A Vietnamese Canadian writer has recently won the 14th annual Canada Reads award from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

The Montreal-based author, Kim Thuy, won the award for her novel titled “Ru” (Lullaby) which was defended at the awards, themed “One Book To Break Barriers", by the artistic director of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Cameron Bailey.

Each nominated book at the award had a defender to support and provide reasons why he/she advised readers to read the book he/she chose.

"This is one of the millions of stories of migration in this country. It is the story of a Vietnamese Canadian woman migrating from Vietnam to Canada. It is harrowing, beautiful and has incredibly compressed, perfect writing,” Bailey said of the book on the CBC’s website.

“This is the story of the future of Canada. It's a country built on the genius of the aboriginal people who lived here for thousands of years, but the next step is going to be the future and connecting to the world through the people who live here. This is just one of those stories, and it is told beautifully."

Inspired by its author’s real-life story, “Ru” tells the story of a girl who left Ho Chi Minh City as a child during the war in Vietnam and settled in Quebec.

"It's incredible," the CBC quoted Thuy after learning that her work won the award on its website. "I don't know how I feel, I just feel so far from home. I just want to be home today," the 46-year-old writer emotionally said.

Canada Reads aims to pick up books that can change perspectives, challenge stereotypes and illuminate issues.

Thuy’s “Ru” was decided by the panel as “the best story to challenge stereotypes and shift readers' perspectives.”

According to the organizer, as the annual competition has grown in recognition over the years, a phenomenon known as "the Canada Reads effect" has emerged where the five competitors gain popularity with both a jump in sales and recognition for the winner.

Before Canada Reads 2015, “Ru” had won numerous awards, including the Governor General's Award for French-language fiction, and the Prix du Grand Public Salon du livre de Montréal in 2010. In 2012, “Ru” was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Man Asian Literary Prize.