Seeing Emily

"SEEING EMILY" by Joyce Lee Wong is a delightful and refreshing read. Joyce Lee Wong's poetic writing style was like sweet music to my ears. I saw myself in her descriptions. I highly recommend this book.

"Seeing Emily" is a real find, engaging and poignant. Formally simple yet poetically and thematically rich, Joyce Lee Wong's writing possesses the depth, delicacy and force of authenticity. Very highly recommended. The novel weaves together a series of poems through which unfold the story and portrait of a Chinese-American teenager as she discovers and crafts her own identity. As Emily's childhood memories are collaged with more fragmented experiences from her fledgling present, the imagery is at times stark, lyrical, blunt and startlingly beautiful. At its best the poetry combines striking images with an unusual gentleness and warmth which subtly convey the author's profound feeling for her own roots. Emily's close relationship with her parents, movingly depicted, is at the core of her strength even as it is her own examination of this closeness which propels her to break from the confines of her family background. Here, the refinement of Chinese culture -- skillfully communicated through a haunting accuracy of images rather than through philosophy -- and the dynamism of American youth form a tender mix. Lee Wong also explores both thematically and stylistically the link between the transformative natures of love and art, as she pairs Emily's growing confidence as a young adult with her development as a painter. The directness and beauty of the author's style give an elegance to the book's complex layering of meanings, while affecting the reader's heart in a disarmingly straightforward way. The transformation of Emily's perspectives on herself, her parents, and her friends in shifting contexts will speak to any young person who has experienced a sense of being outside the mainstream, and to any reader who relishes fine and hopeful writing.

This is beautiful coming of age story. The poetic style is well written and striking in its imagery. I loved the cat themes. This was a great quick read and I think it will resonate well with teenage girls, who can relate to Emily's quest to see her true self, regardless of the racial elements of this book, which are also well done. This great pick.