An unforgettable tale of a young girl caught between two worlds in French Indochina

Nicole Duval is an eighteen-year-old half-French, half Vietnamese girl living in Hanoi in 1952 in French Indochina. Her mother who was Vietnamese died giving birth to her and she lives with her French father and her beautiful older sister Sylvie.

The story begins when Nicole’s father hands control of his entire business to Sylvie and Nicole receives a small silk shop in the Vietnamese quarter. This enhances Nicole’s belief that Sylvie, who has inherited her father’s French looks, is superior to her and is more loved, Nicole has inherited her mother’s looks and is also emotional and impetuous. She also meets and falls in love with an American Mark who has previously dated her sister so again feels second-best.

Once she starts working in her shop she discovers a different view to life in Hanoi as she mixes with the Vietnamese people and sees the hardship of their lives under French rule. This is not made easier when she becomes involved with a Vietnamese militant called Tran who tries to force his views upon her. Torn between her two cultures Nicole struggles to decide whether she is on the French or Vietnamese side as the conflict escalates in the countryside outside Hanoi.

Her decision is helped when she accidently witnesses the murder of a young Vietnamese boy by her father and with her sister and Mark present. Not knowing who to trust she leaves home to follow Tran but soon realises the horrors of the Vietmien’s (precursors of the Vietcong) way of life and beliefs. She manages to escape and return to Hanoi and rekindles her relationship with Mark becoming pregnant and finally discovers the family secret regarding her birth and the truth about her sister.

I absolutely loved this book, not so much because of the plot which, in some places, was a little far-fetched and I was never absolutely convinced about the romance between Nicole and Mark, but because it is so beautifully written. I know very little about this period of history and I feel that I now understand why this conflict started. It is such a shame that it eventually became more about Communism versus America in the Vietnam war that I am old enough to remember.

The descriptions of Hanoi during this period are so beautifully written, you can feel the vibrancy and colour mixed in with the pain and suffering of the people. This is quite a long book but I read it in a couple of days because I found it so easy to immerse myself in the writing and loved the style of this author. The only drawback that I can think of is I now have to find time to read the previous novels written by Dinah Jeffries as I so enjoyed this book!

Dexter

I absolutely loved this book. It is beautifully written, and paints a wonderful picture of the area at this time. I loved all the twists and turns, and wasn't quite sure how it would turn out. Looking forward to reading more of her books.

I became totally engrossed in Nicole's story , she is torn between the French traditions she grew up with and the Vietnamese struggle to end French rule.She struggles to decide whether her loyalties lie with her cruel French father, her sister and her american lover Mark, or with the Vietnamese nation of her close friends and her mother. This novel includes romance,intrigue and terrorism and I found it difficult to put down.

Dinah Jeffries' books never turn out to be what I expect when I first start and it's great - I love the descriptions of the geography which give me great pictures in my head of the surrounds.. I can't wait for the next book from her.

Ever since a young age, I’ve been fascinated by the idea of being born into two cultures. Are you inevitably drawn more towards one than the other or do you feel part of both – or belong to neither? Nicole finds herself having to choose in the most heart breaking way between her Vietnamese and French nationality. Set in the days of French colonialism, the writing is on the wall. I was immediately drawn into the period and the descriptions of Vietnam are superb. Dinah Jefferies manages to convey both the beauty and the horror of the era. The descriptions of the silk are equally well done and I wonder just how long it took to research this book? I enjoyed every minute and didn’t want it to end.

Hotly anticipated, this book didn’t fail to please. I so enjoyed The Tea Planter’s Wife that I hardly dared to hope for another Asian odyssey but Dinah has crafted yet another tale of wonder, adventure and heartache exploring another country and time in such a formative and enjoyable way. The tale pre-empts the Vietnam War that we are all familiar with and lays out a little of the history and precursors to it but more than that, unveils a colonial era and place new to me – which I so enjoyed. The main character, Nicole is eighteen and the daughter of a French ‘Businessman’ and Vietnamese mother, who died in childbirth. Her older sister Sylvie is handed control of the family silk business whilst Nicole is merely given a silk shop in the Vietnamese quarter of Hanoi. She befriends Vietnamese who have connections with the rebels and sees colonial rule through their eyes. She is shocked to discover her own family’s involvement in the corruption that abounds and joins the rebels in an effort to escape her troubled family life. All the while, she dreams of her perfect American, Mark who she thought she knew but who also abuses her trust. In a world of smoke and mirrors, Nicole struggles to find anyone to really trust and must fight for survival on more than one occasion. She eventually rekindles her relationship with Mark using a little deception herself and has his baby. The story twists between two very different worlds that are rubbing alongside each other and through the collapse of French rule. Dark family secrets are gradually unravelled and the causes of the sisters’ rivalry is examined. The story is one of survival against all odds and love which is tested to the limits…a great read and one that I will be recommending.

