{"id":2305,"date":"2025-03-18T06:24:52","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T06:24:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=2305"},"modified":"2025-03-18T06:24:52","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T06:24:52","slug":"she-is-a-haunting-by-trang-thanh-tran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=2305","title":{"rendered":"She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran"},"content":{"rendered":"

She Is a Haunting<\/em> marks Trang Thanh Tran\u2019s debut novel\u2014an ambitious blend of gothic horror, coming-of-age narrative<\/a>, and post-colonial commentary that creeps under your skin with the persistence of the parasites that inhabit its pages. Set against the misty backdrop of \u0110\u00e0 L\u1ea1t, Vietnam, this novel follows Jade Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American teenager visiting her estranged father for a summer that promises college tuition but delivers nightmares instead.<\/p>\n

At its heart, the novel explores how spaces can become parasitic\u2014feeding on human emotions, histories, and vulnerabilities. The central image of Nh\u00e0 Hoa (literally \u201cFlower House\u201d) serves as both setting and antagonist\u2014a French colonial structure with a hunger that extends beyond mere metaphor. Unfortunately, while Tran crafts scenes of genuine unease and body horror that will satisfy genre fans, the novel sometimes buckles under the weight of its ambitious themes and metaphors.<\/p>\n

Colonialism, Identity, and the Hunger for Belonging<\/h2>\n

Tran masterfully uses horror as a vehicle to explore the lingering trauma of colonialism. The French colonial house doesn\u2019t just represent occupation\u2014it actively continues it through literal and metaphorical consumption:<\/p>\n

\u201cCe sont tous des parasites,\u201d goes the French from Marion\u2019s mouth. They are all parasites. She picks a fresh oyster from the platter Cam carries back. \u201cIf they\u2019re not working, they\u2019re scheming. Should we not keep them busy, then?\u201d<\/h4>\n

This parasitic relationship extends brilliantly to Jade\u2019s struggle with her Vietnamese-American identity. Neither fully Vietnamese nor fully American, she exists in a liminal space that the novel explores with nuance:<\/p>\n

\u201cI am a tourist in the country where my parents were born. Even my clothes have been here before me. All made in Vietnam by Vietnamese hands, then sent overseas where a Vietnamese American girl (that\u2019s me) picks it off the rack and one day brings it to a place she can\u2019t call home but the clothes can, if inanimate objects could claim shit.\u201d<\/h4>\n

The author excels at illustrating how colonialism creates an internalized sense of not belonging that haunts generations long after colonial powers have physically departed. This exploration of cultural identity<\/a> provides the novel\u2019s strongest and most resonant themes.<\/p>\n

Language as Barrier and Bridge<\/h2>\n

Tran\u2019s thoughtful incorporation of Vietnamese language without excessive translation represents one of the novel\u2019s strengths. The protagonist\u2019s limited grasp of her heritage language creates realistic barriers while also highlighting her journey toward reclamation:<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a Vietnamese tongue,\u201d I snap, catching up to her on the steps. Technically, Florence is right. I can\u2019t read Vietnamese, despite Mom\u2019s efforts over the tonal rises and falls for each accent mark. It was always easier speaking English like everyone else.<\/h4>\n

These language barriers reflect the larger theme of cultural disconnection\u2014how colonial legacies create ruptures in cultural transmission<\/a> that haunt subsequent generations. However, the occasional overreliance on language barriers as plot devices sometimes feels convenient rather than organic to the story.<\/p>\n

Gothic Horror with Teeth (and Feelers)<\/h2>\n

Where Tran truly shines is in creating visceral body horror that will make readers\u2019 skin crawl:<\/p>\n

\u201cSitting by the fireplace, the canvas of bone white behind her, Cam dangles it over her mouth by one end.<\/h4>\n

\u2018F*ck no,\u2019 I say, recoiling despite this not being real. Like a rearing snake, the centipede\u2019s long front pincers snap into her slender cheek.<\/h4>\n

She shoves its middle, legs and all, between her teeth in a sickening crunch.\u201d<\/h4>\n

The novel\u2019s most effective horror elements come from its unflinching focus on consumption\u2014whether that\u2019s physical ingestion of insects, psychological possession<\/a>, or cultural appropriation. The parasitic imagery creates a consistent through-line that elevates the horror beyond mere spectacle.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the supernatural elements sometimes suffer from inconsistent rules. The ghosts\u2019 abilities and limitations shift according to plot needs rather than established logic, which undermines some of the tension the novel works hard to build.<\/p>\n

Character Connections and Disconnections<\/h2>\n

The heart of She Is a Haunting<\/em> lies in its exploration of familial relationships, particularly between Jade and her father, Ba. Their estrangement and tentative reconnection form the emotional core of the novel:<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018What?\u2019 Shrimp falls from my b\u00e1nh x\u00e8o. The website was always part of the deal, thanks to programming classes, but he\u2019d said nothing about a group project.\u201d<\/h4>\n

