Overall 4
Spice 1

Slow & Atmospheric
Attention to Detail
Vietnamese History and Culture
Tragic Ending
Similar to The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
Feminist
Strong Female MMCs
History Textbook Meets Fiction
Exploration of Sisterhood

Thank you to NetGalley and to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with ARC of Bronze Drum by Phong Nguyen

Diversity and representation in the historical fiction space, particularly the ancient stories are hard to come by which is why I was so excited for the book and would describe it as similar in vein to The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec. However, I feel like this piece leans heavily on historical context and the way it is written in 3rd person (almost removed emotionally) gives it a slight textbook flavor rather than a fictional rendering of a historical narrative. The blurb also didn’t capture the tragic nature of the story (which I think does the reader a slight disservice. I hate sad endings.) So be prepared for that. Overall I’m giving this book 4 out of 5 because as a fictionalized historical text it is spot-on as historical fiction it is lacking

This was a very creative story, not sure if it will blow up, but definitely a great addition to collections where Beasts of a Little Land was a strong circulater

This book is a great option for people interested in historical fiction that takes place in ancient times and stories with strong female protagonists. It is awesome to learn about ancient Vietnamese legends and warrior women!

Set in ancient Vietnam, Bronze Drum tells the legend of two sisters who led a rebellion against the Han Chinese rulers in their land. Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị are daughters of a lord and raised as ladies. But Lord Trưng knows that they may one day have to protect themselves from the Han and so he does everything he can to have them trained in the art of fighting and in leadership. As tragedies grip their family, Trắc and Nhị are driven to revenge, raising an army of eighty thousand women to defeat the Han.

I was very excited to read this story. As a child of Vietnamese immigrants, I am always thirsting for stories that involve Vietnamese history and culture. I had never heard of the legend of the Trưng warrior sisters before but I was immediately intrigued by the synopsis.

The first third of the book was a bit of a slow start for me. I struggled a bit to get into the story because I wasn't used to the writing style that was so different from what I usually read (which is mostly contemporary romance). After I got used to the prose of this book, I was able to fly through it. Phong Nguyen spent that first third of the book depicting the cushy lifestyle that the sisters lived. Once that peace was smashed and Nhị decided to do something about it, I couldn't stop turning the pages. There was a lot going on in the story and I was engrossed in every bit of the drama.

Trac and Nhi's relationship was as complicated as any sister relationship. They had very different personalities - Trac was more reserved and calculating whereas Nhi was more impulsive and wild. They resented each other for their differences yet they had a fierce love for one another at the same time. When it came time for them to lead the others, they were able to work well together (mostly) in their common cause.

Trắc and Nhị were fierce warriors who the impossible of raising and leading an army of women to victory over the Han. They were driven not only by revenge for their loved ones, but also for love of their country, people, and ancestors. When Trắc declared herself as the "She-King", I pumped my fist in the air to celebrate her badassery.

Pick up this historical fiction novel for an engrossing and inspiring story about two sisters leading the charge in a revolution.

⚠️: death of a loved one, cruel punishment, murder, war, suicide

War, love, and sisterhood. Based on the true story of two warrior sisters who raised an army of women to overthrow the Han Chinese and rule as kings over the united people from ancient Vietnam. The story follows the two daughters of a Vietnamese lord in 40 CE in the Au Lac region of Ancient Vietnam. The Lord has trained them all their lives to fight, study, and stay true to the Vietnamese traditions. Older sister Trung Trac is disciplined and wise, always excelling at her duty while younger sister Trung Nhi is fierce and free spirited, more concerned about spending her time doing as she pleases and with lovers. These sisters lives will be forever changed by the oppressive rule of the Han Chinese. They will be forced to either accept this new rule or rebel and when their father is executed they find that there is only one path left for them, vengeance and rebellion. With no man to save them these girls will come together and unite the women of Vietnam into an army and fight for their freedom and independence.This was a lyrical story filled with culture and adventure. I had a great time reading about this learning more about Vietnamese stories. As a Vietnamese person myself it was fascinating to learn something new about my own culture and to read this story that celebrates real women of legends with a story about love, loss, and resilience and the strength that we have to great our greatest obstacles

*Thanks Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*