I was blown away by this powerful debut from Gloria Chao. I expected the moments of humor and romance in Mei's story (and they're everything you could want in terms of awkward swoon!), but what caught me off guard in the best possible way was the seriousness and deeply-felt intensity of Mei's struggle between cultures (the Taiwanese culture of her heritage and parents; the American culture of her childhood experience; and the unique university culture of MIT). AMERICAN PANDA will disarm you, make you laugh and probably pee a little, and then make you ache from head to toe as you root for Mei to find her path.

This book was like one of those picture-perfect recipes that appear in your Pinterest or Facebook feed: the ingredients all look delicious, it seems so easy to make, and the final product is positively gorgeous. But when you decide to make it for yourself, the ingredients don't mix together very well and the end product is no where near as good as you thought it would be. American Panda seemed to have all the right elements for a perfect contemporary, yet none of it blended very well together.

That description is a bit harsh, but it's the best way I can convey what I experienced with this book. It had so much potential! I was so excited! It has a Taiwanese American protagonist, with a nerdy personality and a disagreeable family; a fun college setting; and of course, a swoon-worthy love interest. Despite all this though, I really could not bring myself to enjoy this book.

The author seems to create a mix of genres—just like the mix of "ingredients"— and they did not fit well together. The narrative dramatically shifts tone from a sweet, fluffy contemporary to an incredibly deep, heartbreaking story of (for lack of a better description) an emotionally abused girl. The book didn't seem like it knew which it wanted to be, and it left me feeling angry and stressed out during scenes where my heart was supposed to be soaring with butterflies. I felt like I was on a roller-coaster, but the kind where I couldn't wait to be let off.

Mei's family is hard to read about at times. They uphold many Taiwanese and Chinese traditions regarding gender roles and marriage that are extremely harmful, not only to Mei but to the family as a whole. The author does a good job of explaining why these traditions are still being upheld, and weaves an inspiring story regarding the cycles of abuse that allow these ideals to be instilled across generations. I really appreciated that perspective, and found it to be enlightening.

However, the reasoning behind the actions that Mei's family took did not help to curb the absolute hatred I felt for a few of the characters. I suppose it's commendable that the author was able to gain such a visceral reaction from me, but it did keep me from enjoying the read. Many times, I had to set down the book and walk away before I could continue on.

The romance didn't help much, either. I found it to be very mediocre. I liked Darren's character, and the way he helped keep Mei grounded in all her family's dysfunction. But the romance is not a huge part of the book, and it airs on the side of insta-love.

An aspect of this book that others may find enjoyable is the humor. I'm probably in the minority when I say this, but I didn't think the book was funny as much as cringe-inducing. If you liked Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, I think you're much more likely to enjoy American Panda than I did. It carries that same awkward, bathroom-level humor that Jesse Andrew's books often do. I personally don't care for it.

Finally, the last thing that I found off-putting is the fact that the book takes place at MIT, an Ivy League level school, and Mei is seen attending class only once—where all she does is sleep! Maybe it's the AP student in me coming out, but I know that if I were at MIT my life would be consumed by school and homework. MIT acts as an aesthetic backdrop, but doesn't add much to Mei's development or her story.

Now that I've covered most of the negative, there were a few things that I really liked! Mei's relationship with her mother is incredibly well-developed, we get to see her mom change, grow, and make sacrifices. Seeing the two learn to compromise and listen to each other was definitely my favorite part of the book.

I also really enjoyed how Mei and Xing (her older brother) navigate their way back to being siblings after their parents left them estranged. We don't often get to see brother/sister relationships in YA literature, and I loved that!

The most important and impactful aspect of this novel, however, is clearly the ownvoices element it carries. Even though I had my own issues with it, I can't deny the fact that Gloria Chao gives a genuine, heartfelt, and thorough look at what it's like to be a first-generation Taiwanese American. I can't speak for the representation myself, but I don't doubt that many kids will gain an invaluable message by seeing themselves in Mei's character. For that reason, though I wouldn't usually do this with books below three stars, I will definitely be supporting this book in any honest way that I can! It's an important novel, and one that needs to be shared with the world.

