Chelsea
Written on Aug 8, 2020
“Charmed my socks off.” —David Arnold, New York Times bestselling author of Kids of Appetite and Mosquitoland
“A soulful and hilarious debut.” —Booklist (starred review)
“Effervescent.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“An earnest, funny, and emotional story.” —Book Riot
An incisive, laugh-out-loud contemporary debut about a Taiwanese-American teen whose parents want her to be a doctor and marry a Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer despite her squeamishness with germs and crush on a Japanese classmate.
At seventeen, Mei should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents’ master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies.
With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can’t bring herself to tell them the truth—that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.
But when Mei reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels?
- ISBN10 1534425691
- ISBN13 9781534425699
- Publish Date 3 May 2018 (first published 6 February 2018)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Simon & Schuster
- Edition Export
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 320
- Language English
Reviews
Bianca
Written on Sep 22, 2019
34. A book set on a college or university campus
“Well, what do you want?”
No one had ever asked me that before, including myself. It almost felt forbidden. Partly because it was, by my parents. But mostly because it made things harder. Which meant . . . I already knew what I thought.
I think I had stopped asking myself what I wanted after the pre-prima-ballerina dream turned nightmare. Dreams could hurt you if they didn’t come true, but if they never existed in the first place . . .
— Portrays the struggles of being in an Asian family with very traditional ways and values. It was okay, but I found it very one-sided and felt all over the place.
jeannamichel
Written on Jan 10, 2019
Also, (completely unrelated) shadowing a gynecologist for the day, who sees all clients that you know, is rather scarring. I can tell you right now that becoming a gynecologist will never be in the cards for me either.
emruth13
Written on Mar 12, 2018
Amber (The Literary Phoenix)
Written on Feb 15, 2018
This isn't your typical sweet, teenage romance. And it's good that it is not. I knew from the moment I started reading that this book was not written for me, and I was just along for the ride. Mei was a great character, caught in the struggle of her own love of her Taiwanese culture and her desire to be heard. I adored Mei's mother's story as well, and found her brother's character and her aunt's character powerful and interesting, both struggling for their personal beliefs and feeling betrayed. Esther, in particular, stood out as a strong character in the background and I am now desperate to learn her story.
There is a lot in this novel that is beautiful, and there is a lot that is sad. I found it a really educational read, as I don't know very much about Asian-American culture. I think there are definitely elements of that culture that should be more universally represented - such as respect - but I also see where people may feel trapped by their traditions. It made me very grateful for my own life experience.
It also spurred a conversation with my first-generation Chinese-American coworker, for whose insights I am grateful. As far as I can tell, this novel well mirrored her own experiences. We agreed that the revolution of cultural understanding and learning is amazing, and we both want to learn more. So, thanks Tash for sharing your experience!
I'd also like to point everyone to Chloe's review of American Panda. Chloe, from Hong Kong, gives more of an #OwnVoices review and with novels like these it is really important to check out those reviews!
I absolutely recommend this book - it's an educational read that will tug at your heartstrings.
bookishzelda
Written on Feb 3, 2018
I loved Mei. She is bright and funny and just someone I wish I was friends with. I felt bad that she feels like she had to hide her aversion to germs. Which is another reason she struggles with the career path her parents have chosen for her. She has a love of dance and the arts and also math. She might be frustrated with her family but she truly loves them.
The book deals a lot with what it is like to move to another country with different values then what you are raised. As well as with different eras and moving forward with the times. My grandparents were immigrants from Lithuania and there was certain things I found I could relate to. It’s easy to judge someone else’s family without understanding where they are coming from. My grandma came to America at 16 with no parents and pretty much no belongings. She was lucky to have family here already but her outlook on the world was just different. She often put me down, thinking that it would make me work harder. Strange ideology yes but it made me understand Mei better. I loved learning about Mei’s family and their traditions. Yes Mei’s mom wants her to be a doctor and marry well but you really get to see why. Why does her mother want these things for her, how does the culture and traditions influence that. I just felt like there is so much depth to the storytelling in that respect.
Mei’s relationship with her mother is a big focus. I liked seeing how it changes and evolves in the book as Mei is trying to find her voice. She doesn’t want to hurt her parents, especially her mom and you see her struggle with this. She does appreciate what they have done for her, but also sees a different perspective of what they are expecting from spending time Xing.
I really liked the voicemails and the information about why certain chapter numbers are missing.
The MIT setting is so much fun. Especially since Gloria Chao is a graduate of the school herself. It made it feel like you were getting a secret inside view. I loved all the different lingo that MIT students have for things and all the different things they do. It made me miss college a little.
Mei and Darren’s relationship is the cutest thing ever. I loved how awkward they are! I loved that it’s both of them at different times. I enjoyed reading about their relationship. It made me smile.
American Panda is such a great story! I really loved everything about it.
