A very interesting story about two warrior sisters in ancient Vietnam - who ruled - all based on true history!. They over come the oppressive Han Chinese and else thei could try to peace and independence.
Loved this unique story and writing

Wow! I loved this book so much. Such an incredible and empowering read about women displaying resilience, courage and strength in spite of loss and tragedy, of them turning their grief into rage and their pain into action.

The story of the Trưng sisters is new to me and I really enjoyed learning about Vietnamese history and culture in this illuminating novel. The two sisters might feel stereotypical at first but were ultimately well-developed. I loved their character arcs and how they were not without flaws.

Bronze Drum is surprisingly fast-paced for a historical epic. While I wouldn't have minded more details and the book spilling into more than 400 pages, the upside is it was a quick read that I devoured.

I feel like this book has been overlooked for more hyped August releases, but don't sleep on it! It's a freaking dark horse and I'm so glad I read it!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the copy of this book.

"Ours is not a war for bloodthirsty men to tear each other apart. Ours is a war to restore justice. No woman would fight for the sake of the fight, and every one of us is in it for the cause."

Bronze Drum is a re-telling of the Trung sisters, Vietnamese warriors who led a rebellion agains the Chinese Han dynasty around 40 AD. It's not only a battle story - it's the story of their life and history under Han rule, with family and lovers and friendship and challenges that built their character. While this story is rooted in history, Phong Nguyen did an excellent job of building up the supporting fictional elements to really highlight the impact of the Chinese colonialism and patriarchy on the Vietnamese culture. He even distinguishes exactly who is historical and fictional at the end of the book. Bronze Drum is inspirational as well as informative, and an absolutely excellent read for lovers of strong women.

I have been waiting for a book about the Trưng sisters for years. Two young women kings who lead a rebellion against the Han? It's a myth that has long awaited a retelling like this, and the sort of approach that the Odyssey gets.

Phong Nguyen does an excellent job building on the myth to create a deep, thoughtful narrative exploring the meaning of sisterhood and the challenges of leadership on the battle field and off of it. In this well-crafted book, both romantic love and battle are described in such detail that you can imagine yourself there. I can see this book resonating with the same folks who loved Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series, though this book is definitely less sexually explicit. It has the same sort of battle feminism and sisterhood that the Throne of Glass books contain.

This book is wonderful, and I hope it inspires others to write about myths long ignored in the West. As a young Vietnamese American woman myself, I am thrilled to know I can recommend this book to people who have mainly been exposed to Vietnam in terms of America's influence.

This was a truly beautiful, movie story about sisters, female empowerment, and ancient customs in a part of the world and time frame often overlooked in the publishing industry. I personally enjoy historical fiction quite a bit, especially when it's around what we consider ancient times, and ESPECIALLY when told like it's a tale. Like, I imagine I'm a wee 5 year old getting tucked into bed and this is my bed time story.

I had real trouble with this. I feel like it's sometimes difficult for me to read/remember names when they're written using symbols that are new to me, as was the case here. To get past this obstacle (reading in a "language" that's unfamiliar to me) there needs to be something that hooks me right away and draws me in or captures my imagination so I want to keep going. Sadly, that didn't happen here. Rather than looking forward to picking up the novel, I found myself feeling pressure to do so. Fiction should not feel like work, (at least I don't think it should) so I stopped reading.

Phong Nguyen beats out a strong, feminist song in Bronze Drum, one that makes my Southeast Asian woman's heart swell and weep and soar all at the same time. It is a rare moment when a book makes me feel seen. As a historian of Southeast Asian history, I am deeply grateful for this rare and unique novel that so brilliantly and beautifully captures an often overlooked era and people.

