even though the plot is not full of heart-stopping actions and events, it is rich with the smaller events of life. Lai mostly manages to maintain a quick pace with these smaller events, and there is so much humor in the book. I laughed out loud several times.
The setting is incredibly well done. It is quite easy to feel completely immersed in the country of Vietnam. Lai's descriptive prose with told through the snarky tone of Mai's voice convey a beautiful country. The reader sees the large clogged cities with their noise and pollution and the slower life of the smaller villages. Lai manages to keep a light tone when discussing politics and the realities of a developing country, but still conveyes the scope and breadth of the issues. Her ability to bring things to a level middle graders can understand and appreciate is impressive. Part of what makes it so good, is that she doesn't condescend to her readers. The book is full of Vietnamese, some of it translated, some not. Context works well enough so the reader knows what is going on, and it just adds richness and authenticity to the setting. One of my favorites scenes is when Mai's translator is trying to teach her about how all the different accent marks and pronunciations change the meaning of the word Ba and Mai's comparing the noises to sheep: a frightened sheep, a serious sheep, a surprised sheep, a sheep falling over, and "I get to say 'whatever' while sounding like a constipated sheep." It's funny and conveys the complexities of the language perfectly.
Going with Mai and her grandmother on their journeys of discovery and closure is a privilege every reader will enjoy. I laughed and cried with them, and felt like I was a part of their family when I finished.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher, Harper Children's, at ALA Midwinter. Listen, Slowly goes on sale February 17.
Thanhha Lai's Inside Out & Back Again took the kidlit world by storm a couple years ago, garnering both the National Book Award and a Newbery Honor. Anticipation for her second book, coming out this month, is high. In my opinion, Listen, Slowly is even better than Lai's first book.
Mai has plans for her summer. Plans that involve hanging out at the beach with her best friend, Montana, and Him-the boy she's had a crush on since he talked about a love poem in English class. Her plans most definitely do not involve accompanying her grandmother on a trip to Vietnam to discover information about her long missing grandfather. But try telling that to her do-gooder parents. Her father will be spending his summer in Vietnam doctoring needy children and can't be there to help Bà. Her mother is trying an important case and can't go to Vietnam at all. As the youngest cousin with no pressing academic plans, Mai is selected to go and make sure Bà is okay and has all she needs. Mai's goal is to get this excursion over with and fly home as soon as possible. As the days in Vietnam pass she is assaulted by mosquitos, heat, a rash of pimples, an attack of diarrhea from swallowing pond water, and not completely understanding the people around her all the time. But she also makes a new friend, learns more about her Bà and Ông, the war that tore her family apart, and the country whose rich history, culture and language runs through her California girl veins.
The rich setting and distinctive voice were my favorite aspects of Inside Out & Back Again. Lai's talent for both shine even brighter in Listen, Slowly. Mai's voice is perfect middle schooler. She is sassy, sarcastic, pouty, self-centered, sneaky, and argumentative. She is also kind, brave, loyal, and a little scared of the future and her place in it. She is a bit wrapped up in her own privilege too. Her parents want her to learn to give and be appreciative. She rolls her eyes a lot. I loved her to pieces. Upon reaching Vietnam, she learns a lot about family, friendship, and loyalty, but doesn't morph into a different person. She's still a snarky, sneaky, slightly awkward middle schooler. In Vietnam she makes a friend, one of her many cousins, named Út. Út loves frogs and being the bane of her mother's existence. The girls don't hit it off, but through many shared adventures and schemes become close friends.
The story is quiet and full of lush descriptions of Vietnam. Even though the plot is not full of heart-stopping actions and events, it is rich with the smaller events of life. Lai mostly manages to maintain a quick pace with these smaller events, and there is so much humor in the book. I laughed out loud several times.
The setting is incredibly well done. It is quite easy to feel completely immersed in the country of Vietnam. Lai's descriptive prose with told through the snarky tone of Mai's voice convey a beautiful country. The reader sees the large clogged cities with their noise and pollution and the slower life of the smaller villages. Lai manages to keep a light tone when discussing politics and the realities of a developing country, but still conveyes the scope and breadth of the issues. Her ability to bring things to a level middle graders can understand and appreciate is impressive. Part of what makes it so good, is that she doesn't condescend to her readers. The book is full of Vietnamese, some of it translated, some not. Context works well enough so the reader knows what is going on, and it just adds richness and authenticity to the setting. One of my favorites scenes is when Mai's translator is trying to teach her about how all the different accent marks and pronunciations change the meaning of the word Ba and Mai's comparing the noises to sheep: a frightened sheep, a serious sheep, a surprised sheep, a sheep falling over, and "I get to say 'whatever' while sounding like a constipated sheep." It's funny and conveys the complexities of the language perfectly.
Going with Mai and her grandmother on their journeys of discovery and closure is a privilege every reader will enjoy. I laughed and cried with them, and felt like I was a part of their family when I finished.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher, Harper Children's, at ALA Midwinter. Listen, Slowly goes on sale February 17.
August 13, 2018
3.5 The first audiobook in a while that I haven't gotten bored with.
July 1, 2015
I LOVED this book. My daughter actually picked it out at the library and I needed something to read on a camping trip. The cover was the thing that pulled me in at first. (I do judge a book by its cover...) And I knew this author had a Newberry award for another book she had written. (Which I haven't read yet - Inside Out and Back Again, I believe) The main character, Mai, is a 12 year old girl. To me, her voice sounded more like a teenager. Her obsession with "HIM", her jealousy of her friend, her need for a cell phone and Facebook... maybe some 12 year olds are already like this, but my 12 year old and her friends are nothing like this yet.
