Simply put, this is a seriously spooky book about trauma that spans five generations of Asian women, from Gigi, a comfort woman in Hong Kong during World Warr II, to Alice and her daughter Luna in contemporary Vancouver. Can terrifying physical abuse and anger create vengeful ghosts? How can unspoken legacies of violence shape a family? Moments of love and kindness are contrasted with evil and cruelty. Ms. Lee’s story progresses to a truly terrifying end – highly recommended.
Tag: Jen Sookfong Lee
Superfan – How Pop Culture Broke My Heart – Jen Sookfong Lee
A non-linear memoir of Ms. Lee’s search for a Chinese-Canadian identity, where pop culture (Anne of Green Gables, Bob Ross, etc.) is used as an escape from her fractious family life and as a means of fitting in. She has provided a candid account of her struggles and failures; her insights are tender, often hilarious and always profound.
The Conjoined – Jen Sookfong Lee
What if you are cleaning the basement of your family home after the death of your mother, and you find the bodies of two foster-children in a basement freezer who went missing 28 years ago? This is an intriguing book that examines family secrets and the social welfare system. Some of the ideas reminded me of Zoe Whitall’s book The Best Kind Of People where suspicion is directed to “good” people. What is the cost of bringing foster children into a home for all concerned? Highly recommended.
What David Read 