Literary · Spy and espionage · War fiction
The Sympathizer
A half-French, half-Vietnamese captain is a communist spy inside the South Vietnamese army. After Saigon falls he flees to California while still reporting to the North, writing a confession as he goes.
Facts last checked 2026-10-17
- First published
- 2015
- Pace
- Medium
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 384
- Format
- Book 1 of 2 in The Sympathizer
Read this if you like literary fiction with dark satire and an angle on the Vietnam War seldom told in English.
Skip this if you want a straightforward spy thriller or cannot read about torture.
The feel
Content warnings
Quick answers about The Sympathizer
- What is The Sympathizer about?
- A half-French, half-Vietnamese captain is a communist spy inside the South Vietnamese army. After Saigon falls he flees to California while still reporting to the North, writing a confession as he goes.
- Who should read The Sympathizer?
- Read it if you like literary fiction with dark satire and an angle on the Vietnam War seldom told in English. Skip it if you want a straightforward spy thriller or cannot read about torture.
- How long and how fast is The Sympathizer?
- It is a medium-paced, medium read of about 384 pages, first published in 2015.
- Does The Sympathizer have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Violence, War, Torture.
- Can I borrow The Sympathizer for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Sympathizer; the borrow button above searches it for you.
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|---|---|---|
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| Print, new | ||
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