lmurray74 's review for:

Unpolished Gem by Alice Pung

3.0

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I wanted to like this more than I did but I'm glad I read it and will look out for more work from this author. The narrative is uneven, at times the storytelling flows with ease and humor and at other times appears stilted and unsure. I feel this scratches the surface of what Alice Pung really wants to tell us or maybe politeness keeps her from sharing too much about her family and her feelings. The most interesting parts to read, for me, were when she was retelling family stories and when she was with her boyfriend once she'd gone to uni. Maybe when focusing on these issues she was able to let go a little as they weren't a critical reaction to her immediate family. I look forward to reading more of her work and seeing her style mature.