Read THE REBEL OF THE WIND :: INTRODUCTION

PREFACE

"Each of us needs a place to belong—even if that place exists only in memory."

There are questions humans carry for a lifetime but rarely dare to answer: Who am I? Where do I come from? Where do I truly belong?

For someone like An, those questions are more than philosophical—they are scars in the mind, a headwind running through her veins, a fractured contradiction between three bloodlines—French, Chinese, and Vietnamese—all stirring within a body no one wants to claim.

"The Rebel of the Wind" is not a heroic ballad, nor is it a tale glorifying the pride of one who rises above prejudice. It is a journey back to the self—a painful, torn, and relentless process that each person must endure when standing at the blurry crossroads of race, gender, nationhood, and dignity.

An doesn't need anyone to grant her an identity. She doesn't need the world’s approval. All she needs is a place to belong—a place where she doesn’t have to explain why she’s different, a place where she doesn’t have to strain to prove she deserves to exist.

And in that journey home—a home that may not be Vietnam, China, or France—An learns how to forgive the past, dissolve the biases, and embrace her own being.

This novel will not only make you reflect on national identity, but also invite you to look inward:
Which bloodline governs your thoughts each day?
Are the values you believe to be “true” truly yours—or simply what you were taught to believe?
And most importantly, have you ever forgiven yourself?

In the end, everyone needs a place to return to. Whether that place is a nation, a memory, a loved one, or a gentle breeze threading through the shards of a broken heart.

“The Rebel of the Wind” is a novel for those who are lost at their own crossroads—and still believe that even when the wind blows backward, the lotus can bloom from the mud.

Pham Le Quy
Saigon, June 2025

DEDICATION

To the hybrid souls,
to those who stand at the edge of identity,
to those who never chose where they were born,
but still bravely choose how to live.

To all the “Ans” of the world—
the flowers blooming in storms,
who, despite being doubted, compared, and misunderstood,
still choose to hold on to dignity and a noble silence.

To you—
if you’ve ever been torn between East and West,
between right and wrong, between reason and desire.
May you find yourself somewhere in these pages.

And one day,
you will know:
You belong.

BLURB

Three bloodlines. One body. One soul without a nation.

An—a girl carrying the blood of France, China, and Vietnam—lives not only amidst the clashes of culture, history, and politics,
but also torn apart by society’s prejudices on gender, identity, and dignity.

A memory-erasing drug has upended everything.
But scarier than losing one’s memory—
is no longer knowing who you are in this world.

As the shattered mirrors of the past begin to reflect,
as family, love, and hatred intertwine into an inescapable maze,
An must choose:
to become a pawn in the power game between East and West,
or to rise and defend the rejected part of her own humanity.

In a world being assimilated and fractured,
amid political schemes and battles for identity,
The Rebel of the Wind is a journey against the current—
where one deemed “wrong” learns how to live “right” with herself.

A story of identity, forgiveness, and dignity.
A sigh for those who were never chosen—
but still chose to exist.

And a gentle reminder:
No matter how many bloodlines run through you,
you can still bloom like a lotus in the mud.

Copyright Page

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, recording, photocopying, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, places, or events is purely coincidental or used with literary intent.

First Edition – 2025
Published in Vietnam
Copyright belongs to the author
ISBN: (To be filled in when available)
Cover Design: Phạm Lê Quý
Editing: Phạm Lê Quý
Contact: qlpham0410@gmail.com

About the Author

Phạm Lê Quý is a storyteller born of many winds—the winds of memory, of cultural intersections, and of unanswerable questions. More than just a writer, Quý is a seeker: someone who journeys through the blurred borders between identity and prejudice, between dignity and silent wounds.

The Rebel of the Wind is a literary milestone in Quý’s journey, but it is not the beginning. It is the culmination of silent years lived alongside the question “Who am I in this world?”—a question that is far from easy for those whose lives have been fragmented by blood, culture, gender, or belief.

With a writing style rich in symbolism, emotional depth, and inner conflict, Quý does not write to explain—but to illuminate—with truth, with tears, and with the courage of those who refuse to be silenced. These pages do not seek escape, but a place for the human spirit to belong—even if only in imagination.

“If I am a rebel wind, then let me blow inward—toward the place I have never belonged.”
— Phạm Lê Quý

Editor’s Note

Author: Phạm Lê Quý

I did not write The Rebel of the Wind to find answers,
but to have the courage to face the questions life has silently and painfully asked me.

This is not a political novel, nor a manifesto on culture or gender.
It is the echo of a soul that once felt too “impure” to be loved,
too “different” to be recognized.
A soul that lived among clashing winds—
torn by heritage, by prejudice, by love, and by unnamed silences.

At times during writing, I wanted to stop.
Because truth—even fictionalized—hurts.
But then I realized:
If I didn’t write, those like “An” would never have a voice.
And if even one reader, somewhere, sees themselves in these pages,
then every loneliness I’ve borne was worth it.

Some chapters in this book follow nontraditional structures.
Some dialogues may carry metaphors or symbolism.
Please read with your heart, not just your mind.
Because sometimes, the deepest meanings lie not in the words,
but in the silences between them.

Thank you—for being brave enough to read a story that goes against the current.
And thank you to the winds—because even when they’re lost,
they still find their way home.

— Phạm Lê Quý
June 2025