Historical Fiction: A Map for the Missing by Belinda Huijuan Tang

Today's book is a historical fiction novel that takes place mostly in China, but also partly in the U.S, as a young man returns home to find his missing father. A Map for the Missing by Belinda Huijuan Tang follows Yitian as he returns home, unsure of what he will find or the reception he will receive.

The Situation: It is 1993 and Tang Yitian is living in America when he receives a frantic call from his mother back in China, telling him that his father has gone missing. It has been nearly a decade since Yitian left, and when he did, he was not on the best of terms with the man he is now looking for. In fact, his father would barely acknowledge his presence, refusing to even speak to him before he left for college in Beijing. Upon returning, things are both as Yitian remembered them and completely different. Using what little information he receives from his mother, Yitian sets out on a quest to find his father, but the search forces him to confront events that took place nearly two decades ago.

The Problem: Yitian's search for his father will not be the quick and simple task he was hoping it would be. But his trip home offers him another opportunity, and it is the chance to reunite with a childhood friend. When he first moved to America, Yitian did attempt to keep in touch with Hanwen. As kids, the two of them dreamt of attending college, both studying rigorously for the gaokao, the standardized college entrance exam held annually in China. Only Yitian would receive the opportunity to attend college, and later leave for America, while Hanwen stayed in China, eventually becoming a bureaucrat's housewife. Their reunion means an examination of the past, as well as where everything stands now that they are adults. Questions of what might have them become nearly impossible avoid, as Yitian looks for a father he is not sure will be happy to see him.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel set mostly in China, but also briefly in the U.S. where Yitian is a professor. There are two stories being told at once, that of Yitian, the second son of a small farming family living in a small village in China, and also Hanwen, who was one of the "sent down" youth from Shanghai who was to help in the fields. The narrative moves around throughout the 1970s, 80s, and early 90s, explaining the relationship between Yitian and Hanwen, as well as how they relate to their family members, and the people they ended up marrying as adults. There is also plenty of historical information offered up about China during a time when the gaokao has just been reinstated, causing China's youth to become excited once again about the prospect of attending college. 

My Verdict: At the beginning of the book, I was intrigued. I wanted to fully dive into Yitian's history and the dynamics of his family. I was eager to learn more about China in the 1970s and the intense political climate the people were living under. But something happened while reading the first chapter that focused on Hanwen's side of the story. For whatever reason (I cannot quite figure it out), I was much less interested in her experience than I was with Yitian's. I do not think it was the character, but maybe her story arc as a whole. And neither storyline felt fully complete to me by the end of the book, though it left like more attention was paid to Yitian over all. There are parts of the book that were still engaging and interesting, but other parts felt like something was left out.

Favorite Moment: There is a part where Yitian attempts the impossible while attending university. Everyone at the school told him it was impossible, but he tries anyway, a few times. As someone who works at a university, I could appreciate both sides of the interactions: The university officials are frustrated that a student would try such a thing after having the rules clearly laid out for them. And I also recognize the desperation Yitian displayed as the student, despite knowing the futility of his request.

Favorite Character: Yitian's wife Mali does not have much of a presence on the page, but her place in Yitian's life is apparent and clear, even as he is often unsure if the life they have together is what he wants. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim. 

Young Adult Fiction: If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

The premise for Ann Liang's If You Could See the Sun was enough for me to pick it up: A young girl who attends an elite boarding school in Beijing begins to turn invisible. But then the book was listed as one of the best YA dark academia books of 2022. And then, it was nominated for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction for the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards. So yes, I have been excited to talk about this one.

The Situation: It is not enough for Alice Sun to simply try her best. When it comes to anything related to school work or academics, Alice must be the best. She already feels incredibly inadequate, nearly invisible, when it comes to her classmates. Because Alice attends the prestigious Airington International Boarding School in Beijing, her classmates are wealthy, privileged, well-traveled, and completely unaware of what it means for someone like Alice to have to work so hard for something they can simply buy...or have their parents buy for them. Alice is the only scholarship student among her friends, and it is not even a full scholarship. Her scholastic awards and accomplishments are what make Alice feel seen, until she literally begins turning invisible.