Seventeen-year-old Taiwanese-American Mei knows what she wants in life. She will become an MIT-educated doctor, marry a fellow Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, and pass the baton over to her future brilliant children. Oh wait... that’s what her parents want. Her dreams are a little different from theirs. She will have to please her parents, but first she must treat her germaphobe tendencies, and she must get over Darren Takahashi, her super cute Japanese-American classmate.

Her parents have crafted her life for her. Will she be brave enough to tell them the truth? It won’t be easy to break free. Her brother Xing had dared to follow his own heart and... let’s just say Mei is between a rock and a Panda behind bars.

“I was used to being shunned by others for my different-tinted skin, different-shaped eyes, and my parents’ difficulty with I’s and R’s...”

American Panda is a romantic comedy with lots of nuances and pathos. Mei is such a sweet character. She wants to please her parents, but she also longs to find a balance between fulfilling their wishes while staying true to herself. She’s fun, smart and relatable. Gloria Chao’s droll debut is a great addition to #OwnVoices YA. I give this five salted caramel mocha frappuccinos. Enjoyable from beginning to end. Café Girl Out.

First, thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC!

This was a really cute book that ended up being much more full of Issues than I expected. I loved the look into Chinese-American culture and how family dynamics can play a major role. I learned a lot about familial expectations and traditions. I appreciated that it's clearly an own voices book, and about something that means so much to the author.

All that said, the book was just OK for me. Mei's voice felt weak at times and the plot felt rushed. The ending was abrupt and I would have liked more closure (although I'm so not a 'let's tie it up in a big red bow' kind of reader).

"Honesty is sometimes misconstrued as rudeness, which is probably why it's so rare."

If you've ever struggled to live up to the expectations of others, while still being true to who you are, American Panda is the perfect book for you. And honestly, who couldn't relate to that? It's hard to be honest in the best of times, especially when it's personal; and being honest about who we are is probably one of the biggest trials we each face as grow up. 

17-year-old Mei is a young college freshman at MIT struggling with the weight of her parents' plans for her life. Because, yes, they've already mapped it all out for her (it's been set in stone since the day she was born) - there's MIT and then Medical School and then life as a doctor/housewife married to a "good" Chinese boy who is probably also a doctor.

The problem is, Mei is a total germaphobe who is in no way cut out for the medical profession. What she really loves is numbers and dance, but neither of those things is as secure as being a doctor, so her parents won't even consider them as possible majors for her.

I love Mei's voice. It's so authentic and awkward - she's is absolutely a mess, which I feel anyone would be if placed in her situation. She's clearly been sheltered her entire life, and now that she's got a taste of freedom at MIT things are starting to change so quickly that she practically doesn't have time to catch up to the spinning gears in her head telling her that maybe traditions aren't all meant to be followed.

This book has some very painful moments. It was heartbreaking to watch Mei's family act like total jerks to Mei's brother Xing, all because he dated a woman that "wasn't good enough" for their tastes, and some of the traditions they try to foster on their children seem utterly barbaric by today's standards.

One thing I really appreciated though is that Mei does a great job of introducing us to Taiwanese culture, superstitions and traditions with a gentle hand. Yes, some of those cultural elements seem strange or even barbaric to us in modern day America, but she never trashes the culture for it. Instead, it's with an inside look that we come to understand why her family acts they way they do (even when it's utterly devestating to witness) and while we may not agree with it or even like it, it's something we can at least understand and maybe even empathize with it. Traditions can be very weighty, after all.

"I don't know why he can't just give a little."

"Cognitive dissonance perhaps?" I suggested.

My mom raised an eyebrow in question.

"B ba sacrificed so much beceause of these traditions, and if he gives a little, it would mean his hardships were unnecessary," I explained. "So in a way, he can't give in because he can't accept that he suffered for no reason." 

