“The author conveys the desperate, rushed and tense atmosphere. We too feel claustrophobic as the door of the airplane shuts and the heat and smell closes in around us and Tuyet. Everyone seems kind to Tuyet but she has no understanding of why things are happening to her. Was she selected to help with the babies like she did at the orphanage or because she has one weak ankle and foot, the result of polio? Where is she going? What will happen to her once she arrives?
… the story is fascinating. Being Canadian, I think of the Vietnam War as an American war. Growing up during the 70s, even in small town Alberta, there were many ‘boat people’ settling into our schools and communities but I didn’t really know specific stories. Film, TV, and media usually depicted the American situation. I’ve seen footage of Vietnamese people desperately trying to get onto to aircraft as they were leaving Saigon. I hadn’t realized that Canada had much involvement.”—Tammy Flanders
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