Welcome to Litsy!

A collection of short stories told through the perspective of adolescent Chinese American girls growing up in NYC. Some were more engaging than others but I enjoyed these.

I read the first story in this collection quite some time ago and enjoyed it, but it spurred me to pick up another book. It went into hibernation for a LONG time (hm, a clue!) and I just started to read it again but am finding it needlessly provocative, not in a thought-provoking way but in a slap you in the face way. I should have bailed on this one long ago.

#doublespin #bookspinbingo

Short stories about the daughters of Chinese immigrants. Couldn‘t get through the first one and never went back. May try it another time

The Chinese immigrant struggle and experience from the point of view of adolescent daughters caught between two cultures、 languages、the American dream、school、and family. My experience is not the same、 but yes、 I know about the monster guilt trips, and wanting to escape and be selfish. Reading this makes me sad and regretful I didn‘t talk with my mother more. Uncomfortable a bit, stories made me think and feel, and that is what good writing does.

‘Once our most vital physiological needs have been satisfied, a sense of belonging quickly becomes the most critical necessity for human fulfilment.‘ Maslow.

Jenny Zhang‘s debut collection of short stories explore one of the most fundamental human needs – a sense of belonging.

Book on my tbr. #marchintothe70s #hungryheart

It took me longer than it should have to get through this which is maybe not a great sign but I did really enjoy this. Jenny‘s writing style is up my alley.

Finished my second read of #24in48! I really liked these stories, which featured immigrant narratives (some subtlety disturbing) of various young girls in the outer boroughs of NYC. Zhang is about my age and I grew up in Queens, so it was an interesting experience to be familiar with some references/places but wholly unfamiliar with others. I got to meet her and get my book signed at a literary dinner with Reads over the winter, she‘s fantastic.

I signed up for #24in48 a while back but have been so crazy I never planned for it. Nevertheless I woke up this morning and figured I‘d give it a shot. I have a ton of other stuff to do so expectations are low!

Of course, the second I put my book down #SullivanCat plops down on it 🙄 #percycat in back!

My last day of school celebration 🎉🌟💫 #VodkaTonic and a #BookHaul 🍸📚 A perfect way to end the school year and welcome summer!! ☀️🌱🌿

#ItsAboutTime

The little truth bombs about family and marginalization scattered all over this book really captivated me-- on a narcissistic grandmother Zhang writes, "she had to adopt a confidence that was embarrassing to witness." There is an element of repetition in this collection of stories, but that just makes it seem all the more real and alive with the tensions and frustrations of her characters. Loved this one.

Finished Sour Heart on the plane back from Barcelona. Even though I found some of the stories a bit tedious, I liked the overall concept and feel of Zhangs short stories.
I'd rate the whole book with 4 out of 5.

Probably my favorite story so far.

Already intrigued by the first story.

Hitting up my first event at #AWF18 the best weekend in my calendar

Short stories that are all variations on a theme: a young Chinese immigrant girl in America, caught between two worlds in Shanghai and New York. The families are close, the narrators all uncanny observers of their surroundings. They all understand more than their parents might have wished.

-"My Days and Nights of Terror"

"When I got home, I started a fight with Eddie, telling him that I needed to draw a picture of his butt on his bedroom wall for my science class because we had to come up with a hypothesis that could be tested out, and I wanted to test out my hypothesis that if I drew a picture of my brother‘s butt on his wall then his real butt would disappear."

-"The Empty the Empty the Empty"

I took a long time listening to this one. I stopped after each story to let them sit apart from each other, but by the end, they all blurred together into one story anyway. I can't figure out if that was on purpose or not. No obvious faults in the writing leap out at me, but I feel like I should have liked this more than I did.

Had a fantastic time last night at a literary dinner in Brooklyn with Jenny Zhang, hosted by Reads (a book subscription company) and Stet magazine. The Chinese vegetarian feast was delicious too! Here is the lovely Zhang reading from her short story collection, Sour Heart. Can‘t wait to read it!

This book presents a different Chinese immigration story than the one I‘ve read more often. It follows the daughters of families that live in multi-family hovels and finally reach middle class houses. The book focuses on intra-family dynamics and occasionally wanted and unwanted friendships.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but the rambling stories lacked punch. 3.5⭐️ TW in spoiler tag

Don‘t forget to enter the #12kgiveaway See my page for details!

It‘s a #CheerwineAndABook kind of Friday night! Got a few I‘m working on using #Overdrive on my iPad. #LitsyLovesLibraries 😃😃

FYI Cheerwine is a delicious cherry soda available in the South 🍒🥤😋 Hopefully it will keep me awake 😂😂👍🏻

I‘ve been on the fence about this one for awhile. I‘ve passed up buying it several times, but with the PEN/Faulkner win, I had to check it out from the library. Anyone else reading it? #shortstories #yearofshortstories

My two favorite things, books and food, combined?!?? 🤗🤗 This is so awesome. I will probably try to drag my husband with me but if any other #nyclittens are interested, we should link up! It‘s $100 a ticket which is steep, but includes a 3 course dinner, cocktails AND the book!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/march-literary-dinner-with-special-guest-jenny-zhan...

