The Sympathizer

[Stephen Denney]

I am curious if anyone in this watching The Sympathizer on HBO or has read the novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen, and if so how accurately does it represent conditions in Vietnam during the war?

Steve Denney

(Not an Old Hack, just old)

[Carl Robinson]

I've asked the same question of my fellow Old Hacks, Steve, and haven't received any response, only Jim Laurie's link to a story about Vietnamese actors.   I have also posted reviews.  Personally, as I made clear at the time, I never liked Viet's novel for its lack of credibility and over-reliance on English-language sources, plus only a five year old kid leaving Vietnam.  (Now he's the "go to" guy for mainstream "think pieces" on the Vietnamese refugee experience.  Saves em doing something themselves, I guess.) Anyway, maybe nobody is watching movies and streamed stuff any more because it's all so vacuous boring and EDI.  ha ha

Carl

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[Donald Kirk]

Actually, I read the novel when it came out and thought it was great, deserving of the prizes it won. From all I've heard from others, it was pretty realistic. Highly recommend it.

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[Arnold Isaacs]

I reviewed The Sympathizer (together with Michael Putzel's book The
Price They Paid). I agree with Don Kirk, thought it was a strikingly
good piece of fiction. The review, which ran in a now defunct online
magazine, is attached.

Skip Isaacs

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[David Brown]

I'd give the first 90% of The Sympathiser a B+ for plausible authenticity.  I recall the last part, a dialogue between the protagonist and a senior CPV cadre who struck me as a knockoff of Dostoevsky's 'Grand Inquisitor,' as contrived and interminable.  Regards to all, David Brown 

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