Fantastic story!

I listed to this one for a couple of weeks and throughly enjoyed my experience. I really liked the narrator and I couple picture almost everything that was happening. Unfortunately, there were a couple of parts where I got confused, but I quickly oriented myself back into the story.

The story itself is engaging and full of twists, heartbreak, family, and more. I eagerly anticipated every chapter as I watched the story unfold.

Next, I loved the characters. I felt an immediate connection to all of them and was rooting for them the entire time.

Lastly, I highly recommend this for fans of historical fiction!

This was a beautiful sweeping story about multiple generations of a family in Vietnam centered around the Vietnam War. The story reaches back to the 1940's at a time when the Japanese had invaded Vietnam. During this time, a well-off mother flees her family farm with her 6 children to escape the violence caused by the communist Land Reform. The story then jumps to her granddaughter during the years of the Viet Nam war.

In turns touching and heartbreaking, this is an important #ownvoices story about the experience of Vietnamese women during the war. This is the author's first novel available in English and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more works by her.

I listened to this on audio and the narrator was engaging and emotive. The narration was nicely paced with great sound quality.

4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5

"If people were willing to read each other, and see the light of other cultures, there would be no war on earth."

I really, really enjoyed this book, but I wish I would have read it instead of listened to it as I think it would have been more impactful. The narrator is great, but it's the kind of book you really want to focus on, which isn't as easy for me when I'm listening. If you're not a great audiobook listener, I recommend picking this book up to read instead.

The Mountains Sing is a multigenerational story that takes place before and during the Vietnam War with dual timelines: We learn about Trần Diệu Lan's childhood and follow along with her in the 1950s as she's forced to flee her home with her 6 children. We also follow her granddaughter Hủỏng in the 1970s as her family is torn apart by the war.

It's a story that's filled with tragedy and heartbreak, but there's also a lot of hope in it... and most importantly, the power of family. Wartime stories are never easy reads and this one feels even harder as it's told from the points of view of the everyday people seriously impacted by the war.

While I do wish I would have read the actual book, I do have to say there are a few big benefits to the audio version. For me, I felt like I was being transported to Vietnam and like I was actually there with Tran and Hủỏng. I also really liked that I was actually hearing how names and places were pronounced. If I had been reading the book, I wouldn't have been saying everything correctly in my head. I found the narration slightly confusing as the story is entirely told by Hủỏng and occasionally I forgot whose story was being told.

The quote I started with really says it all... We need more books like this so we can understand the impact war has on everyone and to have more empathy for people who aren't exactly like us.

This was an ambitious and impressive novel that covers a lot of little known history of Vietnam from a first person point of view. I listened to the audio book and loved the narration and authenticity of the reader who spoke Vietnamese phrases perfectly. The novel is told from alternating points of view of Tran Dieu and Huong (her grand-daughter). It spans many decades and tells the story of horrific historical events as they affected this family throughout the years. We see many different incidents through the eyes of the characters. The author does a wonderful job of evoking the different settings for the reader as well as bringing to life different characters we meet. The suffering endured by Tran Dieu and her family is truly heart-breaking and I couldn't help but ask, "when will the sorrow end?"; however, ultimately the novel is one of love and hope. The strength that keeps Tran Dieu moving forward in life is fueled by her love for her children and family. She faces hardships and heartbreaks and yet has no bitterness or hatred in her heart. I thought this was a beautiful story with memorable, strong female characters.

Having read and loved this amazing novel last spring, I was anxious to visit again by listening to the audio book. It enhanced my reading experience by giving a voice to the characters that populate this powerful generational story of the Tran family. Lyrical prose filled with images that will forever stay with me opened my mind and heart to lives vastly different from my own, but then again, not so different. The human experience is common among cultures for placing family, love, eternal hopefulness, spiritual beliefs and cultural traditions at the center of our lives. The Tran family experiences horrific tragedies but throughout their lives, love and hope and the strength of the family matriarch carry them through. Nguyen Phan Que Mai has written a captivating story and it was enhanced by being narrated by Quyen Ngo. I was terribly disappointed that the "The Mountains Sing" did not appear on the NYT times 100 Notable Books for 2020. It should have! This book would make an excellent book club selection with plenty to talk about. I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to the audio book.

