In a small Vietnamese fishing village in French Indochina, Tuyet and her aunt Coi, cousin Ha and daughter Anh all live together and her aunt runs a small shop. Tuyet is a divorced single mother, she meets Japanese major Yamazaki Takeshi, Tuyet is cautious around soldiers and she’s surprise to discover he’s different and not the others.

Yamazaki Takeshi is from Hokkaido, he’d just finished university when he was conscripted into the Japanese army, he was severely wounded and in 1942 was transferred to oversee Thiet Airbase. Yamazaki knows the Japanese Empire is going to be defeated, it’s just a matter of time and he’s right. Yamazaki has hidden a stash of gold and precious stones, and he wants to use this to one day return to Japan, to paint and go fishing with his father and this leads to him making enemies and they won’t stop until they hunt him down and find out where he's stashed the bounty.

The Viet Minh was an Indochinese Communist Party and Resistance, they wanted independence for Vietnam, the members were anti French Jackals and Japanese Fascists, Yamazaki and Tuyet become involved. This means they spend a lot of time apart, constantly on the move and looking over their shoulders.

I received a digital copy of Twilight Territory by Andrew X. Pham from W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. A historical fiction saga that spans over a decade, it’s set during the Second World War, Japanese invasion and Vietnam trying to break free from colonial rule, included in the story are widespread corruption, famine and suffering, exploitation of young girls and women, rape and violence.

I really d and admired the characters of Tuyet and Coi, both are strong, courageous and empowering women, and they had to deal with hardship, tragedy, loss and consequences of the family being involved in the resistance and with the Viet Minh, including homelessness, imprisoned and torture.

The narrative has vivid descriptions of the landscape and scenery of Vietnam, the yummy food, use of natural medicine, culture, traditions, celebrations, rituals and details of Tuyet and Yamazaki romantic relationship. I did learn a lot about French Indochina and Vietnam, I think the novel could have been shorter and four stars.netgalley netgalley-reading-challenge-202337 s4 comments Christy fictional_traits186 194

'It is natural; for the weak to fear the strong'.

As the years of WW2 continued to ravage Europe, in 1942 the theatre of the Pacific was just getting started. Vietnam had already contended with French colonialism and now the Japanese were making their presence felt. No one knew who to side with - or indeed if a side needed to be taken. Tuyet is happy enough with her rural subsistence running a shop with her aunt, cousin, and daughter, but her relative peace is upended when the local Japanese officer, Yamazaki Takeshi takes an interest in her. Just what will it take to survive?

'Twilight Territory' is a story of love: love between two people, love for your friends and family, and love for your country. As political stability continues to be vacuumed out of Vietnam, choices are constricted and hardship is magnified. Pham has put together a dense story that is well-researched. I enjoyed learning more about the tumultuous events that eventually led to the Vietnam War.

Chaos, corruption, and camaraderie are the three defining words to summate this novel.netgalley26 s7 comments Emmett344 135

2.5 rounded up.

Twilight Territory by Andrew X. Pham introduces readers to a captivating period in Vietnam's history, providing a unique and valuable perspective on an era with limited representation in English literature. The story delves into lesser-known events of Vietnam's recent past, making it an enlightening read for English-speaking audiences. While Pham succeeds in transporting readers to a specific time and place in Vietnam, my overall appreciation of the novel was hampered by the writing.

Pham's style often felt awkward, marked by stilted dialogue and occasional wooden expressions that hindered the flow of the story. The author's choice to include translated poems or sayings without context and the absence of diacritics for Vietnamese words created a sense of missed opportunity and detracted from the immersive experience. Historical information was also dumped on the reader intermittently, disrupting the novel's flow and drying out the narrative.

While the story is a commendable effort to share an important piece of Vietnamese history, the execution left something to be desired. Despite a vested interest in Vietnam, I felt disconnected from the story and ended up skimming large portions of the book.

