Thao Thai’s debut novel is narrated by three women in alternating chapters. Minh, the grandmother, was born and raised in Viet Nam but brought her children over to The United States when she became a widow. Huong, the daughter, after an unhappy marriage, moves back with her daughter to live with Minh. Ann, Huong’s daughter, is raised by both women in an old large house that is in desperate need of repair. The home is somewhere in rural Florida and is an integral part of these women’s stories. All three women carry burdens from their past that they refuse to divulge.

The three main characters in Banyan Moon are multidimensional, realistically portrayed, and independent but not without flaws. Their lives and circumstances make for an interesting and thought-provoking novel.