The Sorrow of WarThe Sorrow of War
Score Classic
What it's about
Kien, an infantry soldier from Hanoi, works at retrieving and burying the dead at the site of one of the war's bloodiest battles. Bao Ninh's novel is by turns bleak and poetic.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's a view of the Vietnam War from the North Vietnamese side.
You'll love it if you liked
The Things They Carried
The Sympathizer
All Quiet on the Western FrontGood to know
It's grim. It's a translation.
By the numbers
- Readers74 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller4 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Sorrow of War worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,403 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Sorrow of War about?
Kien, an infantry soldier from Hanoi, works at retrieving and burying the dead at the site of one of the war's bloodiest battles. Bao Ninh's novel is by turns bleak and poetic.
How long does it take to read The Sorrow of War?
About 6 hours (233 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Sorrow of War?
If you liked it, try The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen or All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque.