Summer Rolls - by Tuyen Do (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

'An emotional story about family, love, and freedom' HEAT MAGAZINE

'A poignant exploration of intergenerational trauma' WARONA JAY

'The women in this house are the same, ' she said. 'When we love, we love with all of ourselves.'

Mai is a teenager. She yearns for knotty, passionate love and dreams of being a photographer. But Mai is also, as her mother Trinh likes to remind her, not like other teenagers: she's first-generation British-Vietnamese, caught between two cultures, navigating life in London and wondering about what once happened in Vietnam.

But Trinh doesn't want to think about what happened in Vietnam - doesn't want to think about the young girl she used to be, the hopes and dreams she once had, and how that all ended when she was forced to flee her war-torn home.

But when secrets from the past finally resurface, their bond begins to fracture. And soon they realise that the ties that bind them together can also break them . . .

Shifting between mother and daughter, Summer Rolls is an epic story of loss and freedom, belonging and hope, and how far we sometimes must go to find our way home.

MORE PRAISE FOR SUMMER ROLLS:

'Visceral and lucid . . . I hurtled towards the end and was captivated throughout' HUMA QURESHI

'Beautiful poetic work . . . A gift of a book' SUDHA BHUCHAR

'An exciting, urgent voice that demands to be heard' JEREMY TIANG

CANDID BOOKCLUB LOVES SUMMER ROLLS:

'A compelling British-Vietnamese coming-of-age story . . . an essential voice'

'Such a beautifully written book'

'Vivid and raw . . . and full of tension'

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SUMMER ROLLS:

'Rich, intimate, and emotionally layered'

'This is more than a book, it's a gift'

'It will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between'

'This book made me feel seen, proud, and more connected to my family's story'

'Beautifully written . . . will stay with you long after you finish reading'

About the Author

Tuyen Do is a British East Asian writer and actor. She has been part of the Royal Court's studio writing group, Tamasha Playwrights, and Bristol Old Vic's open session writers' programme. Her debut play 'Summer Rolls' was performed at the Park Theatre and Bristol Old Vic. Much of her creative work stems from her British Vietnamese roots.