“In the years to come, Thi Anh would let the harrowing memories of the boat and the camp trickle out of her until they were nothing but a whisper. But she would hold on to that last evening with all her might, from the smell of the steaming rice in the kitchen to the touch of her mothers skin as she embraced her for the last time.”
Summary - “Wandering Souls examines the human cost of large-scale trage through the story of 16-year-old Anh, her 13-year-old brother Minh and their 10-year-old brother Thanh, who are separated from their parents and four younger siblings when the family attempts to make the perilous journey to Hong Kong on two separate boats.”
This book was absolutely STUNNING. I have read quite a few refugee stories and this one stood out for its structure, its prose, and its main character, Thi Anh. Ever at its short size, we are able to see so much of Anh’s story – she showed tremendous strength and growth. The only sad thing about this post is that it is of a library book and not my own copy – which I will be keeping an eye out for because I need to see the beauty of the ones again and again. I mainly listened and I highly recommend the audio (and obviously I think the physical reading experience would be just as wonderful)!
Have you read this one? Do you read refugee stories?
Find Wandering Souls at the publisher →
Toni Rocchetti is a copy editor helping authors strengthen their narratives, deepen character arcs, and find the story that is already in the draft. She reads 80+ books a year across literary fiction, memoir, and nonfiction — and writes about what she is learning along the way. Work with Toni →
