Reviews

We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story, by Simu Liu

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shadeyc's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

That accountancy stuff was not the direction I expected! This was funny, and engaging, and sad, and painful, but also hopeful, empowering, and fascinating. It also made me love Liu even more.

linnea1801's review against another edition

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inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book is so freaking good!!!! It’s a really inspiring story and everyone should read it!

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ekloretto's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

5.0

What a fantastic read! This memoir is beautifully authentic as Simu tells his story and the stories of his parents. We might know him today as an actor (Kim's Convenience and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in case you didn't recognize him), but his professional acting career is only a fraction of the story he shares.

He focuses on the dreams that brought his parents from China to Canada in the late 80s and early 90s and his experience as the only child of immigrants, reaching for the goals and expectations of his parents, trying anything to be 'cool', and struggling through it all.

He's also hilarious! He breaks the wall between reader and author, and theows in constant pop culture references (boy band lyrics abound).

Would be a fun read in any format, but his audio was perfection.

kay_reads_books6's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

5.0

Even if you never typically read memoirs or nonfiction, I swear everyone should read Simu's memoir.

I bought this book the moment it was released, but listened to the audiobook, due to work and time. Honestly, he did such a good job narrating his own memoir, that I suggest the audiobook instead! He does include a bunch of pictures in the book, but he does list how you can access those online.

I already loved this man, prior to reading his memoir. I really liked the flow and the writing in his book. But overall, I was here for his life experience, not the writing.

From being born as a baby in China, being raised by his năinai and his yéye, to being an accountant in Canada, to now being the face of Shang Chi, this man has gone through quite the life.

I also realized we have the same exact personality and similar life styles. Seriously. He's an ENFP, and so am I 😂
Somehow I am the same person as Simu Liu.

But go ahead and read this memoir. Definitely a top memoir for me!