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ashluhley's review
5.0
“We were all trapped in this fantasy called the American dream, and none of us were brave enough to disavow it completely. It gave meaning to my parents’ lives, it turned my sister and me into exemplars, and it glossed over the parts that were inconvenient or ugly.”
This was a phenomenal read. Julia Lee dives deep into the oppressive systems that run rampant in America, and the way that White Supremacy is deeply ingrained in our history and society. This book wraps memoir, reflection and revelation into one beautifully written experience.
Julia writes of her experiences growing up as a Korean-American woman; the imposter syndrome, the rage, the sadness, the frustration. She candidly and openly expresses times in her life where she now recognizes that she was acting within the parameters of White Supremacist thinking, influenced by the oppressive culture around her. She humanizes the experience of growth, atonement and educating oneself on the ways that these systems need to be refused and dismantled.
The retelling of her memories is poignant and transparent; each one seamlessly tied into the next. She speaks of countless instances in which she was subject to micro-aggressions, blatant racism and fetishization. She speaks of intergenerational trauma as a Korean-American. She speaks on the struggle of existing within expectations of conforming to the model minority stereotypes that are so often associated with Asian-Americans, and the whiplash of being deemed as “too Asian, and yet not Asian enough”.
This was a beautifully written reflection on what it means to recognize, and turn away from White Supremacist ideology. To look at these systems, infiltrate them, and change them. To bite the hand that feeds you.
This was a phenomenal read. Julia Lee dives deep into the oppressive systems that run rampant in America, and the way that White Supremacy is deeply ingrained in our history and society. This book wraps memoir, reflection and revelation into one beautifully written experience.
Julia writes of her experiences growing up as a Korean-American woman; the imposter syndrome, the rage, the sadness, the frustration. She candidly and openly expresses times in her life where she now recognizes that she was acting within the parameters of White Supremacist thinking, influenced by the oppressive culture around her. She humanizes the experience of growth, atonement and educating oneself on the ways that these systems need to be refused and dismantled.
The retelling of her memories is poignant and transparent; each one seamlessly tied into the next. She speaks of countless instances in which she was subject to micro-aggressions, blatant racism and fetishization. She speaks of intergenerational trauma as a Korean-American. She speaks on the struggle of existing within expectations of conforming to the model minority stereotypes that are so often associated with Asian-Americans, and the whiplash of being deemed as “too Asian, and yet not Asian enough”.
This was a beautifully written reflection on what it means to recognize, and turn away from White Supremacist ideology. To look at these systems, infiltrate them, and change them. To bite the hand that feeds you.
ksilvery's review
I struggle rating memoirs, especially ones that I’ve carefully selected because I was seeking a special connection with the author.
And at the very end, Julia very nicely asks me, the reader, to be kind and considerate before judging her.
So all I’ll say is that someone missed the “preferred “ pronouns part, either during editing or who knows when, and I would have excepted better especially because it’s written to prove a point.
And even though at the end Julia tries to show that not all immigrant experience is traumatic, for the bigger part of the book the tone is angry, very deeply angry, understandably so, but it’s heavy to read at times and it didn’t help that I listened to it in one day. She does start with that but in some places she says that her perspective has changed and I honestly can’t tell that by this book.
But so many things were relatable for me, so maybe I haven’t let go either and she can be mad on my behalf.
And at the very end, Julia very nicely asks me, the reader, to be kind and considerate before judging her.
So all I’ll say is that someone missed the “preferred “ pronouns part, either during editing or who knows when, and I would have excepted better especially because it’s written to prove a point.
And even though at the end Julia tries to show that not all immigrant experience is traumatic, for the bigger part of the book the tone is angry, very deeply angry, understandably so, but it’s heavy to read at times and it didn’t help that I listened to it in one day. She does start with that but in some places she says that her perspective has changed and I honestly can’t tell that by this book.
But so many things were relatable for me, so maybe I haven’t let go either and she can be mad on my behalf.
sarahmiya's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
bmanatee_reads's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
justsimplehonestjuice's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
revmolev's review against another edition
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Loved the audiobook. Super well-written and I learned a lot!
lauea's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This memoir is raw, emotional, and so worth a read. Lee writes in a way that is honest and vulnerable, and had me stopping every few pages to jot down quotes that I’ll carry on with me.
“To treat yourself as human in a world that dehumanizes you, now that is an act of resistance.”
“To treat yourself as human in a world that dehumanizes you, now that is an act of resistance.”