The time in between: by David Bergen
Haunted by his experiences as a young, reluctant soldier twenty-nine years ago, Charles Boatman leaves his home in British Columbia, Canada and returns to Vietnam in search of love, absolution, or forgiveness. But his new encounters seem irreconcilable with his memories. Suddenly and mysteriously he disappears without trace.
Two of his adult children, Ada and Jon, travel to Vietnam to search for him by retracing his steps, speaking with the people he met, and trying to understand the forces that led him back to Vietnam. Their quest takes them into the heart of a country that is at once incomprehensible, impassive, and beautiful.
Chasing her father's shadow for weeks, following slim leads, Ada feels increasingly hopeless, yet finds herself growing closer to her missing father — and strong enough to forgive him and bear the heartbreaking truth of his long-kept secret.
Moving between the voices of father and daughter, the present and the past, and peopled by marvellously drawn western and Vietnamese characters, The Time in Between is a luminous, unforgettable novel about one family, two cultures, and a profound emotional journey in search of elusive answers. The Time in Between was awarded the 2005 Giller Prize for the best novel published in Canada, where it has been a massive bestseller.
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