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A review by kimberlyf
The Manicurist's Daughter by Susan Lieu
5.0
“On the last day of her life, Má, my Vietnamese refugee mother and proud owner of two nail salons, went in for plastic surgery—a tummy tuck, the narrowing of her nostrils, a chin implant—and figured she would be home the next day with her beautiful new body.”
At the age of eleven, after her mother passed from a botched plastic surgery, Lieu struggled to grieve. Raised in a family that never showed emotion or vulnerability, Lieu’s mother was hardly spoken of after her death and Lieu had to rebuild her life alone in silence. For years, Lieu wrestled with the question “why”. Her mother had it all—the American Dream, the picture-perfect life. Why would she risk it all for physically beauty?
We follow Lieu as she searches for answers about her mother, works to heal herself and her hostile relationships with family members, and works to find her place in the world as an American-raised Vietnamese woman.
Lieu’s Vietnamese roots are braided throughout this entire memoir and I found it fascinating to read about. From names and phrases to traditional Vietnamese meals and practices, I was swept away by the way Lieu wrote about her heritage. Lieu is a natural storyteller and writes in a way that makes you crave more of her words. An incredible read that will stick with me for a long time and a must read memoir for 2024.
Thank you NetGalley for my digital copy. Out 03/12/2024!
At the age of eleven, after her mother passed from a botched plastic surgery, Lieu struggled to grieve. Raised in a family that never showed emotion or vulnerability, Lieu’s mother was hardly spoken of after her death and Lieu had to rebuild her life alone in silence. For years, Lieu wrestled with the question “why”. Her mother had it all—the American Dream, the picture-perfect life. Why would she risk it all for physically beauty?
We follow Lieu as she searches for answers about her mother, works to heal herself and her hostile relationships with family members, and works to find her place in the world as an American-raised Vietnamese woman.
Lieu’s Vietnamese roots are braided throughout this entire memoir and I found it fascinating to read about. From names and phrases to traditional Vietnamese meals and practices, I was swept away by the way Lieu wrote about her heritage. Lieu is a natural storyteller and writes in a way that makes you crave more of her words. An incredible read that will stick with me for a long time and a must read memoir for 2024.
Thank you NetGalley for my digital copy. Out 03/12/2024!