A rounded 4.5 stars.

I read Nguyen's The Sympathizer last fall and it was an instant surprise favorite; the setting, the tone and the unique perspective quickly drew me in. After a breathless one day read and a rousing discussion with my local library group, I immediately came home to put this book of short stories on my to-read list as well. And now it's here in my hot little hands!

The first chapter, Black-Eyed Women is about ghosts, real and metaphorical. It was an excellent way to open The Refugees, giving us the theme that permeated each successive story

... I would remember vividly [...] my feeling that while some people are haunted by the dead, others are haunted by the living.

There were so many lines I wanted to keep and savor and share, but they all work within the context of each story, rather than outside it. The experiences cannot be summarized by a single sentence, not even fictional ones.

His descriptive text is sparse, but Nguyen still manages to set me where ever he wants. I can feel the tropical heat of Vietnam seeping through the pages of his words.

read it, buy it, love it.