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American Panda
At seventeen, Mei should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents' master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies.
With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can't bring herself to tell them the truth--that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.
But when Mei reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels?
With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can't bring herself to tell them the truth--that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.
But when Mei reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels?
311 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2018
272 people are currently reading
14k people want to read
About the author
Gloria Chao
11 books869 followersGloria Chao is a screenwriter and the award-winning author of Ex Marks the Spot (Out now!), The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club (forthcoming 6.24.25), When You Wish Upon a Lantern, Rent a Boyfriend, Our Wayward Fate, and American Panda. She graduated from MIT and became a dentist before realizing she'd rather spend her days in fictional characters’ heads instead of real people’s mouths. When she’s not writing, you can find her on the curling ice, where she and her husband are world-ranked in mixed doubles.
Visit her tea-and-book-filled world at GloriaChao.Wordpress.com, and find her on Twitter and Instagram @GloriacChao.
Visit her tea-and-book-filled world at GloriaChao.Wordpress.com, and find her on Twitter and Instagram @GloriacChao.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,283 reviews
June 11, 2019
“You don’t even know what Ying-Na is doing. Everything you hear is a rumor. For all you know, she could be a neurosurgeon married to a billionare tech god.” Or maybe she’s struggling but happy. I kept this thought to myself since my mom wouldn’t understand the value of that life.
4 1/2 stars. What a lovely, lovely surprise. American Panda is ownvoices contemporary fic about a Taiwanese-American girl struggling with her strict parents and with trying to carve her own path. And holy crap. It’s awesome.
American Panda is chiefly a character study. This is a book that would fail without being underpinned by some freaking fantastic character development, and holy crap, is it. Mei’s character voice is one of the strongest I’ve read in contemporary fiction. Her journey feels so real because she is so multifaceted - Mei works through germaphobia, her passion for dance, her relationship with her brother, and her relationship with Japanese Darren all at once. She even learns to work through her own prejudices against her roomnate, whose name I have somehow forgotten despite how much I love her character, and Ying-Na, whose purpose I will not spoil.
The narrative of this book is perfectly balanced between exploring Mei’s struggle with strict parents and not condemming her cultural values as the cause of those parent issues. Gloria Chao is so quick to remind the readership that the issue isn’t her parents strict cultural values - it’s their prioritization of themselves over her.
My parents may have done versions of what he was implying, but not in the same tone.
It’s so… subtly drawn. The story of American Panda works because it feels so effortless and natural, as if it’s coming straight out of the author’s heart. Gloria Chao's author’s note explictly says this is her personal story, but it’s unecessary: you can absolutely tell just how personal a story this is.
I’d honestly say the lead character’s development and the subtlety of the story is the best part, but there are so many moving parts helping the buildup. The perfect balance between comedy and dark elements. The pacing - I found the beginning a bit dull, but it picks up speed quickly. The relationship between Mei and Darren being basically the cutest thing. The focus on Mei's relationship with her brother, Xing. The relationship between Mei and her mom, which basically single-handedly makes American Panda worth the read.
A part of me lowkey wants to give this a five and I am so picky with fives. guys, you know I've been trying to read less contemporary because I'm so picky about it, but this... American Panda is going to be one of the best contemporaries of 2018. I never know how to do justice to personal stories like this one, but I can’t recommend this enough.
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April 12, 2018
Rating: 4.5 stars
I listened to this on audio and would certainly recommend! I really enjoyed the narrator, and adored the story and our characters.
I listened to this on audio and would certainly recommend! I really enjoyed the narrator, and adored the story and our characters.
October 19, 2020
This was another okay/quick read. May is a 17 year old M.I.T. med student, highly pressurized by her strict Chinese parents to be the perfect child and not disgrace the family. 😇 I definitely didn’t experience this kind of pressure with school or career choices growing up. It’s kind of a sad story. As a parent I’ll never understand disowning your own child. It just sounds crazy to me. 🤯
May 30, 2020
I loved this so much! I was pleasantly surprised by this one. It was equal parts funny and earnest, heartwarming and heartbreaking and it was so good!
I laughed so hard while reading this book. And no, I don’t mean awkward little smiles and little huffs of air. No. I actually laughed out loud the entire time. I was reading it between class breaks at school and I keep getting weird looks from people as I tried to contain my laughter. And the way I see it, if a book can make you look like a fool and you still keep reading it, then it must be a good book!
The writing was good. The plot was nicely done. And the characters were compelling, especially Mei’s mom. She ended up being my favorite, as well as a very complex character despite her first impression.
So, why not the full five stars, you may ask. Well, I just don’t feel like this is as strong as my previous five-star rated books. While this was fun at the moment, I don’t think that it will withstand the test of time and it will make me want to reread it. As much as I liked it, it didn’t quite make it into my list of favorites.
Overall, this book was great. I highly recommend it. It’s a quick read that is both fun and wonderfully diverse. I look forward to the author’s future work.
This review first appeared on The Book Cover Girl blog.
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I laughed so hard while reading this book. And no, I don’t mean awkward little smiles and little huffs of air. No. I actually laughed out loud the entire time. I was reading it between class breaks at school and I keep getting weird looks from people as I tried to contain my laughter. And the way I see it, if a book can make you look like a fool and you still keep reading it, then it must be a good book!
The writing was good. The plot was nicely done. And the characters were compelling, especially Mei’s mom. She ended up being my favorite, as well as a very complex character despite her first impression.
So, why not the full five stars, you may ask. Well, I just don’t feel like this is as strong as my previous five-star rated books. While this was fun at the moment, I don’t think that it will withstand the test of time and it will make me want to reread it. As much as I liked it, it didn’t quite make it into my list of favorites.
Overall, this book was great. I highly recommend it. It’s a quick read that is both fun and wonderfully diverse. I look forward to the author’s future work.
This review first appeared on The Book Cover Girl blog.
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June 9, 2018
Things that were absolutely full-on remarkable/fantastic/excellent/next-level/choose-your-own-positive-adjective about this book:
- the representation
- the character development
- the family relationships
This book is some of the best cultural representation I've ever. Read. In. My. LIFE. Our main character, Mei, is Taiwanese-American (the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants). The culture is so well-included it's unreal. So fascinating and intertwined with the lives of Mei and her family without being character-defining. I LOVED. More representation like this pleaaaaase.
Mei's character development is also unbelievable. It's so smooth you barely even notice it as it's happening, until the end of the book when you look back and you're like...whoa. I feel like Mei is my daughter and ohmygod my little girl is growing up so fast!!! Right before my eyes. Almost like it happened over the course of 300 pages, or something.
The family dynamics were also so complex and fleshed out. Like, with most contemporaries, our cool independent teen protagonists have 0 siblings (or maybe one, like, much younger sibling with four lines of dialogue) and 0 parental presence. This book does not shy away at ALL from extremely complicated familial relationships. I love.
Also I read this in like two sittings, so that's rad.
But some things I did not like so much. Such as:
- the romance (bleh very boring except for the ways it contributed to the character development which is A COOL THING BY ITSELF)
- the friendships (just felt very last-minute to nonexistent)
- VERY GROSS THINGS SOMETIMES
- kind of choppy/rushed ending (lot of loose ends to tie from all that DRAAAAMA)
- I miss Boston so I wish it came through more in the setting but that's just me being ridiculous and not an actual complaint
Anyway this was so much better than most contemporaries in 3 v important ways that it almost entirely makes up for the ways it's kinda worse.
ALMOST entirely.
Bottom line: good stuff!!! If this sounds at all interesting to you, read it, so we can have more diverse/unique/interesting books rather than the same boring white straight girls falling in love!!!
(Even though I sometimes like that too.)
- the representation
- the character development
- the family relationships
This book is some of the best cultural representation I've ever. Read. In. My. LIFE. Our main character, Mei, is Taiwanese-American (the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants). The culture is so well-included it's unreal. So fascinating and intertwined with the lives of Mei and her family without being character-defining. I LOVED. More representation like this pleaaaaase.
Mei's character development is also unbelievable. It's so smooth you barely even notice it as it's happening, until the end of the book when you look back and you're like...whoa. I feel like Mei is my daughter and ohmygod my little girl is growing up so fast!!! Right before my eyes. Almost like it happened over the course of 300 pages, or something.
The family dynamics were also so complex and fleshed out. Like, with most contemporaries, our cool independent teen protagonists have 0 siblings (or maybe one, like, much younger sibling with four lines of dialogue) and 0 parental presence. This book does not shy away at ALL from extremely complicated familial relationships. I love.
Also I read this in like two sittings, so that's rad.