Southeast Asia's ancient history is little known outside of academic circles. Even within that small enclave, many scholars of the region focus on contemporary Southeast Asia or modern Southeast Asia from 1300 onward. Many students, especially American students, see Southeast Asia through the American-centric lens of the Vietnam War (Note that the Vietnamese call it The American War). I, myself, as a scholar focus on the region's post-colonial period, the peak of the Cold War between 1950 and 1970. Bronze Drum, by highlighting a much earlier colonization of the region by China, both appeals to my decolonizing spirit and makes visible my own historical blindspots.

The world turned its attention to Southeast Asia when its spices and trade with China made it an easy backdoor into that empire's markets, around the 1300s. But, of course, Southeast Asia existed before then, had a history before then. But excavating that history has always been problematic. For one, in the post colonial world, history has become a contested domain. Its function as a tool of nation building and national identity, coupled with the need to appease various ethnic and national factions for the sake of collective peace has obscured some histories, elevated others. The demonization of the Han Chinese in Bronze Drums would not have gone over well in another time and place, and even today, the influence of China on the region's economic and political stability is not to easily dismissed. Southeast Asia has ever been and remains, whether we like it or not, in some condition of thrall to China.

But back to history. Another reason for overlooking ancient history is that nature has not been kind to historians of the region. Much of the region's ancient histories have been difficult to document. The moist and hot climate of the region does not lend itself to the preservation of wooden or plant-based artifacts, except that which was hewn into stone. Archaeology informs us though. There were many vibrant ancient civilizations here: the Dong Son, whose drums are those featured in Bronze Drums, the Majapahit in what is now Indonesia, the Sri Vijaya in what is Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. There were Muslim sultanates later in the Philippines and the Tai Kings in Thailand, and the ancient origins of the Court of Ava in Burma (today, Myanmar). Stele and monumental building like that at Angkor or Borobodur remind the world of these past eras and peoples.

The sisters in Bronze Drum are the Trung Sisters of Vietnamese mythology and ancient history, Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, who dared to subvert the Chinese Han invaders. Bronze Drum is a real history, though it is also Nguyen's fictionalized retelling of it, in the form and in the style of a mythic epic. The novel unfolds the fabric of the Dong Son/Lạc Việt world as it weaves through the Trung sisters' fight for their kingdom and culture's independence. The strength of Bronze Drum is that it reads as an epic should: it begins with the heroines just before they realize their fates, it recounts their moral turnaround, the moment they knew they had to be the leaders they became. The novel then impresses the reader with their triumphs. The novel then turns to their downfall. (I am giving nothing away here, it is well known the Viet fall to the Han and later, the French. History is the spoiler.) There is a sense of Joseph Campbell's classic hero/epic narrative structure in Nguyen's retelling, something that is sure to feel familiar to readers of Greek and Norse mythology.

But Nguyen provides the reader with more than just a myth here. Nguyen gives us insight into the interiority of the Lạc Việt actors, including the sisters who become female kings and warriors atop elephant backs, their courtiers and allies. The highlanders, Degars -- also known as người Thượng -- are featured too in Bronze Drum and the peasant community is not ignored or invisible as they are in so many heroic epics. They are as much the heroines as the Trung sisters in this novel.

If there was one flaw, I wished for more discourse on the larger political context and history of the Lạc Việt. The neighboring princes and chiefs and villages made appearances in the book, but I wanted more of that political intrigue, real politik dialogue, and sparring between characters. (I will not lie, for all their orientalist bungle, I enjoy James Clavell's Shogun and Taipan and Gai Jin, for that kind of in depth political maneuvering.)

Nonetheless, Bronze Drum is epic. And this is not its only strength.

Its characters were mostly strong women and I deeply, deeply appreciated Nguyen's feminism, bringing matriarchal lineage and culture to the forefront. The women of Bronze Drum are not frail, delicate flowers. They are not sexualized pussy cats like Richard Mason's Suzy Wong and the nameless sex worker of Full Metal Jacket fame. The women of Bronze Drum are real Asian women, made of fire and water and air and metal all at once. They are sexy and sexual beings, they have inner strength and outward muscle, they think and speak for themselves. Even as they are mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, and nieces, they are denizens and creators of their own worlds and desires.

