Play Book Tag discussion

This was a re-read for me in preparation for the upcoming HBO series (movie?). It was just as intoxicating and brilliant the 2nd time around. I feel like I could read this many more times and always get something out of it, chewing on the commentary and beautiful prose.

This is a historical fiction story set at the "end" of the Vietnam War, right as America is pulling out, and it's narrated by the titular Sympathizer. He is half Vietnamese and American (his father was a missionary priest, I can't recall if his nationality was ever revealed). He is a communist spy but has infiltrated an anti-communist organization. So he is torn between 2 worlds in many aspects of his life. The plot is somewhat tenuous. There is a plot, but it's not like introduction / climax / conclusion. There isn't one thread the reader will follow, rather it is a character study through our narrators journey from Vietnam to America and beyond...

Absolutely brilliant and beautifully written book.
It won a Pulitzer for a reason... I love this book, highly recommend!

Warnings for extreme graphic violence and sex (consensual and otherwise).

Great review - I had forgotten about this book -- now it is going to be on HBO? As you said, it won for a reason. Thanks for the reminder. peace, janz

Glad you enjoyed the re-read as much as the first read! Have you read the sequel, The Committed yet? I keep meaning get to it.

Oh, this is one of my favorites! I had no idea there's going to be an HBO adaptation.

Peacejanz wrote: "Great review - I had forgotten about this book -- now it is going to be on HBO? As you said, it won for a reason. Thanks for the reminder. peace, janz"

So it appears it will be a series on HBO and the cast has been set.
Robert Downey Jr. is a producer and will play multiple white characters, which I understand to be a nod to Hollywood's lazy casting when it comes to Asian characters.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/...

Jen K wrote: "Glad you enjoyed the re-read as much as the first read! Have you read the sequel, The Committed yet? I keep meaning get to it."

I have not read the sequel, but I am anxious to!
The Sympathizer is so dense that I feel like I need to carve out a month for the sequel.

It appears the Sympathizer is half Vietnamese and half French, which I figured out from reading that article linked above... I guess I missed that!