I really enjoyed this multi-generational family story. It was more quiet than I expected, but I loved getting to know these characters and their motivations. I would absolutely recommend this to customers looking for a literary family story.

BANYAN MOON takes us on a journey through three generations of Vietnamese women and explores the unique ways of loving and protecting their loved ones (in mostly unconventional ways). As someone who doesn't always keep up with upcoming releases, this was one of the few books that truly excited me. Unfortunately, despite the beautiful and lyrical writing, the book left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed.

📖WHAT I DID LIKE:
• prose was beautiful, with lyrical writing
•The exploration of mother-daughter relationships was a notable aspect of the book
•Unlike many books by Asian authors, the story didn't dwell too much on traumatic war or immigrant experiences.


📖WHY IT DIDN’T WORK:
•While the writing was undeniably beautiful, it lacked the necessary depth to stand out. The book covers many events, yet only scratched the surface of its characters, plot, and mysteries. It felt like a fancy and prettily packaged but with no substance.
•Due to this lack of depth, I struggled to connect with and understand the personalities of the three women.
•Additionally, the Banyan house should’ve been a character itself. However, despite the build-up and mysterious elements, the surface-level writing fails to capture these gothic and mysterious atmospheres.
•Lastly, the portrayal of the male characters troubled me. While I remained indifferent towards the two white men Ann was involved with (blah), it struck me that the two main antagonists in the novel were both Asian men.

In contrast, despite their flaws and unforgivable mistakes, the white men were presented with gentleness, and their narratives concluded positively. This discrepancy left me questioning the author's intention. Was this intentional? If so, why? (Again, if this was intentional, it needed to be much more fleshed out.)

However, despite some wins, due to its lack of depth, one-dimensional characters, and lukewarm execution of the plot, BANYAN MOON didn't resonate with me as I had hoped.
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A beautiful and dramatic family saga. Explores the complications of love and grief. Definitely not a light read but certainly a worthy read.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish the novel so I won't be leaving a full review.

I loved how imperfect each of the characters are. You become deeply attached to all three women and simultaneously relate to the misunderstanding and scream internally and the lack of communication. All in all, it reminds us that we are all doing our best to take care of our loved ones, protecting them from things that we wanted protected from.

Thoroughly enjoyed this multigenerational tale about 3 Vietnamese women with secrets that have kept them both estranged and connected in complicated ways. The beginning of the book hooked me in - I was most interested in Ann’s story. Her mother and grandmother’s stories were also compelling. The shadows of their past in Vietnam and then their struggles as immigrants were very layered.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

I have followed Thao Thai's essays for years, and how she captures motherhood on a page, speaking to the complicated journey of "good mothers," gives the nod to our secret selves that we hold at a distance through that season.

Set against the stunning backdrop of Vietnam and Florida, Banyan Moon will be one of your favorite reads this year- left me breathless and highlighting passages throughout the story.

This emotional debut novel follows three generations of Vietnamese American women grappling with the death of their matriarch, Minh.

As Minh's granddaughter, Ann faces a crossroads in her seemingly perfect life, she returns home to Florida to help her estranged mother clean out the estate. As the two begin this daunting process, they also begin to unravel their own long-buried secrets in Minh's old manor, the Banyan House.

The house and its belongings are just as intriguing as the story. But, more importantly, readers are given a cinematic snapshot into the everyday life of people surrounded by the harrowing hardships of war but reminded that there is still vivid beauty and normalcy in the strange ways we adapt to adversities. Minh’s story, most of all, shines.

Fans of Panchinko's multigenerational legacy story will be captivated by this richly imaginative mother-daughter story spanning decades, generations and the unique bonds of motherhood.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Banyan Moon by Thao Thai was storytelling at its best. I adored the three generations of women and especially loved the grandma's presence as a ghost.
The description of the Banyan house came alive in my mind and having young Ann live there with her mother was oh so good. I loved Kumquat too. It was interesting to see the choices Ann made as the book went on. Highly recommend.

The book has a compelling storyline but the execution is a little inconsistent. Too many metaphors, similes and alliteration in the first couple of chapters, “Her gait was purposeful but pinched. There was something dry and dangerous about her, like flint meeting flint.” but that tendency evened out as the story progressed. I liked the way the characters evolved and grew in understanding of themselves and each other even after death.

Good, not great.

I really enjoyed this debut, multigenerational families are stories I love to read and this did not disappoint. When the matriarch of the family dies, Ann (granddaughter) and Huong (daughter) are both grieving, dealing with their relationship (Ann was extremely close to her grandmother Minh) and the plot also delves into Minh's life as a teenager with a mother determined to get to America to make a better life for her children. I listened to this via audio and could not stop once it got started, this was so well written and it captured my attention the whole way through. I loved the culture, the story and these characters and overall definitely recommend this one.

