Girl in Translation (Platinum Readers Circle (Center Point))

by Jean Kwok

[layawaydragon]

I LOVED Girl in Translation! This was AMAZING. A-MAZ-ING. It has fascinating outlook that can only from and done right by #ownvoices. The way the language barrier and culture shock shows is brilliant. I'm really glad I listened to the audiobook for this effect especially.

The narrator was great, though I don't know why they seem to change at Chapter 3.

The prologue was heart wrenching, caused tons of tension and stress while I was reading, trying to figure out how it's going to sync up. I honestly did not see so many things coming. I was anxious and burning with curiosity up until the very end.

Kimberly is such a strong, capable, ethical, and brilliant person. Her misunderstandings with English and American culture are occasionally adorable, hilarious, and embarrassing. Her hobby in the end surprised me yet makes perfect sense that I can't imagine it any other way. I will never forget her section about dating, flirting, and connecting with the boys about the longing for freedom. That party and kiss though? *swoon*

And I'm glad that this case does include safe sex with a common misunderstanding to dissuade people of doing it. Wrap it up, but only once! Though I did find the ultrasound moment outlandish personally. I haven't heard of anything like that happening so early.

I about jumped out my seat and cheered for Kimberly on SEVERAL occasions. Raged throughout about the bullshit circumstances imposed on her. Cried at the ending. I was completely immersed and connected every step of the way.

I love her move against Greg the bully and making the staff eat crow.

Curt is a mess. A white privilege mess that is totally the opposite of Kim. I honestly love him. I did NOT expect that to happen, TBH. But damn, if he isn't adorable, naive, and such a stand up guy. But I get it, Kim. No hard feelings.

Matt on the other hand? Eh. Kim's lust after him is understandable and they do have shit to bond over, no doubt. But I am so over that "me man, me provide" nonsense. It's a pity about toxic masculinity and his family baggage dragging him down the scale. Brutally honestly though, he didn't seem good enough for her. That he was right about and it killed me when Kim didn't see that with her low self esteem. But ah, love is love.

FUCK AUNT PAULA. Fuck her punk ass son Nelson. Fuck Mr. Bogart. Fuck the factories and the injustice. Fuck Luke with the fight to flirt nonsense. Fuck them accusing her of cheating and being racist.

Awww Annette. I'm so glad they're friends and loved seeing them grow up. She can be a bit oblivious, but she tries and Kimberly does keep Annette in the dark on purpose so you can't really blame her for that. The only thing is, where the fuck is she in the epilogue?!?

I love several of the Chinese (or should I say Cantonese?) phrases and wrote them down to keep like "calculating of self" meaning jealous, "my climbing cannot meet your heights", "sending out the cat"= cheating, "hurts my heart so much I'm vomiting blood", "moon tan" = midnight walk, and her mother's definition of unladylike meaning anything that makes the knees part. The insulting people with animal organs is great. Kim is fantastic at it and I love her all the more for it.

Problematic Stuff:

There is a character that appears to be on the Autism spectrum and many people are horrible about it. They call it "the white disease" and there's a shared family shame culturally for medical issues like this. Nelson, the punk cousin, calls a colorful shirt "gay".