Brothers and Ghosts

A young woman, torn between two cultures, belonging to neither. A family, torn apart by a war they had no choice about.

Kieu calls herself Kim because it's easier for Europeans to pronounce. She knows little about her Vietnamese family's history until she receives a Facebook message from her estranged uncle in America, telling her that her grandmother is dying. Her father and uncle haven't spoken since the end of the Vietnam War. One brother supported the Vietcong, while the other sided with the Americans.

When Kieu and her parents travel to America to join the rest of the family in the California for the funeral, questions relating to their past - to what has been suppressed - resurface and demand to be addressed.


'A groundbreaking work in German literature, Ph?m's novel marks a seminal accomplishment that tells the dignified, thorough, and epic story of a Vietnamese family through clear, gem-like sentences and unflinching observations. With Ph?m's vision, nothing is left unturned and all things are salvaged and lost at once. A courageous and bold achievement by a bright new voice.'
-Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

'Illuminating and unforgettable, Khua Ph?m's Brothers and Ghosts is a house that reveals secrets behind each door- a country torn apart by colonialism and civil war, a family divided between loyalty and freedom.'
-Juhea Kim, author of Beasts of a Little Land

'A powerful novel about the paths we take, the secrets we hide, and the familial duty that binds us. Khua Ph?m coaxes out the stories that live in darkness and the light she shines is captivating. Gorgeously written, Brothers and Ghosts is a book that stays with you long after you close it.'
-Eric Nguyen, author of Things We Lost to the Water