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Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'
We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story by Simu Liu
49 reviews
zee's review
3.5
The book is split into three major parts: his parents' story, and how the Cultural Revolution impacted their behaviour (sorry, "behavior") and their initial immigration to the West; his formative years with his parents and the abuse and expectations encountered; and finally the struggle to succeed as an actor. I found the deliberate decision to end the book as Shang Chi was getting rolling to be a tad disappointing, as I doubt it was entirely sunshine and roses after all his years of struggle with his identity... Though ultimately that was probably based on the timelines of the deal happening before the Marvel announcement. For all that acts 1 and 2 are raw and emotional, act 3 seemed very rushed. He glosses over the struggles and successes with, essentially, "and then I tried harder and this time it worked."
While a worthwhile story to read of the familial struggles and expectations placed on him as the son of immigrants, overall the book doesn't adequately address why we're reading his particular story and not some other schmuck's with a difficult/abusive parental relationship. I guess it would be better aimed at major Liu fans, which isn't what I expect from a Canada Reads longlist selected memoir.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Xenophobia and Racism
btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Classism and Sexism
TW: mentions HP multiple timesl1brarygirl's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Xenophobia and Racism
Minor: Grief and Abandonment
emiliaclew's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
bitesizedbeet's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Classism, Child abuse, Racism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Xenophobia
herceia's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse and Physical abuse
djpizza's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Physical abuse and Child abuse
mandaraffe's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Bullying, Abandonment, and Xenophobia
Minor: Racism and Grief
scrubsandbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Xenophobia and Racism
kelly_e's review against another edition
3.25
Author: Simu Liu
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: May 16, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Quick • Entertaining • Repetitive
📖 S Y N O P S I S
We Were Dreamers details Canadian actor Simu Liu's journey from China to Canada and the bright lights of Hollywood.
Beginning in China, where Simu was left in the care of his grandparents as his parents forged a future in Canada. It is out of the blue that Simu's father shows up, whisking him away from the only home he'd ever known. Life in Canada was a difficult transition for Simu, as he was separated from those around him by culture, language and values.
Growing up, he did everything to appease his parents, but over time it became harder and harder to keep up the charade. When as a young adult, he find himself unemployed and ashamed, it is an ad on Craigslist that will change everything for him.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I will admit to falling victim to the hype when it comes to We Were Dreamers, as I had no clue who Simu Liu was before listening to his memoir, but when it became available from my library as an express loan I decided to give it a try.
I definitely think that because I didn't know who he was, my experience definitely wasn't the same as other readers have had. Divided into three acts, I enjoyed the first section about his childhood, but found myself caring less and less as it progressed.
What I did appreciate is the exploration of parental expectations and cultural stereotypes. Parts were certainly hard to read, but I also had to remind myself that this was Simu's side of the story. I also think the reconciliation between himself and his parents definitely could have been explored more to make for a more seamless transition from one act to the next.
Overall, this memoir was culturally informative and entertaining to listen to, but I'd also have been completely okay having skipped it. If you're a Simu Liu fan you'll probably enjoy it a lot more than I did, and in my opinion this is a book made for audio as opposed to print form, as his expressive voice adds to the story.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• celebrity memoir enthusiasts
• Marvel fans
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Whether you like it or not, you're getting better at something every day."
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Classism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Cursing and Suicidal thoughts