A deceptively simple graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, American Born Chinese is a triptych of stories, all of which revolve around the idea of assimilation. One is about a Chinese-American student struggling to fit in to a predominantly white school; one is about an "all-American" kind of kid who's mortified by the behavior of his Chinese cousin, who's almost literally a walking ethnic caricature; and the third is about the Monkey King and his struggle to be accepted by all of the other gods. That's an odd collection of stories, ranging from the realistic to the absurd to the supernatural, and yet, thanks to Yang's beautiful artwork, the three work perfectly together, allowing the pieces to reflect off of each other and interact in subtle ways before eventually letting them come in a fairly surprising way at the novel's climax. Taken at face value, American Born Chinese is engaging, funny stuff; it's a trio of great stories, and although they connect eventually, each story has more than its share of joys on its own terms, from a painful first date to a gloriously weird martial arts battle to a party amongst the gods in heaven. But there's a greater richness to American Born Chinese than just the sum of the parts, creating a tapestry about what it's like to feel excluded because of who you are, the pressures of conformity, and how fitting in can ultimately hold you back. Sometimes that's done through simple symbolism, as when the Monkey King finally discovers how to free himself from his prison; sometimes, it's more complex, as when we finally see Danny (our all-American) confront his cousin. It's a novel whose accessibility and simplicity belies its complexity and richness, and whose bright and colorful art belies the thoughtfulness that goes into every panel and every choice. It's perfect for adolescents, not just of Asian-American descent, but any of them who've struggled with acceptance, fitting in, and what it's like to stick out in a crowd - in other words, almost every teenager ever.
- Josh Mauthe
- Josh Mauthe