Mei's journey to discover herself admist those traditions is delicate and fragile anf frought with hardships, but it's also full of humor. I learned so much about Taiwanese culture, which was awesome, and now I want to go out and try pork rice and oyster cakes and especially Taiwanese Shaved Ice. So I need to find a place in my area that sells those things ASAP.

Overally, this is a poignant story of family, tradition, and forging your own path through the webs that tie us all together.

Review: 4/5 stars

Although cute, a bit too mature for my middle school library.

“‘Sometimes I’m so proud to be Chinese, and other times I resent it so much. The obligations. Duty to family. Xiàoshùn.’”

And with that line, American Panda understood me in a way no book has before.

I’m making all my Chinese-American friends (both who read and who don’t) to preorder this book because it is exceptional. Although we only see the experience of a Chinese-American through the lense of one teenage girl, I believe there is something - whether it is stinky tofu, matchmaking, or dreams of being a doctor - that a Chinese-American teen can relate to in Mei’s story. American Panda is superbly written, with hilarious dialogue and equally witty inner monologues of Mei, a seventeen-year old who is college-bound to MIT. She’s intelligent and checks off all the boxes for Obedient Chinese Teen ™. She’s on the premed track and meets her parents once a week (if not more) at Chow Chow, a restaurant they frequently eat at. She’s shy. She’s the child that her parents are piling their dreams on after they disowned her brother. But at this turn of her life, Mei is experiencing an internal conflict that continues to grow as she meets new people and experiences new things in college.

I loved Mei from the very first page. She’s not exactly a size 0 (size 8 - same as me!) and her body size is remarked upon when she’s at Chow Chow by her mother. As well as her large nose. And futures of being a doctor. And matchmaking prospects. Her mother is seen as chastising her because of the way she looks and acts throughout their meetings, which hits really close to home. Although my parents are not as strict as Mei’s, my mom and dad treasure traditional values like them, and that has made growing up in America quite hard at times.

“‘You need to be careful, Mei. No man wants a panda - lazy, round, and silly. All yuan gun gun.’
‘Pandas are cute.’
‘Do you think the concubines won the emperor’s attention by being cute?’”

To Mei’s mom, her future is as a doctor and with a Taiwanese doctor husband. But Mei has other things in mind. For one, she’s a germaphobe and really, really dislikes biology and anything related to it. (She even tries shadowing students and physicians to no avail.) She also has a passion for dancing, which is a total no-no from her family. American Panda really resonated with me because it breathes life into the stereotypes that Asians (South, Southeast, and East Asians especially) are known for. Yes, there’s a main character that studies really hard and is shy/introverted and follows her traditional parents. But she’s more than that - as we are all more than our stereotypes. Her values come from her family, and her family’s values come from a culture from a land they left but whose ideologies they carry in their hearts.

“‘You can’t end up like me, Mei. You heard them last night. No respect for me. As a doctor, your husband and in-laws will be better to you. They have to,’ she said, more to convince herself than me, it seemed.”

I think the biggest surprise in this book was Mei’s mother’s character development. Originally I thought she was there for comedic and plot purposes, but her character turns quite three-dimensional as we continue reading. There is also a large focus in Mei’s life on politics - that is, familial and community politics. Readers witness the humble bragging of matchmaking mothers and how much families will sacrifice in order to get the desired offspring they want. There’s an exploration of different levels of “strictness” in different Chinese households (no two are the same), as well as how that affects the way their children grow up and live. And while Mei is balancing potential relationships (friend and romantic-wise), as well as the family politics going on, the majority of the book is about her growth and experiences as a teen in college. And that’s what I loved about it.

Mei is an amazing character. I see small bits of myself in parts of her, even though we’re quite different. She finds herself struggling between the strict upbringing of her parents and the freedom that the future has to offer. This is further exemplified in her growing crush on a Japanese classmate, Darren, and her shaky relationship with her disowned older brother - all a testament to how her parents have “failed” to mold her into an Obedient Chinese Teen ™. But with the help of family and friends, she finds her footing and shines like the outstanding panda she is.

“We looked into each other’s eyes, no longer in the awkward way of stolen first glances, but in the I-truly-see-you kind of way. The chemistry between us was so strong I could practically see the forces - ionic, covalent, even van der Waals.”