Joséphine
Written on Jan 26, 2018
Initial thoughts: There's so much I want to unpack about American Panda! For its cultural rep, I absolutely loved it. Mei's Taiwanese-American upbringing shone through in this book and really made me think about various interpretations of culture. What especially struck me was what it meant to uphold traditions and for what gains. I really enjoyed Mei's voice too and the plot made me feel for her all the more.
Sam@WLABB
Written on Jan 17, 2018
•Pro: I found it very easy to like Mei. She was quite delightful and witty, and I appreciated her sense of humor. Her musings sometimes had me laughing out loud, and other times, had me getting a little misty. She felt authentic, and although I am not Chinese, I could relate to some of her woes.
•Pro: The conflict comes in the form of Mei being unable to live up to her parents expectations. She needed to dream her own dreams and do those things that she was passionate about. You think this would make her salty about her parents, but it is made clear that she loved them and she knew they love her. I really appreciated that Chao approached the story this way.
•Pro: Mei grew so much during this story, as expected, but she wasn't the only one. Chao did such a nice job giving us a three dimensional picture of Mei's mother. It was really nice to see Mei discover a different side of her mother, and I grew to like her mother very much over the course of the book.
•Pro: It was fun "touring" MIT and learning some of the ins and outs of that school.
•Pro: I was totally smitten with Mei's love interest. Darren was all sorts of sweet and charming. I was overjoyed these two found each other.
•Pro: I felt like Mei's struggle was conveyed well. Her confusion, guilt, and all the stress it caused her emanated from the page. I was so glad she was able to dance it out or talk to her brother, Darren, or Nic.
•Pro: I really enjoyed learning about the culture, as my daughter is half Chinese (her relatives being from Taiwan). There were things I knew and things that were new to me.
Overall: An charming story about trying to balance tradition without losing one's own identity.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
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Heather
Written on Dec 26, 2017
This book is so good!
Conflict between immigrant Asian parents and their American-born kids is a staple in a lot of books. What I appreciated about this book is that it took a deeper look at the people involved to figure out their motivations. Mei is trying to be the perfect daughter because she has seen real world consequences of disobedience. Her brother was cut out of the family years earlier for dating a woman with some health issues that may impact her fertility. His parents would not accept a potential daughter in law who might not produce grandchildren. Mei is raised on stories of a local Taiwanese-American woman who was cast out of her family and the horrible things had (supposedly) happened to her. From an outsider's perspective it is easy to wonder "Why doesn't she stand up for herself?" This book does a great job of showing where she gets the idea that she has no other options.
The book features other characters who have been in these situations and examines the results of their decisions. There is:
- A woman who became a doctor because her family decided she would be
- A female relative whose life is taken up by caring for her mother
- Mei's boyfriend, who is from a Japanese-American family that has been living in the United States for several generations
- Mei's mother
Mei's mother's story was amazing. At the beginning she is portrayed as an overbearing, neurotic mother who has Mei's schedule memorized and panics if she doesn't answer her phone when she knows she should be out of class. Her phone messages are played for laughs. As the story deepens though we start to see her conflicts. She's the daughter-in-law of a very traditional family in an arranged marriage where her role is very sharply defined. As she sees Mei start to branch out, she opens up a little about her life and you develop a lot of compassion for a character who very easily could have descended into a caricature.
It's great. I would recommend this one to everyone. Go get it and read it and pass it on.This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story
girlinthepages
Written on Nov 17, 2017
Don't let the adorable cover fool you- American Panda was the first 2018 novel I've read, and it's also one of the most honest, interesting, and evocative books I've ever read regarding struggling to find your identity amidst the pressures of your family and culture. Gloria Chao's debut novel blew me away with it's ability to tell a story that depicts the struggle of living between two cultures and generations so well. There's a lot to unpack in this contemporary coming of age story, and I can't wait to impress upon your why this story is worth reading no matter what type of family or cultural background you come from.
Family Feels
First and foremost, this book is about family- dealing with their expectations, developing an identity against theirs, growing within the confines that they've placed and perpetuated. Mei's life is defined and decided by her family and Taiwanese culture, no questions asked. Her obedience is as much a part of her personality as her her favorite food or beloved hobby, and it rules her behavior and sense of self even when her parents aren't around. Though I didn't grow up in a Tawainese household, I did grow up in a fairly strict Latin household, and it was so refreshing to see Mei's culture and family play such a big role in her plot and character development, both for better and for worse, a huge shift from the stereotype of the ever-absent YA parents. From Mei's anxiety about "What will my parents think?" or "What if my parents find out?" to the sometimes tactless or crazy yet well meaning ideas and opinions that her family has, it resonated with my own upbringing and brought back the sharp feelings of pride and shame that I felt as a teenager whenever I wanted something different than what was expected of me by my relatives and/or culture. That feeling is such a pivotal part of being a young adult and growing up, and it's explored constantly and in many different shapes an scenarios in this novel.
