Bronze Drum

By: Phong Nguyen

Narrated by: Quyen Ngo

A stunning novel of ancient Vietnam based on the true story of two warrior sisters who raised an army of women to overthrow the Han Chinese and rule as kings over a united people, for listeners of Circe and The Night Tiger.

Gather around, children of Chu Dien, and be brave.
For even to listen to the story of the Trung Sisters is,
in these troubled times, a dangerous act.

In 40 CE, in the Au Lac region of ancient Vietnam, two daughters of a Vietnamese Lord fill their days training, studying, and trying to stay true to Vietnamese traditions. While Trung Trac is disciplined and wise, always excelling in her duty, Trung Nhi is fierce and free spirited, more concerned with spending time in the gardens and with lovers.

But these sister's lives—and the lives of their people—are shadowed by the oppressive rule of the Han Chinese. They are forced to adopt Confucian teachings, secure marriages, and pay ever‑increasing taxes. As the peoples' frustration boils over, the country comes ever closer to the edge of war.

When Trung Trac and Trung Nhi's father is executed, their world comes crashing down around them. With no men to save them against the Han's encroaching regime, they must rise and unite the women of Vietnam into an army. Solidifying their status as champions of women and Vietnam, they usher in a period of freedom and independence for their people.

Vivid, lyrical, and filled with adventure, The Bronze Drum is a true story of standing up for one's people, culture, and country that has been passed down through generations of Vietnamese families through oral tradition. Phong Nguyen's breathtaking novel takes these real women out of legends and celebrates their loves, losses, and resilience in this inspirational story of women's strength and power even in the face of the greatest obstacles.

©2022 Phong Nguyen (P)2022 Grand Central Publishing

fantastic

Great book and great performance. Somebody please please make a movie out of this. Asap!

Great!

Such a very good story and well written and excellently performed. Would make a great movie!

excellent historical fiction.

This is a fantastic rendition of ancient history. I highly recommend. It is beautifully written and performed.

The lack of understanding of Vietnam's ancient history and culture is very unfortunate

I could not finish the book no matter how hard I tried, because of the inaccuracies and exaggerations. For parents who may want their children to read this "historical" novel, be aware that we Viet did not wear the long dress (ao dai) or conical hat (non la) during the Trung Dynasty. Also, Buddhism did not enter Vietnam until a few hundred years later, let alone being so equally organized for both men and women as told in this book. The repetition of the phrase "cung dien Me Linh" does not make the place real or make the story more convincing. The author offers no facts but repeats the phrase as if it is a psychological experiment or propaganda.

Over all, the story is linearly unappealing and characters are flat, be they primary or secondary, and are without depth or charm. The description of Trung Nhi through an event in which she went drinking with a pirate and then got a tattoo speaks loudly about the lack of understanding of both the maternal societal practices back then as well as the body-tattoo practice of old Vietnam.

The various diplomatic missions that Trung Trac carried out were sketchily painted and carelessly constructed. These descriptions took no considerations to the geography of the regions and the means of transportation at the time. Why different Viet groups got together to fight a common foe and then spectacularly failed only a few years later? No reasonable analysis or explanation was put forth.

The technique of naming all characters, including horses or dogs or beggars, does not add depth to the story being told. In contrast, it adds confusions and turns the potentially good book into that of a Vietnamese as a second language document. Quite unnecessary!

Furthermore, the links between the coastline dwellers (Kinh) to the montagnards (Thuong) or the Lac Viet to other Viet groups are superficial, at best. The author ignores these important links, which actually made the rebellion a success. These links were also the cause of the downfall of the Trung Dynasty after only a few short years. One possible explanation for such a fast campaign (which conquered 65 fortresses and territories) & a short tenure is the various Viet groups had been planning this rebellion for quite some time. The annihilation of the Trung house was the last straw that broke the camel's back and set events in motion. After victory, the coalition fell apart possibly because of unfair division of spoils and/or undue recognition of credits. But make no mistake, this event was not triggered by a reactive response to a death of a husband, however beloved.

This book had potentials, but it needed deeper research and analyses, into history and the psychology of a tiny nation living next to a greedy giant. Also, it could use a strong & diligent editor!

I am a Vietnamese Canadian who loves to read, on various subjects. My comments are meant to challenge all authors to take their craft to the next level, which is beyond flowery words, to bring clarity & honesty to the printed pages.