Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Wandering Souls
- Narrated by: Aoife Hinds, Ioanna Kimbook, Ainsleigh Barber
- Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
99p for the first 3 months
Wandering Souls
Buy Now for £14.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
Summary
LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION
An extraordinary story of the journey of one young family through love, loss and unwavering hope.
There are the goodbyes and then the fishing out of the bodies – everything in between is speculation.
One night, not long after the last American troops leave Vietnam, siblings Anh, Thanh and Minh flee their village and embark on a perilous boat journey to Hong Kong. Their parents and four younger siblings make the crossing in another vessel but as weeks go by it becomes clear that only one party has survived the voyage.
Anh, Thanh and Minh suddenly find themselves alone in the world, without family or home. They travel on, navigating refugee camps and resettlement centres until, by a twist of fate, they arrive in Thatcher’s Britain. Here they must somehow build new lives with only each other to turn to, but will that be enough in a place that doesn’t seem to want them?
In this piercing debut, the siblings’ faltering journey is deftly interwoven with the voice of their lost younger brother, Dao, following them from a place between the living and the dead, and the records of an unknown researcher intent on gathering the strands of their story. Wandering Souls paints a heart-wrenching portrait of a family in crisis while exploring the healing power of stories.
A most anticipated book of 2023 in Vogue, AnOther Magazine, i-D, Independent, Evening Standard and Huffington Post
Critic reviews
"A debut in name only, Wandering Souls is an astute and sure-footed excavation of family, selfhood, and loss in the shadow of colonial violence. It is also a deeply humane and genre-defying work of love and uncompromising hope through a long-overdue portrayal of Vietnamese life in the UK. A mighty achievement." (Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth, We're Briefly Gorgeous)
"A heartbreaking novel about Vietnamese siblings who arrive as refugees to Thatcher’s Britain. Chronicling the family’s life right up until the present day, it’s a deeply affecting reckoning with history." (i-D Magazine)
"Meticulously researched and beautifully imagined, Wandering Souls is a deeply affecting debut, a restless inquiry into the nature of loss, kinship and survival." (Tash Aw, author of We, the Survivors)
More from the same
What listeners say about Wandering Souls
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- John
- 14-05-23
A window to another existence
Being a lucky westerner with no traumatic displacement in my life, this book provides a beautifully rendered window through which to see and vicariously experience the very different lives of others. I very much enjoyed it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 27-03-23
Emotional and insightful
Beautifully written from a few perspectives that could be confusing but works. Packed with information, insight and emotion.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ms. R. M. Bennett
- 14-06-23
Moving
Great book. Very moving.
Well written. Not a total happy ending…
Short book - Would have appreciated more details around what caused the massive numbers of exits from Vietnam due to asylum .
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs J Murrell
- 25-05-23
Incredibly moving story
I found the accents and voices of the performers really irritating and it detracted from the enjoyment of the story sadly.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 29-05-23
Very moving
Well written, inspiring and intriguing story. Would definitely recommend listening to.
Read at a good pace
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- pamelala
- 09-03-24
Deep and meaningful
This is my only my 2nd audiobook as I have had trouble concentrating on them before so I gave up. I figured I would try again. I absolutely loved this book. It has a deep soulful vibe and it was very interesting to hear about the lives of the ‘boat people’ - we really are all connected. All we want as people is connection and hope and love and this book brought it 💓🩵💖
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 04-10-23
Heartwrenchingly honest, beautiful
At times painful to listen to, immaculately researched, graceful. Occasional asides from the author add depth and candour to the story. A must-listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mr Asa Haycock
- 04-02-24
A moving story of determination
Loved this story, having been to Vietnam and seen first hand the suffering that these people went through, this story is beautifully written, very moving and clearly someone’s life - which makes it all the more poignant! An excellent listen and very well delivered!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 05-03-24
Breathtaking!
A beautiful story, sensitively performed. I hope Ms Pin is busy penning her next one!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Mr. S. J. Sheldon
- 05-04-24
Beginning of story was dramatic
Writing style average. Ultimately parochial
Have heard far more interesting tales in real life
The ghostly brother was an interesting device
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!