American Born Chinese

Amazing

American Born Chinese had been on my tbr for ages and the recent series adaptation pushed me to finally cross this from my reading list. It is a captivating and introspective read that explores themes of cultural identity, assimilation and the impact of stereotypes, by weaving together three distinct storylines. The first storyline explores the experiences of Jin Wang, a Chinese-American boy navigating the challenges of fitting in at a predominantly white school. The second storyline revolves around the legendary Monkey King, a character from Chinese folklore who faces discrimination and seeks acceptance among the gods. Lastly, there is the story of Chin-Kee, a stereotypical and offensive caricature of a Chinese exchange student who visits his all-American cousin. Yang skillfully weaves together humour, mythology, and social commentary to create a thought-provoking narrative. The incorporation of the Monkey King's story and the character of Chin-Kee is quite clever as it exposes and deconstructs the harmful effects of cultural and racial caricatures. The book's artwork is a blend of traditional comic book styles with influences from Chinese folklore and culture and perfectly complements the storytelling. They not only capture the emotions of the characters but also enhance the exploration of the themes. That being said, I had an issue with the overall execution of the story, especially the ending. I loved how the three different storylines were merged in the end, but the way that was done was abrupt and fell flat. It was rather quick. I wanted to see more of Jin Wang coming to terms with his cultural identity and accepting himself as he was. However, it is a heartfelt exploration of the struggle to balance cultural heritage with societal expectations and what it means to navigate between two cultures. It reminds readers of the importance of embracing one's true identity and heritage while challenging harmful stereotypes. Definitely worth reading.

Overrated. I had high expectations. Did not work for me.

Loved this! The art was wonderful, the dialogue expertly placed, and the way the three stories wove together in the end was surprising and fitting. I'm coming at this from the perspective of being white, but the toxic behaviour of the white kids in the comic was unfortunately very true to life (I've seen it done by my classmates, and heard the stories from my friends, and god knows I've said stupid things myself), and Gene Yang nailed it right on the head with some well placed words, sometimes no more than a single panel. Also? Anything involving the Monkey King in this story was a pleasure.

Divertido y fácil de leer

Très bon livre, que je croyais avoir commandé en français et qui m'est arrivé en anglais. C'est sans doute de ma faute, je n'ai pas dû faire assez attention au descriptif.

A fun way to a integrate Chinese stories and legends to the second / third generation chinese diaspora. It makes them very accessible and applicable to their lives. I'd love to see more of these type of books for kids. Its so important for them to be able to identify with characters in media, whether books, television or film etc.

Articolo nel pieno delle aspettative. Veloce e preciso.