Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for gifting me this powerful memoir by Qian Julie Wang - 5 stars for a look into the immigrant life in the US.
In Chinese, the characters for the US are Mei Guo, which translate into Beautiful Country. In the 1990s, Qian's parents fled to the US hoping for a better life. Instead of being able to use their professional degrees, they were now illegal immigrants in NYC, living in fear that they would be deported. They now could only find work in sweatshops for such meager wages that they were all left starving and living in deplorable conditions. Qian found refuge in books at the library and taught herself English by watching PBS. The family starts to fracture under the weight.
What a beautifully written story of the hardships faced by the marginalized in our society. Qian's perseverance and drive made her a success story but it was a hard fought road with much to bear on her small shoulders. It's an eye-opening look that children in America are starving and living in these deplorable conditions. Definitely a must read.
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