I pretty much am a fiction only girl. However, about once a year, a memoir finds me and takes hold. Susan Lieu's "The Manicurist's Daughter" is that 2024 memoir for me. I was immediately drawn into Lieu's story-like style of writing as she address her mother's tragic death after an elective plastic surgery and how this effected her for the rest of her life. Lieu's story of self discovery and strained relationship with her father, Ba, aunts and siblings struck a cord with me. Through the description of multiple phases of her life (including becoming a member in a cult) I enjoyed her explanation and learning about her personal growth. Although much of Susan's story is definitely on the serious side, I did love how she used humor to show another side of herself in the book. I laughed out loud in public when reading about how she forced her doctor to listen to Salt N Pepa's "Push It" on repeat during her labor!
I also fully admit that I knew nothing about Vietnamese culture and amazed at how easily Lieu was able to teach about her culture while sharing her life. I appreciated her use of Vietnamese language throughout the book and the translations provided. I also appreciated the inclusion of how Vietnamese culture factored into Ma's (Susan's mother) decision to have the deadly plastic surgery.
Overall, I really enjoyed this memoir and recommend it to others. 4.5 stars from me.
I also fully admit that I knew nothing about Vietnamese culture and amazed at how easily Lieu was able to teach about her culture while sharing her life. I appreciated her use of Vietnamese language throughout the book and the translations provided. I also appreciated the inclusion of how Vietnamese culture factored into Ma's (Susan's mother) decision to have the deadly plastic surgery.
Overall, I really enjoyed this memoir and recommend it to others. 4.5 stars from me.