A terrific read that paints the sights and smells of Hanoi so vividly it takes every ounce of will power not to book a plane ticket there and then. Plus a fascinating insight into the conflict between the Vietnamese and the French and the beginnings of the Vietnam war

This is the third book I have read by Dinah Jefferies. Whilst the first two were good the story and writing have taken a leap forward in The Silk Merchant's Daughter.

The story focuses on Nicole the daughter of a French father and Vietnamese mother. Nicole takes after her mother in looks and her sister takes after her father.

In the turmoil of the conflict between the French and Vietnamese for control of the country Nicole is torn in her loyalty to her country and family.

It was facinating to have an insight into the history and culture of Vietnam alongside an excellent and engrossing story. Along with the descriptions of the scenery and romance element - I was thoroughly absorbed.

A satisfying ending to wrap it up finished the book off nicely. Looking forward to the next offer from this author. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for a preview copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was so happy to be given the opportunity to read and review this book by netgalley.
I love Dinah Jefferies writing and this latest novel is as captivating as I hoped it would be. Set in Vietnam during French rule, the book paints a vivid picture of what life was like there but it is in no way bogged down too heavily with politics or too focused on historical events, rather they provide a backdrop for a marvelous story.. This is a story about a girl and her domineering sister, about her first love and about her inner struggle with who she is and where her loyalties lie . Highly recommended.

This was an interesting and captivating book that I read within a few days because I was so intrigued to know what was going to happen. The novel provides insight into a fascinating and difficult historical period in French occupied Vietnam. The style of writing maintains a steady balance between beautiful description of the landscape and culture, and plot development and dialogue. The characters are varied and strongly developed, allowing the reader to fully engage in the story. I highly recommend this book, especially for lovers of historical fiction!

The Silk Merchant's Daughter is the third book I have read by Dinah Jefferies. Both her debut, The Separation and second novel, The Tea Planter's Wife are reviewed on this blog. The Tea Planter's Wife was one of my Top Reads of last year.

Again, this is historical fiction and this time set in French Indochina, more particularly in Hanoi in the early 1950's. Eighteen year old Nicole Duval has a Vietnamese mother and a French father and unlike her sister Sylvie who takes after her father in looks, Nicole favours her late mother (and so is called a 'métisse'- not a kind word). This leads to its own problems with identity and a feeling of belonging.

These are dangerous times in Hanoi. The nationalist Vietminh are fighting the governing French for control and innocent people are being killed as the two sides continue their fight. Later, the Americans would become involved in what we know as the Vietnam war. Nicole feels torn between her mother's Vietnamese heritage and the rest of her family, who are on the side of the French.

To complicate matters, Nicole meets Mark, an American who may not be all that he seems. Despite not knowing who she can trust, Nicole must make a choice and making a wrong decision could cost her everything.

As I have come to expect from a book by Dinah Jefferies, the surroundings and landscape are evocatively and vividly described - the smells and the noise, the people and their food and clothing - I felt completely immersed in their lives, although I think I will pass on the 'egg coffee' (a condensed milk coffee with an egg in it). The colours and textures of the silks sold in Nicole's shop sounded divine and I found myself coveting the silk purses and lampshades that Nicole made. There is a lot to this story with the plot encompassing corruption, romance, murder, betrayal and tragedy.

Nicole and her sister Sylvie are as different in personality as they are in looks and of course there are sibling rivalrys. Nicole has always felt the unwanted one whilst Sylvie is considered the golden girl and given the main businesses to manage by their father. All Nicole is given is a small and long abandoned family silk shop in the Vietnamese quarter which will have its own important part to play. All the characters are well drawn, there were some that I took to more than others but they all have their distinct personalities - from the main players to the lesser ones of Nicole's friend O'Lan and little Yvette and not forgetting the hated Monsieur Giraud - they will get under your skin in one way or another.

What this story does get across very well is the sheer horror of being caught between warring factions and the constant worry of wondering who were friends or foe. There were atrocities committed by both sides and I could empathise with Nicole's anguish when trying to decide whose side to take.

It did take me a little while to become fully engaged with the story and that was purely down to issues I had with Nicole. My initial impression of her was that she was too needy and despite her privileged upbringing had a 'woe is me' attitude which I found a little irritating. However as the story progressed I saw more of Nicole's bravery whilst Sylvie came across as increasingly manipulative and unstable.

Dinah Jefferies writes this type of historical fiction so well and it makes for a very enjoyable read - the amount of research that has been undertaken clearly shows in the vivid imagery along with intriguing characters, wonderful locations and the social history aspect. Another recommended read.

My thanks to Penguin for the ARC to review.

I was delighted to receive a special proof copy which as well as being beautifully wrapped in a silk bow with a thank you card, included a thank you page from Dinah and a list of supporters. I was especially thrilled to see my (Twitter) name included (Karendennise). This was such a lovely gesture from both Dinah and Penguin and very much appreciated.

It's a pleasure to start off the blog tour and please do check out the other stops on the tour over the next week.