The Problem: Despite Alice not being able to at all control her new...power? affliction? burden?...she believes she has found a way to make the most of a weird situation. Since her parents have dropped the news that they can no longer afford the school fees that her scholarship does not cover, meaning the illustrious future that is promised by an Airington education is now no longer guaranteed, Alice has been attempting to think of ways to secure her place at the elite school. And being able to turn invisible means access to the secrets of some of China's richest and most powerful teens, and their families. But it does not take long for the requests to become borderline unethical, even crossing over into the criminal. Soon, Alice must evaluate what she wants for herself, and consider what she is willing to do to get it.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction novel set in modern day Beijing at an international boarding school. The vast majority of the students at Airington are incredibly wealthy, with Alice being an exception. Having earned the nickname of 'Study Machine,' Alice is proud of her reputation for being an intense top student, but nothing takes away that feeling faster than the image of the effortlessly attractive, smart, rich, and likeable Henry Li, her main competition in everything academic. At the core of Alice's story is her constant struggle to not only be the best, but to simply exist in a space where those around her have to do very little for the same results. Alice was already tired and angry before the events in the story, so when she receives news that she will not be able to stay at Airington, things become even more manic, tense, and desperate. 

My Verdict: What I expected was a somewhat cutesy story of a young girl discovering she can become invisible, and using those powers to her advantage until things get predictably out of control. Shenanigans ensue, and maybe there is a love interest thrown in there somewhere. What I did not expect was to be genuinely affected by Alice's situation of being the only scholarship student (and again, not even a full scholarship) at an elite boarding school, where the other students have no idea about her situation...in fact, many of them cannot even fathom what it takes for someone like Alice to be at a school like Airington. Alice is indeed as her classmates describe her - one young man described her as shrill and intense - but she is also relatable. Despite her many mistakes (so many), I wanted her to win, whatever that meant.

Favorite Moment: At one point, the usually nonconfrontational Alice calls out one of her teachers for essentially being fake, and I was here for it.

Favorite Character: Alice's roommate Chanel is the definition of the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover." She is rich, beautiful, an influencer, and somewhat clueless, while also being loyal to Alice and genuinely wanting to help.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus. 

Nonfiction: A Coastline Is an Immeasurable Thing by Mary-Alice Daniel

Let's be real: Today's title caught my attention because of the cover. It happens. But the description was also interesting. A Coastline Is an Immeasurable Thing: A Memoir Across Three Continents by Mary-Alice Daniel is exactly that. Daniel chronicles her experience of moving from Nigeria, to England, and finally to the U.S, while never quite settling into one place for too long. It is the type of memoir I am often drawn to, where the author describes a place I am not incredibly familiar with, while also telling their story.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book in which Daniel begins her story in Nigeria, the place she was born, but has a complicated relationship with as far as her identity. While Daniel's family will leave Nigeria while she is still a young girl, she will return to the place she refers to as 'Back Home' a few times throughout her life. After moving to England, Daniel describes the feeling of not belonging in either of the two places she had lived, and that feeling only grows after moving once again, but this time to the U.S. Daniel also contributes several chapters of intricate knowledge of the Nigerian tribes of her father and mother. Included are also lessons on the history of Nigeria, religion, superstition, language, and the convention of naming. But at the center of everything is the idea of identity, and what we must all take into consideration when someone asks us who we are and where we are from.

My Verdict: I can certainly say my expectations were met. I was hoping to learn more about Nigeria as a country, and read about the experience of someone who saw themselves and their family as willing nomads, always moving from place to place. This book provides all of this to its readers, and a little more. Much like the concept of identity that Daniel explores, there is a lot to unpack in this book. Although events are told in a mostly linear fashion, Daniel often looks back at the places she has lived before, making connections to how they have contributed to where she is now. While some of the narrative became difficult to follow, and some of the history lessons were confusing, the book provides overall clarity to issues the country of Nigeria still faces, as well as how Daniel feels about her own history and identity. 

