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emilyjmasters's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
give me the info for her 7th grade english teacher. i just wanna talk.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt
mattyvreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Incredible. Another one of my favorite books that I read this year. Wu is an artist with her words. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, always true.
The book is a page-turner. When I picked it up, I thought that it was going to be a story about fame and sex and scandal and stardom. It was all of that, but so much more. Much of the memoir focuses on her growing up, becoming who she is today. The lessons that she learned and the people that she loved.
There are heartbreaking and emotional moments, as Wu courageously recounts and explores her traumas, but the book is also filled with hope and love. It is like a biting shot of liquor followed by a warm hug.
One of the bravest and noblest aspects of the book, and what makes it so successful for me, is that she presents such a seemingly fair account of events. She is the first to admit when she’s made mistakes in her life. She reflects on those “bad” decisions: people that she hurt and actions that she regrets, in a way that challenges them and how they helped her to grow. In that way, she illustrates in an unpretentious way, how we can be better people, too. As if to say, “I made this decision so you don’t have to.”
But moreover, she defends some of her past decisions and sheds new light on those situations in an extremely meaningful and empowering way. It was fascinating to read about her experience on “Fresh Off the Boat”. It was a show that was important and meaningful to many, but which had such a negative association for Wu due to her adverse experience on set with abusive and manipulative producers. So insightful.
I am excited to read this book again. It is one of my favorite memoirs I’ve ever read.
The book is a page-turner. When I picked it up, I thought that it was going to be a story about fame and sex and scandal and stardom. It was all of that, but so much more. Much of the memoir focuses on her growing up, becoming who she is today. The lessons that she learned and the people that she loved.
There are heartbreaking and emotional moments, as Wu courageously recounts and explores her traumas, but the book is also filled with hope and love. It is like a biting shot of liquor followed by a warm hug.
One of the bravest and noblest aspects of the book, and what makes it so successful for me, is that she presents such a seemingly fair account of events. She is the first to admit when she’s made mistakes in her life. She reflects on those “bad” decisions: people that she hurt and actions that she regrets, in a way that challenges them and how they helped her to grow. In that way, she illustrates in an unpretentious way, how we can be better people, too. As if to say, “I made this decision so you don’t have to.”
But moreover, she defends some of her past decisions and sheds new light on those situations in an extremely meaningful and empowering way. It was fascinating to read about her experience on “Fresh Off the Boat”. It was a show that was important and meaningful to many, but which had such a negative association for Wu due to her adverse experience on set with abusive and manipulative producers. So insightful.
I am excited to read this book again. It is one of my favorite memoirs I’ve ever read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Addiction
Minor: Fatphobia
crystaltran's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
i had no idea Constance was such a beautiful writer, but reading this memoir felt a lot like reading poetry a lot of the time. it was a really wonderful recount of her life story, with a lot of focus on her theatre background, love life, and her life pre-fame. i thought there would be more detail/stories about her life after becoming famous but she mostly passed over that topic in order to talk about bigger themes in those moments of her life which i honestly really appreciated because it made her seem more relatable to the average reader.
there’s a lot of difficult and personal topics included in this memoir. a lot of chapters recount her struggles with her womanhood, pursuing the arts, struggling with her emotions and trying to suppress them, and experiencing sexual harassment/assault. there’s a lot of sensitive topics spoken about, but i thought they were handled really well and talked about in such an intelligent and deep way. a lot of her struggles with these experiences were so relatable and real even if i haven’t personally experienced the same thing that she writes about.
i really enjoyed reading this memoir, both for the actual writing style and the stories included. constance is a really gifted writer and i honestly hope she releases more writing in the future. i generally feel odd rating memoirs anything less than 5 stars because who am i to judge someone’s personal life story, but i did take away a star only because (and this is mainly from an editing perspective) a lot of the chapters felt disjointed. it’s not told in chronological order, not that it needs to be, but the order in which the chapters are don’t have much of a flow and makes reading some things a little difficult with the continuity and generally lowered the quality of reading. the last chapter especially didn’t really feel right as the last chapter- i would’ve just tweaked the order in which the chapters were presented, but otherwise, this is a really wonderful yet vulnerable read.
there’s a lot of difficult and personal topics included in this memoir. a lot of chapters recount her struggles with her womanhood, pursuing the arts, struggling with her emotions and trying to suppress them, and experiencing sexual harassment/assault. there’s a lot of sensitive topics spoken about, but i thought they were handled really well and talked about in such an intelligent and deep way. a lot of her struggles with these experiences were so relatable and real even if i haven’t personally experienced the same thing that she writes about.