But some things I did not like so much. Such as:
- the romance (bleh very boring except for the ways it contributed to the character development which is A COOL THING BY ITSELF)
- the friendships (just felt very last-minute to nonexistent)
- VERY GROSS THINGS SOMETIMES
- kind of choppy/rushed ending (lot of loose ends to tie from all that DRAAAAMA)
- I miss Boston so I wish it came through more in the setting but that's just me being ridiculous and not an actual complaint
Anyway this was so much better than most contemporaries in 3 v important ways that it almost entirely makes up for the ways it's kinda worse.
ALMOST entirely.
Bottom line: good stuff!!! If this sounds at all interesting to you, read it, so we can have more diverse/unique/interesting books rather than the same boring white straight girls falling in love!!!
(Even though I sometimes like that too.)
September 1, 2021
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This is ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET from a Taiwanese perspective. Seriously. Seriously. I have waded through disappointing YA all year - and finally, finally, I have read one that was the ground-breaking, emotionally moving experience that I was expecting. And you know what the funny thing is? That blurb doesn't do it justice. I almost didn't apply for the ARC of this book because the blurb with its "laugh-out-loud contemporary debut" I'm-so-twee bubbliness made me think this was going to be another vapid attempt to scratch at the surface of diversity without really going into any sort of conflict or detail.
NOPE.
Mei Lu is a freshman at MIT, despite being only seventeen (she was skipped a year). Her parents have big plans for her: they want her to be a doctor and marry the son of one of their friends, another Taiwanese doctor-to-be. The only problem is Mei doesn't want any of that. She's germophobic, and the thought of being a doctor and engaging with bodily fluids causes her to feel panicky and anxious; she wants to dance. She also doesn't want to marry anyone her parents have in mind; instead she wants to date a classmate, a Japanese boy named Darren. Unfortunately, in Mei's family, disobedience means terrible consequences. Her brother, Xing, has been disowned and erased by the family for his defiance. Mei only wants the chance to pursue her own dreams, but she's terrified of failing as the good daughter and losing her parents' affection if she does.
This is such a good book. It's saturated with Taiwanese cultural references - fashion, arts, language, food - but being Taiwanese does not entirely comprise Mei's entire identity. Even though she's proud of being Taiwanese, she fights tradition while striving to find a way to balance her American identity and her desire for independence. In addition to that, there are all the struggles of being a first-year student: living on your own; meeting new people; finding a work-life balance; studying for exams. AMERICAN PANDA also tackles the harder subjects, too, like interracial dating and marriage and racism, including racism within Asian culture.
Mei is such a great narrator. She's emotional and funny and cute, in a way that reminded me of Meg Cabot. Her love interest, Darren, is adorable. I lost it when I found out that he looked like a young Takeshi Kaneshiro - babe alert! I also really liked her friend Nicolette, and how their relationship grew stronger when Mei got over her own initial stereotypes about her roommate. Also, Ying-Na was amazing. Her storyline reminded me of the TV show, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (which you should totally watch if you haven't already). I would love to read a companion book about her journey.
Perhaps the best aspect about this book was Mei's relationship with her family. It could be painful, and even though Mei's parents did terrible things, they weren't black-and-white characters. They believed they were doing the best for Mei even as they hurt her. Watching her relationship with them change over the course of the novel was amazing - especially with Mei's mom. Her story was quite touching and sad, and by the end of the book, I felt like I liked her almost as well as I liked Mei.
Obviously, I loved this book and I think everyone should read it - especially if they've been fed up with some of the young adult offerings this year, as I have been. I can see this being one of the top nominees for the Goodreads Choice Awards next year, and I can guarantee it'll have my vote.
Thanks to Netgalley/the publisher for the review copy!
5 stars
February 13, 2018
3/5
A cute, adorable diverse read!!!
Will feature it very soon in a mashup review!!
A cute, adorable diverse read!!!
Will feature it very soon in a mashup review!!
July 9, 2018
this was absolutely one book that SHOCKED me with how amazing it was. here i was thinking it was gonna be a cute, little contemporary, that includes some Taiwanese rep but NO NONONONON THIS BOOK IS SO MUCH MORE
the way the author explores and delves into the culture and traditions as well as all the superstitions and outrageous expectations parents have for their children was SO EYEOPENING
i loved how both narratives were explored. like yes we get to it from Mei's side, the overbearing parents that expect wayyyyy too much and bombard her with all these ideologies and how she just wants to do what makes her happy,
then we also get to hear from the parents, how they too were brought up on this and believed this was the only way to live and how difficult it is for them to accept any other belief, bc they just dont know that side
it discussed all these really hard topics while remaining lighthearted and cute and just amazing all around.
i truly truly loved this book it was so real and it was like even thought im not east asian, i found i was able to relate and connect with the characters so well and i just overall thought this book was SO REAL omg i will tear up now goodbye
4.5 stars!!
Suddenly I saw the spectrum they represented. It had been right before my eyes, but I hadn’t seen—or more accurately, had refused to see. Before, I had blamed my culture, but that wasn’t the problem. It was so much more complicated than that. It was a clashing of personalities and interpretations of cultures. How would my parents and I ever find a solution to this impossible mix of opposing ideals and desires?
the way the author explores and delves into the culture and traditions as well as all the superstitions and outrageous expectations parents have for their children was SO EYEOPENING
i loved how both narratives were explored. like yes we get to it from Mei's side, the overbearing parents that expect wayyyyy too much and bombard her with all these ideologies and how she just wants to do what makes her happy,
then we also get to hear from the parents, how they too were brought up on this and believed this was the only way to live and how difficult it is for them to accept any other belief, bc they just dont know that side
it discussed all these really hard topics while remaining lighthearted and cute and just amazing all around.
i truly truly loved this book it was so real and it was like even thought im not east asian, i found i was able to relate and connect with the characters so well and i just overall thought this book was SO REAL omg i will tear up now goodbye
4.5 stars!!
Suddenly I saw the spectrum they represented. It had been right before my eyes, but I hadn’t seen—or more accurately, had refused to see. Before, I had blamed my culture, but that wasn’t the problem. It was so much more complicated than that. It was a clashing of personalities and interpretations of cultures. How would my parents and I ever find a solution to this impossible mix of opposing ideals and desires?
September 3, 2020
this is the first book that made me feel like my asian-american-ness is seen. forever grateful. full review to come.
March 10, 2018
Dearest Reader,
I wrote American Panda because it was the book I needed in high school and the book I needed when I decided to put my dental career aside to try writing, which I had no experience in.
This is also a book I would have needed in high school or during my three years of pre-med school. People can say all they want, but reading a book and being able to relate to it is probably one of the best feelings ever; I am but one Asian kid among many others, and I wish for them to find themselves in books.
This is an ownvoices book about a Taiwanese-American girl born of Taiwanese immigrants, trying to make her way through MIT while struggling with her traditionalist parents’ expectations and what she truly wants for herself. People might sell you this book as a cute contemporary, saying it’s about a Taiwanese girl falling for a Japanese guy, but someone hold me, this book is so much more than that.
Mei is a 17-year-old MIT student, pushed by her parents to become a doctor because ‘this is what’s best for her’ and she ‘should trust her parents to know what’s good for her’ … she’s torn between her Taiwanese heritage and the fact that she does happen to be both American and Taiwanese, she has to find where she stands between these two extremely different cultures. She’s been taught by her parents that respecting them means never challenging their point of view, or honouring them by finding a good husband, or being rich, or simply not speaking her mind.
This book isn’t about a girl and a boy falling in love *coughs* It does happen in the book, sure, but this isn’t about that, this isn’t the core subject of this book. This book is about Mei finding out what she wants for her life, what she does or not believe in, what she can keep of Taiwanese heritage and what she should left behind because she cannot possibly believe it’s the right thing. Mei has to deal with this internalised obedience and guilt she feels when she thinks of not doing what her parents want. It’s about her learning to put herself first.
I related a lot to this story. It makes me sad to say it because you never really want to say something bad abut your own culture, but Asian stereotypes do exist for a reason. Not everybody has to undergo them, but some of us do, I did. I saw my dad in Mei’s parents, in their way to control her life, her career, but I also saw my dad in Mei’s mom trying to make things better, trying to understand her. As a French-Vietnamese woman, I related to so many of the little things Mei had to go through, all these internalised racist comments people throw at you, all these Asian jokes ….. I could and did relate. I saw myself in May and her struggles, I was pushed to study sciences because we’re taught it’s the only way to succeed in life, I had to go against my parents to show them it wasn’t for me … that’s not something every Asian kid has to suffer through, but I did, and I am glad I could share this burden with Mei, see myself in her. It makes looking back on these years a little easier.
This book is dear to my heart, it represents something I am not ashamed of, a battle I had to fight and won. This book represents hope in its most essential form.
4.5
I wrote American Panda because it was the book I needed in high school and the book I needed when I decided to put my dental career aside to try writing, which I had no experience in.
