I went into this book fairly blind about what it was about beyond the synopsis, and found myself quite blown away by what I was reading. This is a book that feels on the nose with the current politics of the United States; there are some really awful concepts discussed throughout, but they're not surprising in so many ways. I'd highly recommend this one if you can handle how it reflects our current reality, as it's quite well written.

This novel follows 4 cousins in the Nguyen family - Ursula, Alvin, Jen, and Duncan - after a series of violent, senseless attacks across America creates a national panic, prompting a government policy that pushes Vietnamese Americans into internment camps. Jen, a college student, and Duncan, a high school football star, get sent to one of the camps, while Ursula, who is a journalist and Alvin who works for Google are spared. Cut off entirely from the outside world, forced to work jobs they hate, Jen and Duncan try to withstand long, dusty days in camp and acclimate to life without the internet. That is, until Jen discovers a way to get messages to the outside. Her first instinct is to reach out to Ursula, who sees this connection as a chance to tell the world about the horrors of camp—and as an opportunity to bolster her own reporting career in the process.

This book was inspired by real-life events, from Japanese incarceration to the Vietnam War and modern-day immigrant detention. It started out as a bit of a slow burn, and I will admit, I had to keep putting it aside and giving myself a break from it because it was too much like reading the news. There was one part that really stuck with me, where two of the cousins were texting :

actually Cau Minh is being weird about one thing though
what:
apparently homeland security told him to make sure he had identification on him at all times
so now he sleeps with his documentation under his pillow

A few days later, DHS came for Uncle Minh again. This time, he didn't return.

This just really hit home, because of all of the immigrants out there today who are forced to carry their documents wherever they go, and the uncertantity every time they leave the house if it is the last time they will see their family. This is a very timely book, and it is hard to read, but I did thoroughly enjoy it,.

The truth is what unites Asian Americans is racism. from Mỹ Documents by Kevin Nguyen

We put Japanese Americans into camps after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. And after 9-11 there was a backlash against anyone who even appeared to be of Middle Eastern or Muslim heritage. ICE arrests even legal immigrants if they are from Central America. Mỹ Documents imagines America will always respond the same way–racial profiling and rounding up people we fear into camps or prisons.

In Mỹ Documents, series of terrorist bombings perpetrated by people of Vietnamese heritage causes Congress to pass the American Advanced Protection Initiative, the AAPI. You know, the same initials as Asian American and Pacific Islander.

…”internment” was still a euphemism masking what it truly was: incarceration. from Mỹ Documents by Kevin Nguyen

Vietnamese Americans are forced into makeshift, inadequate camps where suffering and violence and suicide abounds. One hundred thousand are in first generation VIetnamese American Jen’s camp. A black market rises disseminating computers and flash drives with entertainment and news. Jen writes for an underground camp newspaper and feeds stories to Ursula, her mixed race cousin who works for a newspaper, prompting a huge career boost.

Meantime, Jen’s brother Duncan finds fame on the camp football team. Ursula’s brother Alvin works for Google who protects him as essential–until he shares disturbing insider information with Ursula.

But Jen’s paper isn’t the only source of news in camp. Her competition sells disinformation, and resorts to violence when threatened.

Meanwhile, their father Dan, who was a child when his family fled after the Communists took over Saigon, is determined to escape the camps and disappears, living out of his truck. “To survive, you must be selfish,” his mother said as they fled Saigon. But Dan comes to understand that survival was not a selfish act–living was.

Truly disturbing, this dark humor novel about how one family experiences the worst racial policies America has ever enacted is an intense page-turner–and a warning.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.

I have read from this author before. I really enjoyed his debut, New Waves. His upcoming release is very stark and unsettling to say the least. I saw a lot of similarities between this story and what is going on with the current administration. My Documents is very painful to read. Even though I liked the overall story, I didn’t have a good time reading it because it was too realistic of terrible things that had happened in the not so distant past. Emotional novel that will make you feel and think.

"My Documents" by Kevin Nguyen is a compelling novel that artfully weaves together multiple narrators to create a rich tapestry of stories and perspectives. The shifting viewpoints offer an engaging, multi-layered narrative that keeps readers intrigued as they piece together the overarching story. Nguyen masterfully handles this complex structure, ensuring each character's voice is distinct and memorable.

One of the standout features of the novel is its snappy dialogue. Nguyen's dialogue is sharp, witty, and often humorous, adding depth and vibrancy to the characters. It brings a contemporary feel to the narrative, making the interactions relatable and authentic. The quick-paced exchanges keep the story lively and dynamic, adding to the book's appeal.

A dystopian novel that intends, I believe, to be shocking, but more and more feels plausible every day. A harkening back (forward?) to Japanese camps after WWII but this time for Vietnamese following airline bombings by suspects with Vietnamese surnames.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC.

This book....

It was beautifully done, I loved the characters and how their stories intertwined in so many different ways. But my goodness it was a hard read. A dystopian setting that doesn't feel like it is so far from being dystopian anymore.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the E-ARC. *4 Stars*

MY DOCUMENTS follows several members of the same family as they grapple with the fallout of a coordinated domestic terrorist attack, committed by Vietnamese-Americans. Quickly, America reacts by passing sweeping legislation, placing most Vietnamese-Americans in "camps" around the country while attempting to determine the root motivations of the attackers. The members of the family (who are not all particularly close) find themselves split; some outside of camps and some in.