Favorite Moment: When Daniel describes the different ways her and her siblings handled their move from England to the U.S. I found the difference between how her and her brother handled it, as opposed to how her older sister handled it, incredibly believable. Looking back, the same was also true between my older brother and myself when our family encountered a significant change. 

Favorite Quote: "Although these movies were a decade out of date by the time I put their lessons to use, it's lucky that so many blockbuster movies in the '80s dealt specifically with curious circumstances that find one freakish character trying to fit in despite some flagrant obstacle or abnormality." 

Recommended Reading: The Impossible City by Karen Cheung is a memoir that explores the city of Hong Kong and the author's struggle to settle in a place whose history is incredibly complicated. 

Door Stop: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

For the first entry of 2023, I decided to go with an American classic, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Many have been forced to read this book either in high school or in college (for some it is both). I remember reading it in high school and actually enjoying it, and I know this can be difficult to do when someone is forced to read something. I felt like it was time to revisit the book, and see if any of my feelings about it had changed.

The Situation: When Tom Joad is released from prison, he expects to go back to his family home in Sallisaw, Oklahoma and restart his life. However, what he finds is a home that has been abandoned and nearly knocked over. He learns that his family has had to relocate to his Uncle's house as they prepare to make the long journey west to California. With the Oklahoma farm land no longer producing, the banks have taken back the properties, and the only hope for many families is in the promise of work out West. After purchasing a truck (one that is not at all new...but it runs), the 13-person party heads out, not knowing what is to come.

The Problem: The Joads are not the only family taking their chances by leaving their home in hopes of building a new life in California. The highway is full of cars in various states of repair all headed in the same direction. With the sudden influx of people from Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, and other states, the attitudes of many California residents has become one of resentment, anger, and even fear. There are simply too many people looking for the same thing, and not enough work to go around. And before the Joads haven even reached the California state line, they have experienced death, financial setbacks, discrimination, and have been told that their long and hard journey will not be worth it. 

Genre, Themes, History: This novel is set during the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression, and was originally released in 1940. It follows the journey of the Joad family as they travel from Oklahoma to California, and after they reach it and begin working in orchards and cotton fields. Originally, there are 13 members in the group (Tom, Ma, Pa, Uncle John, Grampa, Granma, Noah, Rose of Sharon, Al, Ruthie, Winfield, Connie, and Casy), all doing their best to fit in the overburdened truck. With so many people, the group dynamic is straightforward, while also being complex. Everyone has their place, but roles are shifted - sometimes out of necessity, and sometimes due to conflict and tension - and ultimately, everyone does what they believe they have to do. The Joad family represents many families from that time who faced incredible obstacles during a time of scarcity.

My Verdict: I wondered if I was going to feel the same way about this book as I did in high school, and turns out, it still holds up for me. Sure, the long trek west is tedious and difficult and tiresome (as are some of the characters) before it even begins, and the story does not end when the Joad family reaches California. This book is about both the journey and the destination, with the former being only a taste of the hardship that is to come in the latter. And when the book is not focused only on the Joads, the reader is given a look at the general state of things, and how they got that way. All of it works together to present a story that I still find more fascinating than anything, and I will continue to recommend it to readers of all ages.

Favorite Moment: Jim Casy is a former preacher who struggles to find his place among this family that has agreed to let him come with them. But he manages to come through for them after Tom loses his temper, and proves to be more useful than he realized he could be. 

Favorite Character: The reader may not ever get to know Ma's real first name, but she is arguably the one holding everyone together. She even stands up against her husband when she has to, not much caring about the consequences, and does what she has to do.

Recommended Reading: For another book by Steinbeck, I recommend East of Eden. But Kristin Hannah's The Four Winds is a historical fiction novel also set during the Great Depression, and follows a single mother as she makes the difficult journey West.