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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
Ok her mom is evil, I mean not letting Frances have a boyfriend, do extra activities or even go to a school dance is just messed up. I was glad when Frances finally stood up for herself and left, because no one else was going to. For once, teenage rebel came in handy in this situation. It all started when she went to speech class. Since then, she had become more fearless and confident.
I think I liked Bitter Melon, but I'm also not sure how I feel about some of the things that happened in the book. I felt like Frances and Derek had no chemistry, and her mom...I have such mixed feelings about her mom.
I think parental pressure is something we can all relate to in varying degrees. Her mom did seem really extreme and slightly abusive. On the one hand, I can picture parents acting the way her mom does, but at the same time, I really felt felt like the mom was an extreme take on the strict Asian parent stereotype. I don't think how how her mom acted is limited to any one group, but at the same time...I didn't really like that her mom seemed like such an extreme stereotype. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like to have the mother she does, and to have a life planned out for her...a life that she doesn't want for herself, or to question if that's the best life for her.
I wanted so much to feel for Frances, but I found that I didn't particularly care for her or what happened to her. She seemed really dense sometimes, and I didn't really get the impression that speech was a hidden talent for her. And I don't like how she handled things at the end of the book at all. Granted, I don't know if there was a better way, or what Frances could have done, but to a certain extent, I felt like she stooped to her mother's level. Yes, her mother said and did some horrible things, but she still didn't completely deserve what Frances did. France getting her revenge, and embarrassing her mom seemed like such a stereotype of someone getting back at the person who treated them horribly. I also wish that the book ended with more of a resolution between Frances and her mom, because things were a little too unresolved for my liking.
As for Frances and Derek, I really thought that they had no chemistry. It seemed like he was supposed to be the reason why she finally stood up to her mom- at the very least, a major reason why. Personally, I have no problem with that, but it could have had the potential to make the book a little bit lighter, but it didn't- it just added conflict. As for Frances making changes, and questioning things, I thought that her speech class and the speech tournaments could have done that in a much better way.
Except for the random pop culture references, I forgot that the book was even set in the 1980's. Okay, there's no internet or cell phones, but even then, it seemed like the book could have been set a couple of decades later. It could have made the book a lot more stifling, but it didn't really add anything to the book.
My Rating: 2 stars. It was okay, and I had a hard time relating to Frances and even caring about what happened to her was hard.
I think parental pressure is something we can all relate to in varying degrees. Her mom did seem really extreme and slightly abusive. On the one hand, I can picture parents acting the way her mom does, but at the same time, I really felt felt like the mom was an extreme take on the strict Asian parent stereotype. I don't think how how her mom acted is limited to any one group, but at the same time...I didn't really like that her mom seemed like such an extreme stereotype. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like to have the mother she does, and to have a life planned out for her...a life that she doesn't want for herself, or to question if that's the best life for her.
I wanted so much to feel for Frances, but I found that I didn't particularly care for her or what happened to her. She seemed really dense sometimes, and I didn't really get the impression that speech was a hidden talent for her. And I don't like how she handled things at the end of the book at all. Granted, I don't know if there was a better way, or what Frances could have done, but to a certain extent, I felt like she stooped to her mother's level. Yes, her mother said and did some horrible things, but she still didn't completely deserve what Frances did. France getting her revenge, and embarrassing her mom seemed like such a stereotype of someone getting back at the person who treated them horribly. I also wish that the book ended with more of a resolution between Frances and her mom, because things were a little too unresolved for my liking.
As for Frances and Derek, I really thought that they had no chemistry. It seemed like he was supposed to be the reason why she finally stood up to her mom- at the very least, a major reason why. Personally, I have no problem with that, but it could have had the potential to make the book a little bit lighter, but it didn't- it just added conflict. As for Frances making changes, and questioning things, I thought that her speech class and the speech tournaments could have done that in a much better way.
Except for the random pop culture references, I forgot that the book was even set in the 1980's. Okay, there's no internet or cell phones, but even then, it seemed like the book could have been set a couple of decades later. It could have made the book a lot more stifling, but it didn't really add anything to the book.
My Rating: 2 stars. It was okay, and I had a hard time relating to Frances and even caring about what happened to her was hard.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Of course, speech and debate is my secret nerd passion, so it's not THAT surprising I guess.
Frances and her mom live in a small apartment in San Francisco's Richmond district. Frances's mom works long hours at a back-breaking job so that Frances can attend a private school and receive a top-rate education. All she asks for in exchange is that Frances do her very best in everything all the time. Frances is trying hard to fulfill her mother's dreams for her: to get high scores on the SAT, to attend UC Berkeley where she can study to become a doctor, and to embark on a successful career where she can care for her mother as her mother has cared for her. But Frances is beginning to chafe under the weight of her mother's dreams, and with the help of a computer error that lands her in speech class instead of calculus, begins to choose her own path.
I almost didn't finish this book. The San Francisco references were super-obvious, but not in a way that made me think, "Oh, cool! I've been there!" It seemed more like a tour book of the city. That, and this book has dated itself. In the first fifty pages alone there were references to The Little Mermaid, Aqua-Net, and The New Kids on the Block. Added to the large earthquake that happened on a weekday afternoon, I'd place this book in 1989 when the Loma Prieta earthquake shook the Bay Area.