i really enjoyed reading this memoir, both for the actual writing style and the stories included. constance is a really gifted writer and i honestly hope she releases more writing in the future. i generally feel odd rating memoirs anything less than 5 stars because who am i to judge someone’s personal life story, but i did take away a star only because (and this is mainly from an editing perspective) a lot of the chapters felt disjointed. it’s not told in chronological order, not that it needs to be, but the order in which the chapters are don’t have much of a flow and makes reading some things a little difficult with the continuity and generally lowered the quality of reading. the last chapter especially didn’t really feel right as the last chapter- i would’ve just tweaked the order in which the chapters were presented, but otherwise, this is a really wonderful yet vulnerable read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content
zombiezami's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Mental illness
Minor: Alcohol, Pregnancy, Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Vomit, Death, and Excrement
btw0825's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment
readingwithcoffee's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
3.5
I enjoyed this Snapchat of Constance Wu in her late thirties but I think the book she writes in her fifties or sixties we’ll be much better.
Her mostly low self esteem in the book can be odd in the book and at times make it seem like she’s being overly hard on herself or making herself more of an underdog then she might be but given what she meant through and the idea of being easily replaceable was what one Asian American producer dangled over her to sexually harass her for years I think it make sense if you step back even if it can make you wish she stepped back a bit when recounting certain events. Largely though I thought a weakness of the book was Wu being what seemed afraid of being too easy on herself, or hard on others that leads to a lot of acceptance and forgiveness of men who frankly don’t deserve it. That said in her own words Wu finds forgiving others how they harmed her a way to free herself from victim blaming herself which I think is important to be patient with, though I think some people who experienced similar harm will find really foreign to their experiences and needs if not more averse to it.
I really liked her like many other women of color talking about harm within the community being used to silence you because you’re afraid of harming the community by talking about how you are experiencing harm from someone within it or a prominent “ally”. I also really liked how she talked about when she gave a disjointed but frankly understandable and over judged response to the show she was abused being renewed no one cared that an out of character out burst signaled something was probably wrong in her life in some way but care at the idea she lost face or wasn’t grateful enough for crumbs. Similarly how she talks about how both non Asians and Asians try to force her mom to fit a Tiger mom stereotype she doesn’t to suit their comforts and limited ideas of Asians and women.
I loved the taxi Can story in NYC though I understand why someone could look at this essay collection and wonder why some were included at all and while non linear essays or books are fine there definitely were times the transitions were rough and it seemed like starting all over even if multiple events and things layer to make us who we are now.
Her mostly low self esteem in the book can be odd in the book and at times make it seem like she’s being overly hard on herself or making herself more of an underdog then she might be but given what she meant through and the idea of being easily replaceable was what one Asian American producer dangled over her to sexually harass her for years I think it make sense if you step back even if it can make you wish she stepped back a bit when recounting certain events. Largely though I thought a weakness of the book was Wu being what seemed afraid of being too easy on herself, or hard on others that leads to a lot of acceptance and forgiveness of men who frankly don’t deserve it. That said in her own words Wu finds forgiving others how they harmed her a way to free herself from victim blaming herself which I think is important to be patient with, though I think some people who experienced similar harm will find really foreign to their experiences and needs if not more averse to it.
I really liked her like many other women of color talking about harm within the community being used to silence you because you’re afraid of harming the community by talking about how you are experiencing harm from someone within it or a prominent “ally”. I also really liked how she talked about when she gave a disjointed but frankly understandable and over judged response to the show she was abused being renewed no one cared that an out of character out burst signaled something was probably wrong in her life in some way but care at the idea she lost face or wasn’t grateful enough for crumbs. Similarly how she talks about how both non Asians and Asians try to force her mom to fit a Tiger mom stereotype she doesn’t to suit their comforts and limited ideas of Asians and women.
I loved the taxi Can story in NYC though I understand why someone could look at this essay collection and wonder why some were included at all and while non linear essays or books are fine there definitely were times the transitions were rough and it seemed like starting all over even if multiple events and things layer to make us who we are now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Misogyny, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, and Rape
laurenlee2158's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
l1brarygirl's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Racism, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy
kvokolek's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Pregnancy
heatherjchin's review against another edition
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Sexual violence, Racism, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Cursing