kansas_b's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kricketa's review against another edition
3.0
what happened? this book was amazing until the last chapter and epilogue, where it abruptly turned into "as the world turns."
"girl in translation" is the coming-of-age story of kimberly chang, who moves from hong kong to new york city at age eleven, with her mother. her father is dead and they must rely on evil aunt paula, who brought them to the u.s. and now will not let them forget it. they live in a terrible apartment and work in aunt paula's terrible factory while kim attempts to learn english at a school with a terrible unsympathetic teacher. fortunately, she makes a school friend (annette) and a factory friend (matt). kim's math and science skills are strong and her english improves. ultimately, she is able to get a full scholarship to a ritzy prep school. she is on her way to making a better life for her & her ma.
then she falls in love with matt. not only does he already have a girlfriend, but he's a high school drop-out. their futures don't match. will kim allow him to distract her from her destiny?
this book seems slow-paced but covers many years in kim's life in a meandering sort of way. things happen, but the chang's life in new york is generally so unpleasant that none of the difficult events stand out that much. things gradually get better and that's what the story is about. the writing is lovely and i thought it was interesting that kwok wrote exactly what kim was hearing whenever someone spoke to her in english, instead of what they were saying. but as i mentioned, the ending was super dramatic in a way that didn't match the tone of the rest of the book. i almost would have been happier not knowing what ultimately happened.
"girl in translation" is the coming-of-age story of kimberly chang, who moves from hong kong to new york city at age eleven, with her mother. her father is dead and they must rely on evil aunt paula, who brought them to the u.s. and now will not let them forget it. they live in a terrible apartment and work in aunt paula's terrible factory while kim attempts to learn english at a school with a terrible unsympathetic teacher. fortunately, she makes a school friend (annette) and a factory friend (matt). kim's math and science skills are strong and her english improves. ultimately, she is able to get a full scholarship to a ritzy prep school. she is on her way to making a better life for her & her ma.
then she falls in love with matt. not only does he already have a girlfriend, but he's a high school drop-out. their futures don't match. will kim allow him to distract her from her destiny?
this book seems slow-paced but covers many years in kim's life in a meandering sort of way. things happen, but the chang's life in new york is generally so unpleasant that none of the difficult events stand out that much. things gradually get better and that's what the story is about. the writing is lovely and i thought it was interesting that kwok wrote exactly what kim was hearing whenever someone spoke to her in english, instead of what they were saying. but as i mentioned, the ending was super dramatic in a way that didn't match the tone of the rest of the book. i almost would have been happier not knowing what ultimately happened.
dsparks2's review against another edition
5.0
Great book
Makes me appreciate the little things we take such advantage of. I hate to think that anyone has had to live that way. I admire the strength that Kimberly and her mother had.
Makes me appreciate the little things we take such advantage of. I hate to think that anyone has had to live that way. I admire the strength that Kimberly and her mother had.
sampena16's review against another edition
4.0
I randomly picked up this book at a secondhand bookstore without knowing anything about it, but I'm happy I did and that I started reading it. Jean Kwok's semi autobiographical novel tells the story of a mother and daughter recently immigrated from Hong Kong and their struggles adjusting in the U.S. The novel questions the meaning of the American Dream, and all the ways in which it fails and uplifts. I loved this novel for its ability to tell the a story about race but also about growing up from girl to woman. While Kwok highlights what it means to be an Asian American immigrant, she also weaves a lovely story about the hardships of growing up, the bonds of friendship, and most importantly, what it means to love your family and yourself.
jessiecat's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
nessyreadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Girl in Translation bring us on an insider’s journey of what the life of an immigrant is, especially from the perspective of a child who comes to this country at a young age with the purpose of acclimating and helping build a future for herself and her mother. Kimberley Chang is a strong, resilient, and memorable narrator. She is the embodiment of someone who fights adversity and hardship with all they have to come out on the other side. She never gave up, but by the end and even throughout we can ask ourselves as readers, at what cost? Kimberley learns how to dish out and just accepts making sacrifice after sacrifice for accomplishment of the “American Dream.” Why do we make it so hard in this country to live a sustainable and happy life? Why do we hear and read stories like this and see strength and heartbreaking beauty? Why is this not seen as something that causes rage for the cruel injustice? These were all the questions I had at the end of the novel, but alas one cannot deny the impact Kimberly Chang’s story has on the reader. Amazing novel, this should be a requirement read in high school!
moosetash's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
itsmariska's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a great representation of what America is really like for immigrants.
I really liked the writing style and the fact that the book was quite fast-paced. The writer didn't bother with metaphors and similes and just wrote out of experience, which made the story a lot more real for me
I really liked the writing style and the fact that the book was quite fast-paced. The writer didn't bother with metaphors and similes and just wrote out of experience, which made the story a lot more real for me