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imds's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia
nadia's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Loved the structure and "meta" nature of this book. I didn't quite grasp everything but I was very here for the whole concept of this book. I'd never given that much thought to the Asian American identity struggle and this was such an inventive way to explore it against the backdrops of White America and Black America. It definitely gave me a lot of food for thought!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and War
Minor: Gun violence
scarroll178's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I have so many questions about how this world works. Okay, so everyone is an actor? Have they always been actors, or were they ever real people? If Willis Wu’s ultimate goal is to become Kung Fu Guy, then what is the audition process like? Where is the casting team?
The thematic elements in this book are by far its strongest parts. The author has a lot to say about internalized racism and stereotypes about Asian Americans. These ideas made the book engaging, but I wish the author had written them in the format of an essay rather than a novel.
The thematic elements in this book are by far its strongest parts. The author has a lot to say about internalized racism and stereotypes about Asian Americans. These ideas made the book engaging, but I wish the author had written them in the format of an essay rather than a novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Gun violence
horizonous's review
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This is a difficult one to rate and review. It's unlike anything I ever read and very unique in its screenplay formatting. I liked how the theme of assimilation is explored through generic Hollywood stereotypes but I can't help but think in the end it lacked a bit of depth because it was more style then substance?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Gun violence
Moderate: Death and Dementia
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Terminal illness, Blood, and Genocide
elizabeth_lepore's review against another edition
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Hate crime, and Xenophobia
Moderate: War, Gun violence, Death, and Violence
inkylabyrinth's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Interior Chinatown is about Willis Wu, a struggling actor who wants to break out of the Generic Asian Man roles he’s always playing on the never-ending cop show Black & White. Still, Willis worries that the only role he can aspire to is Kung Fu Guy, and maybe he doesn’t want that.
This book is very surreal, very clever satire. It has so much to say on how Asian-Americans fit into American culture, or how they are often either forgotten or made into stereotypes. Smart, funny, unconventional, easy to read, highly recommended.
This book is very surreal, very clever satire. It has so much to say on how Asian-Americans fit into American culture, or how they are often either forgotten or made into stereotypes. Smart, funny, unconventional, easy to read, highly recommended.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
Minor: Death and Gun violence
samchase112's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A brilliant, distressing satire about Asian stereotypes and American culture. Both devastating and hopeful at once.
I highly recommend the audiobook, it was well-performed and, thanks to the narrator’s fantastic portrayals of multiple characters and voices and accents, I never felt lost even in this uniquely structured story.
I highly recommend the audiobook, it was well-performed and, thanks to the narrator’s fantastic portrayals of multiple characters and voices and accents, I never felt lost even in this uniquely structured story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Death, Blood, Gun violence, and Violence
librarymouse's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Interior Chinatown is a fantastic exploration of self image and interpersonal relationships, exploring the systematic racism in place in the United States, ranging from Hollywood to immigration policy through an analog of movie tropes and stereotypes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Sexism
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Classism, Grief, Gun violence, Death, and Hate crime
Minor: Dementia
skudiklier's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I really liked this! At first I found some of it hard to follow, just in terms of what was "really" happening vs what wasn't, but overall I don't think that diminished the quality or anything like that. I'm glad I listened to the audiobook as I feel like that works really well for this sort of screenplay format. This book was engaging, heartfelt, and funny, and I'd definitely recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Violence, Gun violence, and Blood
Minor: Slavery
thewordsdevourer's review
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
interior chinatown is an acerbic, funny, incisive satire exploring the machinations of the marginalization of asians in america, and how the latter - without much of a choice - learn to cope w/ their reality.
its comedy is rooted in its easily recognized dark truth. i also like how yu delves into not only the historical aspect of said marginalization and discrimination, but also the issue's complexity - and conplex relationship - in relation to anti-black racism, though the book's structure does make my head spin at times.
this novel indeed - to paraphrase its main character - says all the shit that asians never say, didnt even know how to say.
its comedy is rooted in its easily recognized dark truth. i also like how yu delves into not only the historical aspect of said marginalization and discrimination, but also the issue's complexity - and conplex relationship - in relation to anti-black racism, though the book's structure does make my head spin at times.
this novel indeed - to paraphrase its main character - says all the shit that asians never say, didnt even know how to say.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, and Gun violence
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Slavery, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation