Flesh is quite a work of historical fiction. I know very little about Vietnam and its history. I basically have a limited knowledge of the war in Vietnam and that's about it. Khanh Ha has really brought turn of the century Annam (now Vietnam) to life. Tai's story is shocking and poignant. To see your father beheaded for the crimes he committed would be such a traumatic experience. What we learn early on is that honor is very important in Tai's culture and he is on a quest to find his father's skull and the man who betrayed his father in order to honor him. It's quite a journey.I've noticed that others have remarked of the dark, dream-like, or moody quality of Ha's writing. What I liked the most was his use of rich historical detail to tell what really is a great story. This is my first foray into Asian literature (long overdue) and I am very pleased. I look forward to future works by Mr. Ha. Definitely give this one a read, dear readers.