Most of the story circles around Ursula and Jen, half-sisters (or "cousins," as they refer to themselves). We see how their lives diverge and reconverge, but still find ways to mirror one another. One of the things I thought the book did really well was making all the members of this family have little characteristics that really make them convincingly related. And their timelines sort of tangentially mirror each other's.

This book is certainly investigating themes of racism, drawing on America's dark history of punishing violence in a way that, as the author said (or, more eloquently wrote it), almost always ends up justifying the actions of the people who committed them. Was it the terror attacks that shaped the way legislation and government/population viewed Vietnamese people, resulting in the detention? Or, had the hate simply never abated due to so much of government being old hacks with too many feelings about old wars and conflicts? The camps just seemed an excuse for the country to do something they'd hoped to for a long time; the attacks, a catalyst - a means to an end.

This is a thought provoking though unsettling dystopian novel based on the premise that during the Vietnam war. Vietnamese people in America are rounded up and placed in camps. The story revolves around 4 young people who were raised raised as cousins. Jen, a college freshman and her brother, Duncan, athlete without thoughts of his future are sent to a camp along with their mother. Ursula, a journalist and Alvin, a Google employee are excused from the camp placement.
Jen, becomes involved in a group that sends messages and contraband inside the camp. She secretly sends information about camp life to Ursula. Ursula publishes this information and becomes famous. The Viets are released from the camps after living for 3 years` under prisoner conditions. Jen, suffering from PTSD, discovers that Ursula is taking full credit for the investigative reporting.

This book is a reminder of the camps for the Japanese living in the United States during WWII.

Thank you Book Funnel and NetGalley

Really enjoyed this one a lot. Took my times so I could soak it all in. I can't wait to get a physical copy for my shelf. I highly recommend this to everyone.

A dystopian novel that is hitting a little too close to the current political climate. It's the story of the round up and the detention of an entire culture and race, reflected by family members both inside and outside the camp. Reminiscent of the WWII Internment of the Japanese people. This book grabbed me from the beginning, but unfortunately went downhill from there.

First- the good/scary. This phrase hit me right off "A more accurate saying is history is a reflection of who had power, and how they flattered themselves."

The book begins with the framework of a dysfunctional, multigenerational family. It tells where they are in their life, life stages, careers, sacrifices made, how they've all become "Americans"- whether through immigration, or hard work and dream. Then the fear and confusion of a round up because of 6 simultaneous terrorist attacks. (I thought this was a little "light" for it to have instilled so much fear in the public). This part of the book is what grabbed me and kept me interested.

The next part of the book bops between those in the camp (a mother and 2 high school and early college age children) and those on the outside (2 half siblings and a father on the run both from the law and his families). Some of this got long and drawn out and seemed trite. Other parts of this, like the intricate underground network for medicines and digital entertainment, where interesting and entertaining. I enjoyed watching the sense of community grow with those interred. I was extremely bothered by how society as a whole moved on with their lives and basically ignored/forgot about those still living in the camps. None of the citizens left argued or fought for the unjust imprisonment of many people, especially after enough time went by- life returned to normal.

The last part of the book was after the "prisoners" were released back into normal life. This part seemed fluffy and rushed to me- a sub character (VERY sub) suddenly became a main part of the story, unnecessarily. The self discovery of people both and and out of the camp seemed superficial to how I feel like families, young adults, and ambitious citizens would have felt. The book just seemed to unravel the longer it went on.

I am both horrified and intrigued by the timing of this novel- did the author know what he was doing when he began researching and writing this book, or is it coincidence? It's extremely timely and should make people think. I wish the book was a little tighter and deeper. Seemed fluffy for the seriousness of the topic. Drew me in, but by the end I didn't really care for any of the characters and they still came off as superficial.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital copy of this book and the opportunity to review it before publication.

A diverse and entertaining read about surivival and assimilation. Completely unique and well written. The character growth in particular really stood out.

4 stars

The best time to read a dystopian novel is when we're in a state of relative freedom and relative harmony. There are also times like this - which feel like the exact opposite of that aforementioned state - and those moments can make a book like this feel like these events could happen by the end of the week. The most terrifying part for many readers will be the relatability of a culture in which freedoms are held and then suddenly lost. This book made me think...and worry.

There are four central characters who are raised as cousins, but that isn't a fully transparent view of who they are to each other biologically or emotionally. During the span of the novel, in American society, Vietamese citizens are sent to internment camps. It's horrifying to watch the ways in which each of these four characters is impacted by going or not going (there are some exemptions), and it is a brutal choice to have all of them be at the start of their lives: new professionals, new college students, even high school students. What will come of them? Their relationships? Their expected outcomes? And if there is a life after this experience, what will there be to come back TO?

