Would recommend: Maybe

I was pleasantly surprised by Paper Daughter. Most of my experiences with Asian writing hails from the east and west coast, so hearing the perspective of a family in Denver was different, but a good change nonetheless. This is one of the better Chinese immigrant memoirs I've read, but certain scenes were way too intense for my personal taste. It's not that I think they were inaccurate, but it was hard to read at times.

I think Mar does a good job painting a picture of the struggles of modern immigration, which is a far cry from the old images of Ellis Island. It makes me grateful that my parents were born in this country. She described the Chinese culture really well, but I cringed at the recognition of the harsher aspects.

I am considering passing along my copy to my mom because I imagine that she and the author may have had similar experiences as daughters of immigrants, but I hesitate because I'm afraid that it might hit too close to home.