I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.netgalley vietnam-interest8 s Elizabeth Bartos145

This fictional story based on true memories from the author’s grandmother gave me a glimpse of a history I knew nothing about.! Post WW2 war in Vietnam told through the complicated lives of its people and the war that they had to (figuratively & literally) fight was not a happy one. Every page compelled me to turn the next page only to find out yet another character had been injured, kidnapped raped, beaten or killed.

Written extensively with ,what I thought, the intention of ‘shocking’ its readers, I truly have a new respect for the Nation that truly could not be helped, only harmed, by France and (the secrecy of) Japan that also involved in being the enemy/victor(?).
I loved it. I hated it. I cried. I hoped. I learned.
2 s Maya Carmen18 1 follower

Twighlight Territory is a beautiful story encompassing the most complicated parts of the human experience. Andrew X. Pham takes his readers on a journey spanning over a decade. We see how life's ebbs change the characters and how the choices of the characters affect the flow. Pham makes the devastation of both war and love palpable. One of the best works of Asian American literature I have ever read.1 Sue2,138 Want to read

Set during Japanese occupation of Indochina in 1940s.historical-fiction1 Sophie29

2.75

03/12/24
The writing was... stiff. I did not think the author was much of a story teller. His word choices were weird.

03/27/24
Ok, I picked this back up and was able to finish it. I think I got invested by page 130-160. While I was not in love with the writing, I was interested in the history of Vietnam during end of WWII. Learning about how many nations tried to colonize the country. I also was not that invested into the main characters. They were fine. The main couple miraculously do not die at the end. The husband makes it back home to Japan and the woman decides to stay in Vietnam.1 Jena Best507 10

Twilight Territory came out of nowhere for me, and it absolutely blew me away. Taking place in Vietnam after World War II (but before the Vietnam War), this tale is eye opening and shockingly violent.

Pham doesn't pull any punches with the atrocities of war, committed by any side. I knew, but didn't understand, the depths of what really happened within the Pacific Theater during and immediately after WWII.

Five dangerously brilliant stars.1 East West Notes95 32

Twilight Territory is a riveting historical fiction that immerses readers in a world of intrigue, courage, and honour. Set in Vietnam between 1942 and 1951, it is the love story of a Japanese soldier who is drawn to the spirit and resilience of a recently divorced Vietnamese woman. It is also a love story between the characters and Vietnam. Much of the story’s tension comes from the strain of trying to find balance between these two loves. As one character observes, “Those sneaky little devils want us to exchange a French yoke for a Japanese yoke.” Ma chimed, “When that happens, people will hate Jap collaborators.” “Ma! She’s in love,” said Ly. “Now, please leave us alone.”

The Japanese occupation of Vietnam was a period of significant turmoil in the country’s history. Vietnam was exploited for its infrastructure and resources, which led to suffering and economic hardship for the Vietnamese people. It describes how, “Even in the later stages when their supply lines had been disrupted by the Allies, the Japanese continued to impose high delivery quotas on farmers, stockpiling food, only to leave much of it to rot in warehouses while a million peasants died of starvation. The north bore the brunt of this.” Many well written scenes describe the corruption which permeated every aspect of daily activities.

The decline of French colonial rule also introduced fascinating issues related to race and class. For example, “Since the early days of the colony, the French had been importing Indians and Chinese to manage their finances and trade, effectively keeping power, knowledge, and wealth out of the hands of the Viet.” This book serves as a useful introduction to Vietnam’s anti-colonial and nationalist movements. The book has languid moments full of detailed descriptions of individuals, food and scenery, but also suspenseful moments of fierce battles, guerrilla warfare, interrogations, smuggling and revenge.

There are a number of female characters in this book who are extremely well written. It features many women who are single mothers, middle aged and divorced. This is somehow still rare in fiction. One main themes of this book is the hidden power of female networks during times of conflict. They are able to find information, to plan escapes, to source medicines and arrange bribes. One resourceful character is described as “a fifty-four-year-old woman, alone, armed with only her wits and prayer beads.”