I enjoyed the perspective from a different culture. I enjoyed it being focused on the different women. The matriarch was he lost likeable. The granddaughter was a little insufferable, which took away from my enjoyment.

A gorgeous story about women who have a lot in common but who can't bridge their generational gaps effectively. The book did deal a lot with the women's relationships to the men in their lives, without diminishing the women-centeredness of it. Occasionally the prose was a little overwrought, but I still really enjoyed it. For a book that didn't rely on a ton of plot, it was a remarkably compelling book. I loved the swampy Southern Gothic feel of it and I really welcome more authors working in that mode. If you like books with lots of secrets and a lot of interiority, this book is lovely.

A compelling saga of three generations of Vietnamese women. Each woman. has her individual story but they blend together. I loved the writing style and was lost in this book.
Many thanks to Mariner and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

When Banyan Moon begins, we meet the family matriarch, Minh, her daughter, Huong, and granddaughter, Ann (along with her up-to-no-good son, Phuoc) in their present day. Their stories unfold by alternating chapters from each of the women, with Minh's story being told primarily from the grave. A bit of mystical realism that was confusing at first, but later made sense.
Banyan Moon is a beautifully written story of three generations of strong women, the challenges they experienced in life and relationships, both separately and together, and the role their culture played in their lives. The only weakness for me was around Huong's recent life, which was a bit more muddled in the storytelling than that of her mother or daughter.
Overall, a solid four star book and I look forward to reading more from Ms. Thai.
Thanks to Netgalley and Mariner Books for the opportunity to read Banyan Moon in exchange for an honest review.

This book was enjoyable. I read it with an online book community which was helpful to keep me engaged and on track. I think Thao Thai is an excellent author - and look forward to future books!

totally got sidetracked and delayed starting this but it was an absolutely fantastic read. I love a multigenerational narrative and I love stories with characters that are flawed and also difficult not to love.

This is a beautifully written debut about 3 generations of American Vietnamese women who come together at their grandmother’s house after her death near the beautiful strong Banyan tree. This story explores their hardships and misunderstandings over the years and slowly explores each woman’s experiences in love and life. This is a character driven book so it did read a little slower for me. I enjoyed getting to know each of these character’s and how their stories unfolded throughout the novel. Thank you to Mariner Books and NetGalley for an e-galley. Banyan Moon is available now.

Banyan Moon was a Modern Mrs Darcy pick for August, and I was happy to see this in my approved queue here on NetGalley! This is an introspective family novel following three women of three different generations. Great Grandmother Minh passes away right at the beginning, bringing her granddaughter, Ann, home from Michigan to reside with her mother, Huong, with whom Ann has a tenuous relationship.

All three women have secrets. All three women failed to communicate. We see devastating occurrences in both Minh and Huong's past that are not shared with Ann, and the implications create generational trauma. It's hard to describe this book as historical fiction, because briefly we get a glimpse of Minh's past in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. I was the most intrigued by her story line. Both Huong and Minh experience traumatic things and lean on each other in a way that confused me later down the road as their relationship became strained for reasons I did not think the author clearly explained. Granddaughter Ann is facing uncertainty in her current life and coming home digs up all the conflicts she has had with her mother. I never truly vibed with Ann, but I did think the portrayal of a fraught mother-daughter relationship was well done.

The book is also an ode to the gothic manor, Banyan House, and while I got excited to think that the house may be a character, it was not.

The writing was lovely, but I will say the pace of this was off for me.

I almost DNF'd this book during Chapter 1, but Chapter 2 pulled me in and I'm so glad I stuck with it. Banyan Moon is a multi-generational family drama centered around the women in a Vietnamese family living on the Gulf Coast of Florida. We get the perspective of 3 generations of the Tran family: Ann, the adult daughter who has left Florida and is building a glitzy, new life with her wealthy professor boyfriend. Huong, Ann’s mother who regrets not having a closer relationship with Ann. And, Minh, Huong’s mother and Ann’s grandmother, whose death brings Ann home at the beginning of the book. This is a really atmospheric book. You can feel the heat and humidity of the Florida coast. The Grey Gardens-esqe Banyan House is a central character in the story. This story is a celebration of women and family history. And, secrets of course. It's also about leaving home, returning home, and figuring out where your home is. Caveat: there's a somewhat long "story within a story" that I skimmed and I didn't feel like I missed anything.