Reviews with content warning for Medical trauma - Beautiful Country

Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang

10 reviews

shortstackz's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

3.5

This is a tough read for anyone who has experienced childhood food insecurity. Qian has a very lyrical writing style, leaving the reader to infer a lot about the inner lives of her parents throughout the story. It centers around the years where they were undocumented in the US, and I wish she delved more into the aftermath and unpacking of it. The lart chapter is a sprint through her adulthood, I would have liked to see how her life in Canada further contrasted against her Chinese and American lives. Particularly as she focused on her mother's journey throughout the memoir. It's easy to forget the political context of their move, especially when you see the glaring mysogyny of the father. A tough family dynamic between all involved, and a family struggling to find safe haven.

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btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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xeniba's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

I felt this was beautifully written, though difficult to read at times because of the trauma the author experienced. I’m grateful to the author for being so transparent and sharing her story.

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revolution666's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

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savvylit's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

Beautiful Country is a damning description of the emotional damage experienced by undocumented families in the United States. From the moment they arrive, Qian and her parents' lives are constantly dictated by the fear of being discovered as illegal. Excruciating medical concerns are ignored until it's nearly too late. Her mother, who was a professor of Computer Science in China, is forced to take exploitative and horrific jobs just to survive. Qian attends public elementary school and feels pressure to constantly portray herself as a born-American -- even early on when she can barely speak English. Her parents buckle under the stress and fear, becoming emotionally abusive and depressed.

As a whole, Beautiful Country deftly unveils the powerful myth of the American Dream. Though Wang does eventually become a powerful lawyer, it is in spite of America -- not because of it. This memoir is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the challenges of living as an undocumented child in the U.S.

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unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

Books are magic in that they can really get you behind someone else’s eyes, and Qian Julie Wang did something so special with this book, not only sharing her experiences but sharing them through her own eyes as a child.

Every story in this book feels so real and immediate. I felt hungry, cold, confused, happy, tired, sad, lonely, elated, scared, angry and all of the other emotions right along with her as she related every detail. I remembered being 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, loving visits to the library, hating trying to fit in at school and dealing with learning how my (very small, very privileged) life worked.

Reading this story, which is simultaneously incredibly relatable and incredibly different from my own, hit me like a ton of bricks. When I closed the book I felt hopeful but also so frustrated by Qian’s experiences. When I feel like that, it helps me to think about what actions I can take to help ensure that no more little girls have to experience hunger, discrimination and hatred at the level that Qian did, so I made a little list for myself:

I will advocate for free lunch and summer food programs through my local public school system and vote for school board candidates who share my views.
I will call my legislators and urge them to create long-term, easier ways for young children of undocumented immigrants to achieve citizenship.
I will continue to avoid fast fashion and invest in clothing and other goods made by people who are earning a living wage.

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