AMERICAN PANDA by Gloria Chao is a young adult romance novel
with nonstop humor. A novel that will take you on a roller
coaster ride of emotions that might leave you in tears. When
your family only wants the best for you, sometimes it is not
always what is best for you. Mei's parents want her to become a
doctor, but she has other things in mind that involve her love
of dancing. The clash of a parent-child relationship in
AMERICAN PANDA could bring tears. Mei loves her mother,
respects her culture, and loves her family but she secretly
yearns for her independence.
Chao writes a story that is loving and caring all while
allowing you to see an up-close side of Mei. She is a college
freshman at MIT which is a unique backdrop for a young adult
novel showing what it truly is like when you are stuck between
two worlds. A world with your family and friends you have known
your whole life is your safe place. College is another world
that is full of adventure and the unknown. The perfect place
for someone seeking independence.
AMERICAN PANDA lovingly deals with the touchy subjects that
many young adults face today. The unknowns of the world and the
expectations of their family. Who wins in the end? Is there
even a winner? Mei does not want to be defined by her family or
her Taiwanese culture. This story is an eyeopener for those who
do not have to deal with not blending into a society that is
full of opinions.
A lovely story about family, identity, and navigating through a
culture that is strict but not as strict as your parents.
AMERICAN PANDA is a story that many can relate to in some way
or another. A story that is sure to stay with you long after
you finish reading.
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?
From debut author Gloria Chao comes a hilarious,
heartfelt tale of how unlike the panda, life isn’t always
so black and white.
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