Tran, Trang Thanh. They Bloom at Night. Bloomsbury, 04/2025. 262pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-5476-1111-9. GRADES 9–12. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
When a hurricane in Mercy, Louisiana brings a mysterious red algae that causes mutations in living creatures, sixteen-year-old Noon begins to suspect that her Vietnamese family’s tales of a sea witch are in fact more historical than they are mythological. Tran’s incorporation of Vietnamese mythology with environmental science to create a dystopian world is technically brilliant, incredibly interesting, and highly original. Readers may be more divided, however, on the more realistic aspects of the novel. Noon frequently pauses to reflect upon her personal issues including gender identity, sexuality, racism, immigration, poverty, class discrimination, sexual abuse, death and loss, anxiety, depression, bullying, and family dysfunction. Although the character’s emotional development is a very meaningful aspect of the story, some may feel that the sheer volume of Noon’s varied inner dialogues slows the pace and impedes the sense of action and suspense one expects from young adult horror.
Jennifer Taylor—Palo Alto City Library