While the book isn’t focused on Mei being at college, the little glimpses we get of MIT are wonderful. We learn about traditions and places through Mei, as well as hilarious situations that - of course - only a freshman could get into. These scenes were wonderful, and make me thirsty for more YA set in colleges.

I’m so excited for American Panda to be published, and for Chinese-American teens to see themselves in. (And if not themselves, then a bit of their culture.) It takes well-known Chinese stereotypes and transforms them into realistic characters and situations that offer a glimpse into a Chinese teen’s life. And while it’s not representative of all Chinese teens, I do so hope that we can see more Chinese-American characters on the cover of contemporary YA.

Trigger Warning: body shaming (tiger mom style), suicide (small mention)

So this is only the 2nd Taiwanese American people protagonist in YA ever, so I had a lot of hopes pinned on this book, and it honestly delivered fantastically. This book is the perfect combination of humor and heart and resonated strongly with me as someone who ended up not liking my college major. The cultural references were similar to my own life and had me yelling. 😂

4.5 Stars!!

What an amazing YA contemporary. As a reader, I could tell that Gloria Chao poured her heart and soul into this book, and it was further proven by her heartfelt author's note. While I am not Chinese-American, I did not have a disconnect with Mei AT all. One of the important themes throughout the book was how Mei was just a normal teenager, and trying to be yourself while straddling two different cultures. Chao wrote Mei so well, and I completely resonated with the character and her growth. After I reflect, I just might bump up my rating, because this was honestly so wonderful and refreshing. What a great book to round up 2017. :D

4.5/5 Stars

American Panda is a truly authentic exploration of the cultural clash that happens for many young Asian Americans whose parents hold tight to their roots. The book is obviously deeply personal, and it resonates with the reader because of that.

What Fed My Addiction:

Cultural ties.
As I said in my intro, this book presents the issue of growing up in America, surrounded by American culture and values, and how that can be difficult with first-generation parents who were raised with a completely different set of values and cultural mores. Mei has always been a "good girl." She has tried hard to please her parents, and she sees the value in their deeply seeded Taiwanese culture. At the same time, she struggles to find herself when her parents' expectations start to clash with her own wants and needs. She has to decide if she will live for her parents or live for herself---a question that might seem simple from an outside perspective, but is anything but. Seeing the world through Mei's eyes, you can't help but sympathize with her and understand the struggle that she goes through daily to fit into two very different worlds.

Family ties.
Mei's relationships with her family truly take center stage in this book, and those ties are complicated, to say the least. Her brother has been cut off from the family for years, and Mei's feelings about that are difficult to parse. On the one hand, she was relatively young when it happened and she didn't feel like she had much control over the situation (not to mention the fact that the only perspective she got was her parents'). But now that Mei is older, she sees her brother and her family's banishment of him very differently. Mei's relationship with her mother is also a key component of the book, and it was beautiful to see that relationship transform as the book went on.

All the feels.
This book is funny, but it's also so much more than that---Mei's personal journey isn't always easy, and you can expect to get wrapped up in it in a hundred different ways!

What Left Me Hungry for More:

Not much focus on the romance.
The romance is actually much less a focus of the book than I thought it would be (which is fine but just surprised me). I just never completely felt a connection between Darren and Mei, but they were cute together! I also felt like the plot itself was a bit lacking in the middle of the book---it's more of a character-centric story than a plot-based one---but that was minor.

This is one of those books that I would encourage everyone to read because it gives such insight into a cultural perspective many of us might not otherwise experience, and it gives many YA readers who have experienced this cultural clash a glimpse of themselves on the page. I look forward to reading more by Gloria Chao! I went back and forth on my rating for this one a bit, but ended up settling at 4.5/5 Stars.