You would think that reading a book with a self-absorbed "teenager" as your guide would be really obnoxious, but I loved that Lai helps you navigate the Vietnamese culture through this American teenager's eyes. Because, frankly, if most of us (as Americans) went to experience this "strange" country, we would probably be thinking the same things, but we wouldn't say them. Having a teenager who is more American than Vietnamese makes for a very entertaining narrator. I love the funny way she describes the clothing, the culture and the familial relationships, social attitudes, the food, the obsession with avoiding the sun, not being wasteful, the funny "accents" they use in Vietnamese... her point of view is so funny and so informative at the same time. It would have been hard to learn as much about the culture from any other perspective. (And less entertaining!)
I love watching Mai grow to love Vietnam as time passes. This was, of course, expected, but so sweet. I love her relationship with Ba, her grandmother - it really becomes quite powerful. And the love story between her grandpa and grandma brought me to tears at the end.
I love a book that can entertain, make me laugh AND educate me about something new at the same time. And on top of that, it was very heartwarming and so sweet. A very uplifting and inspiring book. All the elements I love in a 5 star book. I love feeling like I learned something new, understood a new perspective, and was enriched by the story. It makes me want to visit Vietnam. And it makes me think of the Vietnamese people I have known in the past - we lived next to a Vietnamese family many years ago. They were so kind. It was a younger family and their aging parents and so many of the descriptions in the book matched exactly the way I remember this sweet family being. In fact, the grandma was a lot like Ba. She only spoke Vietnamese, but she loved my little girls and always smiled and tried to communicate in her own way. She wore the pajama-like clothing that Mai describes. And the food they cooked had the most amazing smells. They cooked on a little stove in the garage rather than in their nice kitchen. The grandparents son showed them great respect and cared for them as the book describes. Mai practically envies the way her grandmother is treated like royalty. "Ahh, to be elderly in Vietnam".
Another thing I loved was revisiting a topic that fascinated me as a teenager. It's kind of a dark subject, but when I was younger I did a report on a book called "The Tunnels of Cu Chi". It described the underground tunnel warfare in Vietnam. It may be one of the reasons I am so claustrophobic today. (o; It was horrific, but fascinating to me and I was so interested to learn a little more from this story. I can't even imagine what it must have been like for the Vietnamese that had to spend so much time in those awful tunnels.
This is a book I hope my girls will read some day. I love learning about new cultures and expanding my understanding. Oh and I didn't even mention the beautiful, poetic language in this book. The way Ba describes memories to Mai is rich and full of so much emotion. I loved Ba.
I could go on and on . . . I am grateful to Lai for a beautiful story that I will never forget.
You would think that reading a book with a self-absorbed "teenager" as your guide would be really obnoxious, but I loved that Lai helps you navigate the Vietnamese culture through this American teenager's eyes. Because, frankly, if most of us (as Americans) went to experience this "strange" country, we would probably be thinking the same things, but we wouldn't say them. Having a teenager who is more American than Vietnamese makes for a very entertaining narrator. I love the funny way she describes the clothing, the culture and the familial relationships, social attitudes, the food, the obsession with avoiding the sun, not being wasteful, the funny "accents" they use in Vietnamese... her point of view is so funny and so informative at the same time. It would have been hard to learn as much about the culture from any other perspective. (And less entertaining!)
I love watching Mai grow to love Vietnam as time passes. This was, of course, expected, but so sweet. I love her relationship with Ba, her grandmother - it really becomes quite powerful. And the love story between her grandpa and grandma brought me to tears at the end.
I love a book that can entertain, make me laugh AND educate me about something new at the same time. And on top of that, it was very heartwarming and so sweet. A very uplifting and inspiring book. All the elements I love in a 5 star book. I love feeling like I learned something new, understood a new perspective, and was enriched by the story. It makes me want to visit Vietnam. And it makes me think of the Vietnamese people I have known in the past - we lived next to a Vietnamese family many years ago. They were so kind. It was a younger family and their aging parents and so many of the descriptions in the book matched exactly the way I remember this sweet family being. In fact, the grandma was a lot like Ba. She only spoke Vietnamese, but she loved my little girls and always smiled and tried to communicate in her own way. She wore the pajama-like clothing that Mai describes. And the food they cooked had the most amazing smells. They cooked on a little stove in the garage rather than in their nice kitchen. The grandparents son showed them great respect and cared for them as the book describes. Mai practically envies the way her grandmother is treated like royalty. "Ahh, to be elderly in Vietnam".
Another thing I loved was revisiting a topic that fascinated me as a teenager. It's kind of a dark subject, but when I was younger I did a report on a book called "The Tunnels of Cu Chi". It described the underground tunnel warfare in Vietnam. It may be one of the reasons I am so claustrophobic today. (o; It was horrific, but fascinating to me and I was so interested to learn a little more from this story. I can't even imagine what it must have been like for the Vietnamese that had to spend so much time in those awful tunnels.
This is a book I hope my girls will read some day. I love learning about new cultures and expanding my understanding. Oh and I didn't even mention the beautiful, poetic language in this book. The way Ba describes memories to Mai is rich and full of so much emotion. I loved Ba.
I could go on and on . . . I am grateful to Lai for a beautiful story that I will never forget.
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