By
ED
on August 11, 2009
Format: Paperback
Very fun memoir of growing up Vietnamese with a Hispanic step-mom in
Grand Rapids Michigan. Very readable and insightful book about American
culture as seen through a young immigrant's eyes. I wish the author
had been willing to "dig deeper" because after I finished the book there
were many unanswered questions for me particularly with regard to the
author's biological mother and with regard to her relationship with her
father. Sometimes it seemed that the author used humor to avoid dealing
with the larger issues. Also, the obsession with food becomes a bit
silly and redundant.-- I read this for my book club, and it was not
something that I would have picked out, but I enjoyed it... very
humorous and the author writes beautifully; my 14 year old daughter
wants to read it now. --Great book for middle schoolers and young
teens.
I agree with this review. It was an "easy read" as it felt interesting as it went along, however, I didn't feel a connection with it because she didn't answer the fundamental questions she grappled with herself. I disagree with the review, however, in the regard that I liked the food comparison. I felt that it brought a universal understanding/relatability to it. (Yes I know relatability isn't a word) Also, I agree that it would be a good read for younger people, as it deals with finding out who you are, but it also deals with deep subjects, that I think, in order for them to understand, they'd have to read it again later.
on January 17, 2015
The
author had a clever idea in using her unfulfilled longing as a child
for American junk food and candy as a metaphor for her desire to fit in
as American. The book quickly becomes, however, tedious, whiny, and
repetitive. Even if this was an accurate reflection of her childhood,
she fails to show any insight or perspective as an adult reflecting back
on her life. She goes into excruciating detail of her own likes and
dislikes, but sketches her father and stepmother as mostly
one-dimensional unpleasant characters. I would have been more interested
in reading about their lives and struggles than hers, which I am
willing to bet pale in comparison to theirs. I was prepared to like the
book, and some parts were interesting, but as a whole I found it pretty
tedious.
I wholeheartedly agree with this analysis. Where is what she learned?! The book ended abruptly to top it all off. All of a sudden she has grown up and has traveled to Vietnam. Where is the insight to how she felt about her past experiences as an adult? Has she learned anything, or has she come to understand why the adults in her lives acted the way that they did? I am very unsatisfied with the way the book left me. But maybe that was her intention. Maybe she hasn't figured anything out. Maybe she is the same as she was then, just years older.
I do agree with it that she didn't focus a lot on other aspects like Rosa, her dad or even herself while writing the book and looking back. It makes me wonder what her intentions were for writing the book. Perhaps, food played a huge role which is mentions repetitively. Just makes me wonder why she mentioned it so much. I understand it resemble her trying to be more "Americanize" but I wonder if she ever thought to her that it was enough, that we as the readers get her point.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to think about what her purpose was in ending the memoir how and when she did--what are some reasons why she doesn't give us the resolution we might want?
ReplyDelete