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Once Thuy has her protagonist find her new voice in French, she becomes a product of the North American dream. A short novel of vignettes, I found Thuy's words to be captivating. Reading of the contrast of prewar Saigon, the detention center in Malaysia, and the new conditions in Quebec are chilling. Living a life of upheaval, Thuy through her protagonist admits, that she does not know how to love until she had her own children. As a mother, she learned the language of love as only she was privileged to give a child some of the unconditional love that she was denied growing up in a prewar, divided country and then later as an outsider.

Her children then enjoyed the fruits of her parents labor, and the intergenerational interactions become the most touching scenes of the novel. Although Kim Thuy is not originally an author by profession, her words along with Shiela Fischman's translation, are stunning. Whether it was in describing the imagery off prewar Saigon or a snowfall in Montreal, Thuy's use of prose reeled me in from the first pages. Despite being short in length, Ru is powerful in its message in describing the Vietnamese immigrant experience and then striving to achieve the American dream.

I hope that Kim Thuy chooses to write more because this debut was beautiful, and I rate it 4 sparkling stars. View all 19 comments. RU translated in Vietnamese means lullaby. This was a poetic and beautiful short narrative with some very sad moments in the life of Ru, a young girl, who immigrated from Vietnam to Canada.

The hardships that were taken to get here was a cost itself, but shedding the Vietnamese cloak of culture which defined her people, truly was a stripping of one's identity. The heartache of leaving what you know, however twisted and sadistic it was, and being turned around in different directions trying to re RU translated in Vietnamese means lullaby.

The heartache of leaving what you know, however twisted and sadistic it was, and being turned around in different directions trying to recalibrate oneself with this new reality. I'm stunned by the beauty of this prose and saddened by the life she had to live before she got to a place reflective of that gentle sway. View all 37 comments. Dec 21, Jaline rated it it was amazing Shelves: xxcompleted.

The essence of this book lies within those meanings. This book is tiny yet it flows with deep meaning and many things to ponder - like a haiku in prose.

It is also very visual — like a miniature painting it holds everything within that is supposed to be there, yet one does have to look very carefully at first, and then take a step back in order to appreciate all of it. This is an immigrant story so there is suffering in this book. However, there is also great humour in places, and an array of other human emotions throughout its many little vignettes.

It moves through time and place — Vietnam, Malaysia, and Canada — with brief mentions of other countries, too.

I found this story to be very interesting, and I was fascinated most of all by its flowing format and how the structure held everything together, like a cradle. If it is approached that way, there is a lot that will be missed. I do recommend this for readers who are interested in spending time not only reading about, but reflecting on the experiences this family lived through. View all 52 comments.

Shelves: library-book , historical-fiction , favorites , vietnam , read , around-the-world-in , canada , immigrant-exile-refugee.

Kim Thuy has created a very different fictionalized memoir based in her past growing up in Saigon , living a life of privilege until that city's fall.

Then the story changes to deprivation, re-education, escape, the new, cold world of Canada. She has chosen an unusual format for this book, a series of one and two page vignettes from her life, not in order of occurrence but some order that is internally important to the author and protagonist.

The writing is wonderful my over-used, fall back word Kim Thuy has created a very different fictionalized memoir based in her past growing up in Saigon , living a life of privilege until that city's fall. The writing is wonderful my over-used, fall back word, I know but the subjects described vary widely from the beautiful to the extremely brutal and ugly.

Many years pass and the girl becomes a woman. I very strongly recommend Ru as a different form of memoir, an emmigrant experience, a picture of Vietnamese-Canadian life. Addendum: Upon second and third thoughts, I'm raising the rating to 5.

I really can't think of a reason this wouldn't be considered "amazing" in concept and completion. View all 43 comments. I loved everything about this book except for the content. I liked the cover design and the gorgeous hand cut feel of it. I even liked the font. But as you can see this cover states; Ru a novel by Kim Thuy. For me the ideal novel has development, a plot and conclusion. This slim volume doesn't.

These are literary fragments beautifully written and no doubt at least partly autobiographical but they are still fragments. My interest was high at the start but went downhill faster than an Olympic I loved everything about this book except for the content. My interest was high at the start but went downhill faster than an Olympic gold medal skier. I appreciate the author's talent but this style isn't for me.

