Recently I received some wonderful reviews from readers who posted them on Goodreads. I am copying and pasting them here with deepest gratitude:
From Mary Hall:
Everyone loves a good story, and writer Fay Chou’s material is the best East-to-West story that you can’t put down. Some writers may have a more polished style, but Fay Chou’s compelling story more than makes up for it.
First, the language is beautiful and lyrical while staying accessible to middle-grade readers. The themes and metaphors are complex enough to engage YA and adult readers. The plot flows nicely and doesn’t have any of the narrative hiccups that verse memoir is prone to.
The most important element of this memoir is that it shows the conflicts that many Americans have only seen one side of. This would be a great companion read for middle and high school students learning about the differences between Chinese and American cultures.
The amazing thing about family histories is that they follow one story, so you learn about history through a focused lens. Stories are the most powerful tools of retelling history.
Fay Chou is a gifted and talented writer with a great capacity for detail. This will become one of my favorite memoirs, and one that I cannot praise enough. I highly recommend it!
From John Smith:
I wish I could give this book more than five stars. I have read many books about China by other authors because I have a passion for Chinese history, language, and culture, and this was my first exposure to this author’s life.
In this memoir, Fay Chou reflects on her life. She is an incredible woman, in my opinion, and it’s been great reading her journey. I think memoirs help put life into perspective. I went through a whole range of emotions while reading this, and I think that’s what makes a book great. By the time she moved to the United States, it felt like she’s already lived several lives. Throughout this book, you can see her bravery, courage, and determination. The writing in Memoir of Half a Banana doesn’t come across as your typical memoir, and I found that refreshing.
Since I enjoy works by Chinese and Indian authors a great deal, I’ve given it some thought. Despite the drastic differences, I find a core that connects me to writers from those cultures. Fay Chou’s work is an example of that accessibility.
From Patricia Allen:
The title itself is a catchy one; however, I must add that it is an important book. There are so many aspects of this memoir that I value.
As an avid reader, it often surprises people when they learn that I rarely re-read books. I know that a lot of people find great enjoyment from repeat readings, discovering new layers to the story, and gaining a better understanding of the book. I look at it a bit differently. There are so many wonderful books out there, and I’ll never read them all. Usually, when I choose to re-read a book, I feel like I’m wasting time that could be devoted to reading a new one.
My reason for sharing this is to inform you that I have read Memoir of Half a Banana not once, not twice, but three times! There is no stronger endorsement I can give. Fay Chou takes risks with her writing, and I found myself marveling at her bravery. It’s always risky to deviate from standard writing format. Some people can be put off immediately, but I found it charming.
So, if you are interested in China, and reading about the strength and power that people have in the most difficult times, then this is a book you would not put down. Read this!
From Linda Young:
This is one of my top-ten favorite memoir books of all time. It’s a compelling memoir, well-written, poignant, but not maudlin. I’ve read it twice and feel another reread coming on.
The ingredients necessary for a great memoir are all present. The reader is transported back in time. I felt as if I were in Taiwan, experiencing Fay’s life for myself. She doesn’t shy away from showing her family for who they are, warts and all.
The book cycles from heartbreaking episodes to moments of crystal-clear beauty and life-affirming incidents. It’s a sensual book, her sharp prose conjuring up the sights and smells of the Taiwan countryside so vividly that I missed it when the book was over. Hence the duplicate readings.
You will not expect the ending or the logic of family behavior. There are no “cute” bits, and even the occasional softening of some parts have a range of payoffs. A fiction writer could not have written this book. Read it as a story, and you’ll see a book that needed to be written. Read it as a bio, and you’ll see a story that can barely fit into the book. Fay Chou did a good job of making this tale comprehensible, and she deserves credit for that.
From Barbara Hernandez:
I especially appreciate books that help me see the world differently, whether they are mysteries, literary fiction, vampires, or nonfiction. When they are as thoughtful and engaging as this one, I have found a treasure.
As a born and bred American and having lived here my entire life, I can only imagine what emigrating from another country must be like. It makes me wonder how I would deal with the language barrier, the differences in culture and tradition, observing and obeying the laws of the land, and that of a society different from the one I came from. But Fay Chou makes my imagination come alive in this novel with well-written and carefully chosen words that make you feel a part of the story.
Memoir of Half a Banana is a beautifully written story that reminds its readers of the importance of appreciating different cultures. I was fortunate enough to learn about this book while taking a Children’s Literature class over the summer. I loved the author’s life story and her style of writing, so I finished it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down.
As a teacher, that is a feeling I want my students to have when they read for pleasure. Since this is a book I enjoyed reading, I hope by sharing it with other readers (young or old), they will experience the same joy that this story brings.