This is also a book I would have needed in high school or during my three years of pre-med school. People can say all they want, but reading a book and being able to relate to it is probably one of the best feelings ever; I am but one Asian kid among many others, and I wish for them to find themselves in books.
This is an ownvoices book about a Taiwanese-American girl born of Taiwanese immigrants, trying to make her way through MIT while struggling with her traditionalist parents’ expectations and what she truly wants for herself. People might sell you this book as a cute contemporary, saying it’s about a Taiwanese girl falling for a Japanese guy, but someone hold me, this book is so much more than that.
Mei is a 17-year-old MIT student, pushed by her parents to become a doctor because ‘this is what’s best for her’ and she ‘should trust her parents to know what’s good for her’ … she’s torn between her Taiwanese heritage and the fact that she does happen to be both American and Taiwanese, she has to find where she stands between these two extremely different cultures. She’s been taught by her parents that respecting them means never challenging their point of view, or honouring them by finding a good husband, or being rich, or simply not speaking her mind.
This book isn’t about a girl and a boy falling in love *coughs* It does happen in the book, sure, but this isn’t about that, this isn’t the core subject of this book. This book is about Mei finding out what she wants for her life, what she does or not believe in, what she can keep of Taiwanese heritage and what she should left behind because she cannot possibly believe it’s the right thing. Mei has to deal with this internalised obedience and guilt she feels when she thinks of not doing what her parents want. It’s about her learning to put herself first.
I related a lot to this story. It makes me sad to say it because you never really want to say something bad abut your own culture, but Asian stereotypes do exist for a reason. Not everybody has to undergo them, but some of us do, I did. I saw my dad in Mei’s parents, in their way to control her life, her career, but I also saw my dad in Mei’s mom trying to make things better, trying to understand her. As a French-Vietnamese woman, I related to so many of the little things Mei had to go through, all these internalised racist comments people throw at you, all these Asian jokes ….. I could and did relate. I saw myself in May and her struggles, I was pushed to study sciences because we’re taught it’s the only way to succeed in life, I had to go against my parents to show them it wasn’t for me … that’s not something every Asian kid has to suffer through, but I did, and I am glad I could share this burden with Mei, see myself in her. It makes looking back on these years a little easier.
This book is dear to my heart, it represents something I am not ashamed of, a battle I had to fight and won. This book represents hope in its most essential form.
4.5
April 16, 2018
I loved this! It's well-written and engaging. I couldn't put it down! There are some laugh out loud moments and times you wish you could reach in and give Mei a hug or a high five. (Not that she would like that.)
Mei is a Taiwanese-American seventeen year old who is starting her freshman year at MIT. She tries so hard to appease her very traditional parents while her mother constantly speaks negatively about her. She hides her Japanese crush turned boyfriend from her parents because that is the worst to them. She tries hard to hold on to her culture but to also be herself and understand that she needs to do what is best for her since it is her life.
She has a very difficult roommate who becomes a much needed friend and Mei has a very genuine germ-phobia. Her older brother was disowned by their parents for not living up to their standards but she doesn't know what really happened until he pops back into Mei's life. She has to figure out where she wants to go with her life and if she can really become the doctor her parents want her to be or pursue other avenues.
Update: re-read 4/10/18
My original rating stands, I adore this book!
Mei is a Taiwanese-American seventeen year old who is starting her freshman year at MIT. She tries so hard to appease her very traditional parents while her mother constantly speaks negatively about her. She hides her Japanese crush turned boyfriend from her parents because that is the worst to them. She tries hard to hold on to her culture but to also be herself and understand that she needs to do what is best for her since it is her life.
She has a very difficult roommate who becomes a much needed friend and Mei has a very genuine germ-phobia. Her older brother was disowned by their parents for not living up to their standards but she doesn't know what really happened until he pops back into Mei's life. She has to figure out where she wants to go with her life and if she can really become the doctor her parents want her to be or pursue other avenues.
Update: re-read 4/10/18
My original rating stands, I adore this book!
May 4, 2018
There's something magical about reading a book and feeling so seen. Multiple elements of this story were things I've never seen another book tackle when it comes to growing up Asian. But this is a book anyone can relate to - it's all about the struggle of wanting to be who you are while also being what your family expects of you. The story was poignant and funny, and I can't wait to read future books by Gloria.
September 1, 2021
Omg this was so good!
Going to be rereading this when it comes out.
Going to be rereading this when it comes out.
August 8, 2018
It bothers me that when you hear ‘POC’ or ‘diversity’ it almost always means half-American and half-whatever-culture-they-represent.
Not that it is this book’s fault or anything, but where are those books featuring Indian, Chinese, Japanese, African, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Australian, French, Dutch and characters from every other nation out there? Where are the books written by people from these nations? WHY AREN’T BOOKS SET IN THESE BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL LANDS? Why are people so interested in America and only what happens to people over there? I’m not blaming America. It’s a great nation, and it’s practically ruling the world for a reason. But at least in literature, we need ACTUAL DIVERSITY. Idk, I might sound hypocritical, considering this book is titled ‘American Panda’, but that only enforces my point imo. And FOR THE RECORD, I’m ASIAN.
Mei Lu is Taiwanese-American. She was born and bought up in America, but her parents are conservative and traditional in a way that is almost oppressing. She isn’t allowed to date, her parents have already planned out her future, right from her career to her future-husband and children. Mei has never questioned her parents’ upbringing, until they disowned her brother Xing for falling in love with a girl who couldn’t bear them grandchildren, even though she was Taiwanese. Being a Doctor was never what she wanted for herself. Could she convince her parents to let her out of their grasp and follow her dreams?
My Thoughts
• THE DIVERSITY. Can you point out a book to me with a Taiwanese protagonist? I loved that part. It was important, AND YET I felt the author could have put in some more of Taiwan rather than just some Mandarin words which I couldn’t pronounce, nor understand. For instance, Mei mentions that she was bought up Buddhist. But there’s no indication how. Same way, Mei was supposedly brilliant. But she’s pretty much clueless all the time.
Also, it is set in MIT. Geddit? UNIVERSITY. Catch.
• IF ANYBODY IS ASPIRING TO BE A DOCTOR, YOU BETTER NOT READ THIS BOOK. I understand Mei wasn’t cut out to be a doctor, but at least she could’ve emphasized how important the profession actually is. It shows us all the gross aspects of being a med student and eventually a doctor, but where are the better parts?
• THE REPRESENTATION OF CONSERVATIVE PARENTS. It’s important for the world to see how things work everywhere else in the world. I personally related so much to Mei on the parental front, and it was just so lovely to see myself in a book, to know that there were others who felt the way I did.
• THE RELATIONSHIPS. Whatever they are, your parents and elders do want the best for you. But outright disrespect towards them is only going to throw them off. I really did not agree with Mei on how she treated her family and elders. She never replied to her mother’s concerned messages or her aunt and granny’s voicemails. Idk, but that’s like teaching your kids to disrespect your elders. There wasn’t any relationship I could relate to, or agree with.
• THE ROMANCE. It was kinda insta-love and there was no development. Mei goes on and on about how cute and adorable Darren is, but their relationship lacked any depth of emotions. I never once felt any spark, the kisses went right over my head, and the cuddling failed to tingle me.
• THE WRITING. Although I feel Gloria Chao has real potential, her writing was actually quite simple and bland. It wasn’t the smoothest book I’ve read, and that’s kind of rare in YA literature where you usually fly through the books. It wasn’t the case here.
• THE ENDING. Disappointing is all I can say. Gloria Chao went the usual way as is for every other YA lit out there. It’s utterly predictable and uninteresting. I can’t believe she had such an important and diverse story to tell and she decided to tell it this way. It basically destroys the purpose of this book and makes it no different than any other YA book.
I had a feeling that I’d fall in love with this book which obviously didn’t happen. One of the reasons for me was how culture is treated here. Mei says she’s not just Taiwanese, but Taiwanese-American. But in the end, she chose to be just American. I want to see a protagonist who values their culture as much as it values them. The culture and traditions might be backward and might seem oppressive, but there are a lot of people who still value them, and value them for a reason. Being American and living in the American-way isn’t going to solve anything. There isn’t just one way to do things. You can embrace your culture and still belong. You can love your ancestors and still see the value of a free lifestyle. The book is set on convincing us that all traditions are bad and forbearing. I hate to see cultures and traditions demeaned this way.
In the end, this book is just another book with an MC who categorizes as POC and isn’t happy. There’s a girl trying to follow her dreams, a failed romance, and inevitably predictable ending. You could chose to read this book or not. Either way, I assure you this isn’t the best cultural-PoC representation you’ll find.
Not that it is this book’s fault or anything, but where are those books featuring Indian, Chinese, Japanese, African, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Australian, French, Dutch and characters from every other nation out there? Where are the books written by people from these nations? WHY AREN’T BOOKS SET IN THESE BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL LANDS? Why are people so interested in America and only what happens to people over there? I’m not blaming America. It’s a great nation, and it’s practically ruling the world for a reason. But at least in literature, we need ACTUAL DIVERSITY. Idk, I might sound hypocritical, considering this book is titled ‘American Panda’, but that only enforces my point imo. And FOR THE RECORD, I’m ASIAN.
Mei Lu is Taiwanese-American. She was born and bought up in America, but her parents are conservative and traditional in a way that is almost oppressing. She isn’t allowed to date, her parents have already planned out her future, right from her career to her future-husband and children. Mei has never questioned her parents’ upbringing, until they disowned her brother Xing for falling in love with a girl who couldn’t bear them grandchildren, even though she was Taiwanese. Being a Doctor was never what she wanted for herself. Could she convince her parents to let her out of their grasp and follow her dreams?
My Thoughts
• THE DIVERSITY. Can you point out a book to me with a Taiwanese protagonist? I loved that part. It was important, AND YET I felt the author could have put in some more of Taiwan rather than just some Mandarin words which I couldn’t pronounce, nor understand. For instance, Mei mentions that she was bought up Buddhist. But there’s no indication how. Same way, Mei was supposedly brilliant. But she’s pretty much clueless all the time.
Also, it is set in MIT. Geddit? UNIVERSITY. Catch.
• IF ANYBODY IS ASPIRING TO BE A DOCTOR, YOU BETTER NOT READ THIS BOOK. I understand Mei wasn’t cut out to be a doctor, but at least she could’ve emphasized how important the profession actually is. It shows us all the gross aspects of being a med student and eventually a doctor, but where are the better parts?
• THE REPRESENTATION OF CONSERVATIVE PARENTS. It’s important for the world to see how things work everywhere else in the world. I personally related so much to Mei on the parental front, and it was just so lovely to see myself in a book, to know that there were others who felt the way I did.
• THE RELATIONSHIPS. Whatever they are, your parents and elders do want the best for you. But outright disrespect towards them is only going to throw them off. I really did not agree with Mei on how she treated her family and elders. She never replied to her mother’s concerned messages or her aunt and granny’s voicemails. Idk, but that’s like teaching your kids to disrespect your elders. There wasn’t any relationship I could relate to, or agree with.
• THE ROMANCE. It was kinda insta-love and there was no development. Mei goes on and on about how cute and adorable Darren is, but their relationship lacked any depth of emotions. I never once felt any spark, the kisses went right over my head, and the cuddling failed to tingle me.
• THE WRITING. Although I feel Gloria Chao has real potential, her writing was actually quite simple and bland. It wasn’t the smoothest book I’ve read, and that’s kind of rare in YA literature where you usually fly through the books. It wasn’t the case here.
• THE ENDING. Disappointing is all I can say. Gloria Chao went the usual way as is for every other YA lit out there. It’s utterly predictable and uninteresting. I can’t believe she had such an important and diverse story to tell and she decided to tell it this way. It basically destroys the purpose of this book and makes it no different than any other YA book.
I had a feeling that I’d fall in love with this book which obviously didn’t happen. One of the reasons for me was how culture is treated here. Mei says she’s not just Taiwanese, but Taiwanese-American. But in the end, she chose to be just American. I want to see a protagonist who values their culture as much as it values them. The culture and traditions might be backward and might seem oppressive, but there are a lot of people who still value them, and value them for a reason. Being American and living in the American-way isn’t going to solve anything. There isn’t just one way to do things. You can embrace your culture and still belong. You can love your ancestors and still see the value of a free lifestyle. The book is set on convincing us that all traditions are bad and forbearing. I hate to see cultures and traditions demeaned this way.
In the end, this book is just another book with an MC who categorizes as POC and isn’t happy. There’s a girl trying to follow her dreams, a failed romance, and inevitably predictable ending. You could chose to read this book or not. Either way, I assure you this isn’t the best cultural-PoC representation you’ll find.
October 2, 2019
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
17-year-old Mei should be in high school, but skipping a grade was all part of her parent's plan for her to go to MIT become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, and produce a litter of babies. When she reconnects with her brother, Xing, the truth she's carefully constructed starts to waver and the truth leaks out: she hates germs, falls asleep in biology lectures, and has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.
The short review...
Mei’s life is about to become a dumpling with 3 spoonfuls. The skin bursting because it’s just too much! I felt for Mei and actually she’s pretty funny... If you want to know what it COULD BE like to be the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants in America then you NEED Mei's story. You may not relate at first if you're a rebellious one, because this girl isn't. She's well versed in the Asian guilt and its a huge motivator for her. Going away to college literally gives her a chance to be exposed to choices and a different way of making choices.
While there is A LOT of family pressure in this story there is also lots of love and light and laughter! I don't want you to think this isn't totally balanced as Mei struggles to find her feet. I LOVED the people in her life, especially Darren, and ALL of the little minor characters that makes this book so heartfelt (I'm looking at you Nic!) Love DID NOT solve Mei's problems but it did challenge her and support her. AND THAT END!!! It all comes together in an unexpected way that made me love everyone in the story...
Cover & Title grade -> B-
I’m not a fan of this cover. I don’t really like covers with people on them, I want to imagine the character for myself. I do LOVE the title art and the doodles around the picture! I feel a cover with doodles like that with some dance flair and germ or medicine focus would be much better! And the title fit too though I almost think one about dumplings would be more fun?
Why was the end so incredible and spot on?
We literally learn about the traditions Mei is up against!
Sprinkled through the book and also at the wedding and funeral we get a concentrated look at some Taiwanese culture. Mei does an excellent job helping us understand the position she's in between a rock and a hard place. She loves her parents and her culture but also comes to understand that her choices don't have to be the same her parents made.
Mei developed relationships of all kinds!
She has to go head to head with her roommate and is surprised by what she finds. She meets a boy... not a totally off limits white American boy nor the totally acceptable Taiwanese one, but another Asian who sort of understands and sort of doesn't. Then there is her brother and the woman he left their family for!! (Now this really gets tough...) And we have her totally traditional parents who believe time has stood still... or do they?! Plus there is the school mate from the past... And boy does it come together!
Everything played out true to life but also in a hopeful way!
I'm not sure that the fact this is an #ownvoices novel is why this reads so full and rich, so natural and right and so touching and heartfelt... but it certainly contributed to it!! It had hard topics like racism within the Asian culture as well as funny (but real) ones like germophobia. It touches on work, love and family as well as ones own prejudices! The end was hopeful but NOT perfect. Life isn't but Mei learned a skill to maneuver around that fact and still be happy. Isn't that what's MOST important!?
As a Writer...
Authenticity is terribly important, especially in a contemporary story. Hence why readers are on the lookout for #ownvoices. I don't think every story we read NEEDS to be own voices, but it certainly helps the story to feel natural and organic. A lot of that has to do with how full a story feels! Because it's something the author has experienced and had lots of interaction with they (hopefully) innately understand how much detail and elements the story needs to feel real.
A story by its very nature only appears to mimic life. We can't possibly show ALL the nuances of life or character. But if enough details are LEFT OUT of the story then it feels shallow and may times stereotypical as there isn't enough detail for it to stand up under scrutiny. Proper motivations, foreshadowing (with a light hand) and developed character arcs are all a MUST.
American Panda is so, so cute and authentic! Mei learned what it means to bridge her Taiwanese tradition with American desire. It meant sacrifice and taking bold (if scary) steps to preserve her choices! This is a must read and one of the best YA contemporaries of 2018.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World Building
BOTTOM LINE: Taiwanese traditions + Germophobia conspire to lay Mei out until she decides to MAKE A STAND!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my special perspective at the bottom of my reviews under the typewriter...
March 26, 2018
This Kiwi-Panda has mixed feelings about American Panda.
On one hand:
- I didn't find myself in this book, though many others did and I'm thankful for that. Nonetheless, I appreciated American Panda's narrative, its honesty and its vulnerability.
- There were some truly tender moments that made me shed a tear, particularly the stuff that were related to her family.
- I enjoyed Chao's unapologetic and seamless integration of Taiwanese culture into the narrative, and I liked that it wasn't dense with exposition to explain these elements of culture.
While on the other hand...
- In some parts, the pacing was a little weird. Some things happened so suddenly that left me feeling very confused and 'wtf just happened', i.e. the medical practice chapter.
- I think some scenes tried to come off as comedy and slapstick, but it came off ridiculous to me.
- Unfortunately, I didn't find this book funny.
