Summer Rolls

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What to expect

'An emotional story about family, love, and freedom' HEAT MAGAZINE

'A compelling British-Vietnamese coming-of-age story . . . an essential voice' CANDID BOOKCLUB


'The women in this house are the same,' she said. 'When we love, we love with all of ourselves.'

Mai is a teenager. She yearns for knotty, passionate love and dreams of being a photographer. But Mai is also, as her mother Trinh likes to remind her, not like other teenagers: she's first-generation British-Vietnamese, caught between two cultures, navigating life in London and wondering about what once happened in Vietnam.

But Trinh doesn't want to think about what happened in Vietnam - doesn't want to think about the young girl she used to be, the hopes and dreams she once had, and how that all ended when she was forced to flee her war-torn home.

But when secrets from the past finally resurface, their bond begins to fracture. And soon they realise that the ties that bind them together can also break them . . .

Shifting between mother and daughter, Summer Rolls is an epic story of loss and freedom, belonging and hope, and how far we sometimes must go to find our way home.


More praise for Summer Rolls:

'Visceral and lucid . . . I hurtled towards the end and was captivated throughout' HUMA QURESHI
'A poignant exploration of intergenerational trauma' WARONA JAY
'An exciting, urgent voice that demands to be heard' JEREMY TIANG
'Beautiful poetic work . . . A gift of a book' SUDHA BHUCHAR


What readers are saying about Summer Rolls:

'Rich, intimate, and emotionally layered' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'This is more than a book, it's a gift' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'It will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'This book made me feel seen, proud, and more connected to my family's story' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Beautifully written . . . will stay with you long after you finish reading' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Critics Review

SUMMER ROLLS is a poignant exploration of intergenerational trauma and its impact on familial bonds, thoughtfully illuminating the Vietnamese refugee crisis of the 70s and 80s. With nuance and compassion, it examines the delicate balance between independence and empathy, leaving a lasting impression of the quiet resilience often embodied by mothers.
Warona Jay, author of THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS
Beautiful poetic work, filled with a mother's love and life force on every page. A story that crosses generations and continents. Of perilous journeys, haunted histories and hopeful futures. The story of this family is a window into the story of many many others. As a South Asian woman, this resonated with me deeply and it is a universal story of mothers and daughters, buried family secrets and intergenerational trauma and healing. It stays with you and you want to go back and read it again and feel the world between the sentences. I was transported through the voices of Mai and Trinh and could feel their connection even when they were unable to express it. Food as love, solace and sustenance was a powerful image in the writing that every immigrant will relate to. A gift of a book.
Sudha Bhuchar
Tuyen's writing is visceral and lucid. She deftly weaves the past with the present, creating an intricate tapestry of family life that somehow survives under the constant threat of destruction. I hurtled towards the end and was captivated throughout by the family drama.
Huma Qureshi, author of THINGS WE DO NOT TELL THE PEOPLE WE LOVE
A visceral, heartfelt multi-decade account that smashes the expectations of the immigrant and refugee narratives with nuance and complexity. Having already rendered this story beautifully on stage, Tuyen Do takes it to the next level in novel form, opening out the world of these characters and layering in the complicated history of the Vietnam War. An exciting, urgent voice that demands to be heard.
Jeremy Tiang, author of STATE OF EMERGENCY

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