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A review by mreadsbooksnfics
Finding My Voice by Marie Myung-Ok Lee
4.0
I thought I knew 90s YA well. This book was a pleasant surprise to discover. I was taken in by the cover and the story is just as great. Even though it’s a short novel, it’s interesting and well done.
Ellen is living with her parents who want her to attend Harvard like her sister. She is trying to enjoy her last year of high school, getting good grades and doing gymnastics. She’s also struggling with her racist classmates and the remarks they make towards her, ignorantly assuming she’s Chinese and never taking the time to learn she’s Korean. She even endures racist comments from a teacher and dismissive comments from another teacher regarding racist comments from classmates. She’s dealing with pressure from her parents, trying to decide where she wants to go to college, and just being a teen. This was a great glimpse into life for an Asian American teen in the 90s, a new perspective I was excited to read about.
This book is very interesting and I couldn’t stop listening. The narrator is well chosen, giving the best emotion and thoughtfulness to Ellen. I found her voice realistic and similar to how I felt as a teen in some ways, even though I’m not Asian American and cannot speak on this aspect. The audio made me get lost in the story, enjoying each moment and experiencing the same emotions because it was gripping.
I’m grateful to be able to have read this book, learning about a new perspective and enjoying the 90s vibes. I hope many new readers will enjoy this novel as well.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ellen is living with her parents who want her to attend Harvard like her sister. She is trying to enjoy her last year of high school, getting good grades and doing gymnastics. She’s also struggling with her racist classmates and the remarks they make towards her, ignorantly assuming she’s Chinese and never taking the time to learn she’s Korean. She even endures racist comments from a teacher and dismissive comments from another teacher regarding racist comments from classmates. She’s dealing with pressure from her parents, trying to decide where she wants to go to college, and just being a teen. This was a great glimpse into life for an Asian American teen in the 90s, a new perspective I was excited to read about.
This book is very interesting and I couldn’t stop listening. The narrator is well chosen, giving the best emotion and thoughtfulness to Ellen. I found her voice realistic and similar to how I felt as a teen in some ways, even though I’m not Asian American and cannot speak on this aspect. The audio made me get lost in the story, enjoying each moment and experiencing the same emotions because it was gripping.
I’m grateful to be able to have read this book, learning about a new perspective and enjoying the 90s vibes. I hope many new readers will enjoy this novel as well.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.