- Usually, I would find exaggeration charming and endearing, but in this... it felt ridiculous. Some of things felt like they were straight out of TVB - and I don't mean that as a positive thing.
- For a book that was supposedly about breaking free from stereotype -- this book did use quite a few.
Stuff I'm still mulling over/Thoughts:
To preface, I know that this is a very personal opinion and may not have any bearing on the quality of the book. Nonetheless, my deeply personal experiences and feelings have influenced my experience of this book so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I'm just going to share.
The cultural conflict stuff... ahhhh. I really really wish there was more nuance. I do appreciate and respect that people have experienced the same thing as Mei. I do not dismiss those experiences. And yet, I feel like it was more black and white than it often is. Indeed, Mei's parents were very traditional Taiwanese parents and true to their traditional Taiwanese values. On the other hand, Mei struggles with contending with their traditional values and finding her place within her American/individualist values.
By the end of the novel - and please feel free to correct/debate with me - I felt like this book was ultimately a traditional/Taiwanese versus individualist/American debate, with a strong leaning towards individualist/American values. And that really rubs me off the wrong way. I mean, don't get me wrong, most of us pandas or bi/multicultural people experience inner cultural conflicts; all of us differ to the extent to which we're individualist versus interdependent and to the degree we feel more or less like we belong to a certain culture. And though Mei struggles with this biculturalism, some of the discourse was... very one-sided. The thing is, there's nothing wrong with seeing yourself as an interdependent individual - individualism is not always a positive, faultless thing, and I felt like this book presented individualism as such. And as someone who has been told that Individualism is Always Best (in favour of my own Chinese/interdependent values)... this rubbed me the wrong way.
Moreover, I felt a little iffy about Mei's critique of tradition. Yes, there are some traditions that are harmful (especially to women!) and should not be practiced. But... there are some traditions and values that are inherent to a culture. I feel like they don't always have 'to make sense', particularly to people who do not practice it or understand it. Some 'traditions have historical, familial, and cultural significance, and to some people, these traditions are important to them and their identity. Therefore, I feel like 'what makes sense' as a benchmark for what is a good versus bad tradition... is really really iffy, particularly when there are individuals (I'm thinking xenophobes or people who do not belong to a culture) who are already very critical of cultural traditions and values because they 'just don't make sense'. Like, yikes.
Again, I just wish there was more nuance. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
On one hand:
- I didn't find myself in this book, though many others did and I'm thankful for that. Nonetheless, I appreciated American Panda's narrative, its honesty and its vulnerability.
- There were some truly tender moments that made me shed a tear, particularly the stuff that were related to her family.
- I enjoyed Chao's unapologetic and seamless integration of Taiwanese culture into the narrative, and I liked that it wasn't dense with exposition to explain these elements of culture.
While on the other hand...
- In some parts, the pacing was a little weird. Some things happened so suddenly that left me feeling very confused and 'wtf just happened', i.e. the medical practice chapter.
- I think some scenes tried to come off as comedy and slapstick, but it came off ridiculous to me.
- Unfortunately, I didn't find this book funny.
- Usually, I would find exaggeration charming and endearing, but in this... it felt ridiculous. Some of things felt like they were straight out of TVB - and I don't mean that as a positive thing.
- For a book that was supposedly about breaking free from stereotype -- this book did use quite a few.
Stuff I'm still mulling over/Thoughts:
To preface, I know that this is a very personal opinion and may not have any bearing on the quality of the book. Nonetheless, my deeply personal experiences and feelings have influenced my experience of this book so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I'm just going to share.
The cultural conflict stuff... ahhhh. I really really wish there was more nuance. I do appreciate and respect that people have experienced the same thing as Mei. I do not dismiss those experiences. And yet, I feel like it was more black and white than it often is. Indeed, Mei's parents were very traditional Taiwanese parents and true to their traditional Taiwanese values. On the other hand, Mei struggles with contending with their traditional values and finding her place within her American/individualist values.
By the end of the novel - and please feel free to correct/debate with me - I felt like this book was ultimately a traditional/Taiwanese versus individualist/American debate, with a strong leaning towards individualist/American values. And that really rubs me off the wrong way. I mean, don't get me wrong, most of us pandas or bi/multicultural people experience inner cultural conflicts; all of us differ to the extent to which we're individualist versus interdependent and to the degree we feel more or less like we belong to a certain culture. And though Mei struggles with this biculturalism, some of the discourse was... very one-sided. The thing is, there's nothing wrong with seeing yourself as an interdependent individual - individualism is not always a positive, faultless thing, and I felt like this book presented individualism as such. And as someone who has been told that Individualism is Always Best (in favour of my own Chinese/interdependent values)... this rubbed me the wrong way.
Moreover, I felt a little iffy about Mei's critique of tradition. Yes, there are some traditions that are harmful (especially to women!) and should not be practiced. But... there are some traditions and values that are inherent to a culture. I feel like they don't always have 'to make sense', particularly to people who do not practice it or understand it. Some 'traditions have historical, familial, and cultural significance, and to some people, these traditions are important to them and their identity. Therefore, I feel like 'what makes sense' as a benchmark for what is a good versus bad tradition... is really really iffy, particularly when there are individuals (I'm thinking xenophobes or people who do not belong to a culture) who are already very critical of cultural traditions and values because they 'just don't make sense'. Like, yikes.
Again, I just wish there was more nuance. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
June 26, 2024
A wholesome, well-written, and thoughtful novel about a young Taiwanese American woman figuring out what she wants from her life. I liked how Gloria Chao wrote about real issues that can occur within Asian American families (e.g., conflicts between first generation parents and second generation children) without resorting to racist stereotypes of Asian American parents. The novel was light in tone though I still enjoyed reading about our protagonist Mei and her process of navigating her career, romantic life, and familial relationships. Mei grew throughout the book in a believable way. It was cool too to see Asian American women seeking each other out for support.
While I did deeply appreciate the healthy romance between Mei and Darren Takahashi (yay for Asian romance rep!), I think Chao went just a little too cheesy with some of the scenes between them, which took me out of the narrative. Chao’s prose carried the novel and kept it entertaining though I wouldn’t say I was blown away by the writing either. A solid four stars.
While I did deeply appreciate the healthy romance between Mei and Darren Takahashi (yay for Asian romance rep!), I think Chao went just a little too cheesy with some of the scenes between them, which took me out of the narrative. Chao’s prose carried the novel and kept it entertaining though I wouldn’t say I was blown away by the writing either. A solid four stars.
March 4, 2019
Torn on my rating because although I thought this was really sweet, it's been a few days since I finished this and I don't remember much about it. I did enjoy the fat rep because this character is physically active (she's a dancer) and she herself did not seem to think of her weight as an "issue," although it is brought up a few times by her parents.
Audio rating: Narration was good. Two of my personal audiobook pet peeves are when the narrator sounds clearly older than the teenage character they are voicing, and when there is random loud shouting. This audiobook contained both. Otherwise, she's a good narrator and I'd recommend it if those things don't bother you.
Representation: The MC is Taiwanese and fat, and possibly has an Illness Anxiety Disorder. Love interest is Japanese.
tw: Disowning a child. An abusive/controlling relationship is portrayed in Mei's parents. Sex shaming. Brief descriptions of medical procedures. Fat shaming.
Audio rating: Narration was good. Two of my personal audiobook pet peeves are when the narrator sounds clearly older than the teenage character they are voicing, and when there is random loud shouting. This audiobook contained both. Otherwise, she's a good narrator and I'd recommend it if those things don't bother you.
Representation: The MC is Taiwanese and fat, and possibly has an Illness Anxiety Disorder. Love interest is Japanese.
tw: Disowning a child. An abusive/controlling relationship is portrayed in Mei's parents. Sex shaming. Brief descriptions of medical procedures. Fat shaming.
Currently reading
February 1, 2025🐋🐚☾⋆⁺₊ PRE-READ ♡ | I'm an Asian girl who has been conditioned by her parents from a young age to believe that academic success is the key to a happy, fulfilling life. I subsequently went on to meet every single one of their expectations by going to law school – the only acceptable profession other than medicine in the eyes of traditional Asian parents. But I'm stressed and tired all the time, and sometimes I question if I truly made the choice for me, or for them. So I feel like I'm going to eat this up 🥹🥹
February 24, 2018
I wish the author made an attempt to think bigger and be more creative. A lot of the plot is too familiar and predictable (it's mostly the Asian-tiger-parents-pushing-for-med-school scenario) and the romance, while sweet, is kind of bland and not memorable. Overall it gave me a feeling of a very rookie novel.
Chao captured the voice of a nagging/threatening/pleading tiger mom very well though. Just reading conversations with this "mom" gave me anxiety attacks. Can't imagine having to live in a family like that.
