My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser - by Jamie Jo Hoang (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Told in dual POV, this gripping companion piece to My Father, the Panda Killer, follows a teenage son who defies his sister's wishes by searching for more information about their absent mother. Meanwhile, his mother's poignant backstory reveals her struggle with grief and longing, culminating in her heart-wrenching decision to leave her children.

"With sweeping lyricism, this novel unflinchingly explores survival and resilience. A haunting and beautiful reminder of the continual mending of the wounds from wars long past. Laugh, cry, and cheer as Paul steals the pages and Ngọc Lan claims your heart." -Kim Johnson, award-winning author of This Is My America

San Jose, 2008 Paul yearns to know more about the mother who abandoned his family, but she is the only topic no one discusses. Now's he's in Vietnam, feeling displaced and considered an outsider. Plus, a ghost is haunting him even though he doesn't believe in ghosts. His cousin and the grandmother he's never met before now keep telling him that he'll get answers only if he's willing to open his ears.

Vũng Tâu, 1975 Ngọc Lan is eleven when her family breaks apart: her brother is drafted into the army; her father leaves on the last helicopter to the US. She and her sister are sent from Vietnam on a harrowing journey by boat. Only Ngọc Lan will survive. But what is the American dream when you are haunted by the death of your sister, missing your homeland; seeing ghostly mermaid sightings; lost in an abusive marriage; struggling as a parent?

Told in the alternating perspectives of Paul and Ngọc Lan, My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser is a haunting story about the intergenerational effects of war, estranged family bonds, and how a teenager discovers a new connection to a lost part of himself.

About the Author

Jamie Jo Hoang is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees. She grew up in Orange County, CA--not the rich part--and worked as a docuseries producer before shifting to writing full-time. Her debut young adult novel, My Father, The Panda Killer, was named one of NPR's Books We Love and received an Honorable Mention from the Freeman Book Awards. Hoang is also the author of the award-winning adult novel Blue Sun, Yellow Sky, which was named one of the best books of the year by Kirkus Reviews and won a silver medal at the Independent Publishers Awards. Her work has been published in TIME, SALON, and Tiny Buddha. When she's not writing, Hoang loves to take long walks, travel, and scuba dive. She lives in house covered in Post-It Notes with her husband and son.