Goodbye, Saigon

Vida's first novel, about a Vietnamese immigrant's unlikely friendship with an Anglo-American legal secretary, has some strong elements, both as an indictment of racism and as a feminist manifesto. Superficial characterization saps its credibility, however, though the narrative is largely redeemed by a breakneck pace and snappy dialogue. Only heroine Truong Anh leads a multidimensional life complete with family and business contacts; even co-protagonist Jana Galvan (a single mother whose husband was murdered) ceases to be an individual outside Anh's orbit. The two get together through Jana's lawyer boss, Dennis, whom Anh, hustling tips at casinos, meets shortly before he has a heart attack. While Dennis is hospitalized, Jana appropriates his Bar number and sets up a lucrative practice in Anh's Little Saigon neighborhood of Westminster, Calif. In the disjointed scenarios that follow, the combination of Anh's street smarts and Jana's knowledge of legalese inevitably allows them to triumph. Meanwhile, flashbacks to Vietnam War atrocities endured by Anh help build sympathy and indulgence of her fast-talking, abrasive personality. Even so, Jana's fierce protection of Anh sometimes rings false, particularly when the would-be lawyer physically attacks a bigoted police officer. Vida's plot is too vague, and her prose too choppy, to explain her heroines' bond. Author tour; film rights optioned by MGM/Zanuck. (Sept.)