Unfortunately, some readers might be put off by a scene at the beginning of the book where a sixteen year old girl is being sexually exploited by the Frenchman Feraud. This character finds most of his young women by force, coercion and blackmail. Having finished the book, it seems that the descriptions of her body are meant to show how depraved the character was in his sexual habits. I do feel that it was over long, given that it provided far more physical details than any of the sex scenes with older women. Every detail of her body and her “bearing as untutored as a child’s” are described at length, and I began to wonder if this description of “blooming youth that preceded womanhood” was meant purely to tantalise the reader. The representation of these types of sex scenes is a highly contentious and complex issue. Later scenes clarified how it was “common practice for Frenchmen to order the wives or daughters of their Viet underlings to come to their beds.” I believe this raises awareness of the sexual violence women experienced under colonialism. However, I do feel that the detailed descriptions of her young body overstepped into being gratuitous and this is unfortunate, as readers may choose not to continue on with the story. Overall, the portrayals of women were authentic and empowering, highlighting their resilience, agency and the incredible skills which they developed in every stage of life.

Twilight Territory is a tale of survival and retribution, a gripping saga which explains Vietnam’s history and how these chaotic times impacted the lives of its people. This book would ly appeal to history enthusiasts, especially those with a keen interest in WWII and the lesser-known aspects of the conflict. This book uses rich storytelling to illuminate a pivotal and yet often overlooked theatre of the war. The setting will allow readers to explore the traditions and culture of the Vietnamese people, particularly because they are able to learn alongside the Japanese character Major Yamazaki Takeshi as he deepens his relationship with the Vietnamese character Tuyet.

This book was provided by W.W. Norton & Company for review.2 s Sophia ?28 1 follower

I picked up ‘Twilight Territory’ on a whim while browsing the ‘New’ section at the library. I love historical fiction and my knowledge about what was going on during and post WW2 in Vietnam is very limited, so I thought it would be an interesting read. On that count I was right. I found this book to be very educational and I came away from it with more of an understanding of this small snippet of Vietnam’s history. Pham is an excellent writer. His prose was very easily consumable. I will say that there were some passages that were a large info dump of facts and historical context, but with the breadth of the story and complexities of the country of Vietnam at the time, perhaps that’s unavoidable to a certain extent.

The main issue I had with the book takes place right near the beginning. There is a scene in which a French military officer rapes a 16 year old girl which is described in a way which further sexualizes this child and really gave me a bad impression from the start. Lines “her frame as lithe as a dancer’s, her bearing as untutored as a child’s” or “the elegant compactness of her girlish body”. There are even more examples that I could give, which for a scene that takes place within maybe 3 or 4 pages is quite alarming. If this was something written in the 1st person I could maybe give more leeway. In that case, you could make the argument that these are the officers thoughts about the child. Writing this in the 3rd person just made me feel the author either consciously or unconsciously wanted this exchange between a 16 year old Vietnamese girl and around 40(?) year old French officer to be titillating on some level. There is a lot of evidence throughout the rest of the book that Pham does care about the women in his life, women’s perspectives, and the plights of women, which led me to be even more disappointed in this scene.

I really did appreciate the level of depth that the women characters received in ‘Twilight Territory’. The reader experiences so many seasons of Tuyet’s life and while Takeshi’s perspective was explored, I felt that Tuyet and Coi’s lives as women were the true focus of this book. I was honestly surprised about the lack of judgement that women seemed to receive in terms of their marital status among other things. I am not saying there was no sexism in this book, the fact that Takeshi could not handle or even talk about his wife’s pregnancy from her rape or that he was just so willing to be selfish and go and do what he wanted without truly thinking of the consequence to his wife and family were evidence of that. I am really talking about the lack of judgement from peers in the community. So many common people were willing to help a raped woman or a woman with no husband with no real discussion about prejudice or stigmas against those women, which is not the case in so many other places. Of course, I don’t know how accurate this book is to how real life was at the time, but it makes me want to learn more about Vietnam’s views on these issues both historically and currently.

