SONG OF THE BUFFALO BOY

Song of the Buffalo Boy

By Sherry Garland

Pub: April 1994

288 pages

Loi didn’t ask t be different. Yet, the people of her small village in Vietnam treat her like an outsider because she’s the daughter of a Vietnamese mother and an American soldier—a human reminder of the Vietnam War. Only Khai, a buffalo tender, sees her for who she really is. But when he professes his love for Loi, his parents disapprove of the match.

When she is promised to a violent middle-aged man instead, Loi escapes to Ho Chi Minh City where she plans to reunite with Khai, marry, and go to America. After months of waiting and no sign of Khai, she is granted passage to the United States—but if she leaves Vietnam alone, will she ever find her beloved Khai? If she stays, will she miss the chance to meet the father she has dreamed of for seventeen years?”

I’m not much for romances, but I was enthralled with Song of the Buffalo Boy. Not only was the relationship between Loi and Khai incredibly sweet, but Sherry Garland kept us guessing up until the very end. America or Khai?

Song of the Buffalo Boy gave me some eye opening insight to life after the Vietnam war. Mrs. Garland must have done a ton of research... the detail of the simple farming life and the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City were vivid and compelling. The landscape, the country and its culture become an integral part of the novel.

The characters are easy to relate to and I became very attached to the main characters and the outcome of their lives. I put myself in Loi's shoes and asked myself what I would do in her situation.

The book shows Loi's journey to find answers outside herself and also within. The relationship with her mother is poignant and shows how children often judge their parents without truly understanding the paths their parents have journeyed and the reasons behind the choices they have made.

All and all, Song of the Buffalo Boy is a great book that keeps a steady pace and your interest. It's a quiet story with depth and meaning, that touches on prejudice, cultural beliefs, family loyalty, acceptance, forgiveness and of course love. It's a novel with a lot to offer.