American Born Chinese was fun to read. I was only uncomfortable when Chin-Kee visited. Then, I was suddenly VERY uncomfortable, almost painfully so. I found myself squirming in my seat, actually, reading as fast as I could to move through and past these difficult sections. I especially enjoyed the Monkey King sections for their mythical aspect and "hero's journey" feel. I loved the insertion of mythology. Yeah, it was an entertaining and enlightening experience to be sure.
The central narrative appears to be a relatively typical exploration of what it means to be a "new" kid on the block but with racial identity mixed in. I identified with the central character because I saw myself in his little/middle/older boy minus the racial overtones, of course, specifically in regards to fitting in and awkwardness with girls. Take out the fact that he is Chinese, and this story is about a boy growing up, no?
And then came the Chin-Kee parts. Ugh. While I understand why the author might choose to proceed in such a fashion, I did not appreciate it much. It was painful. It brought back front and center what is a fundamental flaw for the species in my mind: adherence to racial identity as a defining characteristic and the preponderance of people hating all over each other for no other reason than that. Ugh squared.
However, because the author chose to use the Monkey King parts to speak to larger human motifs and themes, I am left feeling strangely satisfied and content, knowing the journey continues...
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