Plenty of memoirs have critical opinions about the harsh reality of the world outside of the United States borders, and it all makes us sympathetic, humble, and tearful. But this book is soft, for those with a callous for tragedy. Here, struggle as an Asian or Asian American provides a comfortable view of youth as an immigrant going from rags to riches.
Simu Liu, a film actor best known for Kim's Convenience and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, had the platform to rage out over his personal issues and demand to deep criticism in the heart of the problems of a minority in Canada. Ethnic issues, like abusive gas lighting and communication problems between family members from China, could have breached something of a dramatic memoir - expressing the impending dread of our generation, bordering selfish ideals and a cry for fairness - to aid in opening the real discussion the Asian American community: emotional damage by abusive submission.
The book paves an insightful history to Liu's family victories - from their work and education in China, to their short comings in their immigration to Canada. North America's family culture was romanticized, but his ethnic identity was blamed for his internal issues in his low self esteem. As much as his humility is commendable, his risk management in keeping the reader's attention felt like a tease, rather than a call-to-action.
As an advocate against Asian hate crimes, his duality in himself, as either a "selfish meat head" or a "successful thespian", was stunted by his failure to even understand himself. As a reader, you can tell he's demanding to be recognized as a real man, with real dreams, but his yearning for approval is so embarrassing.
Either make us stand by you, in your rage, or have us judge you a villain. This lukewarm fight for mediocrity is pathetic.
I want to root for you, Simu, but this book is too sensitive for my taste. I beg for your next book to be authentic to your cause, or otherwise, I may as well side with those "yellow facing" to have Asian Americans be recognized seriously in the big screen.
Aside from that, it was well written, amazingly versed, and his audiobook was brilliantly performed. I respect him as an Actor, and hope that he barks harder in the protesting marches.
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