Summary

In Chapter 7, “August 2022—Koh Kra Island, Thailand,” a guide “brings tourists from the luxury resorts on the island of Ko Chang to snorkel in the reefs of nearby Koh Kra” (45). Vietnamese words are “coarsely scratched” into the island ruins (47).

In Chapter 8, “May 1979—Kai Tak Refugee Camp, Hong Kong,” when Anh and her brothers encountered a man beaten to death in the camp, Anh worried about her family’s future. Then, when the UN officer told them they would “be leaving for the United Kingdom in three weeks’ time,” she wondered if she had made a mistake about America (51).

In Chapter 9, “May 1979—Kai Tak Refugee Camp, Hong Kong,” while Anh and Minh packed for the UK, Thanh sat outside the hunt. Overwhelmed by grief and anxiety, he “tore the photograph” of his late family members “to pieces” (53). Later, he regretted destroying “this last tangible...