emma's Reviews > The Manicurist's Daughter

The Manicurist's Daughter by Susan Lieu
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really liked it
bookshelves: non-ya, nonfiction, memoir, authors-of-color, diverse, 3-and-a-half-stars, recommend, reviewed

i love memoirs.

my fiance's family shares a heritage, a similar story, and the same favorite dishes as this author and her family, so reading about all three was a really lovely way to get to know my future in laws better! this story is packed with emotion, but it felt like sometimes what the author wanted to convey surpassed her writing experience, leaving us with repetitive and showy language.

as an eldest, i found myself sympathizing a lot with this youngest daughter's siblings and her husband. i wish there was more reckoning with the fact that she thought her mourning was the only acceptable kind, and that her loved ones had to deal with a lot as she went through this process and publicly performed their story in multiple ways. there was a lot of emotion and development that i wish extended more to the author, who didn't change much.

but also in spite of all of that, i have a really positive impression of this book and smile whenever i see it in a bookstore. so take everything with a grain of salt.

bottom line: this is a strong debut and i'm excited for more from this author <3

(3.5 / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
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Reading Progress

January 16, 2024 – Shelved
April 9, 2024 – Started Reading
April 17, 2024 – Finished Reading

Comments Showing 1-1 of 1 (1 new)

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Barb Hickman I agree on your comment that she had expectations from her family and how to deal with their situation motions while hers did not change much.


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