Nha Nam Publishing and Communications JSC, in collaboration with the French Institute in Hanoi, launched the Vietnamese translation of the novel The Eyes of Mona on June 15 in Hanoi.
The Eyes of Mona is a deeply moving story about a young girl facing the prospect of losing her eyesight. Beyond that, it unfolds as a delicate dialogue between literature and painting, light and shadow, vision and understanding.
At the book launch, speakers and guests discuss literature, painting, art history, and the broader story of visual arts in Vietnam.
Structured into 52 chapters corresponding to 52 weeks, the remaining time Mona has to see the world, the novel follows her visits to Paris museums. Accompanied by her grandfather, Mona explores masterpieces of painting and sculpture, each chapter capturing a new experience through the lens of art.
The book’s arrival in Vietnam opens fresh and essential perspectives on visual arts appreciation in the country.
Author Thomas Schlesser, an art historian and director of the Hartung-Bergman Foundation, seamlessly weaves his expertise into the narrative. His writing not only describes artworks but interprets them, turning each piece into a gateway to emotional and intellectual discovery. The novel reads like a “living catalogue,” where art walks hand in hand with Mona’s inner journey.
The Eyes of Mona has been published in Braille, making it accessible to visually impaired readers. More than an inclusive gesture, this edition reinforces the book’s central message: that vision is not solely a function of the eyes. Readers can engage with the world through touch, imagination, and the emotions within.
Before its Vietnamese release, the novel had been translated into 37 languages and was listed among the top 100 books of 2024 by Lire magazine.
Translated by DO HUONG
VNQD