“Who am I but someone others define? It’s easier to be a stereotype. It hurts when you are yourself.”
― Trang Thanh Tran, She Is a Haunting
Trang Thanh Tran’s debut novel, She is a Haunting, is a young adult gothic fantasy and mystery with ghosts, colonialism, and queer themes. Honestly I don’t know what I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised by this novel with the exception of the bugs. There are SO MANY bugs in this novel that I found myself having to take a break to make sure there weren’t any crawling near me. *shiver* Let’s get into the book!
Jade Nguyen wants to go to college, but her parents’ relationship is making things hard. Her parents have been separated for the last four years. Her father left the family and went to Vietnam to start a business, leaving Jade, her mother, her younger sister, and her younger brother behind. When Jade discovers that she isn’t eligible for loans, she strikes up a deal with her father. If she spends the summer with him in Vietnam fixing up an old house that he plans to turn into a bed and breakfast, he will pay for a year of her college. Sounds like a pretty easy deal to her, but as soon as she shows up in Vietnam, everything feels off.
Jade has never quite fit in – in America she’s not American enough, while in Vietnam she’s not Vietnamese enough. After a falling out with her best friend, Jade isn’t sure if she’s straight enough anymore. In Vietnam, Jade isn’t impressed with the decaying French colonial house that her family used to work in and that her father has chosen to restore, but when she believes she can make it the five weeks to get her tuition money. Quickly though, things start falling apart. She has paralyzing bad dreams, is visited by ghosts, and is certain there are bugs crawling around her. Her father and sister don’t believe her, leaving Jade with no choice but to stage some hauntings of her own. The downside is the house isn’t a fan of her meddling and has decided to make its presence known. Jade and her family are in danger, but she isn’t sure what to do to break the hold.
Interested in this book? She is a Haunting is the January See YA Book Club pick. We will be discussing this book on Wednesday, January 7th at 6:30pm at our Eastern Avenue branch. For more information about future See YA book picks, visit our website.
Join our adult book club with a teen book twist. See why so many teen books are being turned into movies and are taking over the best seller lists.
Registration is not required. Books are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Eastern Avenue library. We meet the first Wednesday of the month at Eastern at 6:30pm. Stop by the service desk for more information.
Wednesday March 4th session will be meeting in the Story Room.
January 7 – She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
February 4 – Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter
March 4 – The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
April 1 – Looking for Smoke by KA Cobell
May 6 – If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang
June 3 – Shut Up, This is Serious by Carolina Ixta