Chao captured the voice of a nagging/threatening/pleading tiger mom very well though. Just reading conversations with this "mom" gave me anxiety attacks. Can't imagine having to live in a family like that.
February 4, 2018
LOVE THIS SO MUCH! 我很愛這本書喔 (｡♥‿♥｡)
1. IT'S SO, SO RELATABLE.
I'm Chinese, and I could really relate to some of the family stuff Mei had to deal with. My parents are not as traditional as Mei's, BUT - I'M REALLY FAMILIAR WITH A LOT OF STUFF IN THIS BOOK AND IT FEELS GOOD, YA KNOW?
Stinky tofu! It's one of my favorite Chinese street foods and although it stinks, it tastes so delicious *drools* (Sadly, Mei doesn't like stinky tofu D:)
Insecurities - Mei is dissatisfied with the size of her nose, and I RELATE SO HARD. My nose is so big it kind of looks like a pear. And I always pinch it, hoping I'll be able to make it smaller. (I've never heard of the big nose = fortune Chinese myth though! It's so interesting hahahaha I wonder if it works.)
Clothing with misspelled words on them. HAHAHAHAHAHA I SEE THESE ALL THE TIME IN THE MARKETS WHERE I LIVE! I have a crop top with two smiley faces on it, and below them there's the word "simile" instead of "smile". I'm pretty sure that's a spelling mistake, but "simile"'s an actual word, and there are TWO smiley faces, so I think that works as well.
Not just high school. I wore neon leggings and sweatpants with misspelled English for the first ten years of my life. Bums Bunny and Butman made me a target no matter what I did.
2. MEI DECIDES TO FOLLOW HER DREAMS IN THE END.
Mei, I am rooting for ya :) Mei's parents are kind of unreasonable, tbh. They plan out everything for her, making Mei skip one year of high school, go to MIT premed, and even pairing her so that she can produce some Taiwanese babies. That is kind of insane. Mei dreams of becoming a dancer, not a doctor. She's afraid of going against her parent's wishes, but soon realises that she can never become what her parents want her to be. (GOODNESS I SOUND LIKE MY LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER SHE KEEPS TALKING ABOUT INTERNAL STRUGGLES AHAHAHAHA.)
I love how bravely Mei pursues her dreams. Her parents might never understand them, but instead of letting anyone tell her what to do, Mei does what SHE wants to do at the end.
3. DARREN TAKAHASHI
He took both my hands in his and turned me to face him. "I love you, Mei." My entire body froze. "I started falling for you when I first heard you talk about Horny, and then we moved on to beavers and nuts and magicians..." He placed a hand over his heart.
"I love you, too," I said, no hesitation. "Ever since you told me you wanted to try stinky tofu because it smells so bad."
Darren = nerdy, friendly and supportive (my version of tall, dark and handsome ;)). HE'S ALSO BRAVE ENOUGH TO TRY STINKY TOFU + DANCE LIKE THERE'S NO ONE WATCHING and wow. I think my ever-growing list of book boyfriends just got longer.
The best thing I love about Darren is how he always makes someone feel like they belong. Like when Mei needs emotional support, he is always there to give it and aaahh he's the sweetest guy ever I NEED A DARREN TAKAHASHI IN MY LIFE.
4. MAMA LU'S MESSAGES TO MEI ARE HILARIOUS.
Remember Amberly Ahn? She had eyelid surgery and it turned out great. We should think about doing that for you. Maybe we can tattoo your makeup on at the same time. Remember, there are no ugly women, only lazy women. Repeat that three times every morning.
I don't know if I should call this hilarious, ridiculous, or ridiculously hilarious. It is evident that Mama Lu wants the best for Mei, but sometimes she can be quite annoying, and I totally feel Mei when she says that she doesn't want her life all planned out by her parents.
I had a great laugh reading their messages though! 😂
Overall Rating
★★★★.5
1. IT'S SO, SO RELATABLE.
I'm Chinese, and I could really relate to some of the family stuff Mei had to deal with. My parents are not as traditional as Mei's, BUT - I'M REALLY FAMILIAR WITH A LOT OF STUFF IN THIS BOOK AND IT FEELS GOOD, YA KNOW?
Stinky tofu! It's one of my favorite Chinese street foods and although it stinks, it tastes so delicious *drools* (Sadly, Mei doesn't like stinky tofu D:)
Insecurities - Mei is dissatisfied with the size of her nose, and I RELATE SO HARD. My nose is so big it kind of looks like a pear. And I always pinch it, hoping I'll be able to make it smaller. (I've never heard of the big nose = fortune Chinese myth though! It's so interesting hahahaha I wonder if it works.)
Clothing with misspelled words on them. HAHAHAHAHAHA I SEE THESE ALL THE TIME IN THE MARKETS WHERE I LIVE! I have a crop top with two smiley faces on it, and below them there's the word "simile" instead of "smile". I'm pretty sure that's a spelling mistake, but "simile"'s an actual word, and there are TWO smiley faces, so I think that works as well.
Not just high school. I wore neon leggings and sweatpants with misspelled English for the first ten years of my life. Bums Bunny and Butman made me a target no matter what I did.
2. MEI DECIDES TO FOLLOW HER DREAMS IN THE END.
Mei, I am rooting for ya :) Mei's parents are kind of unreasonable, tbh. They plan out everything for her, making Mei skip one year of high school, go to MIT premed, and even pairing her so that she can produce some Taiwanese babies. That is kind of insane. Mei dreams of becoming a dancer, not a doctor. She's afraid of going against her parent's wishes, but soon realises that she can never become what her parents want her to be. (GOODNESS I SOUND LIKE MY LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER SHE KEEPS TALKING ABOUT INTERNAL STRUGGLES AHAHAHAHA.)
I love how bravely Mei pursues her dreams. Her parents might never understand them, but instead of letting anyone tell her what to do, Mei does what SHE wants to do at the end.
3. DARREN TAKAHASHI
He took both my hands in his and turned me to face him. "I love you, Mei." My entire body froze. "I started falling for you when I first heard you talk about Horny, and then we moved on to beavers and nuts and magicians..." He placed a hand over his heart.
"I love you, too," I said, no hesitation. "Ever since you told me you wanted to try stinky tofu because it smells so bad."
Darren = nerdy, friendly and supportive (my version of tall, dark and handsome ;)). HE'S ALSO BRAVE ENOUGH TO TRY STINKY TOFU + DANCE LIKE THERE'S NO ONE WATCHING and wow. I think my ever-growing list of book boyfriends just got longer.
The best thing I love about Darren is how he always makes someone feel like they belong. Like when Mei needs emotional support, he is always there to give it and aaahh he's the sweetest guy ever I NEED A DARREN TAKAHASHI IN MY LIFE.
4. MAMA LU'S MESSAGES TO MEI ARE HILARIOUS.
Remember Amberly Ahn? She had eyelid surgery and it turned out great. We should think about doing that for you. Maybe we can tattoo your makeup on at the same time. Remember, there are no ugly women, only lazy women. Repeat that three times every morning.
I don't know if I should call this hilarious, ridiculous, or ridiculously hilarious. It is evident that Mama Lu wants the best for Mei, but sometimes she can be quite annoying, and I totally feel Mei when she says that she doesn't want her life all planned out by her parents.
I had a great laugh reading their messages though! 😂
Overall Rating
★★★★.5
June 11, 2018
First of all, how cute is this cover!!
Secondly, I am not Asian so I have no idea how accurate the depiction of Chinese culture is in this book. But it was very interesting to read about and I'm happy that I read this, if only to learn more about the culture and struggles of Taiwanese-Americans.
Thirdly, I loved the Chinese sprinkled in. I don’t speak Chinese so, again, no idea how well this was done, but I loved the sound of it in the audio book.
Fourthly, I was disappointed in this book. Yes, it was cute. Yes, it was fluffy. Yes, there were also some heavy issues in it. But it was also MEH.
I feel kind of bad that I’m giving this such a low rating because it really wasn’t a bad book; but at the same time, I felt bored through most of it and it was just “okay” for me…
In conclusion, if you’re in the mood for a cute contemporary that doesn’t only have a cultural aspect, that sheds light on the difficulties many teenagers with Asian parents probably face, but also a main character with mental health issues*, you can still pick this up and will (I’m almost sure) not hate it. Like I didn’t hate it. Didn’t love it, either, though. So, meh.
although, disclaimer: I did have a bit of a problem with this aspect
Secondly, I am not Asian so I have no idea how accurate the depiction of Chinese culture is in this book. But it was very interesting to read about and I'm happy that I read this, if only to learn more about the culture and struggles of Taiwanese-Americans.
Thirdly, I loved the Chinese sprinkled in. I don’t speak Chinese so, again, no idea how well this was done, but I loved the sound of it in the audio book.
