Viet Thanh Nguyen's 'The Committed' sequel explores nihilism and postcolonial philosophy in 1980s Paris

Viet Thanh Nguyen's novel 'The Committed' continues the story of the unnamed narrator from his 2015 debut 'The Sympathizer'. After release from a reeducation camp, the narrator travels to France and adopts the name Vô Danh, meaning 'nameless'. He becomes a drug dealer for Parisian 'bobo' society while navigating gang conflicts between Arab and East Asian groups. The narrative blends high philosophical discourse with genre fiction elements, referencing works by Aimé Césaire, Hélène Cixous, Frantz Fanon, and Jean-Paul Sartre. Structured in two mirrored parts, the novel employs shifting perspectives between first and second person. Nguyen, who fled to the United States after the fall of Saigon, explores postcolonial themes through the narrator's struggle with Western literary traditions. The book includes scenes ranging from cocaine-fueled orgies to discussions of colonial resistance, maintaining a tension between violent action and intellectual reflection. Published by Corsair, the hardcover retails for £18.99. The novel was featured in the Summer issue of ArtReview Asia.