I was also very bothered by the mother's constant criticism of the daughter; nothing Frances did was ever good enough. I sympathized with Frances and cheered for her as she started to make her own decisions about her future. I almost cried when Frances's mother beat her with the trophy Frances herself had won at a speech tournament, but I was glad that this book had a happy ending.
Like I said, I almost didn't finish this book. The pop-culture references from the late eighties dated the book, and the strong emphasis on Chinese culture without highlighting any of its beauties almost gave this book a "fictional memoir" feel. The same story with the same lessons has been repeated in many places (if you don't believe me, watch Ice Princess). This book isn't a beach read, but it is a good "see how authors are treating child abuse in YA literature" read.
I almost didn't finish this book. The San Francisco references were super-obvious, but not in a way that made me think, "Oh, cool! I've been there!" It seemed more like a tour book of the city. That, and this book has dated itself. In the first fifty pages alone there were references to The Little Mermaid, Aqua-Net, and The New Kids on the Block. Added to the large earthquake that happened on a weekday afternoon, I'd place this book in 1989 when the Loma Prieta earthquake shook the Bay Area.
I was also very bothered by the mother's constant criticism of the daughter; nothing Frances did was ever good enough. I sympathized with Frances and cheered for her as she started to make her own decisions about her future. I almost cried when Frances's mother beat her with the trophy Frances herself had won at a speech tournament, but I was glad that this book had a happy ending.
Like I said, I almost didn't finish this book. The pop-culture references from the late eighties dated the book, and the strong emphasis on Chinese culture without highlighting any of its beauties almost gave this book a "fictional memoir" feel. The same story with the same lessons has been repeated in many places (if you don't believe me, watch Ice Princess). This book isn't a beach read, but it is a good "see how authors are treating child abuse in YA literature" read.
really good !!
4.5 if i could rate that
i felt as if the ending was sort of underwhelming but it was just that only part i thought was a little ehh
i really liked it! was a quick read and it was great
4.5 if i could rate that
i felt as if the ending was sort of underwhelming but it was just that only part i thought was a little ehh
i really liked it! was a quick read and it was great
It is not often that I cannot finish a book...but in this case, Francis' mother just got too annoying to continue...I got the audio version of the book-maybe if I had the text copy I would finish? Who knows? I stopped at the part where her mother makes her lose weight to become a tv news journalist-but does so in such a ridiculous, radical way that I just couldn't take it anymore. I literally just pressed "stop" about a week ago and haven't had any desire to start it up again. I will be returning it to the library soon.
Sorry Chow...maybe it's because I'm not an Asian-American teenager, but it was just a bit ridiculous to me. (However I am sure that sadly, there are parents out there like this character...and for that I feel bad)
Sorry Chow...maybe it's because I'm not an Asian-American teenager, but it was just a bit ridiculous to me. (However I am sure that sadly, there are parents out there like this character...and for that I feel bad)
This ranks a little over three stars for me, but I didn't want to round up to four.
Frances is a Chinese-American high school senior in San Francisco, 1989. Her mother, who is sorry of a combination tiger-mom and guilt-mom, wants her to go to UC Berkeley and eventually become a doctor. Frances is of indifferent to this until she accidentally ends up in a speech class instead of calculus and begins to have her own dreams.
I was on the speech team in high school in the 1980s, so that part of Frances's world is familiar and dear to me, and it was fun to read about.
More difficult to read about was Frances's relationship with her mother, which could qualify as emotionally abusive. I think it was well-depicted - it certainly made me cringe.
Frances is a Chinese-American high school senior in San Francisco, 1989. Her mother, who is sorry of a combination tiger-mom and guilt-mom, wants her to go to UC Berkeley and eventually become a doctor. Frances is of indifferent to this until she accidentally ends up in a speech class instead of calculus and begins to have her own dreams.
I was on the speech team in high school in the 1980s, so that part of Frances's world is familiar and dear to me, and it was fun to read about.
More difficult to read about was Frances's relationship with her mother, which could qualify as emotionally abusive. I think it was well-depicted - it certainly made me cringe.
As posted on Outside of a Dog:
I’m not sure what it is that appeals to me in YA literature these days. When I actually was a young adult, I wasn’t reading typical YA fare. There are classics in the genre that I didn’t read until I was an adult, and some notable standouts that I still haven’t read (Judy Blume, I’m looking your way). When I was a teenager, I just wasn’t interesting in teenage things, and it wasn’t until I started running a youth/children’s department at a bookstore that I really started to look at what was being published and began to get interested. Since then there have been books that I’ve loved, and books that I wonder how they ever got published. Fortunately there were far more of the former than the latter. Now that I’m a children’s librarian, YA literature isn’t a professional responsibility, but I still enjoy keeping up with what’s new. And one title I picked up off the new books shelf was Bitter Melon by Cara Chow.
