Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu (2020) 270 pages
Interior Chinatown reads like a cross between a screen play and the real life of Willis Wu, a young Asian American who is trying to move up in the film industry. When the book refers to other characters, one struggles at first to determine whether the character is a real person in Wu's life or a character in a TV show that he has bit parts on. And is the "Golden Palace" a real restaurant or a screen location or both?
Since he was a child, Wu has always wanted to be "Kung Fu Guy," but as an adult in the film industry, he's relegated to roles such as "Background Oriental Male," "Dead Asian Man," or "Generic Asian Man" number 3, 2, or 1.
The lives (and stereotypes) of Asian Americans are examined and compared to those of Blacks, women, and White men. Messages regarding family and values and much more are subtly–and unsubtly–conveyed via this novel's creative structure.
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