Author: Jean Kwok
Genre: Fiction, Standalone
Published: 2010
Personal Rating: 4/5 (very good)
Yearly Count: 28
From Jean Kwok's Website:
Introducing a fresh, exciting Chinese-American voice, Girl in Translation is an inspiring debut about a young immigrant in America, a smart girl who, living a double life between school and sweatshop, understands that her family’s future is in her hands.
When Kimberly Chang and her mother emigrate from Hong Kong to Brooklyn squalor, she quickly begins a secret double life: exceptional schoolgirl during the day, Chinatown sweatshop worker in the evenings. Disguising the more difficult truths of her life—the staggering degree of her poverty, the weight of her family’s future resting on her shoulders, her secret love for a factory boy who shares none of her talent or ambition—Kimberly learns to constantly translate not just her language but herself, back and forth, between the worlds she straddles.
Jean Kwok states on her website, "Although Girl in Translation is a work of fiction and not a memoir, the world in which it takes place is real." Despite those words, the book reads like a memoir - it truly does. Kimberly's coming-of-age story mainly focuses between the ages of 12 and 18, and Kwok's writing style transported me into Kimberly's world with ease. It was very engaging. I would have never have guessed that it was a debut novel.
I saw glimmers of Betty Smith's, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Lisa See's books - both authors' work in which I have enjoyed. I'm definitely adding Jean Kwok to my "Waiting for More" list of authors.
My thanks go to Shelf Awareness and Riverhead Books for sending me this ARC. Girl in Translation is scheduled to be released on April 29, 2010.
Joy, this has been on my tbr list for a while. Glad to see you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a book I would like, since I'm a memoir junkie. I just love the cover, too!
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I was lucky to receive this book this week for review.
ReplyDeleteI wound up with an ARC of this and am anxious to read it, especially now that I've read your glowing review!
ReplyDeleteLove the cover artwork, don't you?
I just got a copy of this book in the mail and can't wait to read it. Your review was wonderful and I'm glad that you liked it!
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to see your rating on this one...so want to read it!
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I've never heard of this one until this week but it sure sounds fantastic!
ReplyDeleteMary ~ Hi, Mary! I think you'd like it.
ReplyDeleteBermudaonion ~ Yep! You would. :)
Diane ~ Oh good! I look forward to reading what you think of it.
Les ~ It's a quick read. Well, maybe it's not, but it was for me because I was engaged. In general, I think I like immigration stories, so this started out in the positive realm.
Bonnie ~ I'm sure you'll like it, too! I'm glad you got one in the mail. :)
Staci ~ I think you should. :)
Darlene ~ That happens to me all the time! lol Hope you are able to get your hands on it.
I loved this book, and I too just did a review on my book blog site on it. Bookend Diaries
ReplyDeletehttp://bookenddiaries.blogspot.com
This definitely sounds like my kind of book, thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteKelly ~ Welcome! And, I'm glad to see that you loved this book, too.
ReplyDeleteJoanna ~ I think you would enjoy it.
I've been waiting for another review of this book - so glad you enjoyed it. I look forward to reading this!
ReplyDeleteJoy, I read the book and loved it. I went to hear her speak at a local indie bookstore last night. She spoke for an hour but it seemed like 10 minutes. Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteAlwaysReading ~ Welcome! I think it's receiving rave reviews everywhere. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteMary ~ Oh how fun!!! You've been able to see several different authors as of late - you lucky duck! I'm so glad you enjoyed the book. I did, too.
I finished this one today. I thought it was a great "memoir" too!
ReplyDeleteAlisonwonderland ~ I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I'm looking forward to more by her.
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