American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
For this blog post, I decided to revisit one of my favorite graphic novels from my childhood: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. I got this book from one of my birthdays in Elementary School, but I don't recall wanting to read it right away. One day in fifth grade, just before leaving for school, I saw the book on the shelf and remembered that I had not read it yet. I quickly put it in my bag and ran to the car. During free reading time that day, I started reading the book. As the pages flew by, I became more and more in love with the book. This book is one of those graphic novels where you forget you are reading and start to feel like you are watching a movie.
Super brief Summaries of the stories in this book which I try my best not to spoil:
American Born Chinese follow the stories of multiple different characters:
1. Jin Wang, a son of two Chinese immigrants who is trying to make friends and gain popularity in school, all while he is struggling to find his identity as an American born Chinese.
2. The Monkey King (Sun Wukong) King of Flower Fruit Mountain, A deity who struggles to gain recognition from other gods.
3. Danny, a handsome white boy in high school who struggles to live a normal life when his humiliating cousin Chin-Kee visits from China.
At the end of the book, all three stories connect, and the moral is revealed as the book closes (thankfully) with a happy ending.
I had a blast reading this book. It packs so much into a 233 pages, it really feels like a blur. The book also packs in so many emotions: some scenes are funny, while other are sad, angry, intense, or romantic. While it may not sound like I said a bunch about this book, it is because the best parts of this book are for the reader to experience. This book is an easy 5 star, if you see it anywhere: GET IT. You can thank me later.
Important note: While this book is amazing read, it does contain a few negative things that are worth noting. While Jin is in School, he encounters racism toward his race. This book uses a lot of Asian stereotypes throughout. The book also contains a minor joke that Jewish people may find offensive. If you are easily offended, I would recommend reading this book with caution.
Thanks for reading!
-Pieter
Great post Pieter! I appreciated how you excluded spoilers and along with all the great parts in the comic, you mentioned the reasons someone may not want to read the book. I will definitely pick this book up if I see it anywhere. Good job! - Claire Hobson
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I like how the plot follows multiple main characters, each with their own separate lives, and how their storylines intersect near the end of the book. Like Claire, I appreciate how you excluded spoilers and gave some warnings about some language in the book. I am really interested in this book and look forward to reading it in the near future.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I haven't read comic books in a while, but I remember really enjoying them when I was younger. I feel like I can relate to Jin's storyline of being the child of two immigrants and struggling to find his identity. Though I am not Chinese, I can draw lots of parallels between these struggles. I'm interested in this book and I might pick it up in the future!
ReplyDeleteSound like an interesting book. I have also experienced reading that takes you away and puts you in maximum focus. I appreciate keeping the spoilers away, it makes me want to read it to find what more happens.
ReplyDeleteGreat review Pieter! I used to love graphic novels, so this book seems like it would be a great read. The utilization of multiple storylines intersecting at the culmination of the plot seems like a unique way to end a story. I will definitely add this book to my to-read list!
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