Lieu raises the bar, taking a complex immigrant story from interesting, past compelling to unput-downable gut-level honesty. Her journey to come to terms with her mother’s death is complicated by cultural patterns, emotional barriers, generational trauma, and her own mental health. She is unstinting in her portrayals of family and herself. Prepare to rethink what you know about families and trauma.
The Manicurist’s Daughter by Susan Lieu, (List Price: $30, Celadon Books, 9781250835048, March 2024)
Reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina