DOCILE Memoirs of a Not-So-Perfect Asian Girl

Hyeseung Song narrates her memoir with a rhythm that balances her poetry with the hardships she experienced as the daughter of Korean immigrants. Early on, she expresses her discomfort with the dichotomy between her father's get-rich-quick schemes and her mother's endless work to support his whims. In painful vignettes, Song details the narrow views of Texas teachers, peers, and parents who continually point out her poverty and ethnicity as she struggles to form her identity. Song's expressiveness allows listeners to imagine the tension she felt at trying to live up to her mother's expectations and her eventual understanding of how depression and minority myths turned her into someone who cannot be the stereotypical perfect daughter. Ultimately, courage shines through Song's words as she discovers the joy of making art. S.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2024]