Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by jenbarin
Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang
3.0
[Rating: 3.5] Jenny Zhang was first brought to my attention when a good friend forwarded her Rookie mag article about Weezer's internalized misogyny and Asian fetishization. This was a critique I myself had made in the past, so it was exciting to see someone else articulate it in writing - and from another Asian Jenny, too!
Asian Americans deserve more moments of resonance such as that, which is why I'm glad Jenny Zhang has gone on to publish a book of short stories. I have to admit this collection was pretty hit-or-miss. The quality of the stories varies, and at times, it's hard to tell the protagonists apart. There is a stylistic tendency across each story to use run-on sentences for narrative effect, and while it can be impactful at first, the repetition results in robbing the characters of distinct voices. In my opinion, the most interesting and poignant stories were the ones told by the characters Christina and Jenny ("We Love You, Crispina" and "Evolution of my Brother").
Jenny Zhang repeatedly articulates a notion of immigrant love as a semi-toxic, possessive experience. It's an interesting thread that is explored in each story (and in the "Evolution of my Brother," this possessive love is between a brother and sister, provoking unsettling thoughts about inherited emotional quirks). The desire to run away from a suffocating family, and the further implication that this relates to racial/immigrant identity, was really powerful to read about. To me, this book is evidence of the nuanced perspectives Asian Americans have to contribute to the literary canon, and we need more work like this out in the world.
Bravo to Jenny Zhang for writing something so provocative. Although certain parts felt dark for the sake of being edgy, I do appreciate that she was willing to depict the model minority as something less than glamorous and privileged. Although I know a number of first gen Chinese Americans who grew up in Queens/New York taking ESL classes, this was the first time I ever saw that experience written about in American literature.
Asian Americans deserve more moments of resonance such as that, which is why I'm glad Jenny Zhang has gone on to publish a book of short stories. I have to admit this collection was pretty hit-or-miss. The quality of the stories varies, and at times, it's hard to tell the protagonists apart. There is a stylistic tendency across each story to use run-on sentences for narrative effect, and while it can be impactful at first, the repetition results in robbing the characters of distinct voices. In my opinion, the most interesting and poignant stories were the ones told by the characters Christina and Jenny ("We Love You, Crispina" and "Evolution of my Brother").
Jenny Zhang repeatedly articulates a notion of immigrant love as a semi-toxic, possessive experience. It's an interesting thread that is explored in each story (and in the "Evolution of my Brother," this possessive love is between a brother and sister, provoking unsettling thoughts about inherited emotional quirks). The desire to run away from a suffocating family, and the further implication that this relates to racial/immigrant identity, was really powerful to read about. To me, this book is evidence of the nuanced perspectives Asian Americans have to contribute to the literary canon, and we need more work like this out in the world.
Bravo to Jenny Zhang for writing something so provocative. Although certain parts felt dark for the sake of being edgy, I do appreciate that she was willing to depict the model minority as something less than glamorous and privileged. Although I know a number of first gen Chinese Americans who grew up in Queens/New York taking ESL classes, this was the first time I ever saw that experience written about in American literature.