While Jade\u2019s relationship with her sister Lily provides authentic moments of both conflict and tenderness, the romantic subplot between Jade and Florence often feels underdeveloped despite its potential. Their connection lacks the depth and nuance given to the family relationships, making it difficult to fully invest in their romance amidst the horror elements competing for narrative space.<\/p>\n

Structural Foundations: Plot and Pacing<\/h2>\n

The novel\u2019s structure mimics its content\u2014sometimes unsettlingly effective, other times disjointed in ways that don\u2019t serve the narrative. The beginning draws readers in with immediate tension and creeping dread, but the middle section struggles with pacing issues as Jade\u2019s false haunting plans and website development stretch across too many chapters without significant advancement.<\/p>\n

By the climactic house fire, some readers may find the resolution simultaneously too abrupt and too convenient. The final act burns through plot developments at breakneck speed, raising questions about character motivations that remain partially unresolved.<\/p>\n

Strengths and Weaknesses<\/h2>\n

What Works:<\/h3>\n

Atmospheric horror<\/strong> that creates genuine unease through visceral descriptions
\nCultural commentary<\/strong> on colonialism woven seamlessly into the supernatural elements
\nComplex protagonist<\/strong> with realistic flaws and compelling identity struggles
\nIntergenerational trauma<\/strong> depicted with nuance and emotional resonance
\nInnovative narrative structure<\/strong> with segments from the house\u2019s perspective<\/p>\n

What Falters:<\/h3>\n

Inconsistent pacing<\/strong>, particularly in the middle sections
\nSupernatural rules<\/strong> that sometimes bend for plot convenience
\nSide characters<\/strong> who occasionally lack depth beyond their relationship to the protagonist
\nRomantic subplot<\/strong> that doesn\u2019t receive sufficient development
\nThematic exploration<\/strong> that sometimes becomes heavy-handed<\/p>\n

Final Assessment<\/h2>\n

She Is a Haunting<\/em> represents an impressive debut that showcases Trang Thanh Tran\u2019s talent for atmospheric horror and cultural commentary. The novel\u2019s central metaphor of parasitic relationships\u2014whether between colonizer and colonized, parent and child, or house and inhabitant\u2014creates a thematically rich foundation for its horror elements.<\/p>\n

Despite structural issues and occasionally uneven character development, the novel succeeds in creating a memorable exploration of cultural identity through a horror lens. Readers seeking Vietnamese representation in gothic literature will find much to appreciate, even as they navigate the occasionally frustrating plot developments.<\/p>\n

For fans of books like Silvia Moreno-Garcia\u2019s Mexican Gothic<\/em><\/a> or Tiffany D. Jackson\u2019s White Smoke<\/em>, Tran\u2019s debut offers similar explorations of how spaces inherit and perpetuate historical traumas. However, those seeking tightly plotted horror with consistent supernatural rules might find themselves occasionally frustrated by the novel\u2019s narrative choices.<\/p>\n

Who Should Read This Book<\/h2>\n

She Is a Haunting<\/em> will appeal most to readers who:<\/p>\n

Enjoy atmospheric horror with cultural and historical dimensions
\nAppreciate LGBTQ+ representation in genre fiction
\nAre interested in explorations of Vietnamese and Vietnamese-American identity
\nDon\u2019t mind some pacing issues if the atmosphere and themes resonate
\nLike their horror with literary aspirations and metaphorical depth<\/p>\n

Comparable Titles<\/h2>\n

Mexican Gothic<\/em><\/a> by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
\nWhite Smoke<\/em> by Tiffany D. Jackson
\nThe Year of the Witching<\/em> by Alexis Henderson
\nHouse of Hollow<\/em> by Krystal Sutherland
\nThe Final Girl Support Group<\/em> by Grady Hendrix<\/p>\n

She Is a Haunting<\/em> reminds us that the most terrifying hauntings aren\u2019t just supernatural\u2014they\u2019re the legacies of historical trauma that continue to feed on successive generations. Trang Thanh Tran has crafted a novel that, despite its structural imperfections, leaves readers with the unsettling sense that some hungers can never truly be satisfied, and some houses never stop consuming, even after they\u2019ve burned to the ground.<\/p>\n

Like the parasitic insects that populate its pages, this novel burrows under your skin and leaves parts of itself behind\u2014for better and for worse.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

She Is a Haunting marks Trang Thanh Tran\u2019s debut novel\u2014an ambitious blend of gothic horror, coming-of-age narrative, and post-colonial commentary that creeps under your skin with the persistence of the parasites that inhabit its pages. Set against the misty backdrop of \u0110\u00e0 L\u1ea1t, Vietnam, this novel follows Jade Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American teenager visiting her estranged […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bookreviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2305"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2305"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2305\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}