Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha Lai
Bibliography:
Lai, T. (2020). Butterfly Yellow. Harper.
Plot Summary:
In the final days of the Vietnam War, Hang takes her little brother, Linh, to the airport, determined to find a way to safety in America. In a split second, Linh is ripped from her arms, and Hang is left behind in the war-torn country. Six years later, Hang has made the brutal journey from Vietnam and is now in Texas as a refugee. She doesn't know how she will find the little brother who was taken from her until she meets LeeRoy, a city boy with big rodeo dreams, who decides to help her. Hang is overjoyed when she reunites with Linh. But when she realizes he doesn't remember her, their family, or Vietnam, her heart is crushed. Though the distance between them feels farther than ever, Hang has come so far that she will do anything to bridge the gap.
Critical Analysis:
This book was incredible and it was my first YA historical fiction in a long time. I didn’t realize how immigrants were treated here in the United States back in the 1970’s until I read this book. I loved the budding romance in the book while T tried to teach H how to speak English and how to read. Parts of the book was definitely comical and it was enjoyable all the way through. I just wish I could’ve felt a little more invested into the storyline. I feel like the romance was lacking towards the end of the novel. I felt as I was reading it was a bit disjointed, and difficult to read at times because of this, I often had to go back and re-read to make sense of what was happening. However, the character development was amazing and overall it was very enjoyable.
Booklist (starred review)
In this radiant pearl of a book, Lại shows that we human beings are singing the very same song: a song of grace and redemption, a song of courage, a song of hope.
The Horn Book
One strength of the novel is the subtle character development. Another is Lại’s use of language. Those who hear Hằng’s remarkable tale can additionally think about contemporary connections to immigrant experiences, feelings of being an outsider, and the detours one’s life may take.
Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)
Remarkable. Told with ample grace, Lại’s finely drawn narrative and resilient characters offer a memorable, deeply felt view of the Vietnam War’s impact.
Connections:
Immigrants and Refugees
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month - May
Stories with different backgrounds about the Vietnam War - Different Perspectives of that time period.
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