Beijing Bastard // Val Wang

An early adult coming-of-age story, following a second generation Chinese American who moves to China, hoping to find a career in film and journalism.

Why I'm reading
I straight up don't remember requesting this book, but it showed up in my mailbox, and it doesn't look awful, so why not?

Where I got the book
I received an "advance uncorrected proof" copy for review, from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. AWESOME.

Expectations
From reading the back cover, I'm expecting a relaxed coming of age story, a hint of Dragon Mom, a Bostonite view of mainland China, peppered with some edgy not-quite-racist humor.

So how was it? 

For most of the book, Beijing Bastards feels like it's trying very, very hard to get to a point, when I'm not entirely sure there is one. But that's ok; I enjoyed the ride, even if there was no destination.

It's the author's memoir of her early to mid twenties, when she decided to move to Beijing - not to reconnect with her heritage, but to escape her Chinese-American parents and follow her dreams. The title comes from an artsy-edgy movie about Beijing subculture. She's looking to connect, to become part of that subculture, to discover the "real" Beijing.

I liked it. Despite repetitive focus on the author trying to figure herself out, it's really more of an exploration of her experience in China. Her ultimate goal is to film a documentary in China, and the book was written in that same spirit.

It's very much what I expected - maybe a little less humor, but that's a good thing. Sometimes the people she meets come off as caricatures, but sometimes they're surprisingly real. I'm reminded of that time we all have late in our teenage years when we realize our parents (and all adults, and other people, too) have entire lives outside of what we know of them. That goes both for the author's family and for the people she meets along the way.

Recommendation
For fans of quirky memoirs, readers looking for a quick beach read that isn't romance, and anyone interested in a Chinese-American point of view.

Feels
Introspective and colorful.

Favorites
The littlest side characters are somehow the most engaging.

Least favorites
It's a little self-indulgent, but it's aware of its self-indulgence at least.

Writing style
Fun, lots of detail and flair, a typical "memoir" voice. Who couldn't love phrases like "having robbed me of my ancestral rent-controlled birthright" ?! And OH BOY the metaphors and similes. There's at least one every two or three sentences. That usually drives me nuts, but while I was certainly aware of it, it wasn't annoying.

THE END OF THE WORLD // Don Hertzfeldt

A full-color, hard-cover, coffee-table-worthy graphic novel about the world slowly and bizarrely falling apart ; from the creator of the Rejected cartoons and It’s Such A Beautiful Day.

Why I'm reading 
Feeling a bit restless. I think I need something a little less scholarly in between books of Tolkien. And I wasn't in the mood for humor.

Where I got the book
The coffee table! Alan bought it a while ago, but I've not been in the right mood to read it.

Expectations
I've seen a lot of the author's work, which ranges from gross/silly to existential and dark. This seems to be leaning towards the latter... but hopefully not as depressing as his movie about mental illness.

Meanwhile my wisdom teeth (or lack thereof) are doing better. Nobody tells you that you just have these, like.... deflated holes in your gums after they take out your teeth. I thought they'd sew it up more, but apparently the holes will go away on their own.

So how was it? 

Hmm. I don't know, I really don't. Where is the line between nonsense and trying too hard? Well, one way or another it had a very dystopian "Year Zero" feel to it. I'm glad I waited to read it until I was feeling a little bit tired, a little bit bored, not really all that up to thinking.

The story is... well, you can't really call it a story. It's more like a collection of random snapshots from a post-apocalyptic world. We're not talking Mad Max here; it's more like reality is coming apart at the seams.

In relation to Hertzfeldt's other works, this was random-all-over-the-place like Rejected, with a little bit of cartoon quirk, but had the darker feel of It's Such a Beautiful Day. According to the author's journal, "if the films were albums, i guess these would be the b-sides."

Recommendation

For when you're feeling just a little bit melancholy.

Feels
Somewhere in the middle of meaningful, dumb, and funny.

Favorites
I liked the art and the phrasing: very simple and bold, characteristic of Hertzfeldt. I like the little notes in the info page.

Least favorites
I wish it wasn't quite so "random". Certain parts felt like they were trying too hard, like a teenager taking about sporks and penguins.

Writing style
Esoteric, simple, unfinished.