Haunting and beautiful. I listened to this, thanks to NetGalley, and am grateful that I had this opportunity to hear the Vietnamese spoken. It took me a bit to fall into the rhythm of the story since I couldn’t flip back and forth and realign myself with whose part of the story I was in. I was blown away from the inside view of the impact of the Vietnam War and of the lasting effects. The way families were divided and members of communities were hunted down and murdered. I’m also in complete shock as to how one family was separated far and wide and somehow found their way back to one another. This is a story or resilience and love.

This book is a marvel. Written by celebrated Vietnamese poet Nguyen Phan Que Mai, The Mountains Sing tells the story of the Tran family over the course of multiple generations. Shared in rotating perspectives between Tran Dieu Lan and her granddaughter Hương, this book delves into the history of the Land Reform all the way through the war years later. I learned so much reading this story, but beyond that I was deeply moved by the themes of family and resilience that echo throughout these pages. The poetic writing is stunningly vivid, adding extra layers to the narrative that deepen the reader's experience. I listened to this book on audio, and really appreciated hearing the proper pronunciation of names and phrases. The narrator does a wonderful job with the two voices of grandmother and granddaughter, as well--their stories came alive in her reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio copy to read and review.

This novel was so beautifully written and narrated. Through flashback storytelling we follow a family through the trials of living in Vietnam during the many conflicts that affected the country. As someone who married into a Vietnamese family I appreciated learning more about the culture by reading about Guava and her grandmother. I was brought to tears many times. This book is perfect for fans of Lisa See.

The story of the Viet Nam multi generation Tran family from the 1930’s to the 1980’s. Present day, the matriarch Tran Dieu Lang is home with her granddaughter Huong and she relates the horrific story of how her family was evicted from their farm during Land Reform and how they were hunted with instructions to kill. The Vi Nam fought for Independence against the French, then against the Japanese, and finally against the Americans and South Vietnamese. What stands out constantly throughout the book is the unconditional love and support the Tang family had for one another. Author is a poet and you can sense it with her lyrical writing. Very well done. I listened to the book and did find the back and forth in the generations a little difficult.

I was lucky enough to get both the ALC and the e-ARC version of this book. I ended up listening to this book and I’m so happy I did. This book was a whirlwind, but only in the best way. It’s the story more American’s need to hear, to realize the damaged done during the Vietnam war. This book is a family saga, however you see it from the granddaughter’s point of view with the grandmother’s wrapped into it. We see Vietnam before the war, when the two sides started to become hostile to each other, we see how Communism takes roots and the devastating after effect of it. We watch as the grandmother, a mother of six kids, widowed and forced from her home to run, her world ripped apart. She is forced to make hard choices, leaving five of the six kids with trustful people. And we see the granddaughter as she grows up during the war, how she is raised by her grandmother as her parents are off fighting. We see the trauma again and again of this family and how it splits them apart only for them to slowly come back together again. I didn’t expect to the twist and the ending left me in tears. I had to listen to this slowly simply because the amount of trauma that this book features. I don’t recommend if you can’t do trigger warnings at this time. Wait until your in a better mind set. I won’t list them all but simply think what comes with the horror of war and chemical warfare.
The narrator was amazing. She brought this story alive and made the difficult parts just slightly more bearable, knowing you weren’t being forced to see these events alone. She brought the language to life instead of letting those unfamiliar with it falter at the words. She managed to capture each character flawlessly, instead of being one noted and only being able to pull of the main character. It felt seamless and heightened the experience for me and reduced me to tears. I highly recommend this book and more so the audiobook, even for those who are picky when it comes to them.

This is such a captivating beautiful story. A multigenerational family story that is tragic, hopeful and chock full of history. I was immediately drawn in and loved seeing the views of the characters stories and lives.

This was a beautiful multigenerational story about the Tran family, set against the Vietnam War. This story was heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time as you read about that characters struggles to keep their family together and the triumphs they have. I love reading stories that connect a family across generations from the multiple points of view.

