What were your overall thoughts on this book?
Here's what I think:
- The POVs were too similar so it was impossible to keep the characters straight. The fact that the POV changed in every chapter made it even worse.
- I didn't want to spend time in this world. The people were mean, the subject was heavy, and I was just not interested in being there.
- I thought this book was graphic and gross. It wasn't just the food descriptions, although that didn't help.
- The writing was both elliptical and unclear and also heavy handed at times. There were times she was sort of oblique about what was going on (see: the watermelon scene and the two sentence abortion mention in "Waiting Between the Trees") and other times when her use of imagery and metaphor hit you over the head. I don't know. I didn't love the writing style.
*****************
Pop culture:
There's a 1993 movie starring Tsai Chin, Kieu Chinh, Lisa Lu, France Nuyen, Rosalind Chao, Lauren Tom, Tamlyn Tomita, and Ming-Na Wen. I've heard of none of these people. I bet no one is shocked to learn that I have not watched the movie, but the plot seems to follow the the book fairly closely. A few differences:
- In the movie, Lena and Harold get divorced and Lena has a new relationship.
- Rose and Ted get back together in the movie.
Has anyone seen the movie?
*****************
TJLC questions to ponder:
1) Which of the characters did you identify with the most? Why?
2) While the book has been critically received positively for the most part, there are some criticisms that the book leans into stereotypical portrayals of Asian men and some aspects of parenthood. Do you think this book challenges stereotypes or leans into them?
3) I hate to keep harping on the structure of this book, but why do you think Tan structured it this way using parables as framing devices for each section? What would have changed if the book had been told chronologically or through back-to-back chapters featuring mother and daughters?
4) What does the book tell us about American culture? About American immigrant culture?
5) In the first chapter, June discusses her mother's take on the elements that make people:
Each person is made of five elements, she told me.
Too much fire and you have a bad temper. ..
Too little wood and you bent too quickly to listen to other people's ideas...
Too much water and you flowed in too many directions...
How do you think these elements are used to establish personality traits in the rest of the book?
*****************
Most iconic line poll:
*****************
That's a wrap on 2025 CBBC! Thanks for joining and participating.
I'm so glad this book is done. I didn't like anyone, though I could admire the strength in some of the mothers. I want to shake some sense into the daughters. It was compelling to read- I did finish it in an afternoon, but I never want to read it again. Ignoring your prompts because it would make me open up and browse the book again.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I do find interesting is that the moms rarely told their daughters what life was like for them when they were younger, unless circumstances forced it. My own parents ( not immigrants, mind) were like that. They grew up in the depression and WWII, and would only mention some funny things about their youth, rarely anything bad. Sort like how the moms in this book lived through awful things, but they set their faces forward and tried not to dwell what could not be changed.