Reviews

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

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trin's review against another edition

5.0

Really cool graphic novel that presents three different stories in alternating chapters: a retelling of a Chinese legend, the story of a Chinese-American boy who moves from San Francisco to a predominately Caucasian neighborhood, and a look at a weird sitcom-like world whose “humor” is based on the worst Chinese stereotypes. The art is vibrant and fun, and the way the three stories come together is incredibly clever and cool. Definitely recommended.

enit_cj's review against another edition

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funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

dreaming_ace's review against another edition

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5.0

This was a fun graphic novel but I have to say that the ending felt very rushed (and it felt like one of the 4 main characters just disappeared.) I think it felt like a part one and instead of a The End I expected a To Be Continued as the final line.

carlisajc's review against another edition

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4.0

This is a graphic novel that interweaves three different stories. The primary story is of Jin Wang, who is the only Chinese American at his school and is bullied. The second story is of a Monkey King who is the most powerful monkey out there, but doesn't want to be a monkey. And finally, there's Danny, an all-American white boy with a Chinese cousin Chin-Kee, who ruins his life.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. Although it kind of comes off as strange and a little random, the stories end up weaving together beautifully, in a way I definitely didn't expect.

It also says a lot about stereotypes and the experience of not being what an American is "supposed" to be. Chin-Kee is basically every single Chinese stereotype out there, purposefully wrapped into one character. It was interesting reading this...because while I was a little shocked at the blatant use of these stereotypical and offensive characteristics, I easily recognized all of them, even the subtle ones. What does that say about who I am, that I know all of these offensive things? It says that these stereotypes are real and present, even today.

This novel will make you think about what you believe in and how you treat other people around you. It's fast and it's something worth taking a look at.

jnishi's review against another edition

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4.0

This one is a gem. As a biracial Asian-Canadian I identified a lot with this book, though maybe not as much as if I were full. The narrative got a little confusing at times and I was originally slightly taken aback by the apparent racist caricature of the cousin but eventually it all made sense. I’ve read some review that calls this a stereotypical portrayal, especially with the cousin but he is made that way for a reason: he is the reflection of what the main character subconscious thinks people see him as. Overall it was thought provoking graphic novel with s great theme.