I listened to this on audiobook and it was wonderful. The emotions really came alive with her tone and voice b

Nguyen Phan Que Mai has written an epic masterpiece. Never have I read an account of the Vietnam war (truth be told, the war in all of Southeast Asia) that is able to describe both the broad impact of the Vietnamese people and the most intimate detail, of a single Vietnamese person. The Mountains Sing takes the reader through the times before the war during the war and just after. The story of the Tran family is lyrically told through three generations - sometimes in the present and sometimes through the use of flashback/storytelling. A daily activity as simple as cooking is described with such reverence and fondness that you can nearly smell the food yourself. We feel the torment of waiting to see if your loved ones would return from war, the pain of morning those who did not return and hopelessness in watching the terror in the eyes of those who did. I listened to the audiobook, which provided me with the sound of the language in my ears - another treat. This is a book that deserves a second reading to savor what I enjoyed and take in anything I may have missed in this layered offering. My thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'd like to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free copy of the audio book.

This is such a beautiful story, tragic and hopeful, historic and full of family. Following the story of a family from 1950's to present, I found myself hoping and praying for good things to happen in the lives of this family. The writing was beautiful, and the narration for the audiobook added a level of understanding that I don't think I would have had if I'd read the book myself. Quyen Ngo added so much to this story, I found myself caught and held, not wanting to turn the book off.

The Mountains Sing is a beautifully written account of a Vietnam's past during the Land Reform and the rise of Communism in North Vietnam which ultimately led to the Vietnam War. The novel tells the story of a grandmother who grew up during the Land Reform who had to flee her home, as her family were wealthy land owners. The other part of the story tells of the granddaughter who grew up during the Vietnam War. The novel goes back and forth between the two stories until the stories intersect towards the end of the novel. The author did a fantastic job and I highly recommend this book.

As an American History teacher, I teach about the Vietnam War but have never heard it from the North Vietnamese side, even if the story is fiction. Their thoughts and feelings and emotions resonate throughout the book, so much so, that I thought this was a true account from the author. I loved hearing it from this side of history. I loved listening to it because there is some Vietnamese in the book. I enjoyed hearing it rather than skimming over it, as I would have done if I had read it. It was confusing at some points because each chapter switched between the grandmother and granddaughter and time period. While the time period was laid out at the beginning of the chapter, it was difficult starting and stopping and remembering who's story I was listening to. Overall, this book was fantastic and the author did a wonderful job.

The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
Narrated by: Quyen Ngo
Publication Date: March 17, 2020
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Description from NetGalley...
“Trần Diệu Lan, who was born in 1920, was forced to flee her family farm with her six children during the Land Reform as the Communist government rose in the North.

Years later in Hà Nội, her young granddaughter, Hương, comes of age as her parents and uncles head off down the Hồ Chí Minh Trail to fight in a conflict that tore not just her beloved country, but her family apart.
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Vivid, gripping, and steeped in the language and traditions of Việt Nam, The Mountains Sing brings to life the human costs of this conflict from the point of view of the Vietnamese people themselves, while showing us the true power of kindness and hope. The Mountains Sing is celebrated Vietnamese poet Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai's first novel in English. 
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Thank you to @NetGalley @dreamescape_media for the audiobook ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
So, let me take a deep breath, because this story was hard to listen to but I couldn’t stop. Overall,the narrator was okay, but what I appreciated was the authenticity of having Ngo narrate. We were able to hear the Vietnamese words, names and saying in their true forms that added more reality to the story. As much as this book is considered fiction, I know that this story was a reality to a lot of Vietnamese, especially the Trần family’s stories of struggle, sacrifice and abuse. “The Mountains Sing is celebrated Vietnamese poet Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai's first novel in English.” This book truly was poetic, lyrical, sad and heartbreaking. But, it was also a story of human resilience. Above all else, it was a stark reminder to be compassionate, kind and generous. As a fan of historical fiction, this maybe the best book I’ve read in this genre. 🚨Huge trigger warnings.

