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riverofpages's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Racism
Moderate: Child abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual violence and Xenophobia
aresoracle's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.5
brice_mo's review
3.0
This is a tricky book to review, and I was leaning towards two stars until the final third.
The central revelation—the ostensible reason the memoir was written—is the kind of life-defining challenge that is perfect for exploring in this medium, and once Carmen Rita Wong addresses it, the book kicks into high gear. She offers readers a fascinating reflection on identity, family, and her sense of emotional displacement. It's complex and heartfelt and engaging.
Unfortunately, the majority of the book feels untethered from its final act, and it's alternately confusing and slow, as if Wong was trying to retroactively narrativize personal history that rejects narrative. Furthermore, the epilogue contains another seismic shift in Wong's knowledge of her family history, but it doesn't get the time or attention it deserves. She notes that she learned the new information as the book was nearing its completion, but it's the kind of change that warranted a pause on the publication timeline so that Wong could reframe and revise earlier chapters.
Sadly, it seems that the book was pushed to publication, whether at Wong's discretion or the insistence of her publisher, and the end result is a muddled book with an incredible memoir buried at the end. Despite my critiques, I found myself really hoping for a follow-up that would further develop and complete the themes introduced in this book, and I'm excited to see what Carmen Rita Wong writes next.
The central revelation—the ostensible reason the memoir was written—is the kind of life-defining challenge that is perfect for exploring in this medium, and once Carmen Rita Wong addresses it, the book kicks into high gear. She offers readers a fascinating reflection on identity, family, and her sense of emotional displacement. It's complex and heartfelt and engaging.
Unfortunately, the majority of the book feels untethered from its final act, and it's alternately confusing and slow, as if Wong was trying to retroactively narrativize personal history that rejects narrative. Furthermore, the epilogue contains another seismic shift in Wong's knowledge of her family history, but it doesn't get the time or attention it deserves. She notes that she learned the new information as the book was nearing its completion, but it's the kind of change that warranted a pause on the publication timeline so that Wong could reframe and revise earlier chapters.
Sadly, it seems that the book was pushed to publication, whether at Wong's discretion or the insistence of her publisher, and the end result is a muddled book with an incredible memoir buried at the end. Despite my critiques, I found myself really hoping for a follow-up that would further develop and complete the themes introduced in this book, and I'm excited to see what Carmen Rita Wong writes next.
socialistlesbian's review
5.0
one of those books that knock the metaphorical wind out of u with how incredible it is. i will carry this with me always <3
podlley's review
2.0
While I think Carmen Rita Wong's life, and notably her discussions on identity and the struggles of growing up Black, Chinese, and Latina in predominantly white dominated spaces were critical, the book reads more as a sequence of events and lacks a narrative flow. At some points, it reads more as a "here's everything that went wrong" list rather than a memoir. While, of course, she doesn't owe it to any reader to embellish her story or render her hardships more palatable, I think more could have been done to create a more pleasant reading experience. Surprisingly, for a memoir, I think there was also a lack of introspection and commentary at times. The story was particularly focused on events and things people did that made Wong's life more difficult than it should have been but other than some speculation about the causes behind people's actions, I found that there was rarely more depth to it.
TLDR: Her story was certainly worth telling, I'm not a fan of the way it was told.
TLDR: Her story was certainly worth telling, I'm not a fan of the way it was told.
jwinchell's review
4.0
I have no idea how I found this book, but I really got into Carmen’s story of growing up with 3 tumultuous parents, the only brown girl in all white New Hampshire. She constantly had to hustle. And what her mother kept secret from her all along is totally astounding. Lupe reminds me a little of Michelle Zauner’s mom in Crying in H Mart, just with much less love.
lshoer's review
3.0
A little too "jump forward jump back" for me. Maybe I just don't like memoirs? But interesting questions about family, personal identity, and cultural history.