Born at the close of WWII, Mai Nguyen grows up in a close, loving family in a small village near Hue, Vietnam. Her relatives fought against the French forces in the 1950s, and she eventually follows in their footsteps during the Vietnam War as a nationalist who opposes the Vietnam government forces and the Americans. She is a member of the National Liberation Front, also known as the Viet Cong. By 1968, she is also the sole survivor of her family. In The Shadows of the River paints a vivid picture of Hue, Vietnam, and the majestic Perfume River. It explores the conflict and horrors of war,...