View all 7 comments. Finished it in one go. Unusual in structure, rich in imagery, the interconnected vignettes paint a portrait of the heroine, her family, her country and what it means to be connected and uprooted at the same time. Towards the end of the book, looking back on her earlier life, the narrator muses " Like the workings of memory in our brains, nothing is told chronologically; much is only hinted at and, on superficial reading, not developed in depth.

Connections between vignettes often hinge on one thought, one colour, one expression Yet, taken together and letting the short fragments hold our attention for more than a moment or two, the reader is taken on a deeply moving voyage not only into the past of the heroine and her family, but also into the inner struggles of an individual displaced and disconnected from her roots, into her anxieties and fears to accept new ties that can bind View all 4 comments.

A small book with a big impact. The story of a Vietnamese immigrant told in short journal like entries. It moves from past to present and back again as the narrator tells of how she and her extended family lose their life of comfort and find refuge in Canada.

The stories are moving , heartbreaking at times but ultimately an uplifting story of family and love. Beautifully written! View all 13 comments. Shelves: global-intrigue , fiction , asia , the-psyche , french-oeuvre , war-stories. In Vietnamese, it means lullaby; in French it is a small stream, but also signifies a flow--of tears, blood, money. Try to explain the psychological disentanglement of oneself from the exiled land and culture, and there will still be some confusion.

In order to survive, one must not glance back too often, otherwise one risks turning into a pillar of salt. Yet this part is not televised, this psychological inhibition not seen in too ma "Ru.

Yet this part is not televised, this psychological inhibition not seen in too many scholarship from the experts.

We know how to help current victims, how to raise awareness of travesty, but what about the survivors who live it daily? I like the red leather of the sofa in the cigar lounge where I dare to strip naked in front of friends and sometimes strangers, without their knowledge. I recount bits of my past as if they were anecdotes or comedy routines or amusing tales from far-off lands featuring exotic landscapes, odd sound effects and exaggerated characterizations.

How does one record those many painful memories that form themselves in flashes across the mind's mirror? I can also speculate that she had quite a few rejections before this novel was published; as I will suspect there will be many readers who will not be able to grasp the importance of her writing from such a psychological distance, with such lyrical adeptness that the pages are each chapters or standalone poems.

It takes grace and adroitness to concur such a feat, to produce heartbreaking lyrics that combine present and past life in captured moments; style that produces harrowing yet dazzling canvases of the individual strength and endurance of people of war. This is antithetical to the structured narrative and plot we're familiar with, and yet it is unique and captivating art.

Absolutely no one will know the true story of the pink bracelet once the acrylic has decomposed into dust, once the years have accumulated in the thousands, in hundreds of strata, because after only thirty years I already recognize our old selves only through fragments, through scars, through glimmers of light. View all 14 comments. May 08, Sharon Metcalf rated it really liked it Shelves: Ru is a fictionalised memoir based upon the real life experiences of author Kim Thuy.

Told in brief passages, sometimes no longer than a sentence, her words were carefully selected and they packed a powerful punch. Her reflections and memories painted vivid pictures. Collectively they became an exhibition of her life experiences from a young girl in war torn Vietnam, her family's escape by sea, their time in a Malaysian refugee camp, their introduction to life in Quebec, learning to assimilate a Ru is a fictionalised memoir based upon the real life experiences of author Kim Thuy.

Collectively they became an exhibition of her life experiences from a young girl in war torn Vietnam, her family's escape by sea, their time in a Malaysian refugee camp, their introduction to life in Quebec, learning to assimilate and to grasping the American dream. Her gift with words is remarkable. Somehow she managed to incorporate all the senses and evoked an array of emotions. She infused colour and substance and shared her insights and perspectives on motherhood, on love and family. No matter how many words I write I will fail to convey just how powerful, how impactful this short work is.

My best recommendation is to invest a few short hours of your time and read this very special, award winning book yourself. Footnote: I read this rapidly and then enjoyed it all over again as I discussed it at length with my GR friend Celia. So much to discuss considering the brevity of the book. Thanks for the buddy read Celia, it was an absolute delight. View all 16 comments. Mar 23, Julie rated it liked it Shelves: a-buck-and-change , debut , good-morning-vietnam. This is less of a novel and more of a.

