Chaos

The Unwanted by Kien, Nguyen, opens swirling in chaos. It begins in such a beautiful, peaceful and idyllic setting. It is unsettling how quickly life unravels for Madame Khuon and her family. One moment they are having extravagant parties without a care in the world, next they are living in squalor with her sister.  It is at once satisfying and heartbreaking seeing Madame Khuon fall from grace. Even penniless, she is still arrogant and hateful towards people, including her own children. It is unsettling the way she treats her own children and her unborn child.  Its interesting that Khuon brings her nail polish collection with her to her sister's house. Her vanity is still her most prized possession. In spite of losing her home, her business and most of her valuables, Khuon struggles to hold onto her past life even if its only in the form of her bottles of nail polish. To her, they represent what she used to be. At a time when the world is crashing down around her, the nail polish is like a security blanket to her. Perhaps her nails polish makes her feel like she is still the same elegant and powerful women she once was, feared by all, desired by many. In spite of her selfishness, her strength and perseverance are undeniable. She accepts the mistreatment of government officials and apologizes to her former gardener who exacts his revenge on her. She recovers from the night spent in jail and carries on still holding on to what shred of her dignity remains. People enjoy watching others fall from grace. It is at once satisfying and painful watching Madame Khuon be mistreated and having her fortune and social status stripped away. No matter what happens to her, Khuon is still the elegant fierce woman from the beginning of the book. Time and hard work take a toll on her body and her looks, but she maintains her fierce personality.

By Christina B.