You know those books that make you cry both from happiness and sadness? That's this book. It was hilarious and heartbreaking and it's so rare to find a book that balances those two qualities as nicely as American Panda does. I really loved Mei and her awkwardness and her journey to find her own path. I just wanted to reach out and let Mei know she was amazing throughout most of the book. I loved the various complicated relationships this book explores as Mei reconnects with her disowned brother, tries to connect with her mother, and falls in like/love with Darren (who was absolutely adorable). There are a lot of side characters who really shine as well, and it's so rare for me to remember the names of side characters, but they were so vivid in this book. All the characters are so vivid and multi-faceted. I was hooked with Mei's narration from the very beginning and this book never let me down; I highly recommend it.

This book was phenomenal. It was, at times, funny, fluffy, but at the same time heart breaking and real in its exploration of the themes of parenthood. Don't necessarily expect only a cute panda story, and don't expect it to be black and white. This book is nothing like that. It can be hard, it can be emotionally upsetting, but it can also be uplifting, hopeful, and resilient. It was 100% my kind of book in its devotion to the truth, rejection of the black and white, and exploration of themes. This has been one of my most hyped up book and it lived up to the ALL the hype and more.

A funny, tender, story about families, particularly mothers and daughters, and staying true to oneself while also keeping in touch with our roots.

American Panda was a very cute, short read. Mei, our main character, is pressured into becoming a doctor despite her germaphobia. Following Mei try to keep with her family's traditions while venturing off was fun, yet Chao never sugar coated the seriousness of family issues and upholding traditions and honor. The beginning was a bit choppy in terms of scene transitions; I'd sometimes get lost and have to back track, but the story quite quickly found it's flow. I give this a 4 out of five stars.

Don't let the adorable cover fool you- American Panda was the first 2018 novel I've read, and it's also one of the most honest, interesting, and evocative books I've ever read regarding struggling to find your identity amidst the pressures of your family and culture. Gloria Chao's debut novel blew me away with its ability to tell a story that depicts the struggle of living between two cultures and generations so well. There's a lot to unpack in this contemporary coming of age story, and I can't wait to impress upon your why this story is worth reading no matter what type of family or cultural background you come from.

Family Feels

First and foremost, this book is about family- dealing with their expectations, developing an identity against theirs, growing within the confines that they've placed and perpetuated. Mei's life is defined and decided by her family and Taiwanese culture, no questions asked. Her obedience is as much a part of her personality as her her favorite food or beloved hobby, and it rules her behavior and sense of self even when her parents aren't around. Though I didn't grow up in a Taiwanese household, I did grow up in a fairly strict Latin household, and it was so refreshing to see Mei's culture and family play such a big role in her plot and character development, both for better and for worse, a huge shift from the stereotype of the ever-absent YA parents. From Mei's anxiety about "What will my parents think?" or "What if my parents find out?" to the sometimes tactless or crazy yet well meaning ideas and opinions that her family has, it resonated with my own upbringing and brought back the sharp feelings of pride and shame that I felt as a teenager whenever I wanted something different than what was expected of me by my relatives and/or culture. That feeling is such a pivotal part of being a young adult and growing up, and it's explored constantly and in many different shapes an scenarios in this novel.

Mei's story also focuses on the very important juxtaposition of both loving and resenting your family, and splits things into shades of grey that you start to see once you begin transitioning out of high school and into college. Yes, her father is unmoving and uncompromising in his expectations, but is it because of his own trauma from his childhood? Yes her mother often makes wildly inappropriate comments about people's appearances and career choices, but is it driven by her own fears of the consequences her children will face if they veer from the predetermined path? Mei's anxieties and inner turmoil over her family's wants and her own take up a large portion of the novel, but as Mei grows into her own personality and starts to recognize and pursue her own passions, she also learns jarring secrets and hidden details about her family's past that cause her to have to shift her perspective again and again, which honestly happens so often as you become an adult, and I applaud Chao for adding in these shifts in perspective and creating multidimensional characters.

