Banyan Moon: A Read with Jenna Pick

Beautiful story of three generations of Viet Namese women. Complex relationships, moving descriptions of their inner lives, and heartfelt portrayals of how the men in their lives impacted their lives. Love this author.

Anyone especially a mother, grandmother, or a daughter, can appreciate the emotion and raw truth about relationships in this book. I also appreciate learning more about the generational experiences of the characters during and following the Vietnam (American) war from a Vietnamese perspective. My dad is a Vietnam veteran - the war indirectly shaped a big part of my life.

The author tells a rich & absorbing story that engages the reader immediately. The characters grow, change, evolve in a rich way that few authors are able to capture. I highly recommend this book!

What a beautiful love story about mothers and daughters. Our relationships are complicated. I loved all the characters personalities. I loved their strength and determination to be exactly who they needed to be. Beautiful descriptions of the Gulf. I loved how we were taken to Vietnam. My favorite book I have read this year! Thank you. This book is truly joyous.

This story spans three generations of Vietnamese American women. We follow Ann, a young woman living a seemingly charmed life, and her estranged mother Huong, who longs for a deeper relationship with her only daughter. Both women are grieving the recent loss of Minh—Huong’s mother and Ann’s grandmother.This is typically the kind of story I love—a multigenerational saga with resilient female characters, a compelling sense of place, and an assortment of family secrets. While it was beautifully written (you’ll see that in the words I’m remembering below) I think it was simply a good book that I read at the wrong time. I found myself wishing for even the tiniest thread of hope in the plot.Words I’m remembering: “Her power was quiet and sure, as yet unclaimed but wedged deep nonetheless.”

A beautiful story of three women coming to terms with the obstacles and loves in their life. The author writes in such an expressive way that had me eagerly awaiting the next time I could sit and continue experiencing the lives and discoveries of these characters.

WOW. I loved this book so much it is my new favorite and my new favorite author. Tho Thai’s writing is so relaxing.

Love this novel with great weaving of Vietnamese culture, the struggle for survival, sorrows, regrets, forgiveness and most importantly, the power of love

Many authors try to tell a story, having good intentions and aims, possibly good dialog, good grammar, following all the rules of creative writing but somehow miss the mark.This hits the mark. There is so much in this novel that I can't begin to retell. So I will tell you that it is an incredibly beautiful book, and for me, a book like this once in a while is as necessary as breathing.

I have not read a novel this good since The Kitchen Gods Wife and The Green Mile. This writer is destined to become one of the greats! I also said this after reading The Firm by John Grisham. So consider this your warning, WORLD!

Banyan Moon was a very enjoyable book to read about three generations of Chinese women and how they related to each other.

I’m giving this book 4 stars, because I found it to be somewhat depressing and confusing…..rather difficult to follow in many spots. The actual writing has some pretty amazing moments, wonderful metaphors, and beautiful analogies.

Loved this book. It's a slow-burn read about mother-daughter relationships, so if you like a fast-paced thriller, this isn't for you. I loved the symbolism and Thai's use of extended metaphors. I loved the surprises and the not-completely settled ending. Fabulous!

In the shadow of the banyan tree, the people learn how to live, love and let go. The story winds from present to past and hints at the future but it’s the reader who must decide which has merit.

It was a good book and I was somewhat compelled to finish it. It seemed to jump around too much for me. Interesting story but for me, a true reader, I would have passed on this one.

The way the three lives are so intertwined is very interesting.Three strong women, influencers all, and each on a path.I enjoyed this very much.

Thao Thai writes beautifully about love in all its forms. But she’s especially adept at demonstrating its power between mothers and daughters—and the role grandmothers can play in a person’s life. Loss is also a big theme in this novel, particularly the life left behind when people migrate out of desperation. Its final message, though, is uplifting. Amazing debut novel.

This book was the first Jenna Bush Hager recommended book that I have read. It's a bit different than the books I usually choose to read, and I'm glad I did. It gives us a glimpse into another heritage and their culture and traditions so different from our own. Like my own Irish heritage, there are many superstitions passed down from Mothers to children who get more and more Americanized and leave past stories and traditions behind them. This is a story of strong women and mothers who love and protect their children the best way they know how. My only criticism is that I wish there was a glossary of the Vietnamese words and how to phonetically pronounce them. For those of you pondering whether or not to read this book, do it. Enjoy!

This story is a beautiful deep dive into the lives of three different women. You see how they relate to each other in current day, and after you understand the back story of each woman you understand why they are the way they are. It makes you reflect on the women in your own life, and how their history (and their family's histories) shape who they are today.

I enjoyed the characters in this book, the story shows each of their struggles and how they unknowingly help one another grow into their own. I loved how all the parents worked at being better parents. A good story about family and finding oneself. A story about falling in love with wrong man, healing relationships with family and letting go.