Phong Nguyen's prose brings these heroines, these mythological warrior women to the center of the Lạc Việt world with ease. The novel flows, riverlike towards rapids, smooth and fast. The reader will want to surrender themselves to the story and let it carry them to the end.

Trung Trac and Trung Nhi are the daughters of a Vietnamese lord who must pay homage to the oppressive Han Chinese rulers. Though very different, the sisters both find themselves being punished for maintaining traditional beliefs and standing up for what they believe is right. Rather than bowing to their oppressors, they decide that the only way to survive is to fight back and protect their country and their people.

I really wanted to love this work. Historical fiction, especially ancient history, is one of my favorite genres. However, this work did not live up to my expectations.

The writing style left much to be desired. It was simple and stilted, which became increasingly frustrating to read. This work should have been an epic work but due to its writing style it felt more like reading a poorly written essay. The author also heavily relied on telling rather than showing, which only added to the lack of interest this book generated. Descriptions of the setting and the world were lacking and made the work lack the depth and immersion I expect in well written books.

Unfortunately, the characters were extremely flat. The two sisters felt like caricatures/stereotypes rather than real people – “one is disciplined and wise…one is fierce and free spirited.” But that’s the extent of the character development. The secondary characters were like cardboard cutouts, with no real depth, development, or growth. With no relatable characters, this work became a chore to finish. There was no way to connect emotionally to any of the characters.

I did enjoy the premise of this story and that the author chose to tell the story of these two sisters. There were also some interesting incorporations of folklore, history, and culture that were well incorporated throughout the plot.

Overall, I did not enjoy this work. I think it needs to be reworked to add characters that were easier to connect to emotionally, more meaningful descriptions, and the writing style was updated. As it lacks in all of these areas, I can’t recommend this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me a review copy of this work, which will be published on August 9th, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.  

I cringed at the stilted, clunky writing style.  It's simplistic and awkward.  The book maintains a pedantic tone or approach. And the characters are caricatures, eg one daughter is achingly filial, the other rash and bold.

I cannot recommend this title.

Here are some examples of the writing:

The idleness of the sun-warmed day and Phan Minh's banter, alternately earnest and playful, blended into an ointment that spread along the surface of her skin.

Trung Trac, buoyed by love's levitation, could not fathom at that moment any impediment to her joy.

She tried to channel her sister's revolutionary spirit, to reject the Han, through violence if necessary, but the filial pattern was too intricately woven into the cloth of her being.

I must admit I requested this book because reading about two sisters raising an army of women sounded so badass. I knew I would get a feminist tale and the book really delivered that. Once The Trung sisters set out to take revenge from the Han generals and Governors, claimed the name She-Kings this book turned into a book about war, strategy and will. Until that point, the parts leading to the uprising is sort of slow but necessary to show us how the Trung Sisters had enough of feeling oppressed.

The army is made off of only women. They refuse to include any man among them on the battlefield and that infuriates fellow Lac lords. This part is spoilery but the reason they lose in the end is the Viet men setting out to teach the Sisters a lesson. Because "the Trungs fill the minds of Viet women with ideas of liberation and would challenge their Lords authority as leaders and as men." What a pity. The ending was so sad.

I liked the importance of Bronze Drum in the story. The rhythms played on the drum tells the women fighting on the battlefield about the formation of the army, when to attack and when to retreat.

This book is rumored to be one of the BotM picks in August and you might want to pick it if you like literary historical fiction. The writing is beautiful but a bit heavy. I am glad I've read it as I knew nothing about ancient Viet traditions and history. I am well aware that this is a fiction book but I believe we can learn history by reading fiction as long ad you take the information with a grain of salt. I cannot wait to read reviews of this book from ownvoice readers.