Fourthly, I was disappointed in this book. Yes, it was cute. Yes, it was fluffy. Yes, there were also some heavy issues in it. But it was also MEH.
I feel kind of bad that I’m giving this such a low rating because it really wasn’t a bad book; but at the same time, I felt bored through most of it and it was just “okay” for me…
In conclusion, if you’re in the mood for a cute contemporary that doesn’t only have a cultural aspect, that sheds light on the difficulties many teenagers with Asian parents probably face, but also a main character with mental health issues*, you can still pick this up and will (I’m almost sure) not hate it. Like I didn’t hate it. Didn’t love it, either, though. So, meh.
although, disclaimer: I did have a bit of a problem with this aspect
June 12, 2017
Very, very cute and quite funny too!
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August 17, 2021when the author herself tweets you, saying that she hopes you enjoy her book, you move it to the top of your TBR.
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This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2017
it's rare to find a book where I can read along and be like "it me" and yell because the references are so familiar and this is one of them. *cries in ownvoices*
the cover image makes the story seem a bit lighter than you might expect since it gets really heavy at some points with the family drama, I felt like I was being punched in the gut. :'(
I feel like I need to make a playlist for this book now.
the cover image makes the story seem a bit lighter than you might expect since it gets really heavy at some points with the family drama, I felt like I was being punched in the gut. :'(
I feel like I need to make a playlist for this book now.
November 28, 2018
The cultural aspect of this was very strong - I was fascinated by all of the Chinese customs. I liked the main character a lot, but I did feel like the plot was a bit rushed and some of the side characters were underdeveloped. Overall, this was a really cute read and it had a lot of shining moments. It made me emotional more than once!
October 2, 2017
this had me laughing, crying, and craving dumplings more than i already do. official blurb to come soon, but for now? you totally need to add this to your pre-order lists. one of my favorite reads of the year.
January 29, 2021
Personally this book could have been the most relatable book for me. In an ideal situation I should completely relate to Mei. As a fellow Asian with parents who had high expectations (notice the past tense?) I should find Mei’s character very similar to mine. From being expected to follow my father’s footsteps in becoming a doctor but stuck being an Interior Architect when I really want to be Conservative Architect, my life until this point has had similar moments as that if Mei’s life. The whole aspect of being expected to marry a good, wealthy Asian (Sri Lankan) boy who preferably is an Engineer or Doctor too is a constant pressure in my life. These all show that any Asian despite which part they are coming from have similar issues. Despite all these similarities and the ability for me to relate to her, I found her character not likable at all. As a matter of fact she might go down the list of my most annoying book-characters.
In my life too there were many moments that I wished my parents were more open minded and not Asian in their thinking. Specially when it came to the job, marriage and other factors in my life. For Asian parents, marriage is the most important thing in a girl’s life while for me it’s my job and how far I can go in it. A girl’s life would not be complete without kids, preferably a boy but right now even the younger generations of Asian kids are actively fighting against it. This ultimately makes them unfilial and believe me the elders take every opportunity to remind them of it. So dear Mei, you’re situation isn’t that bad, at least you have the chance of revolting against as you have some normal-open-minded friends. Try living in an Asian country with these kind of relatives.
But all of this does not mean I am embarrassed of my culture. As a matter of fact I am highly proud of my culture. Not everyone can say they are from a unique background and heritage as I can say. All parents are universally expected to embarrass their kids. Their culture and such has nothing to do with it. Honestly I love when people embrace their own cultures and proudly show it off. Not just Asian but all others too. Each culture brings out a vibrancy and uniqueness that is personally very heart warming for me. Especially when people proudly show it off. Embracing one’s culture is nothing to shy away from. This is another reason that really put me off in regards to Mei’s character. For more than half of the book I felt as if she was quite embarrassed of her culture. Yes by the end she seems to be ok and it could be her young age (I’m sorry I consider 17 years still babies in terms of mature thinking. Specially someone who had been sheltered like that.). Every time she somewhat belittle her culture I wanted to crawl into the book and slap her. Grandmother’s house full of insects? Excuse me. As far as I knew our grandmothers were the cleanest of all. Maybe it was just mine but I remember my grandmother was one of the clean freaks and even the few sisters of her who are remaining are equally the same. I cannot even imagine my grandmother having a pot unaligned even and she equally expected the same from her children and grandchildren.
It’s not that there no points that I agreed with it too. Like I mentioned the whole aspect of parents controlling the life decisions and the funniest for me, gifting ridiculous clothes were few. My relatives are known for gifting during even the smallest occasion and most of the time I end up with clothes that I can’t wear or some styles that are nothing like what I would be caught wearing outside.
The true reason I solely continued this book was to see if Mei would do a 180 and become much better. In a way she did. And even her mother did. But still I was left with an unpleasant feeling after the end even. I was not truly impressed with the book. Maybe the author was trying to show the true struggles as an Asian American but all I got was 400 pages of complaints of a 17-year old. I was not moved nor was I impressed. Yes Mei did grew on me by the last 50 pages or so but that was not enough for me to change my mind in regards to the rating. In the end I did not find any character to my liking. Which is quite unfortunate as I was really looking forward for this.
Lastly I want to put in the small snippet of Nainai asking Mei to eat her vitamins even in the middle of the great fallout was the only and most relatable event in the whole book for me. It was literally the highlight of the book. I can truly imagine my own grandmother doing a similar thing.
In my life too there were many moments that I wished my parents were more open minded and not Asian in their thinking. Specially when it came to the job, marriage and other factors in my life. For Asian parents, marriage is the most important thing in a girl’s life while for me it’s my job and how far I can go in it. A girl’s life would not be complete without kids, preferably a boy but right now even the younger generations of Asian kids are actively fighting against it. This ultimately makes them unfilial and believe me the elders take every opportunity to remind them of it. So dear Mei, you’re situation isn’t that bad, at least you have the chance of revolting against as you have some normal-open-minded friends. Try living in an Asian country with these kind of relatives.
But all of this does not mean I am embarrassed of my culture. As a matter of fact I am highly proud of my culture. Not everyone can say they are from a unique background and heritage as I can say. All parents are universally expected to embarrass their kids. Their culture and such has nothing to do with it. Honestly I love when people embrace their own cultures and proudly show it off. Not just Asian but all others too. Each culture brings out a vibrancy and uniqueness that is personally very heart warming for me. Especially when people proudly show it off. Embracing one’s culture is nothing to shy away from. This is another reason that really put me off in regards to Mei’s character. For more than half of the book I felt as if she was quite embarrassed of her culture. Yes by the end she seems to be ok and it could be her young age (I’m sorry I consider 17 years still babies in terms of mature thinking. Specially someone who had been sheltered like that.). Every time she somewhat belittle her culture I wanted to crawl into the book and slap her. Grandmother’s house full of insects? Excuse me. As far as I knew our grandmothers were the cleanest of all. Maybe it was just mine but I remember my grandmother was one of the clean freaks and even the few sisters of her who are remaining are equally the same. I cannot even imagine my grandmother having a pot unaligned even and she equally expected the same from her children and grandchildren.
It’s not that there no points that I agreed with it too. Like I mentioned the whole aspect of parents controlling the life decisions and the funniest for me, gifting ridiculous clothes were few. My relatives are known for gifting during even the smallest occasion and most of the time I end up with clothes that I can’t wear or some styles that are nothing like what I would be caught wearing outside.
The true reason I solely continued this book was to see if Mei would do a 180 and become much better. In a way she did. And even her mother did. But still I was left with an unpleasant feeling after the end even. I was not truly impressed with the book. Maybe the author was trying to show the true struggles as an Asian American but all I got was 400 pages of complaints of a 17-year old. I was not moved nor was I impressed. Yes Mei did grew on me by the last 50 pages or so but that was not enough for me to change my mind in regards to the rating. In the end I did not find any character to my liking. Which is quite unfortunate as I was really looking forward for this.
Lastly I want to put in the small snippet of Nainai asking Mei to eat her vitamins even in the middle of the great fallout was the only and most relatable event in the whole book for me. It was literally the highlight of the book. I can truly imagine my own grandmother doing a similar thing.
December 17, 2018
I really appreciate the way that AMERICAN PANDA was a book that featured a ton of things I love (cute romance, college anecdotes, self-growth and discovery) AND centered around a Taiwanese-American character. While not quite the same as my own experiences as Filipino-American, there were certain similarities in attitude and expectation that really felt relatable to me and I appreciated that so much. And I really just liked Mei and was rooting from her right from the start!
May 3, 2021
i think the most iconic moment of this book was me spoiling the last 50% for khadidja bc she didn't have enough energy to finish (what that says about the book itself... is that it wasn't good)
despite the fact that I Love Asian Books, especially Chinese Books, this really did not live up to the hype.
