Sunshine Nails

An ensemble cast narrates Nguyen’s warmhearted debut, giving voice to multiple members of the Tran family as they navigate changing family dynamics, neighborhood gentrification, and the challenges of finding space in a new country. Vietnamese refugees Debbie and Phil Tran, owners of a Toronto nail salon, live a comfortable life. However, when a sparkly new salon moves in across the street, it becomes nearly impossible for the Trans to keep their salon afloat. In a desperate bid to save the business, the Trans enlist the support of their daughter Jessica, who has returned home after a nasty breakup, along with Jessica’s brother Dustin and their cousin Thuy. The ensemble of talented narrators—Carolina Ðo, David Lee Huynh, Quyen Ngo, Vyvy Nguyen, and Trieu Tran—bring out each family member’s personality and convey the spirit of Nguyen’s text, which is sprinkled throughout with Vietnamese phrases. Listeners will likely enjoy Nguyen’s descriptions of tasty foods and a sweet love scene between the parents, but insufficient character development occasionally makes it hard to connect.