“Ours is not a war for bloodthirsty men to tear each other apart. Ours is a war to restore justice. No woman would fight for the sake of the fight, and every one of us is in it for the cause.”

Bronze Drum is the story of two warrior sisters, Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, who raised an army of women to overthrow the Han Chinese and rule as kings in 40 CE. These daughters of a Vietnamese Lord fill their days training and studying, trying to stay true to their Vietnamese traditions.

You guys. THIS COVER. I may have actually squealed when I was gifted both an eARC and an ALC if this book. All opinions herein are my own.

Hell YES to strong women knowing their worth and never taking no for an answer. Wow. These women are amazing and strong and multiple times while reading I had to remind myself that this is based on real women. Giving birth on a battlefield?! I mean #Respect. I loved learning about the bronze drums, as they held quite a level of importance throughout the story. I did a deep dive google search after I finished the book!

I would highly recommend the audio for this one! I am so glad that I was able to have the names and places pronounced properly. Given that it’s a Vietnamese story I felt that the narrator was perfect! I could listen to her talk forever.

“But if you expect wisdom to come with age, without the rigor of study, then you will find yourself one day merely old and boastful. If you seek true knowledge, then you must first accept your own unknowing.” ☝🏻

Thank you to Netgalley, Hachette Audio, Grand Central Publishing, and the author!

I’m fascinated by the story of the strong feminist Trung sisters, but the style of storytelling here was very difficult for me to follow. I suspect I might have enjoyed this book more on audio, which might have made it easier to follow (and I would love to know the correct pronunciations for many of the places and character names). Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this advance readers copy.

I’ve known in general of the Trung sisters thanks to all of my history reading, but said general knowledge boiled down to the general fact that there were two sisters who led a rebellion against their imperial Chinese overlords, and have been long revered in Vietnam as national heroes. So for me at least, Phong Nguyen’s “Bronze Drum” was a much-welcomed deep dive into the legend of these historical figures. Not only did I feel like I finally was able to learn the Trung sisters’ tale in much greater detail than I even would have imagined, but I also feel like I was able to glean a decent amount about an older, traditional Vietnamese culture the likes of which I am very unfamiliar with.

One thing that did strike me was the style of Nguyen’s writing. The third-person narration was often quite evocative. However, the way that most of the characters’ lines are delivered read less how ordinary people would realistically speak, and more how characters would speak in a major historical film or play took a little getting used to at first. However, I quickly warmed up to it when I began to interpret the tone as if it was an epic being told to me by a master storyteller, delivering it both with some distance, but also flair. Soon, it felt like the perfect vehicle to provide this mighty story of oppression, war, revenge, and a brief shining moment of national triumph.

“Bronze Drum” is definitely unlike many of the other historical fiction reads I’ve encountered - and it’s precisely why I was able to happily devour it within the span of two days. It’s the kind that’s such a change of pace that it almost feels like a breath of fresh air.

This was a fascinating and great way to learn about Vietnamese history and culture. The sisters lead and incredible battle into...you know, honestly? It was a great story and you almost had to remind yourself that it was based on reality. Trac and Nhi were awesome but inherently flawed which made the story all the better. Do yourself a favor and read this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This novel focuses on the warriors and legendary Trung sisters in Vietnam. I didn't know this aspect of history and found the author, Phong Nguyen, included a lot of rich and interesting details that kept me entertained. The sisters are part of the woman-centered culture, in which they have lovers but do not marry and rule the family. The Hans invade and take over, enforcing marriage and a patriarchy. Nguyen is able to capture the voice and place the reader inside the heads of the characters. There is detailed character development of the Trung sisters and others. I highly recommend this book describing the Trung sisters' fight back against the newly imposed system.

I received an ARC of Bronze Drum from NetGalley.

Being Viet-American, I was so excited to see an upcoming novel on the Trung Sisters, a story I've long wanted to see in more published works (hello, two sisters fighting imperial forces? give me all the stories around it!)