4.5*
Vietnam is a country with a history of invasions and wars. Long ago they were forced to live under the Chinese, later the French and then the Americans in the sixties and seventies. At the end of the Vietnam War, the communists took control of the unified north and south. Instead of bringing peace and stability, the people of this beleaguered country were left to deal with further oppression.

The book opens as the war with America is winding down, Tran is trying to save her granddaughter’s life by fleeing to the countryside. But this is not the first time Tran has been on the run. In an alternate timeline, we find Tran fleeing with her 6 young children when the communists first came to power in the North. The trek is difficult and she is forced to abandon some of her children along the way. Her story unfolds alongside the later timeframe that details Tran’s granddaughter’s adjustment to life under communism.

The human toll on members of Tran’s family is heart-wrenching and moving. It is a story of humans trying to survive oppression but as with many brutal societies, people are often willing to turn on former neighbors and friends out of spite or to benefit themselves. Tran’s family has undergone various separations and injuries but at the core, the pull of the family bond is strong and helps the damaged ones overcome their inner trauma. A stunning story of resilience and family.

The audiobook is beautifully done and the narrator adds to the setting with her wonderful reading.

"The Mountains Sing", by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai is the multi-generational family saga of the Trần family, set in Vietnam, between the 1920's and the 1980's. It is a dual-timeline story that follows the lives of Diệu Lan, starting in the 1920s, and of her granddaughter Hương, in the 1970's-1980's. Those 50-60 years are very rich in terms of Vietnamese history, encompassing part of the French colonial era, the Japanese Invasion, the Land Reform, and the Vietnam War and its aftermath. As we follow the lives of these two main characters and their other family members, we learn of how these historical events affected the people of Vietnam and the lasting effects war and oppressive political regimes have on generations of people. Both stories are extremely captivating, and I was very immersed in the book every time I delved in it.

The narrator, Quyen Ngo , did a wonderful job with the audiobook. Her narration was full of passion, and really did justice to the turbulent life stories of Diệu Lan and her granddaughter, Hương. There were times when I felt that it may have been a good idea to have two different narrators for the two different timelines, mainly because both stories were told in first person perspective and it was easy to feel they were sometimes spilling into one another in the audio format. However, that overall did not take away from the enjoyment I felt listening to the story. Also, while I do not speak Vietnamese, I felt the narrator's pronunciation of Vietnamese words and phrases was authentic, and helped immerse me even more in the story every time I listened to it.

"The Mountains Sing" is definitely one of my favorite books from 2020 and I highly recommend it to fans of family sagas and historical fiction. After listening to this audiobook I feel that I have learned so much about the history and rich culture of Vietnam, all while being emotionally invested in the fates of well crafted characters. Thank you to both NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to it in exchange for an honest review.

I received this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Just...WOW.

It has been a long time since I have read a historical fiction book that got to me the way this one did. It had everything - action, sorrow, strong family relationships, love. I found myself hanging onto every word because this isn't just a book. The author did extensive research and drew on the experience of her family; this stuff actually happened!

I confess I knew next to nothing about the Vietnam War before reading this book and it was a strange experience to read a point of view that was so different from my own. Stepping into the shoes of a nation that went through so much, some at the hands of MY nation, was humbling. I really believe if we took the time to really get to know each other, we would have a much harder time waging war.

I was also impressed that this book is the author's first in English! If you had told me after I read it that she had written this in bits and pieces with an English dictionary at hand, I would have laughed at you. I can usually spot such books - their cadence is always a little off. Not this book. It was beautiful, lyrical, and had a healthy dose of Vietnamese sprinkled in, which I loved.

The characters were another high point of this novel. They felt so real and it was so easy to grow attached to each and every one of them, even the ones who made some mistakes and some bad choices. Because, honestly, isn't that part of being human?

If I had to pick a negative, I would say the transitions from chapter to chapter were sometimes a little jarring and it sometimes took me a second to catch up with the flow of the story, especially towards the end, but this was obviously not a big drawback. I would still recommend this book without hesitation - the audiobook in particular was wonderful!

Please, please go read this book. It is a rare beauty.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon