Summary

In Chapter 1, “November 1978—Vung Tham, Vietnam,” over the years following her parents’ and siblings’ deaths, Thi Anh will “hold on to that last evening” together as a family (3). Determined to leave Vietnam, her parents made a plan to flee the country and relocate to America where her uncle lived. Anh was to take her brothers Thanh and Minh ahead, and their parents, sisters Mai and Van, brother Dao, and baby Hoang, would meet them at the camp in Hong Kong.

After they packed, Anh’s family had dinner together. Although the children worried about making it to the camp and to America, their father assured them the plan would work (9). Later, Anh told her sister she was not afraid. She now realizes this was a lie (12).

“Three months later, Anh stood on a beach” on Hong Kong’s coast and identified the drowned...