tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post2860336202389080641..comments2024-03-24T02:23:19.870-05:00Comments on Reading In Color: Bitter MelonMissAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042352415616854651noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-12423067351597411682011-04-23T01:56:48.081-05:002011-04-23T01:56:48.081-05:00I think the main reason Chow set the book in the 8...I think the main reason Chow set the book in the 80's is because there really was an article in Time Magazine called "Asian American Wiz Kids" http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19870831,00.html <br />It made a big impact on the Asian American community (for better or for worse) and because of that I can see why it was such a significant part of Frances' speech. I did wonder at times whether Chow set it in the 80's just so she could use this reference. <br /><br />p.s.<br />Just a random tidbit, the boy in the blue shirt and backpack all the way to the left is Masi Oka, the actor who portrayed Hiro on the TV show Heroes.Sarah Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15375022411444176740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-34838571138634865752011-01-06T22:58:58.852-06:002011-01-06T22:58:58.852-06:00@Trisha-Right, I was disappointed at the lack of &...@Trisha-Right, I was disappointed at the lack of '80s feel. Ah yes I forgot to mention the earthquake, I figured it was a more common thing since it was California. I'm glad you cleared that up.<br /><br />I also forgot to mention that I had an issue with how Theresa only had a life in relation to Frances. I kept wondering where her father was and why the two mothers were friends. It definitely wasn't a pleasurable reading experience but I connected with it on a really deep level.<br /><br />Wait For Me by An Na is not a book I really liked, The Fold was decent (not sure if those are her first two).<br /><br />@Steph Su-It is not (to me) a YA Joy Luck Club but I read that book 2 years ago so I may be hazy on the details. I honestly wouldn't call this historical fiction. It just seems weird to call stuff in the '80s historical fiction but I guess it is. But there really are no crucial historical elements. The verbal abuse is intense though. I hope you can sort it out, abuse of any kind sucks and that's all I can really say.MissAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11042352415616854651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-41255190955046601132011-01-05T00:06:13.594-06:002011-01-05T00:06:13.594-06:00Okay, my issues probably fall more on the side of ...Okay, my issues probably fall more on the side of personal dislikes. I'm trying to untangle them from the book itself before I write my review. I do think Chow is a talented writer and was able to elevate a storyline containing elements I typically can't stand because of her writing. And maybe I shouldn't have used the word "like" earlier, because I didn't truly like it in an, um, affectionate? pleasurable reading experience? kind of way. Rather, I felt more empathy than I thought I would, and I found it easier to become engaged with this book than, say, An Na's first two books.Trishahttp://theyayayas.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-9984868296413748542011-01-04T19:16:34.460-06:002011-01-04T19:16:34.460-06:00^ Trisha, I was actually worried about the same th...^ Trisha, I was actually worried about the same thing too, that it would be a YA Joy Luck Club. Still not sure if I want to read this or not--I'm not so good with historical fiction, and verbal abuse? Yikes! I need to deal with that in my real life first before I can delve back into it in fiction, haha. But a good review, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!Steph Suhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09834692034486125015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-69461927162389742912011-01-04T13:47:44.965-06:002011-01-04T13:47:44.965-06:00Completely agree about the '80s setting! It ad...Completely agree about the '80s setting! It added a few things to the story (like the earthquake), but I don't think it was absolutely essential that the story take place in the past, either.<br /><br />I had the same worries about the book as you (actually, my fear was that it'd be a YA <i>Joy Luck Club</i>), but I actually liked it more than I thought I would. Though I still have some issues with it.Trishahttp://theyayayas.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com