Reviews with content warning for Physical abuse - We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story

Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story by Simu Liu

49 reviews

abitbetterbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

A solid 4.5 stars rounded up because even the freaking acknowledgments had me in tears.

While there’s nothing revolutionary about the relatable and humorous writing of this book in terms of prose or poeticism, it is really well done, especially in the world of celebrity memoirs. The heart and conviction behind Simu’s story is really the highlight of this work, and the audiobook was particularly powerful. To hear the story read by the author, to feel the pain behind is experiences, to hear his voice breaking when overcome with emotion, also moved me to tears a number of times.

Of course this book may not pack the same punch for those who aren’t fans of Simu’s work (I’m a major Kim’s Convenience fan) but honestly, even if you’re not, it’s still worth a read. He paints a very nuanced picture of his experience of immigration and the disconnect between his and his parents experiences, and also highlights how he came into his advocacy for accurate representation of Asians in popular media. Especially for Asian-Canadians, this book is definitely worth picking up!

Content Warnings

madisonfrank's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

Content Warnings

_inge's review against another edition

Go to review page

medium-paced

4.0

Everything about this felt so genuine. Simu was so open about everything (with thanks to his parents for giving permission too), and in the audiobook expressed emotions through his voice in a really authentic way. He’s a good actor of course, but he couldn’t have faked laughing at some of his childhood memories or his voice shaking when expressing gratitude for those who are no longer with us. Usually if I read a celebrity memoire I just want them to give details about a film and spill the tea, but Simu made me genuinely interested in his personal life. This book taught me a lot about the immigrant experience and about the Chinese one in general, for which I’m very grateful.

Content Warnings

imstephtacular's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

Content Warnings

laurenthefox's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

3.5

Content Warnings

onemorepagecrew's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny reflective fast-paced

5.0

This year has given us celebrity memoir gold and We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story by Simu Liu is no exception. I loved it so much!

I saw many positive reviews from friends here on bookstagram and I was excited to get into the audio over the weekend. I ended up finishing it in one day because I couldn’t put it down, it was the perfect blend of reflective and witty. I look for memoirs to be either entertaining or emotionally vulnerable, so to have one hit both notes is great.

In this memoir, Liu goes back to his childhood in China and explains a bit about his grandparents’ and parents’ experiences, along with the key aspects of Chinese culture that influenced their personal and parenting choices. He speaks to his experience immigrating to Canada at a young age and the abuse he faced once arriving.

He takes the reader into his teen and adult years, talking about both his career and his family dynamics. It’s such a well-told story that centers his reconciliation with the events of his life without losing accountability for the adults in his life that failed him as a child.

It’s also a story of healing and growth - it’s clear he has had therapy and I love to see it. If you enjoy a deep memoir with humor and self-awareness, this is a fantastic choice.

Content warnings: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs

Content Warnings