A review by badmom
The Brightest Star by Gail Tsukiyama

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

This novelized biography of the first Chinese American film star Anna May Wong is engaging & lovely, imagining the reflections of this woman from her childhood in LA through her adult life. There are specific events from US history entwined with her experiences of racism, bigotry, and misogyny that have not entirely changed in Hollywood - this story serves to remind us of how much Wong accomplished in her too-brief career & lifetime, mostly through her intelligence & strength of character, with some help from privileged insiders. I appreciate the tender attention given to all of the cultural details Wong honored & incorporated into her life and work through the years, as well as examining the impacts of her family on her decisions. 
Some anecdotes about ger connections & relationships felt too abbreviated or unfinished though with a life as rich as Anna May Wong’s, we need volumes to explore everything more thoroughly. 
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