In my mind, the best books are books that make you think, learn a little something, as well as ignite an interest to want to learn more and ‘Twilight Territory’ checked all those boxes for me.4-stars historical-fiction read-in-2024 Camilla Liberatore23 2

Twilight Territory by Andrew X. Pham, to be released the 23rd of January 2024.

A sweeping saga and first novel for Andrew. About love, war, corruption, and resistance in post–World War II Japanese-occupied Vietnam and the French-Indochinese.

The story begins in 1942 Vietnam in the middle of the hot season. The wars in Europe and Asia are relentless and the Japanese occupation of Vietnam have upset, making things worse for the people. Life has an unsettling balance between them all. Particularly the French Indochinese living in Vietnam.

The story begins in the Vietnamese fishing village of Phan Thiet, Tuyet makes a living at a small storefront with her aunt Coi, her 22 year old cousin Ha, and her two-year-old daughter, Anh. Now living with her Aunt and Cousin. Tuyet, hardly remembers her luxurious married life she once had in the city of Saigon, which she left just two years ago after her divorce.

Until one day during this time Tuyet meets a Japanese Major named Yamazaki Takeshi - a commander of Pham Thiet Airbase and Lieutenant Tanaka Kenya - his Translator.

Tuyet is surprised, as she feels not fear but a strange kinship towards the Major. However, Tuyet is concerned, knowing how the townspeople might whisper, talk and spread untruths. Yet she is drawn to Takeshi’s warmth and kindness. He is a wounded veteran with a good heart. Does love deepen between them?

Takeshi begins to resent the Japanese Empire for what it has taken—and failed promises it has not fulfilled. Corruption, sex and illegal activity begin, causing further violence and destruction. The Viet Minh begin to take on the French and Takeshi risks his life for the Resistance. Tuyet and her family are drawn into the conflict, resulting in devastating repercussions.

A descriptive novel, a profoundly moving storyline. Twilight Territory is a lovely and war story offering fascinating perspectives on Vietnam’s struggles to break free of its French colonial past. All told through the eyes of one woman’s experiences, and her struggles for independence, her country’s liberation as well as her own freedom.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this intriguing novel about a period of history that has impacted so many. I rate this book four stars. Maura ElizabethAuthor 2 books17

I don’t often read fiction set in Asia, because my professional life centers around reading nonfiction about Asia. So while I appreciated W.W. Norton sending me an advance copy of Twilight Territory by Andrew X. Pham, it wasn’t a book that had been on my radar prior to the package showing up on my doorstep. The description of the book sounded interesting, though, so I brought it along as vacation reading for a trip to Seattle.

Pham captured and kept my attention by featuring two interesting characters at the center of Twilight Territory: Le Tuyet, a divorced single mother who has left a glamorous life in Saigon for the quiet of running a shop in a southern fishing village, and Yamazaki Takeshi, a major in the Japanese army. When the two first meet in 1942, I had no expectation that theirs would turn out to be a compelling love story, bound by a comfortable companionship and mutual support for the Viet Minh’s fight against French colonialism. Tuyet and Takeshi are just good together—their relationship isn’t fiery or fated, but instead marked by respect and a determination to fight for Vietnam. While Takeshi imagines returning to Hokkaido someday, in the meantime he is dedicated to Tuyet and resistance against the French.

Twilight Territory runs from 1942 to 1951, bringing Tuyet and Takeshi from World War II to the First Indochina War—years of unceasing violence and struggle in Vietnam. Although Takeshi is injured at various points in the story, it is Tuyet who endures most of the wounds, both physical and psychological, from the conflict. Still, she carries on, with a fortitude that did come to seem somewhat over-the-top saintly by the end.

