Girl in Translation - Jean Kwok

Girl in Translation

By Jean Kwok

  • Release Date: 2010-04-29
  • Genre: Literary Fiction
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 712 Ratings
$9.99 On itunes Buy on Amazon

Description

From the author of Searching for Sylvie Lee, the iconic, New York Times-bestselling debut novel that introduced an important Chinese-American voice with an inspiring story of an immigrant girl forced to choose between two worlds and two futures. 

When Kimberly Chang and her mother emigrate from Hong Kong to Brooklyn squalor, she quickly begins a secret double life: exceptional schoolgirl during the day, Chinatown sweatshop worker in the evenings. Disguising the more difficult truths of her life—like the staggering degree of her poverty, the weight of her family's future resting on her shoulders, or her secret love for a factory boy who shares none of her talent or ambition—Kimberly learns to constantly translate not just her language but herself back and forth between the worlds she straddles.

Through Kimberly's story, author Jean Kwok, who also emigrated from Hong Kong as a young girl, brings to the page the lives of countless immigrants who are caught between the pressure to succeed in America, their duty to their family, and their own personal desires, exposing a world that we rarely hear about. Written in an indelible voice that dramatizes the tensions of an immigrant girl growing up between two cultures, surrounded by a language and world only half understood, Girl in Translation is an unforgettable and classic novel of an American immigrant-a moving tale of hardship and triumph, heartbreak and love, and all that gets lost in translation.

Reviews

  • Beautiful and moving

    5
    By NM7lady
    Highly recommend

  • Moving Story

    5
    By carneyvsl58
    Beautifully written story of Kim, a young Chinese immigrant , who with her mother faces unbelievable hardship and exploitation as they make their way in their new home.

  • Reality to some.

    5
    By Suhhdude69
    A wonderful book.

  • A thrall of enjoyment!

    5
    By abigailllc
    I spent my Sunday reading this novel and I’m glad to say it was well spent. Hearing Kimberly’s story was empowering and enriching and I’m glad I spent my time this way!

  • Easily my favorite book

    5
    By Infinity2345689
    I was required to read this book going into my sophomore year of high school. I’m not an avid reader but this book was absolutely amazing! It was written very well and I’m so glad that the author decided to share her story. This gave me hope as a young girl who hasn’t grown up as privileged as my peers due to the fact that I go to a all girls private school in a very wealthy town. Thank you for that. 👏🏾👏🏾

  • BEST BOOK

    5
    By Nataliew12345
    I love this book so much. It's told from a different perspective about a life of a highly intelligent woman/girl. It's thought provoking, not a lighthearted love book. It's personally one of my favorite books. It's inspiring to see the main character work though all of her problems, and emerge victorious. It reminds me that no country or life is perfect, but working hard for yourself can change that. MUST READ! I highly recommend it!

  • An act of kindness goes a long way....

    5
    By Lindajane1324
    That's what I kept thinking when reading this book. This book was so easy to get hooked on. All I keep thinking about now is to keep my eyes open to poverty and how a little something could mean the world for another. I want to do more for the world, because this book was not only a great story of hardship but so inspirational too. Shame on you Auntie P. :) A must read. Will there be a sequel? True love is real.

  • Girl in Translation

    5
    By Racasa
    Loved this book. Great narration from the beginning to the end. I read it in one day. I liked the end.

  • Worth a read but tanks at the end

    3
    By Artee21
    I loved the way the Author uses the language and ideas of the Chinese culture. A classic coming of age story about a brilliant, immigrant girl and her mother. The story gets good but doesn't ring true in the conclusion. I kept reading and was disappointed in the end. SPOILER ALERT!! Don't wish to spoil it so I'll stop here but suffice it to say why would a brilliant off-the- charts smart woman keep her son from its father? It doesn't make sense, good up until the end so I'll give it 3.5 stars.

  • A must buy

    5
    By GIT<3
    OMG I read this book like 3 times and will read it another 100 times, the beginning may seem a little bit boring but just wait until chapter two. It kept me on my toes and I couldn't put it down!!!! It gets a little bit steamy in the middle ending part, but if you can handle it definetly read! Worth very penny!!!! SPOILER ALERT!!! I'm goingt to try not to spoil too much but I can't say what I'm about to say without a little bit of a spoiler, I absolutely love the book the ending really mad me sad. I couldn't stop thinking about the book for DAYS! Matt ( the factory boy) always mad ME blush with everything he said, curt ( a boy the main character Kimberly hooks up with at her prep school she is on a full scholar ship on) made me happy that there are some decent guys out there that aren't so superficial even if they are rich. This is where the real SPOILER comes: when she is at her school just about to leave she is playfully hitting curt her boyfriend when Matt her TRUE love comes crying, she chases after him they have a very short discussion get home, and well that's the steamyish part. Ugh love the book MUST BUY!!!

Comments

Advertisement

Maximize your website's potential with Website Statistic

Get insights into your website traffic, analyze your website's audience, and optimize your website for better results with Website Statistic.

More by Jean Kwok