A worthy follow up to his debut novel. An engrossing, perceptive, dramatic and absolutely enthralling literary journey.

I can’t quite put my finger on what makes Viet Thanh Nguyen’s writing so spectacularly unique. It must be in some (large?) part due to the complexity within simplicity. The writing is perfectly straightforward, full of dialogue and color. But the impact is always deep, visceral. Simple phrases conjure profound truths that go to the heart of human cravings and depravity.

I first met Nguyen when I was privileged with an early ARC of “The Sympathizer”. I had no idea what to expect. I loved it and talked it up everywhere. I was delighted when it won the Pulitzer in 2016. I decided that I was going to follow Mr. Nguyen closely from them on. Little did I know how difficult that would be. He is everywhere, now a MacArthur fellow and just recently appointed as the first Asian American member of the Pulitzer Prize Board. His criticism and commentary is rich, insightful, and compelling with a voice that is increasingly needed in these trying times.

When I initially heard that there was to be another major novel, I could hardly contain my excitement. When I read the pre-release narrative I had a feeling that this was going to be a most unusual sequel, now looking at the 20th century devastation of Viet Nam with a focus on France’s sins this time. “The Committed” is that and more.

“The Committed” can be read by in multiple ways. It will be a Gangster novel for some. For others, it’s a geo-political thriller reliving the history of the all Indo-Chinese imbroglios. What I most appreciate is the philosophical bent covering the insights of the Ancients to the Modernists. Violence, terror, and community gets reflected through multiple lenses, often in the space of a single phrase, sentence, or paragraph. It also has the duality of split personalities of the individual as well as societies.

Characters for Nguyen are archetypes, multi-layered avatars for generational complexity and trauma. Everyone is scarred by ethno-national and international misdeeds and greed. “The Committed” is rich in dialogue. This could translate to a great film or mini-series with Nguyen as the screenwriter. One word of caution – you may be hesitant to visit a Vietnamese restaurant after reading the book.

I hardly wait to see what the future brings for Viet Thanh Nguyen, but I know that I will be following closely.
Thanks to Grove Press and NetGalley for the DRC. Much appreciated.