Scan barcode
A review by reeyabeegale
American Panda by Gloria Chao
3.0
Finished this via Audiobook.
I love books that feature men and women of color, different ethnicities just amaze me especially when well written. With American Panda, Chao did a very good Taiwanese-American representation — the family traditions & restrictions, she nailed them! I am Asian, myself — a Filipina, and we do have cultures and traditions that are not easily understood or accepted. So I definitely understood the concept of not fitting in or belonging, because I feel that even within my own country and fellow citizens.
This book had just the right amount of humor, and it was entertaining. However, I felt like Mei was too not as relatable as I would have liked. Her experiences, obviously mirroring reality for other Asian kids with traditional families, were sometimes not “understandable” — like it didn’t feel natural, therefore I was not able to empathize.
The parts where Mei spent time with her mother, and she was describing her, were good chapters — they weren’t boring. Mei’s experiences and her thoughts when she’s alone just didn’t resonate well with me. Honestly, I felt like I knew more about Nicolette (sorry if I got the spelling wrong, I listened to it — not read), she was a perfect example of a relatable character. She had less scenes at the start, but I was drawn to her character towards the end, so much that I wish she would have a book of her own!
Nonetheless, this was a good book — the good title is a bonus! Will recommend if you want a quick read.
I love books that feature men and women of color, different ethnicities just amaze me especially when well written. With American Panda, Chao did a very good Taiwanese-American representation — the family traditions & restrictions, she nailed them! I am Asian, myself — a Filipina, and we do have cultures and traditions that are not easily understood or accepted. So I definitely understood the concept of not fitting in or belonging, because I feel that even within my own country and fellow citizens.
This book had just the right amount of humor, and it was entertaining. However, I felt like Mei was too not as relatable as I would have liked. Her experiences, obviously mirroring reality for other Asian kids with traditional families, were sometimes not “understandable” — like it didn’t feel natural, therefore I was not able to empathize.
The parts where Mei spent time with her mother, and she was describing her, were good chapters — they weren’t boring. Mei’s experiences and her thoughts when she’s alone just didn’t resonate well with me. Honestly, I felt like I knew more about Nicolette (sorry if I got the spelling wrong, I listened to it — not read), she was a perfect example of a relatable character. She had less scenes at the start, but I was drawn to her character towards the end, so much that I wish she would have a book of her own!
Nonetheless, this was a good book — the good title is a bonus! Will recommend if you want a quick read.