A review by joshlynjavier
Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang

challenging emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

...suddenly it was clear to me why we don't remember what it was like to be born -- because it would give us too much insight into what it will be like to die. to be present for your own birth was suicide. to know the true wonder of suddenly existing was to know the fear of suddenly ceasing to exist

it was only much, much, much, much later that i understood and accepted that my parents paid for me to be free. all of it, i realized, had to be paid for by someone. 

told through the perspective of young daughters of chinese immigrants growing up in new york city, these anecdotes represent the tumultuous and vehement feelings associated with being caught between two unknowns - where you come from and where you are, and the pressure to bloom in an environment that rejects your roots. 

although the seven different girls each have their own unique hardships and conditions, a common theme of yearning for home, love, and understanding is present. forced to raise themselves and often left to their own devices, they each develop an independence and hardness that's common for the immigrant experience, shaping their personalities and concept of love and pain. it's the abundance of love and joy that can be found, even in the absence of basic needs. it's finding that you still love the sour fruit in the presence of sweeter. 

jenny zhang is distinguished with the ability to write incredibly beautiful and poignant prose, contrasted with the hilarious, fresh, and sometimes disturbing voices of adolescence. as a child of immigrants, there are so many aspects of these stories that really resonated with me. 

the range of experiences, circumstances, familial relationships, and personality was really impressive. i only wish that there was more distinct qualities to help distinguish the stories, but regardless very glad i picked this up!