Frances Ching, a Chinese-American teenager, has her life mapped out for her: attend UC Berkley, become a doctor and help take care of her mother. It’s her mom’s plan, and one that timid Frances has never really questioned. That is, until a mix-up on her senior year schedule puts in her speech class instead of calculus. Slowly, Frances realizes she has a voice, and beyond even that, she has a choice. But how can she make choices that break her mother’s heart, after all she’s done for Frances, working long hours and sacrificing much for her daughter’s education? Frances grows to realize that she’s suffered too, oppressed under her mother’s unrealistic expectations and sometimes cruel and unwarranted punishments. She must learn the power of her own voice and make the tough choices that will lead her to her own life, not one that has been chosen for her.
Reading Bitten Melon was a little oppressive, and I mean that in the best possible way. I felt all the pressure placed on Frances by her mother and her culture, and I related to her desire to make her mother happy, even when her mother seems to show no concern for her daughter’s happiness at all. Chow does a wonderful job with the complicated emotions of Frances, and the even more complicated decisions she must make. Frances is a likable, relatable character, as is her best friend Theresa.
It’s got to be a hard thing to portray child abuse in such a way that can still leave you feeling sympathy for the abuser. In one scene, Frances’ mother beats her with the trophy she has earned in a speech contest, and yet still we feel for Mrs. Ching in small amounts, in the way she feels abandoned and betrayed, not only by her daughter but her way of life. I have to wonder how much, if any, of this story, set in the late 1980s, is based on the author’s real life. I also wonder about what a good pairing this would make with the controversial Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua. Bitter Melon is a gripping story, written with a confident hand. I would definitely recommend it to any teenagers, or older tweens, that wander my way.
I’m not sure what it is that appeals to me in YA literature these days. When I actually was a young adult, I wasn’t reading typical YA fare. There are classics in the genre that I didn’t read until I was an adult, and some notable standouts that I still haven’t read (Judy Blume, I’m looking your way). When I was a teenager, I just wasn’t interesting in teenage things, and it wasn’t until I started running a youth/children’s department at a bookstore that I really started to look at what was being published and began to get interested. Since then there have been books that I’ve loved, and books that I wonder how they ever got published. Fortunately there were far more of the former than the latter. Now that I’m a children’s librarian, YA literature isn’t a professional responsibility, but I still enjoy keeping up with what’s new. And one title I picked up off the new books shelf was Bitter Melon by Cara Chow.
Frances Ching, a Chinese-American teenager, has her life mapped out for her: attend UC Berkley, become a doctor and help take care of her mother. It’s her mom’s plan, and one that timid Frances has never really questioned. That is, until a mix-up on her senior year schedule puts in her speech class instead of calculus. Slowly, Frances realizes she has a voice, and beyond even that, she has a choice. But how can she make choices that break her mother’s heart, after all she’s done for Frances, working long hours and sacrificing much for her daughter’s education? Frances grows to realize that she’s suffered too, oppressed under her mother’s unrealistic expectations and sometimes cruel and unwarranted punishments. She must learn the power of her own voice and make the tough choices that will lead her to her own life, not one that has been chosen for her.
Reading Bitten Melon was a little oppressive, and I mean that in the best possible way. I felt all the pressure placed on Frances by her mother and her culture, and I related to her desire to make her mother happy, even when her mother seems to show no concern for her daughter’s happiness at all. Chow does a wonderful job with the complicated emotions of Frances, and the even more complicated decisions she must make. Frances is a likable, relatable character, as is her best friend Theresa.
It’s got to be a hard thing to portray child abuse in such a way that can still leave you feeling sympathy for the abuser. In one scene, Frances’ mother beats her with the trophy she has earned in a speech contest, and yet still we feel for Mrs. Ching in small amounts, in the way she feels abandoned and betrayed, not only by her daughter but her way of life. I have to wonder how much, if any, of this story, set in the late 1980s, is based on the author’s real life. I also wonder about what a good pairing this would make with the controversial Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua. Bitter Melon is a gripping story, written with a confident hand. I would definitely recommend it to any teenagers, or older tweens, that wander my way.
Frances plays the dutiful daughter, fulfilling her mother's ambitions to get good grades, be subservient and strive toward the best college and medical school. Then a scheduling error lands her in speech class instead of calculus and Frances discovers that she is a natural at public speaking. Her liberal teacher introduces her to new ideas and opportunities. This new-found freedom comes with a cost - hiding her activities and lying to her mother. As she takes this new path, Frances wonders why other paths are not available to her - why can't she date? why is Berkeley the only school for her?
This a well-written story about facing parental expectations, fighting cultural traditions and ultimately self discovery. The symbolism of the bitter melon will resonate with readers, as they explore a mother-daughter relationship that (hopefully) is unfamiliar.
This a well-written story about facing parental expectations, fighting cultural traditions and ultimately self discovery. The symbolism of the bitter melon will resonate with readers, as they explore a mother-daughter relationship that (hopefully) is unfamiliar.
I enjoyed seeing France's find her voice through her speech class. She really grew up and started to advocate for herself. I found the romance a bit unrealistic, but still enjoyed the book overall.