I really enjoyed “The Manicurist’s Daughter” and the glimpse it provided us into the author’s life. Lieu was extremely forthcoming in her writing, allowing the reader to truly feel connected to the story. The material was often heavy, especially when Lieu described the family’s harrowing escape from Vietnam.
Although the first half of the story progressed a bit slowly, the second half felt much more personal and contained the bulk of the story. In the second half, I got to know Ma and grasped the lasting impact she had on her family. I especially loved when Lieu recounted the memory of her family going clamming; it was clearly a treasured memory.
Lieu’s writing was so descriptive, I often felt like I was living her reality alongside her. I thought the use of Vietnamese words throughout the text (as well as the translations provided) added to the story and helped shine light on the author’s culture. That being said, I loved how this memoir exposed me to a culture vastly different from my own (especially with regard to how the family interacted with one another and their cuisine). Overall, Lieu’s memoir is a must-read that is extremely relevant to today’s society!
Although the first half of the story progressed a bit slowly, the second half felt much more personal and contained the bulk of the story. In the second half, I got to know Ma and grasped the lasting impact she had on her family. I especially loved when Lieu recounted the memory of her family going clamming; it was clearly a treasured memory.
Lieu’s writing was so descriptive, I often felt like I was living her reality alongside her. I thought the use of Vietnamese words throughout the text (as well as the translations provided) added to the story and helped shine light on the author’s culture. That being said, I loved how this memoir exposed me to a culture vastly different from my own (especially with regard to how the family interacted with one another and their cuisine). Overall, Lieu’s memoir is a must-read that is extremely relevant to today’s society!