Nguyen's early tone sets the stage for the grand stakes at play early on, as well as the the historical context at play (the reader is immediately drawn into the moment of increasing Chinese domination and tension of shifting tides). The pivotal moment that triggers the quick evolution of the story is absolutely heart wrenching, infuriating, and initiates such a diversity in character responses. I was screaming into my book and so frustrated, but I think that's the best response. Each of the reactions perfectly illustrates the characterization of each individual sister, and their reactions set the stage for the subsequent evolution of the plot. Overall, my adrenaline was rushing after this turning point and I was deeply invested in the story unfolding. Pacing, I think, is the strong suit of this novel.

Now for some caveats. If you are someone who requires 'deep POV' from your novels, this one does have a good deal of narrative distance from the reader and the characters of the story. I didn't find this two bothersome, and it heightened the sense of me as a reader witnessing a historical moment. But something to consider in regard to personal taste, since I spoke to some other readers who did take issue with the writing style and the distance from characters.

I do also think there might be some nuance with gender dynamics lost in the text. Overall, Nguyen does a great job. Each sister is distinct, and clearly reacting against the patriarchal system being forced upon them by empire in different ways. However, some dialogue or reactions (particularly as reactions to gender norms, expectations, class, or reckoning on their own role as women within the story) sometimes felt just a bit off to me. These were relatively minor, but because of my own role as a Viet-American woman and the somewhat 'personal' nature of the narrative for me, I couldn't help but notice them.

If you are a fan of epic historical novels, and flawed heroines, then Bronze Drum will be a book you'll want to check out.

BRONZE DRUM by Phong Nguyen is a vivid retelling of the legendary Trung sisters, who led an army of Viet women in a fight for independence against the Han Chinese in 40 CE. Part history and part myth, Nguyen’s imaginative account involves sibling rivalry, lovers, uncooperative (male) governors, and a hefty dose of feminist girl power.

While it took a while to get into the story due to the slow buildup, once I was halfway in, I was riveted by the saga of the Viet resistance against Han Chinese rule. I loved learning about this piece of history, and found the comparisons between Viet and Han culture illuminating. The all-women army was inspiring, and learning about the role of bronze drums in directing military formations as well as in broader cultural use was fascinating.

I do wish the Trung sisters had been given slightly more interesting back stories with complex subplots besides that of their romances. I struggled at times with the pacing and writing, but it didn’t keep me from devouring the book anyway. The scenes were cinematic - I could easily picture the different settings in my imagination, and could see this being turned into an epic movie!

Despite the uneven reading experience, this is a story that will stick with me. I’d recommend it for readers of KAIKEYI or other feminist retellings of ancient history / myths. It was a intriguing look into ancient Vietnamese history - a subject that I know little about. So glad to have read this!

Based on the true story of two sisters who trained for war their whole lives, and then raised an army to defend Vietnam from the Han.

Overall 4
Spice 1

Slow & Atmospheric
Attention to Detail
Vietnamese History and Culture
Tragic Ending
Similar to The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
Feminist
Strong Female MMCs
History Textbook Meets Fiction
Exploration of Sisterhood

Thank you to NetGalley and to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with ARC of Bronze Drum by Phong Nguyen

Diversity and representation in the historical fiction space, particularly the ancient stories are hard to come by which is why I was so excited for the book and would describe it as similar in vein to The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec. However, I feel like this piece leans heavily on historical context and the way it is written in 3rd person (almost removed emotionally) gives it a slight textbook flavor rather than a fictional rendering of a historical narrative. The blurb also didn’t capture the tragic nature of the story (which I think does the reader a slight disservice. I hate sad endings.) So be prepared for that. Overall I’m giving this book 4 out of 5 because as a fictionalized historical text it is spot-on as historical fiction it is lacking

This was a very creative story, not sure if it will blow up, but definitely a great addition to collections where Beasts of a Little Land was a strong circulater