Kween by Vichet Chum

At first when I began this audiobook by Cambodian American author Vichet Chum, I wondered, what am I getting myself into? For Soma, a queer 16yo Cambodian American teen, wannabe rapper, is well, she is whiny and annoying at first (also all the gen z slang was a bit much, but I am old). 

But I decided to give Soma a bit more time. And somewhere along the way, as she starts to get over herself and her anger, and also, as I try to see things from her perspective, things fall into place. Soma’s father has been deported and her mother has joined him in Cambodia, so it’s just her and her sister. And her sister is having her own anxieties, she’s getting married, and also, she’s a teacher so that’s never an easy job. So I do get that Soma has plenty weighing on her. It’s hard being a teen, and Soma has it even harder than most. 

Maybe it’s also because this book made me reflect on raising a teenager. My older son is now 13, and we have struggled these past months. I try to remember what it was like many many years ago, but also, life is so different now, maybe it’s even harder to be a teen, what with social media and all. 

I listened to KWEEN on audiobook and am so glad I did, as it allowed me to listen to the bits of Cambodian language that’s used, as well as the slam poetry that Soma writes. 

So I’m glad I kept on with this book, and thanks to @beyondthemekong for highlighting this book back in April! 

The Family Chao by Lan Samantha Chang

“How could anyone describe the chaos that had descended on the Chao household as soon as James left home for college?”

In the small town of Haven, Wisconsin, oldest of three brothers, Dagou works at the family restaurant, and wants their father, Leo, to make him a partner in the business. Never going to happen. Dagou (which means big dog – his name is William but no one calls him that) tried to make it in New York. It didn’t work out so his past six years have him working at the family restaurant. 

“The first son is raised to be the savior of the family: the bringer of justice, the righteous achiever who will justify each year of labor and sacrifice”, but their father thinks Dagou worthless, good for nothing. Leo Chao himself seems rather vile. He tells crude jokes, puts down his own children far too easily. He is cruel and mean. Their mother has given herself to religion. 

Second son Ming is doing well for himself, in terms of making money away from his family, but he struggles with his Chinese identity. Youngest son James is a medical student, a sweet and kind young man, who often finds himself playing peacemaker. 

“There are only certain times in life when emergence is possible. The life strategy for children of immigrants, starting with nothing, is to use that time to build social, educational, and financial capital on which to ride out the rest of their lives.”

I didn’t know about the connection to The Brothers Karamazov until about halfway into the book and an article title “The Curious Case of ‘The Brothers Karamahjong.’” pops up. I only know vaguely of the Dostoevsky classic, so I had to look it up. Would I have appreciated this more if I had read the classic? It was a struggle to read, as the characters were rather unappealing. But I appreciated this look into Chinese family life in a small town, murdered patriarch otherwise. The trial in particular brings to light the prejudices that immigrant families face in small town America.

The Family Chao is a layered, complicated book.  It is a considered look into personal identity vs filial piety and Chinese family expectations. The thought that the Chaos are chaos tickled me though. 

Fancy Meeting You Here by Julie Tieu

First read of 2024 and it’s this sweet story about a struggling florist whose best friends are all getting married one after the other – of course Elise is handling the flowers at all their weddings, as well as her bridesmaid duties. Her love interest Ben is an endearing but grumpy chef, who also happens to be the brother of one of her friends. If I had to nitpick though, the romance doesn’t quite hit the high notes, but it’s a sweet and gentle one. 

A fun read that has plenty to relate to – a wonderful circle of friends, a lovely romance, the stress of weddings, the demands of family members and more, 

I especially love that the weddings have Chinese touches, like the tea ceremony and the door games. But I have to add that I was especially delighted when, at one of the weddings, the dessert was orh nee, one of my absolute favourite desserts to eat. In case you’ve not heard of it, it’s a sweet and creamy yam paste that is found in Teochew cuisine. The yam is steamed and puréed. It’s sometimes served with ginkgo nuts or mashed pumpkin. I haven’t come across this dessert yet in the Bay Area, but it’s a must-eat whenever I visit Singapore – as well as all my favourite Teochew dishes like braised duck or goose, cold crab, fish soup, and Teochew porridge.