Lady of the Realm
by Hoa Pham
One day there will be peace in Vietnam. But not before more war. Touched by the Lady of the Realm, Liên dreams of bones and bodies under the sea. The prescient warnings from the Lady weigh heavily on Liên, who is burdened by her inability to save everyone. But she knows that the Lady speaks most to those who listen. Set against the background of the Vietnam war and in its aftermath the rule by the Communist regime, in The Lady of the Realm, we follow Liên's path across many decades that are punctuated by endless war and suffering. Yet even in the most desperate of times, Liên refuses to be ruled by fear and anger and persists in her hope for a peaceful future. For some, it will be too late.