My rating: 5 of 5 stars Genre: immigrant interest; Contemporary Asian fiction
Publication: April 25, 2023; Harper Via
About: Set between the last years of the "Chinese Windrush" in 1966 and Hong Kong's Handover to China in 1997, a mysterious inheritance sees a young woman from London uncovering buried secrets in her late mother's homeland in this captivating, wry debut about family, identity, and the price of belonging.
My comments:
My comments:
I felt I was put through a wringer after reading this book.
The book describes the dramatic and sad life of Sook-Yin in 1966 Hong Kong, beginning with her flying to London to study nursing, pushed out of her home by the jealousy and sibling rivalry of a vengeful older brother. Then we follow the suspenseful search of Sook-Yin's British daughter Lily some 30 years later into her mother's early life in Hong Kong.
I thought it interesting to show how there is discrimination against Westernized Chinese in the use of the terms “ghost” and “banana.” Sook-Yin's half-British daughter Lily is the Ghost Girl, a foreigner in Chinese eyes, as she is part white, and though she looks Chinese, she is also a banana -yellow on the outside, but white on the inside due to her upbringing. The term "banana" may also refer to Lily’s mother Sook-Yin, who married a British man.
The complexities of relationships in Hong Kong spins Lily in circles when she goes to China to get information on the early life of her mother. I sometimes had a hard time jumping timelines from Sook-Yin in the 1960s to Lily in the 1990s and wish the book had a list of the characters that we could refer to. It may be that the final copy will have such a list of the Chinese and British names.
Ghost Girl, Banana deserves much praise for showing us just how complex family and culture can be, especially in terms of marriage, and especially for children.
The ARC of this book was provided by NetGalley
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I had not heard of this novel. Family relationships can indeed be complex. Currently I am reading my first Val McDermid book titled 1979 and I am very much enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteThis book is an ARC that won't be published till April.
DeleteGood review - it's a new-to-me author and the premise sounds intriguing. You've become my go-to reference on Asian reading :)
ReplyDeleteTerrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
Thanks, Terrie.
DeleteNice review! Glad you enjoyed it. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Cindy.
DeleteI like those time periods, and the setting of Hong Kong and London. Nice review!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Wendy.
DeleteVery interesting! I'm currently reading a very interesting mystery also focusing on Chinese society and culture : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/126606.Death_of_a_Red_Heroine
ReplyDeleteI've read your book, a thriller by a very good writer. Enjoy it.
DeleteI'm definitely loving it and planning on pursuing this series
DeleteDefinitely sounds interesting. And what major world events to have the stories unfold around.
ReplyDeleteMakes the story more poignant.
DeleteGreat sounding book! Thanks for sharing, and enjoy the upcoming week.
ReplyDeleteInteresting novel.
DeleteI wondered what the title means, so I'm glad you explained. The plot reminds me a great deal of the book I read this week, Black Cake. In both stories, there are secrets in the past, and discrimination because of what was considered mixed parentage. I really liked Black Cake and I imagine I would like Ghost Girl, Banana, too.
ReplyDeleteI just borrowed Black Cake from our library and eager to read it as I grew up in Jamaica eating black cake at weddings and during the holidays.
DeleteThis sounds interesting even if the timelines were a little confusing. Glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fascinating story, actuallly.
DeleteI just read a very sad op-ed by the father of Michelle Go, the woman who was pushed in front of a New York subway train last year just because the murderer disliked Chinese people. Bigotry against Asians is a serious issue in our country. Your review highlights this problem.
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Deletesadly, bigotry can sometimes work both ways. I am glad that there are books that show all sides.
Great review. This sounds like a good one.
ReplyDeleteI recommend it, Yvonne.
DeleteSounds fascinating!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Lark.
DeleteDual timelines can be so hard and they're so common now. This sounds fascinating though. Kowloon has always intrigued me.
ReplyDeleteThe setting is an intricate part of this novel, yes.
DeleteSounds different from anything I've read in a long time.
ReplyDeleteIt was very different for me too.
DeleteI've added this to my list. Two of my grandchildren are half Korean. Vancouver, BC, where they live now, is so multicultural that it's not an issue. I'm not sure what their lives would be like if they lived in Korea.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of Vancouver being very cosmopolitan.
DeleteIt does sound like a sad, complex and interesting story.
ReplyDeleteVefry interesting, yes.
DeleteIt's not my kind of book but I can see why you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeletePublishing houses are nowadays more and more interested in diverse and multicultural authors and themes.
DeleteDifferent culture relationships can create complex issues in a family. I'm not a huge fan of drama but I am glad you liked it Have a good week and more Happy Reading!
ReplyDeleteFamily drama is often the basis of a lot of books, though.
DeleteI'm sure there are a lot of readers who will relate to this novel. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMary @Bookfan
Thanks for the visit, Mary
DeleteSounds like an interesting story! I sometimes struggle with dual timelines too especially if there are not chapter headings to let me know where in time I am. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteAn interesting story, inspite of the dual timelines. I'll be rereading it.
DeleteThis does sound like a fascinating read and not something that I have read about before.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
It was unusual and new for me too.
DeleteI'm behind on reading my review copies, so I admire your early reading of this one! It sounds like a good one for a book club discussion.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great for a book club discussion. So many topics and themes.
DeleteWow despite some confusion, you still gave it 5 stars. It does sound interesting in its juggle of the different cultures. I will look for it. I guess I'll see more it in April.
ReplyDeleteI blamed myself for not being a more patient reader.
DeleteNot familiar with this book. Thanks for sharing. My latest review is up:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lyndonperrywriter.com/2023/01/review-of-feast-of-fools-anthology.html
Hope you get a chance to look at it, though.
DeleteSounds interesting. I'm intrigued by the setting and the dual timeline as well.
ReplyDeleteMade the book more interesting.
Delete