I really enjoyed how this was written, the ways in which this concept came together, and the knowledge that I'll be having intense, ongoing thoughts about the ways in which this fictional society mirrors this hellscape we are in right now. I look forward to reading more from this author and recommending this book strongly though with clear caveats that prospective readers who are looking to escape the horrors of modern American society need to come back to this one for another reason on another day.

Wow, I didn't know much about the plot going into this dystopian novel, but I was blown away. The writing is propulsive. While dystopian, in these current political times it feels very much like a real possibility. The closeness to reality made me take breaks when reading, but it was so well written, chapters flew by.

Thank you for the advanced reader copy Random House Publishing Group - Random House | One World & Netgalley.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a remarkable novel that combines current day fears as well as the historical events. It feels “ripped from the headlines” with the editorial and journalist aspect. I’ve never read anything like this novel.

The characters are complex and are also a bit infuriating but somehow I don’t hate them (ahem except maybe Ursula).

I feel like the novel could have continued on and I would have happily kept reading Jen’s story.

I highly recommend this as someone who is Vietnamese - American and who also loves historical fiction.

I started this book and I was grinning, wringing my hands in anticipation, and so excited for the premise and what could happen with this book. It's the story of an interment of Vietnamese citizens as a result of some domestic terrorist attacks. Obviously it harkens back to the Chinese internment during WWII and the more recent suggestions to intern Muslims and/or a variety of others. The fact that this story is darn plausible, and in some ways taking place with the recent deportation of citizens and immigrants, is down right frightening. The story is told through 4 half siblings and the father that connects them. The author uses some dark humor to help keep the story from getting too depressing. Here is where it started to fail me. I wanted more of this. I was expecting snarky little gotchas and call outs throughout the book, but I didn't feel like i got them. Instead, I came to like the characters less and less as the story progressed. By the end the cleverness was lost and I am not even sure the book knew how to wrap things up other than the release of the interned citizens. I'd still recommend this book, but would caution readers to temper their expectations a bit.

This is a really good book and the scary thing is it's something that could happen, and has happened in the past (Japanese interment during WW2). A not so far fetched take on modern internment. A number of attacks by Vietnamese men have made the government decide to round up all Vietnamese people and intern them in camps around America, the Nguyen family was part of the round up, the story follows two siblings, Jen and Duncan and their mother who are sent to a camp, two other cousins were exempt due to their work, Ursula is a reporter and Alvin works for Google. Jen and Duncan try to navigate this new reality, people are separated based on gender and age into large dormitory type structures with bunk beds for sleeping. Duncan becomes involved in playing football while Jen manages to communicate activities in camp to Ursula, which she writes about in her newspaper, which propels her to a larger popularity. Day to day camp life is rather boring, not much to do, no TV, no internet, socializing is discouraged, though over time some of these are overcome, laptops are smuggled into camp and provide access to TV shows (recorded), over time the guards seem to lower their guard and allow people to interact more. Jen eventually shares a story with Ursula that causes that to change and changes life in the camp dramatically. A very good story, it went by really quickly and I felt engaged with all the characters. I would recommend. Thanks to #Netgalley and #One World for the ARC.

My Documents by Kevin Nguyen

I’m sorry, but this story didn’t appeal to me though I thought it would. I skimmed much of the last few chapters just to get through.

I learned much about boredom and neglect in detention centers and how awful an idea they are, punishing mostly harmless people because of their race. Bargaining and trading becomes a way of life inside and contraband is overlooked by those in charge.

This story centered on two families and a circle of others around them. None of the characters was that interesting nor were their stories that riveting. I will rate it three stars but cannot recommend it for any of my readers.

After a series of bombings at US airports, Vietnamese-Americans are interned at camps in a callback to WWII's Japanese internment program. Following four cousins in the aftermath of the attacks, My Documents is a timely and eerily prescient story about the power of our government when turned against its citizens.

Nguyen is a powerful writer and he really made the story of Ursula, Jen, Duncan and Alvin come to life.

In a not-too-dystopian future, the U.S. government interns Vietnamese Americans in camps similar to the Japanese internment during WWII following domestic terror attacks committed by a group of Vietnamese men. This book is very much a character-driven novel as we follow four siblings - two sets of half-siblings - during the roughly three year period of internment. Jen, a college freshman, and her brother Duncan, a high school football star, are interned with their mother, while their half siblings Ursula, a journalist, and Alvin, an engineer, are not. It's never quite explained why some people are interned and others not (there is interesting commentary about Ursula being half white, but so is Alvin and he would have been interned if not for his employer's exemption). So there was a little bit of an annoyance there as it was clearly a plot device in order to have Ursula's career take off reporting on Vietnamese internment based on information that Jen feeds her from the camp.

The short chapters and the frequent switches among the characters worked really well to make this a compelling page turner despite it being more character-driven than plot-driven. Ursula and Jen felt more fleshed out as characters than Duncan and Alvin, but that may have been because the dynamic between the two women was so intense and interesting. Nguyen has some brilliant things to say here about journalism and public opinion. Despite this being a dystopian novel, it felt extremely real both in terms of politics and family dynamics. This is a book about racism, ambition, and resilience, but above all it is about family and what people will do for and despite each other.