The SympathizerThe Sympathizer
Score Modern
What it's about
As Saigon falls in April 1975, a captain in the South Vietnamese army flees to Los Angeles with his general. He is also a communist spy, sent to keep watch on the exiles as they plot a return. Half French and half Vietnamese, a man of two minds about everything, he narrates his story as a confession written to an unseen commandant, and the reason he is confessing is revealed slowly.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and the New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century. It's a spy thriller, a dark comedy and a sharp look at how America tells the story of the Vietnam War.
You'll love it if you liked
The Orphan Master's Son
The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War
Catch-22Good to know
The final section includes a long, harrowing interrogation and a brutal sexual assault. The 2024 HBO series stars Robert Downey Jr.
By the numbers
- Readers43 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics86 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller62 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz4 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #46 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #237 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #476 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Sympathizer worth reading?
Yes. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and the New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century. It ranks #476 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Sympathizer about?
As Saigon falls in April 1975, a captain in the South Vietnamese army flees to Los Angeles with his general. He is also a communist spy, sent to keep watch on the exiles as they plot a return. Half French and half Vietnamese, a man of two minds about everything, he narrates his story as a confession written to an unseen commandant, and the reason he is confessing is revealed slowly.
How long does it take to read The Sympathizer?
About 10 hours (384 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Sympathizer won?
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner (2016).
What should I read after The Sympathizer?
If you liked it, try The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson, The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War by Ben Macintyre or Catch-22 by Joseph Heller.