Top 10 Vietnamese Novels You Should Read

The Southern Forest Land is a novel by Đoàn Giỏi that tells the story of a young boy named An and his life of wandering. Set in the Mekong Delta in Southern Vietnam during the 1945 period, after the French colonialists returned to reclaim the region, the novel portrays the struggles of the time.

Nguyễn An, the young protagonist, lives with his parents in the city right after Vietnam's independence on September 2, 1945. When the French forces returned to invade Southern Vietnam, the French army launched attacks, forcing the local population to flee. An and his family were among those who had to abandon their home and escape from the invading forces. An remembers a friend who gave him a compass during a voyage, but he was unable to bring it along.

As An and his parents move from one area to another in the Mekong Delta, he befriends children of his age and experiences the peaceful countryside life. However, their temporary stability is always disrupted as the enemy forces continue to attack. During one of these attacks, An gets separated from his family and becomes a lost, wandering child.

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Dreamy Eyes tells the story of Ngạn, the protagonist, who grew up in a village called Đo Đo (the same birthplace of the author Nguyễn Nhật Ánh). Alongside him was his childhood friend Hà Lan, a girl with stunningly beautiful eyes. The two shared countless memories of their childhood, playing in the hills and drumming at school.

As they grew older, their friendship slowly turned into Ngạn’s unspoken love for Hà Lan. When they moved to the city for further studies, Ngạn's heart was always with Hà Lan and their village, while Hà Lan succumbed to the temptations of city life, falling into the arms of Dũng, a wealthy, stylish, and martial arts-skilled young man, though lacking in moral integrity. Hà Lan's relationship with Dũng caused Ngạn much pain, but his love for her remained selfless, and he always wanted her happiness. Every time Dũng hurt Hà Lan, she would confide in Ngạn, making him even more heartbroken.

There was one occasion when Ngạn fought Dũng because of Hà Lan. Although he lost the fight, it taught him to let go of his hero complex and his tendency to fight for Hà Lan’s honor. From then on, his feelings towards Hà Lan’s confessions became less intense. Hà Lan became pregnant but was abandoned by Dũng. She sent her child, Trà Long, to her grandmother for care. Though Hà Lan knew how much Ngạn loved her, she couldn’t reciprocate, as she realized her desires for a completely different lifestyle.

Ngạn, however, continued to care deeply for Hà Lan’s child, Trà Long, whom he raised with love. Trà Long grew up to become a village school teacher and adored Ngạn. While everyone thought Trà Long would be a continuation of Hà Lan in Ngạn’s life, Ngạn eventually decided to leave, realizing that Trà Long was merely a shadow of Hà Lan.

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A novel by the author Ma Văn Kháng, completed in December 1982 and first published in 1985. The Fall of Leaves in the Garden revolves around the family of Mr. Bằng, a retired postal worker living in Hanoi. Mr. Bằng has five sons. The eldest, Tường, died on the battlefield, and his wife Hoài remarried but still often writes to keep in touch with the family.

The second son, Đông, is a former lieutenant colonel who now lives a simple, somewhat lazy life with his hardworking and quick-witted wife, Lý. The third son, Luận, is a thoughtful and introspective journalist, married to Phượng, a kind-hearted woman who is always ready to help others.

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If you are a fan of Nguyễn Nhật Ánh's remarkable works, you definitely cannot miss the novel Please Give Me a Ticket to My Childhood. This book is a long story written by Nguyễn Nhật Ánh.

The novel consists of several short stories surrounding four children from the same neighborhood: Tủn, Tí sún, Hải cò, and Mùi. The narrator is Mùi, told from the perspective of “young Mùi” and with reflections and insights from “old Mùi” nearing fifty years old. Alongside this, the parents’ stories and the funny, sometimes sad events bring the reader back to the innocence and joy of childhood.

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The story begins in Đo Đo, a small village in Bình Quế commune, Thăng Bình district, Quảng Nam province. Đông, an 18-year-old student from Saigon, returns to visit his hometown during the summer break. He left the village at the age of 8 to move south with his family, but he recalls his carefree, peaceful childhood filled with activities like playing with spinning tops, flying kites, making coconut thread Tết decorations, and picking bottle caps. Now, he seeks to relive those beautiful memories.

His cousin Thục invites him to the Kế Xuyên market, where he unexpectedly meets Rùa, a girl with a difficult life story. Her father passed away early, her mother abandoned her, and she’s been sick for the last four years. At 14, Rùa is still in elementary school, in grade 5. The name “Rùa” (Turtle) was given to her by the children in the village to tease her for not being able to ride a bicycle, and it became her nickname. Đông truly notices her when he sees her peeking outside his door while he reads the next day, and from that moment, a beautiful friendship begins to blossom between them.

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This novel reflects the inner war of the character Kiên, vividly capturing the traumatic experience of war in his mind. It is a journey backward, against the natural course of life, where Kiên merely exists. Time becomes disordered, the space is shattered, and everything turns into fragmented pieces stitched together by Kiên’s memories. Each battle, every person, every cherished moment emerges only to break apart again with the collapse of the character. The Sorrow of War is a call from the past, from those who have fallen beneath the layers of war’s dust, from barren lands that the protagonist traverses. What has been extinguished continues to live on in the protagonist’s thoughts.

The novel also delves into Kiên’s internal struggles, his torment, guilt, and inner turmoil, shaped by death, love, regrets, and remorse. Behind the destruction, death, and suffering of war lies beauty, life, and vitality as seen through the author’s experience. This is conveyed through Kiên’s perspective – both realistic and surreal, distant and near. The past calls to him, irresistible and captivating, yet Kiên cannot forget it. The deeper he goes into his memories, the further he moves away from the present. The more he connects with the reality, the more he becomes trapped in the past. As time passes, the memories become increasingly vivid and powerful.

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This novel revolves around the lives, struggles, and sacrifices of teenagers, aged 13 and 14, who serve in the Youth Scout Division of the Trần Cao Vân Regiment. It vividly describes the involvement of over thirty young soldiers, focusing on key characters like Lượm, Mừng, Quỳnh Sơn Ca, and several others such as Tư Dát, Bồng Da Rắn, and Vịnh Sưa.

The book shares a character system reminiscent of 'The Days of Fire and Smoke' and other short stories from the same period, giving readers the sense that multiple works from this era explore the same real-life group of characters. Fierce Childhood is a heart-wrenching tale, but Phùng Quán's witty and intelligent writing brings both depth and humor to the narrative. I believe that Fierce Childhood is a fantastic resource for educating today's youth on patriotism and virtuous qualities that are increasingly rare in modern times.

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True to its title, this is a romantic novel about love, told in a completely new and unique style by the author Nguyễn Nhật Ánh.

Once Upon a Time, There Was a Love Story is a touching tale of love, of yearning for a gentle, warm happiness; or perhaps it’s simply a story of three people – him, her, and the one they both care about. As readers open the book, they will experience the gentle breeze of love, as it shines on the face of a girl in winter; the sweetness of a first kiss, the warmth of a first embrace, the tears, and the final, heartfelt hug of a love that endures. And in the end, readers will find their own answer to this beautiful love story.

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I See Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass is a coming-of-age novel by Nguyễn Nhật Ánh, first published in Vietnam on December 9, 2010, by Nhà xuất bản Trẻ, with illustrations by Đỗ Hoàng Tường. This novel is one of Nguyễn Nhật Ánh's longer works, following his previous novel 'Dream Island' and preceding 'Leaves Within Leaves.' The story is akin to a journal that captures the everyday life of children in a poor Vietnamese countryside, emphasizing the themes of sibling love, village unity, and the emotions of adolescence. For the first time, Nguyễn Nhật Ánh introduces antagonistic characters into his narrative, addressing moral issues like indifference and evil.

The story unfolds as a diary of a boy named Thiều, a seventh-grade student living in a rural area with his younger brother Tường. Tường is a gentle and kind-hearted boy, who adores his older brother and enjoys playing with animals, including insects and snakes. He is introspective, loves reading, and is fascinated by fairy tales.

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Each story in The Endless Field carries a sense of sorrow, leaving a lasting impression and deep emotional resonance after reading. The stories are profound but not difficult to understand or abstract.

The blend of tragedy and humor makes the reader laugh through their tears, and by the end, all that remains is a sigh. One story features a man whose son, named Cải, leaves home. In his desperate search, the man resorts to stealing a buffalo, hoping to get caught and appear on TV just to say, 'Cải, it's Dad, come home.'

Yet, what stands out in each story is the humanity, optimism, and resilience of the people from the Mekong Delta. Despite the numerous hardships and suffering life throws at them, they never give up.

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