American Panda follows Mei, a young girl who has virtually fulfilled every part of the “American Dream” for her parents: she skipped a grade, is attending MIT, and is also on the pre-med track. She is praised by many of the other Asian moms for these aspects, and often compared to the “black sheep” within her family and Asian network.
The most relevant example is her brother, a boy who was loved for simply being the first son in the family, who was disowned by their family simply because he was in a relationship with a woman who was infertile, despite following through on other aspects of their expectations: in particular, the woman that he is with is Taiwanese-American.
In many ways, I understood Mei’s life to be a culturally true experience among Asians: being compared to others, and yet being criticized for things you cannot control, like the mole on her forehead, or her size. However! I found that this novel fell flat in MANY ways. If you're looking for Asian representation in ya, I'm sure that this would fulfill that aspect— but there are so many other books that with Asian representation that I personally enjoyed a lot more.
disclaimer: these are just the 3 (contemporary) titles that I personally felt that I could relate to the most! also my reviews for epic crush & starfish are. not well written lol
→ my favorite parts of this book ❄️
I'm going to be real, there aren't that many. The only reason that this is 3 stars, not 2 stars, is because of the ending. MY HEART. I actually felt tempted to rate this 4 stars !! but then I remembered the fact that I was in spain without the s for almost the entire book, and came back to an unfortunate reality.
obviously, whenever I read a mom in a book, I picture my own mom. and I love my mom! so I loved Mei's mom! the fact that she was also often hurt, similar to Mei, by Mei's father & Mei's father's side of the family broke my heart.
what I particularly loved was the way it conveyed familial gaps & motherly regrets—the wish that one could just start everything over and rebuild from the ground up, but most importantly the fact that Mei's mother was willing to grow.
the other feel-good moment for me was when Mei & Nicolette started becoming closer friends! they didn't have that much development though... but their relationship was kinda cute and reminded me of Lara Jean & Chrissy's friendship!
I also want to say that I'm pretty sure this is one of the semi-earlier young adult novels with ownvoices Chinese representation (I remember being pretty hyped for this), so thank you, American Panda, for helping to pave this path for other authors (and, well, to allow other, highkey much better books to thrive).
my last "favorite" part of this book is the gorgeous new paperback cover! I love it.
to conclude, yeah. there wasn't a lot I liked.
→ my least favorite parts of this book ❄️ (commence with the roasting!!!)
I remember reading Shealea's review of A Pho Love Story, where she mentioned wanting rep beyond the struggles of being Asian-American, and I was like "huh. interesting."
now having read about four chinese-american contemporary novels in the pretty small time span of less than a month (parachutes, heiress apparently, iron will of genie lo), I can say that I know what she means, and I completely agree. it just feels so draining to be reading novels where I want to seek rep, and just finding constant discussions on the validity of being a certain race and racism.
I want more casual rep!!! and for some reason, I thought that this novel was going to be fluffy & cute! it was not. it was just hard to read.
I just think it would be very cool if I could keep reading more Asian contemporaries without feeling absolutely exhausted at the end.
of course, I'm not blaming this book in particular. I just think that at a point where I'm not really insecure about my own identity, this form of representation (wherein characters face racism & have to deal with conflicting identities) is just Not My Jig. it just doesn’t hold up without other parts of the story that I now find integral, like an actually interesting romance or more heartfelt interactions.
if you're taiwanese or chinese-american and haven't read a single contemporary book about your identity, go for it! you'll probably love it! I just... did not.
some other thoughts include:
- that romance was literally so stale. i'm sorry
- the humor was there... doesn't mean it was good
- there were so many jokes about chlamydia and herpes that just had me wondering. why. what was the reason?
- not enough development between Mei & Nicolette !! GIVE ME MORE MOMENTS OF FRIENDSHIP THAT'S ALL I ASK & less time with this random boy!!!
— buddy read with my bound sis (the nickname we made 3 yrs ago) <33
rep: taiwanese-american mc (ownvoices), japanese love interest, sapphic side characters, many chinese side characters
content/trigger warnings: emotional parental abuse, implied marital abuse, infertility (& shaming bc of it), lots of mention of sexual diseases
————
[pre-review]
finally reading this after it's been on my tbr for three years
despite the fact that I Love Asian Books, especially Chinese Books, this really did not live up to the hype.
American Panda follows Mei, a young girl who has virtually fulfilled every part of the “American Dream” for her parents: she skipped a grade, is attending MIT, and is also on the pre-med track. She is praised by many of the other Asian moms for these aspects, and often compared to the “black sheep” within her family and Asian network.
The most relevant example is her brother, a boy who was loved for simply being the first son in the family, who was disowned by their family simply because he was in a relationship with a woman who was infertile, despite following through on other aspects of their expectations: in particular, the woman that he is with is Taiwanese-American.
In many ways, I understood Mei’s life to be a culturally true experience among Asians: being compared to others, and yet being criticized for things you cannot control, like the mole on her forehead, or her size. However! I found that this novel fell flat in MANY ways. If you're looking for Asian representation in ya, I'm sure that this would fulfill that aspect— but there are so many other books that with Asian representation that I personally enjoyed a lot more.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR EAST ASIAN REPRESENTATION IN A CONTEMPORARY NOVEL I RECOMMEND:
- Everything I Never Told You // (my review) ownvoices chinese-american rep (mc in novel is biracial)
- The Epic Crush of Genie Lo // (my review) ownvoices chinese-american rep
- Starfish // (my review) ownvoices japanese-american rep
disclaimer: these are just the 3 (contemporary) titles that I personally felt that I could relate to the most! also my reviews for epic crush & starfish are. not well written lol
→ my favorite parts of this book ❄️
I'm going to be real, there aren't that many. The only reason that this is 3 stars, not 2 stars, is because of the ending. MY HEART. I actually felt tempted to rate this 4 stars !! but then I remembered the fact that I was in spain without the s for almost the entire book, and came back to an unfortunate reality.
obviously, whenever I read a mom in a book, I picture my own mom. and I love my mom! so I loved Mei's mom! the fact that she was also often hurt, similar to Mei, by Mei's father & Mei's father's side of the family broke my heart.
what I particularly loved was the way it conveyed familial gaps & motherly regrets—the wish that one could just start everything over and rebuild from the ground up, but most importantly the fact that Mei's mother was willing to grow.
the other feel-good moment for me was when Mei & Nicolette started becoming closer friends! they didn't have that much development though... but their relationship was kinda cute and reminded me of Lara Jean & Chrissy's friendship!
I also want to say that I'm pretty sure this is one of the semi-earlier young adult novels with ownvoices Chinese representation (I remember being pretty hyped for this), so thank you, American Panda, for helping to pave this path for other authors (and, well, to allow other, highkey much better books to thrive).
my last "favorite" part of this book is the gorgeous new paperback cover! I love it.
to conclude, yeah. there wasn't a lot I liked.
→ my least favorite parts of this book ❄️ (commence with the roasting!!!)
I remember reading Shealea's review of A Pho Love Story, where she mentioned wanting rep beyond the struggles of being Asian-American, and I was like "huh. interesting."
now having read about four chinese-american contemporary novels in the pretty small time span of less than a month (parachutes, heiress apparently, iron will of genie lo), I can say that I know what she means, and I completely agree. it just feels so draining to be reading novels where I want to seek rep, and just finding constant discussions on the validity of being a certain race and racism.
I want more casual rep!!! and for some reason, I thought that this novel was going to be fluffy & cute! it was not. it was just hard to read.
I just think it would be very cool if I could keep reading more Asian contemporaries without feeling absolutely exhausted at the end.
of course, I'm not blaming this book in particular. I just think that at a point where I'm not really insecure about my own identity, this form of representation (wherein characters face racism & have to deal with conflicting identities) is just Not My Jig. it just doesn’t hold up without other parts of the story that I now find integral, like an actually interesting romance or more heartfelt interactions.
if you're taiwanese or chinese-american and haven't read a single contemporary book about your identity, go for it! you'll probably love it! I just... did not.
some other thoughts include:
- that romance was literally so stale. i'm sorry
- the humor was there... doesn't mean it was good
- there were so many jokes about chlamydia and herpes that just had me wondering. why. what was the reason?
- not enough development between Mei & Nicolette !! GIVE ME MORE MOMENTS OF FRIENDSHIP THAT'S ALL I ASK & less time with this random boy!!!
— buddy read with my bound sis (the nickname we made 3 yrs ago) <33
rep: taiwanese-american mc (ownvoices), japanese love interest, sapphic side characters, many chinese side characters
content/trigger warnings: emotional parental abuse, implied marital abuse, infertility (& shaming bc of it), lots of mention of sexual diseases
————
[pre-review]
finally reading this after it's been on my tbr for three years
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