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A review by emjay2021
The Woo-Woo: How I Survived Ice Hockey, Drug Raids, Demons, and My Crazy Chinese Family by Lindsay Wong
I took a very big break (6 months) in the middle of reading this. Partly it was because I had gotten it from the library and then had to return it before I was finished; partly it was because it was too exhausting to read all at once.
I recall a Goodreads commenter saying that they did not feel comfortable rating memoirs, because they didn't like the idea of critiquing someone's life experiences. I confess I have similar feelings. I know that some readers have expressed skepticism about all the events Lindsay Wong recounts in this memoir, but given that I've met several people who have experienced this kind of childhood abuse...I think "this has to be exaggerated" is something people just tell themselves because it's less disturbing than acknowledging it exists. I mean, sure, perhaps the conversations the author recounts aren't exactly accurate word-for-word, but that doesn't mean they are *untrue*.
I do find it kind of odd that this book was marketed as "darkly comedic," because although there were a couple of places where I laughed, most of it is just horrifying. It's the story of a child who was emotionally and physically abused, and whose family suffered from severe, untreated mental illness. Now, it is definitely a story of resilience: Lindsay Wong eventually emerged from this traumatic childhood, developed self-awareness and an understanding that her childhood was not normal and not her fault. But comedic? Nope. And that's not even taking into account the devastation caused by her own debilitating neurological disorder!
Like the author's family, my mother and her family are ethnically Chinese and immigrated from Asia to Canada (in fact, I grew up near Vancouver, like her, and I also attended UBC). So, there were some cultural aspects of the story I could relate to, like the intense fear of mental illness, the explaining away of extended family members' odd behaviour, and the idea that seeking counselling and psychiatric help is "only for crazy people" and thus to be avoided at all costs (because to be mentally ill was seen as a personal failing). I was also taught a lot of Chinese superstitions and cultural practices, and I can see how it would be confusing if there were also untreated mental illness thrown into the mix. At one point, Lindsay says it was hard for her to tell the difference between genuine Chinese superstitions and the things her family believed because of their mental illnesses.
Although I found the overall story interesting, particularly the last 1/3 which describes Lindsay's struggles with her neurological disorder while in grad school in New York, I was less engaged by the first 2/3 of the book, which I found a bit repetitive. I also think that her writing style is not one I prefer--it is raw, crude, and sharp, which is a legitimate stylistic choice and suits the subject matter, but simply isn't a style I am naturally drawn to.
So, would I recommend it? I don't know. I can see why it was recommended to me, and I am not sorry I read it. I think it is worth checking out, because if it is the kind of story you'll like, you'll like it. But if it is not a book for you, I think you'll be able to tell from reading my review.
I recall a Goodreads commenter saying that they did not feel comfortable rating memoirs, because they didn't like the idea of critiquing someone's life experiences. I confess I have similar feelings. I know that some readers have expressed skepticism about all the events Lindsay Wong recounts in this memoir, but given that I've met several people who have experienced this kind of childhood abuse...I think "this has to be exaggerated" is something people just tell themselves because it's less disturbing than acknowledging it exists. I mean, sure, perhaps the conversations the author recounts aren't exactly accurate word-for-word, but that doesn't mean they are *untrue*.
I do find it kind of odd that this book was marketed as "darkly comedic," because although there were a couple of places where I laughed, most of it is just horrifying. It's the story of a child who was emotionally and physically abused, and whose family suffered from severe, untreated mental illness. Now, it is definitely a story of resilience: Lindsay Wong eventually emerged from this traumatic childhood, developed self-awareness and an understanding that her childhood was not normal and not her fault. But comedic? Nope. And that's not even taking into account the devastation caused by her own debilitating neurological disorder!
Like the author's family, my mother and her family are ethnically Chinese and immigrated from Asia to Canada (in fact, I grew up near Vancouver, like her, and I also attended UBC). So, there were some cultural aspects of the story I could relate to, like the intense fear of mental illness, the explaining away of extended family members' odd behaviour, and the idea that seeking counselling and psychiatric help is "only for crazy people" and thus to be avoided at all costs (because to be mentally ill was seen as a personal failing). I was also taught a lot of Chinese superstitions and cultural practices, and I can see how it would be confusing if there were also untreated mental illness thrown into the mix. At one point, Lindsay says it was hard for her to tell the difference between genuine Chinese superstitions and the things her family believed because of their mental illnesses.
Although I found the overall story interesting, particularly the last 1/3 which describes Lindsay's struggles with her neurological disorder while in grad school in New York, I was less engaged by the first 2/3 of the book, which I found a bit repetitive. I also think that her writing style is not one I prefer--it is raw, crude, and sharp, which is a legitimate stylistic choice and suits the subject matter, but simply isn't a style I am naturally drawn to.
So, would I recommend it? I don't know. I can see why it was recommended to me, and I am not sorry I read it. I think it is worth checking out, because if it is the kind of story you'll like, you'll like it. But if it is not a book for you, I think you'll be able to tell from reading my review.