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A review by sarahhbeth_reads
Pioneer Girl by Bich Minh Nguyen
4.0
Pioneer Girl appealed to me on several different levels. I found this book entertaining, intellectually fulfilling, and relatable. One of the major themes that the author explores in the novel is the sense of "Not Belonging." The narrator feels out of place as the child of Vietnamese immigrants in the largely white American midwest, as a recent graduate seeking out her place and purpose in the world, and as a daughter yearning for balance between familial duties and responsibility to one's self. I thought that the author's comparison between Lee and Rose Wilder Lane was apt, although at first glance the two women might not seem to have much in common. Through studying Rose Wilder Lane's life, Lee grows closer to finding her own "place of belonging."
As a child who, like Lee, grew up reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series, this novel evoked carefree childhood memories. However, Pioneer Girl also pushes the Lee and its readers to reevaluate the stories read in youth in terms of race relations, historical background, the adult character's actions, the ratio of fact to fiction, and even to reconsider Laura as the sole author of the series.
Pioneer Girl embraced many important and relevant topics and still retains an interesting and enjoyable plot. I think that most people will find something to relate to in this novel, or at least a compelling story.
As a child who, like Lee, grew up reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series, this novel evoked carefree childhood memories. However, Pioneer Girl also pushes the Lee and its readers to reevaluate the stories read in youth in terms of race relations, historical background, the adult character's actions, the ratio of fact to fiction, and even to reconsider Laura as the sole author of the series.
Pioneer Girl embraced many important and relevant topics and still retains an interesting and enjoyable plot. I think that most people will find something to relate to in this novel, or at least a compelling story.