She Is a Haunting

She Is a Haunting is a captivating exploration of identity, heritage, and the shadows of the past, by Trang Thanh Tran. Set against the backdrop of Vietnam, the narrative follows Jade Nguyen, a young woman who embarks on a transformative summer with her estranged father, who is deeply engrossed in restoring a colonial house.

The Plot

As Jade grapples with her mixed feelings about her father and her Vietnamese heritage, she becomes increasingly troubled by eerie visions. Among these haunting manifestations is the ghost of a bride, who delivers an ominous warning against eating.

When her father and little sister refuse to believe her, Jade decides to frighten them into leaving by staging some hauntings of her own, recruiting Florence, the daughter of her dad's business associate, who proves more of a distraction than she expected. But the house is hungry, and it has no intention of being abandoned again. Her struggle draws readers into questions of identity and the lingering effects of colonisation, making it a poignant reflection on the complexities of familial bonds.

Themes

• Identity and Belonging: The narrative delves into the intricacies of cultural identity and the search for belonging.
• Colonial Legacy: It examines the enduring impacts of colonialism on personal and collective histories.
• Gothic Ghost Story: A hungry house and a ghostly bride make for a deliciously spooky read.