Rating: Striking
"Vietnam wasn’t a
country; it was a cacophony of thumping helicopter blades, flaming thatched
huts, and napalmed jungles." (3)
In the vein
of Truman Capote, Demery humanizes the often demonized First Lady of Vietnam,
Madame Nhu. As the second daughter in a society where sons are esteemed, Tran
Thi Le Xuan held the lowest status in her family. Her fortuitous fate as foretold
by the family astrologer failed to garner the slightest attention. She was
expected to live as the thousands of women before her—a life of domestic
simplicity. Yet, her life changed dramatically upon marrying Ngo Digh Nhu. Gradually
drawn into the very political intrigues she sought to escape upon marriage,
Madame Nhu soon catapulted into the limelight of the Diem regime. Thrust into
exile after the assassination of her husband and brother-in-law, Madame Nhu
never again set foot in her beloved Vietnam.
The infamous
Dragon Lady proves an interesting figure. I wish more of Madame Nhu’s
diary entries were divulged; thereby, unearthing the vulnerable woman behind
the dynamic political persona. However,
the book reveals glimpses of a woman seeking to uncloak her invisibility to her
parents, siblings, husband, and the world—she would not be ignored.
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