Definitely not a book for everyone, but I quite enjoyed this collection of interconnected short stories about second generation Chinese American girls and young women. It's quite dark; Zhang doesn't blink an eye and looks at the dirty, brutal reality of living in the US in poverty, the cultural revolution era in China, and the cruelty of children. It felt like Zhang was deliberately pulling away from the stereotypes of demure, polite Asian women.

I definitely loved some of the short stories in this collection. I really connected to some, and saw my own history and experiences represented in them. Zhang brings to light in this collection the hardship and the trials and tribulations that comes with being immigrant and being the children of immigrants living in the US. It's definitely a difficult book to read in some instances but it's very real & raw.

Time for a different genre. Mind is empty going in to this and no expectations. Let‘s see!

These interconnected stories about Chinese immigrant children were great. There was a trail from one story to the next, but still new characters and situations and ideas.

These short stories are disarmingly frank & brutal but cut right through to the meaning of family and home.

3/5⭐️.
Mah. They were good.
That is all......

**NO SPOILERS**
🌟🌟/5
I had high hopes for this one. I did enjoyed a couple of the stories in this collection. But overall was disappointed. I found it a little repetitive and uninteresting at times. I am not a big fan of story collections though.
Have you read it? Thoughts?
Do you enjoy story collections?
📚
#storycollection #sourheart #bookreview #bookish #bookworm #booklover

Scored a 99¢ ARC copy of Sour Heart from the thrift store! I'm going to try not to let my complicated feelings about Lena Dunham get in the way. #thriftscore

#TBRtemptation post 5! I'll let the fine folks at Book Culture also briefly describe this book in the blurb as well. 😁 #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

Things I enjoyed and things I didn't here. It's fierce, for sure, and all of the stories are told from the point of view of young girls that are all the children of Chinese immigrants. The narratives are also all loosely tied together. I can see why this was chosen as the debut for the Lenny imprint; there is dark humor flavored with tenderness.

I think I need to start reading better books, because this is like nothing I've ever read, and I want to read it forever

Between a so-so + pick for me, but the perspective of a daughter (or daughters) of Chinese immigrants throughout childhood/young adulthood ultimately won me over. I'm not sure how much is fiction or memoir, and I loved how Jenny Zhang didn't mind this grey area and I was consistently surprised by where she took me. It's graphic and odd and a reminder to stay aware and curious of others' hidden traumas, especially when they belong to our parents.

Lunch today and my newest audiobook. I have the hard copy but like listening to short stories on audio. Jenny Zhang has a great interview on Lit Up and I am loving this collection of Chinese immigrant experiences. This is my favorite type of book: one that examines the relationships between children and parents, especially when they have such different world views.

Getting started on this Lenny imprint debut🍇

Alright, littens, I need your help. I really enjoyed the first story in this collection but the second has left me profoundly disturbed and disappointed. Keep going or call it now? I'll add more detail in a hidden comment below.

So excited to start reading this collection of short stories from Jenny Zhang! It has been promoted in #LennyLetter. Does anyone else subscribe to Lenny?
#currentlyreading #shortstories #librarybook #ilovethelibrary

A short story collection depicting the lives of Asian immigrants in New York living under particularly brutal circumstances - the stories are pretty graphic, and it was hard to read some of the brutality and violence, but Zhang's writing is unique and she delivers sheer deadpan humor that cuts through the grittiness of it all. I really enjoyed this one.

Hello, Monday. And so we meet again.

#booksandcoffee #mondaymorningvibes

First book by this creative author.Adolescent New Yorkers each story a gem each an adventure.

#nowreading

Mission burrito 🌯 tonight and staring at these new covers from Books Inc. that I purchased today! I am so excited for them... but I feel tied down to other books I need to finish. Gahhhh! Never enough time. How does everyone handle this!? Staying present with the books you are reading while so many good ones sit right in front of you?

Hmm. A short story that starts out with two female fourth graders convincing a fellow classmate to rape a girl? Yeah, I don't care about the metaphors or the "point" it's trying to make here. Too disgusting for me. DNF.

Yay! 💜💜💜💜 My library got this quicker than I thought. Can't wait to read. 🤓

Totally forgot this was a short story collection - my fault completely - so my confusion when "chapter" one ended and the second one started, in retrospect, is hilarious. And somewhat embarrassing. ;) I kept flipping back and forth in the pages trying to find the connection. Lol. Silly woman. Good book.

I'm really excited to read Sour Heart, and have been since I heard about it back in January, but the cover blurbs from lena dunham and miranda july, two of the authors I have the least respect for, have dampened my excitement a bit. :/