Pham doesn’t break new ground in the late-colonial novel genre, but Twilight Territory is an engaging and propulsive book that foregrounds the stories of those fighting for independence from colonial rule.

Review copy provided by the publisher.fiction historical-fiction publisher-arc ...more Maritere Matosantos126 4

Through extremely complex characters and a fascinating storyline the reader gains perspective on areas in Vietnam’s history and geography little known. Twilight Territory by Andrew X. Pham is a compelling read and an emotional rollercoaster. Definitely an important novel, a must read, an excellent example of historical fiction. The reader sees the proud, formal and well mannered Japanese, their dark side when in war, the deeply spiritual Vietnamese, with their deep love for family, their Buddhist traditions, their generosity, resilience and honor. The French characters described by Pham have for generations occupied Vietnam and thus are greedy, and unprincipled. “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Thus the devastating effects of colonization are seen both in the French colonizers, the Japanese when in control and the poverty ridden Vietnamese who are liable to lose it all on a whim and in a second’s notice. Love is ever present in this book: Tuyet adores her children, her aunt and her husband, Japanese major Yamazaki Takeshi. He in turn is an excellent son, husband and father. Coi walks further than what seems humanly possible to save Tuyet, to seek Anh, her granddaughter and Tuyet’s children. This multidirectional love humanize the painful destruction prevalent in war and the corrosive, perverted events of unscrupulous characters. Pham’s gut wrenching but eye opening work is beautifully crafted presents an important perspective we need to know. A Five star ?? 1 Astrid Herhoffer65 1 follower

This is a novel of love, war and endless suffering, with some very graphic descriptions. Set in Vietnam and starting in 1942, it takes its readers well into the post-war years that prepare the ground for the next big conflict known as the Vietnamese war- which, mercifully, is not covered in this book.

We meet Tuyet, a young Vietnamese shopkeeper, and Yamazaki, a major of the Japanese army when Vietnam is still under French colonial rule and the Japanese had just invaded and occupied the country. Tuyet and Yamazaki fall in love, start a family and find themselves at the receiving end of the power struggles that have engulfed the country. With the end of the Second World War and the defeat of the Axis Powers, a power vacuum emerged that created further havoc in a country already devastated and famished. Both, Tuyet and Yamazaki join the resistance which had grown in numbers, resulting in even greater brutality of the reinstated French colonial rulers.

This is a tale of endurance, that in places becomes almost unbearable to witness. I did however enjoy the historical background and the main characters of the book, who show an incredible high level of resilience and ability to love – even in the face of the most adverse circumstances.

I am grateful to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Catherine Woodman5,375 112

On the cusp of going to Vietnam for the first time I am immersing myself in books about it--both fiction and non-fiction. This is the former, but meshes nicely with the Stanley Karnow book we are reading that is a thorough history of the events leading up to US involvement in the was there. This is set in the WWII period and the immediate aftermath. The French occupation was an unmitigated disaster with a terrible ending.
Built on this backbone, this is a novel of love and loss, betrayal and war that starts during the Japanese occupation of Vietnam.
France has ruled the colony of Indochina for three generations by the time the Japanese army invades. In 1942, Le Tuyet is a young, divorced mother who confronts a local French bureaucrat and catches the attention of Yamazaki Takeshi, a major in the Imperial Japanese Army. The major admires her beauty and spirit and eventually begins to earn her trust. The two honorable people both speak the language of loss and loneliness, and they fall in love and eventually have children. The shifting tides of the French and the Japanese, with the Vietnamese always and forever squeezed between two warring factions, and always on the losing end, play out across the 1940's, setting the stage for more tragedy to come. Kristin786 9

I won this book from a Goodreads first reads giveaway.

This is the best book I've read (so far) this year. It was bittersweet, horrifying, and gorgeous all at once. The descriptions of the foliage in Vietnam were so breathtakingly vivid, if the author decides to Tolkien his next book and spend twelve pages describing a tree or a leaf, I'm all for it.

