Gods Go Begging

Gods Go Begging follows Jesse Pasadoble, a Vietnam War veteran turned public defender in San Francisco. His work defending a murder suspect connects to his haunting memories of combat in Vietnam's Cao Dai Mountains. The narrative moves between 1968 Vietnam and 1990s San Francisco, exploring parallel stories of violence and redemption. Two women are found murdered on a San Francisco hill in circumstances that mirror deaths Jesse witnessed decades earlier in Vietnam. The story centers on Jesse's dual role as both defender and witness, as he navigates the criminal justice system while processing his own trauma. His relationships with fellow veterans, clients, and others in his orbit form the framework for examining both past and present. Through interconnected storylines spanning decades and continents, the novel examines the lasting impacts of war, the nature of justice, and the possibility of healing from profound trauma. The work connects seemingly disparate events to reveal universal truths about human experience and suffering.

Readers appreciate Véa's poetic writing style and ability to weave together different timelines and locations between Vietnam and San Francisco. Many note how the book captures the lasting effects of war trauma on veterans. Several reviewers highlight the authentic portrayal of both combat experiences and life in San Francisco's Mission District. Multiple readers found the narrative structure challenging to follow, particularly the shifts between past and present. Some felt the plot moved too slowly through the first third. A few reviews mentioned difficulty connecting with certain characters. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (127 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (21 ratings) From reader reviews: "The prose is dense and beautiful but requires careful attention" - Goodreads reviewer "Takes work to get through but rewards the patient reader" - Amazon reviewer "His descriptions of Vietnam combat feel completely real" - Goodreads reviewer

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🌟 Author Alfredo Véa worked as a criminal defense attorney in San Francisco while writing this novel, lending authenticity to the book's legal scenes 📚 The narrative weaves together three distinct timeframes and locations: the Vietnam War, 1960s Mississippi, and 1990s San Francisco 🎖️ Véa drew from his own experiences as a Vietnam War veteran to create vivid, haunting battlefield sequences that critics have praised for their poetic realism 🏆 The novel won the 2000 Critic's Choice Award from the San Francisco Review of Books and was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year 🌉 The book's San Francisco scenes take place primarily in the Mission District and Potrero Hill neighborhoods, areas where Véa himself practiced law and witnessed the intersection of poverty, violence, and redemption