The debut novel from Author Trinity Nguyen, A Bánh Mì for Two is an endearing sapphic romance story set against the beautiful backdrop of Sài Gòn, Vietnam. Nguyen skillfully commands the hearts of her readers, tackling many heavy themes all while maintaining a playful and refreshing tone.
The novel alternates narration between chapters amongst its two main characters, Lan and Vivi, offering an intimate glimpse into their lives. Lan is a young adult from Vietnam, who along with her mother, has taken up the duties of her family’s Bánh Mì stall following the passing of her father. Amid her grief, she struggles to maintain her food blog A Bánh Mì for Two which was a passion project started with a little guidance from her father.
Vivi, on the other hand, is a Vietnamese American girl from Orange County, California, who has come to Sài Gòn via a study abroad program. She seeks answers about her family’s history, something her mother has long kept as a mystery. She also happens to be a huge fan of Lan’s A Bánh Mì for Two and hopes to meet her and inquire about the recent halt in blog posts.
As fate even puts the pair together, the two realize that they can support each other and resolve some of the issues that have been on their minds. Vivi offers to help Lan get over her writer’s block in order to enter a blogging contest that could change Lan’s life. In return, Lan agrees to help navigate Vivi through the bustling streets of Sài Gòn to try and help her uncover answers for her mothers past.
Nguyen’s vivid portrayal of the city of Sài Gòn was incredibly immersive, being filled with descriptive details that left me salivating with the turn of a page. From the active and crowded streets to feeling the stickiness of Vietnam’s humidity, or breathing in the tantalizing smells coming from street food vendors, Nguyen developed the atmosphere of the city, giving it its own life amongst the pages. (In fact the descriptions were so good I couldn’t help but to look up some of the dishes mentioned in the story to get a chance for me to try them myself!)
I particularly appreciated the way elements of Vietnamese culture were intertwined with the storyline. The inclusion of the Vietnamese language throughout the entire story gave the reader a deep dive into some of the cultural nuances that exist amongst the Vietnamese people. The novel also addresses the lingering consequences of colonization and war affecting the city of Sài Gòn and its residents. However, Nguyen’s best achievement was depicting and addressing different family dynamics showcasing the cultural bonds between generations.
While some parts of the story veer into cheesiness, seeing the chemistry build between the two characters was undoubtedly heartwarming. Vivi and Lan bring out the best in one another and throughout every interaction, we see how quickly the two’s moods change once they come together. When we see Vivi struggle with finding her identity, Lan reassures her that she is a product of all those that have come before her, and when Lan juggles with the idea of exploring the world Vivi encourages her to pursue her dreams. We can see how much love Lan has for the city that raised her, and as she shares its rich culture with Vivi, we as the reader get to explore with her.
Overall, A Bánh Mì for Two was an amazing summer read filled with an immersive cultural experience, complete with delicious food and stunning sights, transporting readers directly to the city of Sài Gòn. With its cute and charming queer love story, and incredibly relatable themes for many children of immigrants, Trinity Nguyen delivers on her debut book and leaves me eagerly awaiting her next release!
