When her brother, Danny, takes his
own life, his sister, Maybelline struggles to deal with the racist accusations
launched against her Chinese Taiwanese American family by a parent from her
high school. May, reeling from her incredible loss, is now stunned to realize
that Asians are being blamed for not only Danny's suicide, but the four
previous suicides over the past year and a half between the two high schools in
her area. As more parents speak about the amount of pressure and stress Asians
place on their children, May, moved by anger and preserving Danny's memory,
responds with a poem which is published by the local newspaper. As a string of
events begin to unravel after her poem is printed, May is confronted with the
truth of racism; what it means, how it is displayed, how others are affected
and the direct impact it may have on her family. How far is she willing to go
to stop the accusations? What is she willing to sacrifice to have her voice
heard?
I would not recommend this book
for young readers, as there are several instances of bad language, alcohol use
by minors, and racial content that may be misunderstood. There are many
sections in the book negatively referencing "the rich, white man" and
"changing the narrative." Mentions of history being rewritten and
falsified are also included. Although this book takes a look inside of all
types of racism, it directly attacks the white race.
I would
categorize this book as one that should be read with a parent instead of the
classroom so that mature and controlled conversations can occur. It is a
difficult read, with a few terms that I was unfamiliar with, that reference
race-related issues.
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