I also appreciate that the author used his superpower descriptions to describe the horrors of war and how innocents suffered at the hands of their oppressors. It was difficult to read about, but it is a terrible reality and one that shouldn't be looked over.

The ending was a real sucker punch, and not at all in a bad way! I respect and admire Tuyet for her decision, though it saddens me, knowing that after everything she's been through already, that there's even more hardships awaiting her in the future.

Wishful thinking, perhaps, but I hope maybe one day we'll get a story about Anh. I'd love (and dread) to read about her perspective, being forced to grow up during the first Indochina and Vietnam wars.read-cultural read-first-reads-giveaway read-historical-fiction Sean11

From an unly encounter comes a riveting story that spans 9 years.
This particular period of history of WW2 and post-WW2 in SE Asia is something that I have not paid a lot of attention to in the past. However, this book, albeit fictional, has made me want to learn more about the period of time in SE Asia between WW2 and the Vietnam War.
The story contains dynamic characters who are forced to adapt to the trials and tribulations of war and the power vacuum and the descriptive style employed by the author greatly improved the reading experience. Maryalice66 3

So many WWII stories take place in Europe. Twighlight Territory takes place in Viet Nam.

An amazing presentation of a country and people struggling with colonization by the French, being attacked by Japan, the forming of the Resistance and the growing Viet Minh (Communism)

This story touches all the senses and emotional upheval of colonization and war. Questions about who they are as a people; daily survival; and what of the future.

Picturing the countryside and cultural traditions of Viet Nam
was beautiful.

4.5*** Brandi92 3

I received this book as an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

Authors note at the beginning of the book states the story is fiction but inspired by events from his maternal grandmother.

I really enjoyed the old proverbs and metaphors throughout this book. Very detailed descriptions of scenery and scene settings.

A very well written book with great character development and plot progression. Alaine678 3

Enjoyed this historical novel set in Viet Nam in the 1940's with the Japanese Occupation of French Indochina. We meet Tuyet a young divorcee living with her aunt. When she meets a Japanese major, an unly love story begins. I learned a lot about the set-up of the Vietnamese resistance following the end of World War II. I hope there is a sequel to this novel. Pauline Guzek20

Enlightening history of Viet Nam during and after WWII. Vietnamese woman helps a Japanese major with managing life in this war torn country when Japan and the French colonists were at war. Then the war ends and more trouble comes along. I felt it described the countryside well; you could feel the heat of the summer and the agony of monsoon season. A reminder of what a brutal history that country has had. Lonnie27 10

This is not a book that I would have chosen off the shelf at my library or a bookstore. Twilight Territory by Andrew X. Pham is historical fiction set in Vietnam in the 1940's. I cannot say that I enjoyed it, because it is so sad. What a terrible time for the people of Vietnam! I'm glad that I read it, because I knew nothing about their history prior to the 1960's and '70's. gyozafairy5

As much as I wanted to love the characters, the writing often felt reading a history textbook. The "historical" and the "fiction" in the novel just didn't mix together well at all. Tuyet is still a queen though. M32

Compelling story about a Vietnamese shopkeeper and a Japanese (occupier) in WWII in Vietnam who fall in love. Covers years of war and strife, tragedy. Well-developed relationships involving local people, French colonists and Japanese occupiers. Alexis Stewart1 review1 follower

Historical fiction about Vietnam and the French Japanese occupation. A Japanese general befriends a divorced mother who fled from the city to the country to stay with family. Romance is torn by struggles of war and heartache. Easy read. Interesting story. MaryLovesHockey 116

The story ends in 1951. A sequel, starting maybe in the mid-60s, would be amazing.historical-fiction int-l-fiction lit-y-fiction Emily Boyer143 3

I found this to be very flat with a very abrupt ending. Elise391 10

A beautiful story and though fiction, had some true historical pieces that I never knew about Karen Mathern14

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