A stream-of-consciousness recalling of memories? It's the debut novel for the writer, Kim Thuy , and it's obvious she's a gifted imagist and has a strong knack for summarizing an event using very few words.

I'd like to read more from her, but this particular little novel didn't have quite enough meat on its bones for me. Much was communicated in very few words and none of them wasted. View all 9 comments. Her Vietnamese diaspora experiences — from childhood to motherhood With the election in America, only a week away - and all the horrors we keep learning in Why so evil?

Nguyen was born in Saigon. Being from a wealthy family with servants and cooks— their lifestyle changed dramatically when they were forced to flee their country during the communist takeover.

Such a frightening transitional unsettling time for this family - and many families. We learn about the horrors of traveling by boat - the horrors of mistreatment. Then more horrors as a refugee in Malaysia Then yet again , more challenges to face after arriving in Quebec in In no chronological order The reader can pause Back to this story really wonderful When in Saigon She was preparing her children for the collapse.

Their mother was right to do so, because very soon they no longer had a floor beneath their feet. Families had to slept right on the dirt when in those refugee camps. Horrible conditions! As an adult, Nguyen had two children: Pascal and Henri. He is also one of those children we must love from a distance, neither touching, nor kissing, nor smiling at them because everyone of their senses would be assaulted by the odour of our skin, by the intensity of our voices, the texture of our hair, the throbbing of our hearts.

He will never understand why I cried when he smiled for the first time. She says When they were in Quebec, her mother sent her to a military garrison of anglophone cadets— because learning English was free but came with an emotional price. About the author: Kim Thuy has worked as a seamstress, interpreter, lawyer and restaurant owner. Kim Thuy currently lives in Montreal, where she devotes herself to writing. It's a word we hear so often these days, amidst massive geopolitical tremors that conceal countless very personal tales of dislocation and desperation.

How many refugees should we let in? Now a museum and popular tourist site, it was then a sprawling complex of luxurious private chambers, grand state rooms, mosques, courtyards, kitchens, a library, a treasury and so much more. It makes more sense in Arabic script. Topkapi Palace on September 06, in Istanbul, Turkey.

It was a perfectly sealed sanctuary with no view or direct route to the outside, accessible only to those who knew the route. Some Christian and Jewish households in the empire also followed this segregated style out of custom. The harem was designed in accordance with the religious Sharia law, which ruled that in public women had to be watched closely by men and kept veiled.

In the harem, however, they were free to do as they liked in the company of only other women. For the vast majority of women the harem simply functioned as a household within a household and they had absolutely no contact with the sultan — the noble women did the things that noble women do, and their servants served them.

The reality of the seedy myth though, is that the Ottoman Sultans kept large groups of concubines in the harem of Topkapi Palace. On turning the last page of Devdas, a short novella that I could hardly bear to put down, whilst one is forced to confront feelings of sadness and loss at the tragedy that has just unfolded one is further provoked, not to weep, but to try and understand and explain them.

The true reason for the success of Devdas as fiction is less in the melodramatic emotions of love and In the hands of Chattopadhyay the grandiosity of the love-triangle becomes an achingly beautiful piece of minimalist fiction. The true reason for the success of Devdas as fiction is less in the melodramatic emotions of love and passion of the kind seen in the famous movie version — though they are, in part, there — and more in the subtle nuances, the reasons that provoke that tragedy and loss, and the realisation that this tragedy could have been avoided if subtle, small conversations had turned out differently that's ultimately difficult to accept.

Devdas is stylistically deliberately slight, and it's only after spending pages with Chattopadhyay's prose in translation, at least that one begins to realise that we are being manipulated and beguiled by his sparseness, and entranced as much by what is not-shown as by what is; that the author can quite happily spend 30 pages highlighting a seemingly trivial point of Devdas and Paro's relationship during school but equally skip over a year, or two, or five and we comfortably pick up the story as if there is no gap or loss.

That the story is not so much about highlighting the climactic moments in the the relationship between the two not-quite lovers but by swerving in and out of their lives, creates a greater feeling of curiosity, tension and ultimately a sense of loss.

Perhaps even harder to swallow is that big events in the lives of the protagonists come about through, not just small things, but things left unspoken or undetailed. Probably the biggest turning point in the book occurs when Parvati comes to see Devdas at night because she is in love and wants to marry him.

