‘A marvel’ Marlon James

Brilliant, heart-breaking and highly original, discover Ocean Vuong’s shattering coming of age novel. This is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family’s history that began before he was born.

It tells of Vietnam, of the lasting impact of war, and of his family’s struggle to forge a new future. And it serves as a doorway into parts of Little Dog’s life his mother has never known – episodes of bewilderment, fear and passion – all the while moving closer to an unforgettable revelation. ‘Reminded me that every word can be an incantation, and that beauty does hard and important work’ Rebecca Solnit