Twilight Territory

Pham’s (The Eaves of Heaven) latest is set in Vietnam during and after World War II, after Japanese forces oust the French and take control of the country. Tuyet once lived a life of luxury in Saigon. Now she runs a shop in a tiny village with her aunt. Japanese army major Yamazaki Takeshi, stationed in her village, is attracted to Tuyet and gently but persistently courts her. As Japan strengthens its wartime hold, Takeshi convinces Tuyet to marry him. Their first few years of marriage are blissful, but then the tide changes. When Japan surrenders in 1945, the Allied Forces hand Vietnam back to the French. Takeshi opts to stay in Vietnam and fights with the Vietnamese resistance. This brings increasing poverty and danger to his family. Eventually, Tuyet and Takeshi are both captured and jailed by the French. While each finds a separate means of escape, their futures are deeply uncertain. Pham’s saga captures the years of colonial rule in Vietnam and its devastating effects on the local population. David Lee Huynh narrates empathetically, using varied voices and accents to create affecting character portraits.