Higher Education

American Panda takes place during Mei's freshman year at MIT, and I LOVED the setting. I'm always hunting for more YA books set in college (because that young adult stage lasts well into your 20s, trust me), and the personal touches Chao integrated about the campus really created a vivid landscape for the novel (I haven't been to MIT myself, but feel like if I ever went I would already know where some of the coolest spots were, like the walkway with the benches that play with and magnify sounds, and I could keep up well enough with the MIT vernacular). The novel also captures so many of those college firsts so well- that first dreaded trip to the on campus clinic, the first time not living in your house and realizing randomly paired roommates can be the WORST thing ever, the first time you come face to face with your planned career path and realize it is not the right path for you. I felt like I was reliving my not fantastic freshman year of college with Mei, but it also made me nostalgic to do it all over again.

Talking About the Tough Stuff

Given the cute cover and funny title, I was surprised to find that not only does American Panda has a huge amount of depth to its story, but it also tackles a lot of tough issues and doesn't shy away from the gross or uncomfortable aspects of being in college or learning about your body or even being pre-med. For instance, Mei's germaphobia is pretty prevalent to her character (and a key reason why she cannot go through with being a doctor), and it's mentioned several times throughout the novel- not just in passing, but it impacts Mei's day to day life and her relationships and is a consistent part of her personality rather than a character personality quirk. There's also quite a few scenes in the school clinic that reinforce the importance of personal hygiene and personal protection when living in a college dorm with hundred of other students or engaging in physical intimacy with others. The novel also deals with emotionally difficult topics too- the resentment and conflict when a family member that you love holds a belief that you find deeply offensive, the grief and conflicting emotions when a family member passes away, the feeling of bouncing between two cultures and never fully fitting into one (there's a scene in the beginning when Mei s unfamiliar with Star Wars references because she wasn't allowed to watch the movies growing up and her peers are shocked- it brought back all too well memories of constantly feeling behind on the times because I wasn't allowed to watch things like MTV or Boy Meets World or even the news growing up).

Straddling the Knife's Edge of Comedy and Tragedy

The novel's synopsis bills it as a "laugh out loud contemporary," and there were definitely some truly funny moments (even if they were born out of absurd family situations or Mei scrambling to keep all of her secrets straight). One scene that particularly had me in stitches is when Mei's mother demands to know the names of everyone in Mei's fictionalized study group (that she uses as a cover when she's practicing dance or teaching dance classes) and she pulls inspiration from the Kardashians- when her mother asked about Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and Kendall, I pretty much lost it with laughter (I love a good pop culture reference). Yet this humor is often used to counteract the seriousness/darkness of a lot of the plot elements, which include disownming, shame, anxiety, etc. and some pretty nasty family showdowns and scenes. Particularly intense is the relationship and associated scenes with Xing, Mei's older brother who was literally disowned by his parents for dating someone they didn't approve of. Chao's writing navigates emotional disasters and fallouts so intense to be hard to read, then sneaks in humor to provide levity when the family drama threatens to become too much.

Unique Touches

American Panda has some really unique formatting touches that really made the book stand out for me, and feel epistolary in nature. Each chapter starts out with a voicemail from Mei's mother, which are often hilarious or sad (or both) and really help breathe life into her character. There's also little notes from Mei at the beginning of certain chapters explaining things (such as why there's no chapter number four) and the cover font is carried throughout, complete with an adorable doodle of a dumpling (I think- the dumpling is a running metaphor in the story) at the beginning of each chapter. Even reading an e-galley, these unique touches really shined through.

Overall: I went in expecting to like American Panda, but it completely exceeded all of my expectations. It's a novel about family and identity and navigating through a strict culture and even stricter parents. It will resonate with any reader who felt stifled by their upbringing, or who wanted to deviate from the planned path, or who felt like they were straddling two cultures and/or generations growing up. It tackles culture and family drama in a brutal and blatant way that I'm extremely appreciative of, and I could not put Mei's story down, finishing it in under 48 hours during the work week, an extremely unusual feat for me. I can't wait to pick up my own copy and Chao is going to be a difficult 2018 debut novelist to beat.

*Review will be published on Goodreads, Amazon, and my book blog (girlinthepages.com) on 1/15/2018 to ensure they are published within one month of the book's release date, as requested by publisher.

Content Rating

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