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bashsbooks's review
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I read Gene Luen Yang's Boxers and Saints as a teen, but I hadn't thought about his work in many years until a friend of mine mentioned this book recently. I enjoyed American Born Chinese quite a lot - I found the three storylines interesting, and there was quite a bit of depth to the central theme, of coming to terms with who you are, of being an outcast, of finding people who want you to be you. The ending felt a little rushed - the way the three storylines came together seemed a little too quick. But otherwise, great graphic novel.
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Bullying, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Toxic friendship
-Specifically sinophobia (racism & xenophobia)ashar_allaire's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I finished this book and immediately started from the beginning to re-read it. It's one of those books that comes together so well at the end that you have to go back with the full context, but I LOVE that. It becomes more powerful the second time through. This has stayed on my mind since I finished it and it's something I think is so important and raw. I like that it never talks down to young people and it doesn't shy away from the complex and difficult topics it covers, while navigating them in a clear and understandable way. 5 stars.
Graphic: Bullying, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs
Minor: Toxic friendship
eve81's review against another edition
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic friendship, Bullying, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual harassment
rnbhargava's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I related to this book so much as someone who’s mixed race of two separate Asian ethnicities but it really does an excellent job of showing being of color in spaces that are mainly white. The ending portions are a bit hasty but I still enjoyed the absurdity of everything jumbling together.
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Gaslighting, Racism, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Minor: Drug use and Xenophobia
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