Reviews tagging 'Classism'
We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story, by Simu Liu
5 reviews
bitesizedbeet's review
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Classism, Child abuse, Racism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Xenophobia
kelly_e's review
3.25
Author: Simu Liu
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: May 16, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Quick • Entertaining • Repetitive
📖 S Y N O P S I S
We Were Dreamers details Canadian actor Simu Liu's journey from China to Canada and the bright lights of Hollywood.
Beginning in China, where Simu was left in the care of his grandparents as his parents forged a future in Canada. It is out of the blue that Simu's father shows up, whisking him away from the only home he'd ever known. Life in Canada was a difficult transition for Simu, as he was separated from those around him by culture, language and values.
Growing up, he did everything to appease his parents, but over time it became harder and harder to keep up the charade. When as a young adult, he find himself unemployed and ashamed, it is an ad on Craigslist that will change everything for him.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I will admit to falling victim to the hype when it comes to We Were Dreamers, as I had no clue who Simu Liu was before listening to his memoir, but when it became available from my library as an express loan I decided to give it a try.
I definitely think that because I didn't know who he was, my experience definitely wasn't the same as other readers have had. Divided into three acts, I enjoyed the first section about his childhood, but found myself caring less and less as it progressed.
What I did appreciate is the exploration of parental expectations and cultural stereotypes. Parts were certainly hard to read, but I also had to remind myself that this was Simu's side of the story. I also think the reconciliation between himself and his parents definitely could have been explored more to make for a more seamless transition from one act to the next.
Overall, this memoir was culturally informative and entertaining to listen to, but I'd also have been completely okay having skipped it. If you're a Simu Liu fan you'll probably enjoy it a lot more than I did, and in my opinion this is a book made for audio as opposed to print form, as his expressive voice adds to the story.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• celebrity memoir enthusiasts
• Marvel fans
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Whether you like it or not, you're getting better at something every day."
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Classism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Cursing and Suicidal thoughts
madisonfrank's review
4.5
Graphic: Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Classism, Cursing, Child abuse, and Grief
imstephtacular's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Hate crime, Cursing, Xenophobia, Violence, and Racism
Minor: Bullying, Sexism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Hate crime, War, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment
marisa_n's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Classism