So certain is she of his returning her love that she doesn't think twice about her disgrace should she be caught. During this scene the declaration of love remains unspoken, the assumption is enough and the conversation turns to Paro's potential fright or disgrace of coming at night. Devdas offers to take her home, leaving their love assumed, and then ultimately rejects her by running away to Calcutta and sending a short letter.

It's a seemingly uncomplicated scene until one realises that it is Devdas' inability to understand and relate to Paro emotionally, perhaps as a woman, that condemns his relationship and ultimately himself to death. As a child he orders her about and then abuses her when she stands up to him, telling him no or questioning his behaviour. As an adult he is intimidated by her independence and boldness, but again he cannot express it verbally or confront it, so instead runs away, treating Parvati cruelly.

It's you, men, who praise them no end — and then it's you who blame them and pull them down from their pedestal. You are able to speak your mind with ease. They cannot express themselves so easily. Even if they do, few understand them, because what they say is mumbled, easily drowned out by your loud voice. The tragedy of Devdas is that he drinks himself to death. But he drinks himself to death not necessarily because of a love lost, but because he cannot find a way to reconcile the person that he is within a societal framework with the loves and relationships that he'd like to have.

He cannot be with the strong women that he genuinely loves because of all the tiny things about women and reputation that remain unspoken in society.

It's not a fundamentally new observation, perhaps, even in the early 20th Century, but Chattopadhyay's expression of these ideas is unexpected and powerful. Devdas is a man we can love as much as we can admit that he is flawed, perhaps because his flaw is all too understandable. It's simply that he doesn't comprehend the right thing to do at the right time. We've all made that mistake. When he does return to Paro, it's too late, she's married; but he fails to move on. View all 5 comments. Jun 03, Nikkila rated it it was amazing Shelves: five-star.

This book is truly an all time classic. All my life I have heard of this character Devdas who turns into an alcoholic because of his failed love. Mostly referenced as "True lover" in many movies. But I haven't watched any of the movie adaptations of the book till now. Going into the book, I had no clue about the characters or the actual story. I loved their childhood interactions as This book is truly an all time classic. I loved their childhood interactions as it sets the foundation of their dynamics.

Devdas is arrogant and full of himself, Parvati, is prideful but full of love for Devdas. They miss the opportunity to end up with each other, and things take a turn. I always assumed Devdas as depressed and someone with no hope. The book beautifully explains the reason for his every decisions. His extreme reactions do not come without an explanation. Devdas is actually a man of his word and understands everyone around him. But during his "I don't care about the world" phase, he really didn't care and was true to his character.

He hurt many people Parvati, Chandramookhi and in the end, left them with more sufferings. That is what makes the story difficult to digest. It seems like an easy to read, short love novel but the emotions associated with it, goes deep. Everyone suffers and the pain is relatable. The book was written way back but still the characters are relatable.

Though social barriers are one of the reasons for Devdas and Parvati's separation. They don't have anyone to blame but them. This book is considered an all time favourite love story which moves people to tears. But to me, it is a story of arrogance and pride. It shows how life is irreversible. Life moves in only one direction. The book has an epic heart wrenching tragic end. Tragic yet poetic. It is difficult to put down once started but it is worth it as the story is anyways short. Devdas- Insensitive portrayal of women A tragic love story, the plot revolves around Devdas, a loser and failure in life, Paro, his forbidden childhood love; and Chandramukhi, a reformed courtesan.

Both Paro and Chandramukhi come across as weak women ready to fall at the feet of Devdas and worship him at drop of a hat. They continue to idolize and serve him while he hat Devdas- Insensitive portrayal of women A tragic love story, the plot revolves around Devdas, a loser and failure in life, Paro, his forbidden childhood love; and Chandramukhi, a reformed courtesan.

They continue to idolize and serve him while he hates Chandramukhi and has little respect for feelings of Paro. The most filmed non-epic story in India, it has been adapted into twenty films between in many Indian languages, including Bengali, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Urdu, Assamese and Malayalam. Aug 04, Sandhya rated it liked it Recommends it for: anyone who wants to visit the 'real' story of Devdas.

I especially like the childhood depiction of Devdas and Paru's life. Also, I feel this book is especially useful in understanding why Devdas didn't marry Paru, when he could. Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film conveniently blames it on Devdas' parents, which is actually not the case, as the book explains.

It's Devdas' own character flaw that brings about his downfall. Sarat Chandra's novel is certainly more nuanced and has a fair amount of depth. View 1 comment. Apr 19, Rohit Sharma rated it it was amazing. Ironically I end up loving the movie for its Dialogues, those lines were literally to die for. Since that day I actually not only wanted to read the classic Bengali Literature and watch the original movie made by Bimal Roy with Dilip Kumar in lead. Guess what, it took me good 17 years I believe to finally achieve that.

And I so much regret the same. Finally to come out of the reader's block I picked up this one in Hindi and what a mind-blowing book it turned out. No wonder I hated the man : for destroying his own life and breaking the heart of so many amazing people who loved him till his last breath.

One huge mistake and all of their lives go for a toss. But I must say that this is my second Sarat Chandra book which I have read back to back with Parineeta and he has definitely gone on top of the respect ladder in my heart and joins his contemporaries like Premchand, Tagore and even my personal all time favorite Satyajit Ray who I would rate a little lower than all of them, please no brickbats I am only talking about the Writing.

On top of that imagine if a translation is making me say all that, how terrific would be the original Bengali edition. I sometimes wonder why we all have to grow old get burdened with so many responsibilities.

If I was still in school or college dependent on my parents I would have learned at least Bengali and French for starters to read and watch so many movies respectively. Devdas and Paro's amazing love story right from the childhood is so heart touching, right like the way even they do not realize when it goes to the next level, the reader too gets hooked to their simple care a damn life styles, dependent on each other for so many daily things was totally one of the best stories that I have ever read.

The way Devdas the brat treats her, but she too is no less as she always takes a revenge on him one way or the other but later she always regrets her decisions whereas Devdas is totally different and aloof I would say, he actually never looks back at her. The reason why they fall out and that is the biggest mistake of his life which leads to the heart-breaking end. Sarat Chandra's story telling is so amazing I must say that he gives us not only three important characters but even the support cast in story is totally amazing.

I loved the way Devdas' man servant standby him and never leaves him, the way they part had me totally choked with tears falling from my eyes. That was one of those rare moments from the story where I actually felt that Devdas too had a heart after-all especially the way he treats Paro throughout, the fallout, re-unions and the finale. Chandramukhi comes in his life like a breath of fresh air, it is read to be believed as who comes in whose life in reality.

Is it Chandramukhi who kind of saves Devdas or is it him who bails her out of a courtesan's life, truly terrific.

So far the movies that I have seen, show us a different picture altogether in comparison to what and how Author does it in his story. The sea of change in the three lead characters, the situations, the cross connections, love, affection, pain, sacrifice, regret and so much more is covered so subtly that my words and feelings will do no justice to how actually I felt while going through the story.

I will not call it a depressing story but super emotional it indeed is and I again had that helplessness feeling while reading through the character's lives that I so much wished they did what I imagined them to do get some happiness in their life. But of-course the Author has his own ideas. The totally surprising thing that I found out after reading the terrific book is that, Sarat Chandra claimed himself that he wrote the entire story in an inebriated state and he was ashamed of the same hence it took him good 17 years to let it go for publishing.

Check the connection ; it took me 17 years to read the book ;. Movie Adaptations: The book is adapted so far 19 times and I have seen at-least three versions so far.

Last week right after I finished the book, I got the Bimal Roy's Devdas and not only me but my kiddo and wifey too fell in love with Dilip Kumar for the way he played the character with elan, simply outstanding. The way Suchitra Sen did the Paro's character and Vyjayantimala played Chandramukhi, legendary it was, totally amazing experience and it was totally magical in black and white.

The story is so gloomy at times that the movie being in black and white actually helps and makes more sense. I was so lost in the movie, story and characters that my kiddo actually reversed the movie quite a few times and told me to notice the camera work and long shots done by Bimal Roy, that was totally outstanding. In , the way he moved his camera and took so many long shots and it's cinematography was top notch. Let's not even talk about the music, dialogues, costumes and other stuff.

As I was reading the book a day prior to us watching the movie, I actually pakaoed my family with so many lines that I wanted to read aloud with full emotions, fortunately they let me do my theatrics and as we watched the movie, every time those legendary lines came alive from the mouth of an actor they both were looking at me with smiles on their faces.

Not one line that Bimal Roy missed in the movie which was there in the book, this movie without doubt is The best adaptation ever that I have seen which satisfied the reader in me to no end that someone actually made a movie like that without missing almost nothing from the book.

Yes, he did take a few cinematic liberties but that much benefit of doubt I will let him have it. After watching Bimal Roy's version we tried the , Sanjay Leela Bhansali's movie too and within 20 minutes into the loudest, shrillest, brightest almost made me go color blind , exaggerated and the most comical movie ever, we all jointly decided that is better to remove it from our database, not worth it at all.

PS: The most poignant scene of the movie which actually never happens in the book that stopped my heart for a few seconds is such a big spoiler that I wouldn't like to put it here, ask me and I will tell you about it, if you have read the book and seen the movie too.

The original story is so matter-of-fact with minimal melodrama and is rooted in a certain time and a real cultural-societal milieu. It also reinforces my belief that Bollywood can't be trusted to deal honestly with the caste question. All the bollywood adaptations particularly recent ones have almost erased the society of Devdas, invisibilized caste, which is the ever looming character here. Right from the birth upto death of Devdas and his peers.

Even after death, the fear of losing caste by The original story is so matter-of-fact with minimal melodrama and is rooted in a certain time and a real cultural-societal milieu. Even after death, the fear of losing caste by touching him persists, hence 'chandals' are called to dispose the body. Oh well. This novel, like many of its era, is also a time capsule, but also a tale of self destruction which still is relevant in many ways.

View all 4 comments. Sep 12, Kookie rated it it was amazing. I read this specifically because I love the Bollywood film with Shahrukh Khan in the starring role. In the book Devdas is even more cold, heartless and unlikeable than in the movie. Weirdly, this makes his death more moving and tragic.

Easy to read and quite short, I'd really recommend this book to anyone. Jan 10, Shivam rated it really liked it.

The symbolic meaning of the name is not unknown to us. Therefore it is not surprising and rather poetic that that the ones we call or term 'Devdas' today are mostly bound by love or a romance of the most fantastic sort, who thus cease to breach the barriers that lead to reality. DEVDAS, the novel, is not only a tragic tale of romance but also a deep commentary on socio-cultural issues in our country like class, ca First things first, DEVDAS is a name we've all grown up hearing or talking about!

DEVDAS, the novel, is not only a tragic tale of romance but also a deep commentary on socio-cultural issues in our country like class, caste or the system of dowry, etc..! It is vibrant enough to paint a vivid picture of institutions like Family and Marriage and also how they control our dreams and desires in the cycle of life. That this classic work, set in India of the early decades of the Twentieth Century, still connects is a testimony to the fact that the characters have been immortalized!

You relate to the diminishing Devdas who struggles to fight his demons and loses himself in life, just like how it happens to most of us, at least once. The loving Paro wins you over with her naivety and her ever lasting devotion, and makes you admire her all the way through as she gets capable enough to take strong decisions for herself. The caring Chandramukhi, who despite all the constraints and disrepute that life has brought to her, is a woman of virtue and warmth who is firm in her beliefs and self righteous in her thoughts!

The impact that the story may have on the contemporary readers may leave them with something to ponder upon. View all 8 comments. Oct 29, S. What the …. Why the …! Beats me, why this book has got so much craze that it got adopted on screen more than 20 times, twice with Bollywood superstars of their times? Having had disliked the SRK version and wondering what the fuss is all about, I decided to read the Hindi translation of the original Bengali, which I think could come close to the original.

I was expecting some philosophical platonic love kind of plot, but what I found was confused lovers' dilemma. The dialogues, the descriptions What the …. The dialogues, the descriptions pretty ordinary. Is it the translation? Whatever it is, big disappointment!!! May 29, Book Ninja rated it really liked it. I love Saratchandra's writing style. It's so simple and sweet.

Reading his books makes you want to live in that time, where everything is so simple and the only problem and tension in life was to get your child married In a good household. Devdas is a typical man who falls for the beauty rather than the personality.