Mei's story also focuses on the very important juxtaposition of both loving and resenting your family, and splits things into shades of grey that you start to see once you begin transitioning out of high school and into college. Yes, her father is unmoving and uncompromising in his expectations, but is it because of his own trauma from his childhood? Yes her mother often makes wildly inappropriate comments about people's appearances and career choices, but is it driven by her own fears of the consequences her children will face if they veer from the predetermined path? Mei's anxieties and inner turmoil over her family's wants and her own take up a large portion of the novel, but as Mei grows into her own personality and starts to recognize and pursue her own passions, she also learns jarring secrets and hidden details about her family's past that cause her to have to shift her perspective again and again, which honestly happens so often as you become an adult, and I applaud Chao for adding in these shifts in perspective and creating multidimensional characters.
Higher Education
American Panda takes place during Mei's freshman year at MIT, and I LOVED the setting. I'm always hunting for more YA books set in college (because that young adult stage lasts well into your 20s, trust me), and the personal touches Chau integrated about the campus really created a vivid landscape for the novel (I haven't been to MIT myself, but feel like if I ever went I would already know where some of the coolest spots were, like the walkway with the benches that play with and magnify sounds, and I could keep up well enough with the MIT vernacular). The novel also captures so many of those college firsts so well- that first dreaded trip to the on campus clinic, the first time not living in your house and realizing randomly paired roommates can be the WORST thing ever, the first time you come face to face with your planned career path and realize it is not the right path for you. I felt like I was reliving my not fantastic freshman year of college with Mei, but it also made me nostalgic to do it all over again.
Talking About the Tough Stuff
Given the cute cover and funny title, I was surprised to find that not only does American Panda has a huge amount of depth to its story, but it also tackles a lot of tough issues and doesn't shy away from the gross or uncomfortable aspects of being in college or learning about your body or even being pre-med. For instance, Mei's germaphobia is pretty prevalent to her character (and a key reason why she cannot go through with being a doctor), and it's mentioned several times throughout the novel- not just in passing, but it impacts Mei's day to day life and her relationships and is a consistent part of her personality rather than a character personality quirk. There's also quite a few scenes in the school clinic that reinforce the importance of personal hygiene and personal protection when living in a college dorm with hundred of other students or engaging in physical intimacy with others. The novel also deals with emotionally difficult topics too- the resentment and conflict when a family member that you love holds a belief that you find deeply offensive, the grief and conflicting emotions when a family member passes away, the feeling of bouncing between two cultures and never fully fitting into one (there's a scene in the beginning when Mei s unfamiliar with Star Wars references because she wasn't allowed to watch the movies growing up and her peers are shocked- it brought back all too well memories of constantly feeling behind on the times because I wasn't allowed to watch things like MTV or Boy Meets World or even the news growing up).
Straddling the Knife's Edge of Comedy and Tragedy
The novel's synopsis bills it as a "laugh out loud contemporary," and there were definitely some truly funny moments (even if they were born out of absurd family situations or Mei scrambling to keep all of her secrets straight). One scene that particularly had me in stitches is when Mei's mother demands to know the names of everyone in Mei's fictionalized study group (that she uses as a cover when she's practicing dance or teaching dance classes) and she pulls inspiration from the Kardashians- when her mother asked about Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and Kendall, I pretty much lost it with laughter (I love a good pop culture reference). Yet this humor is often used to counteract the seriousness/darkness of a lot of the plot elements, which include disownment, shame, anxiety, etc. and some pretty nasty family showdowns and scenes. Particularly intense is the relationship and associated scenes with Xing, Mei's older brother who was literally disowned by his parents for dating someone they didn't approve of. Chao's writing navigates emotional disasters and fallouts so intense to be hard to read, then sneaks in humor to provide levity when the family drama threatens to become too much.
Unique Touches
American Panda has some really unique formatting touches that really made the book stand out for me, and feel epistolary in nature. Each chapter starts out with a voicemail from Mei's mother, which are often hilarious or sad (or both) and really help breathe life into her character. There's also little notes from Mei at the beginning of certain chapters explaining things (such as why there's no chapter number four) and the cover font is carried throughout, complete with an adorable doodle of a dumpling (I think- the dumpling is a running metaphor in the story) at the beginning of each chapter. Even reading an e-galley, these unique touches really shined through.
Overall: I went in expecting to like American Panda, but it completely exceeded all of my expectations. It's a novel about family and identity and navigating through a strict culture and even stricter parents. It will resonate with any reader who felt stifled by their upbringing, or who wanted to deviate from the planned path, or who felt like they were straddling two cultures and/or generations growing up. It tackles culture and family drama in a brutal and blatant way that I'm extremely appreciative of, and I could not put Mei's story down, finishing it in under 48 hours during the work week, an extremely unusual feat for me. I can't wait to pick up my own copy and Chao is going to be a difficult 2018 debut novelist to beat. This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages