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The Life of a Banana

von PP Wong

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576453,320 (3.32)12
Xing Li is what some Chinese people call a banana - yellow on the outside and white on the inside. Although born and raised in London, she never feels like she fits in. When her mother dies, she moves with her older brother to live with venomous Grandma, strange Uncle Ho and Hollywood actress Auntie Mei. Her only friend is Jay - a mixed raced Jamaican boy with a passion for classical music. Then Xing Li's life takes an even harsher turn: the school bullying escalates and her uncle requests she assist him in an unthinkable favour. Her happy childhood becomes a distant memory as her new life is infiltrated with the harsh reality of being an ethnic minority. Consumed by secrets, violence and confusing family relations, Xing Li tries to find hope wherever she can. In order to find her own identity, she must first discover what it means to be both Chinese and British.… (mehr)
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Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
  fernandie | Sep 15, 2022 |
Clunky writing, poor pacing, and a couple of unbelievable turns in the plot spoiled this book for me, although I agree that Xing Li is a very appealing protagonist. ( )
  GaylaBassham | May 27, 2018 |
Clunky writing, poor pacing, and a couple of unbelievable turns in the plot spoiled this book for me, although I agree that Xing Li is a very appealing protagonist. ( )
  gayla.bassham | Nov 7, 2016 |
I love that the Baileys Prize (aka Women’s Prize for Fiction or Orange Prize) brings to my attention books that I would otherwise have missed. The Life of a Banana is a fantastic book that made me both laugh at loud and silently fume at the injustices inflicted on its protagonist, Xing Li (pronounced Sing Lee). Why it is called The Life of a Banana? Banana refers to what some people wrongfully call the Chinese – yellow on the outside, white on the inside. But it accurately explains the struggle of Xing Li and her family to be recognised as people, not Chinese and definitely not ‘chinks’ in Britain.

Xing Li is about thirteen when her mum dies on her birthday in a freak accident. As her father died some years before from testicular cancer, she and her brother Lai Ker have nobody left. Nobody except her grandma, who reluctantly takes them in. Their grandma is rich and somewhat ostracised from her mother, who married a Japanese croupier, so she feels she needs to tell Lai Ker and Xing Li repeatedly how lucky they are. They’re going to go to posh schools, eat nice food and be grateful for it. Grandma speaks in somewhat broken English and tends to shout a lot to get her own way and not be ripped off. She also demands utmost respect from the children and isn’t afraid to try tough love to get them to behave how she sees fit. Her other children are a disappointment – Auntie Mei is an actress and ‘Strange’ Uncle Ho doesn’t do much more than sit around and sleep.

Xing Li is bullied relentlessly at school for her ethnicity, so she eats and hides in the toilet, until she makes a friend, Jay. Her brother says she must have CHM (Chinks Have Mouths) to let people know she won’t be bullied, but Xing Li finds it difficult. As the bullying reaches horrendous proportions, Xing Li finds that it’s not just her that has issues. Lai Ker has gone missing, Uncle Ho asks an unspeakable favour and even Grandma has a hidden past. How can things become right?

It seems a bit strange to say that I loved this book when some of the events were so horrible, but I did. All the characters are wonderfully balanced; each has their own humour balanced with pathos and hope. What Xing Li went through was jaw-dropping, yet she still tries as hard as she can to be good and polite (otherwise people will think all Chinese people are rude or horrible). It opened my eyes to that stereotype – I hadn’t really thought about things that way, how people label a race by one person’s actions which is really narrow-minded. I’d like to say it’s just people older than me who feel that way, but I don’t think it is. So many racist stereotypes were brought to light in this book – from people telling Xing Li she eats dog and doesn’t understand English (despite being born in Britain) and its really only when the family go to Singapore that they are somewhat free from these trappings. Phrases like ‘Aiyah!’ and ‘lah’ are acceptable, and Xing Li notes that she feels like she blends in rather than sticks out.

Lai Ker takes a different stance on defending himself from racism – be mouthy, fight to be heard and try to outsmart everyone. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work any better than Xing Li hiding in the toilets and gets him into a heap more trouble. Grandma’s rationale is also somewhat flawed, but is there any right way to fight racism that is innate in the society they live in? I liked how Grandma’s explanation came at the end of the book – all along, you’re thinking she’s a bit like the stereotypical Auntie but pow! Things arise in the plot that reveal she’s not a caricature but a real person with feelings.

There are also many funny and sweet moments in this book. If you are familiar with Chinese/South East Asian culture, there will be many scenarios that make you smile. The ending is also a bit of a tearjerker but reinforces the power contained in this book. It’s simply wonderful in the emotions it raises in the reader and the questions it makes your ask of yourself. I really think this book deserves to be on the Baileys Prize shortlist.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com ( )
  birdsam0610 | Mar 21, 2015 |
The title of the book made me smile, since a 'banana' was meant to describe a Chines person with a western up bringing. Yellow outside and white inside. In my country we have the 'coconuts'. It seems as though there will always be confusion and bitterness when second generation immigrants have to adapt to their country while the parents expects them to uphold their old cultures and beliefs. In our country's case it is not immigrants, but indigenous groups adopting the western lifestyle.

Xing Li is a young school kid, born in England from Hong Kong parents, whose mother dies shortly before she is heading for school. Her dad is long gone. She and her brother must move into Grandma's house where she soon discovers a life she is not used to, neither find acceptable. There is her heartless grandmother, her aunt Mei, the sad uncle Ho, the tortoise and her missing cat, Meow Meow. She also has to find her own voice among white racist learners in the prestigious school she is sent to. Her friend Jay, a Chinese Jamaican boy, becomes her mainstay and support when the prejudice and bullying become brutal. She has a lot of growing-up to do, very quickly, while the lack of support from her grandmother drives her more into her own private little world where she has to vent for herself and she is not good at it yet!

However, she learns in the end what love really means and in how many forms it manifest itself. Some are less obvious than others. She also learns that things are not always what it looks like.

PP Wong is a refreshing new voice in the British literary world. Although I have no problem with racism combined with bullying, being spotlighted, I do believe that too much repetition of the situation, weakens, instead of strengths the message as happened in the book. The same thing happens when a world music hit gets played 24/7 for as long as the listeners can stomach it, until they start contacting the radio stations and plead with them to not play it anymore. Less is always more!

For young people, particularly, this book is a must-read. It is one of those experiences that forces the reader to learn more about the people they never get to know in their communities. What a wonderful new discovery it can be to accept people different from ourselves, into our lives. Of course it counts for both immigrants and old inhabitants alike.

A great read!

For what it is worth - the book cover should be reconsidered! Phew!

A NetGally read offered for review by Legend Presss. I loved the experience. Thank you.

http://something-wordy-reviews.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-life-of-banana-by-pp-won... ( )
1 abstimmen Margitte123 | Sep 5, 2014 |
Wong's debut successfully retains the light-heartedness and hopefulness of its young protagonist while dealing with racism, bullying and abuse
hinzugefügt von charl08 | bearbeitenThe Guardian
 
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Xing Li is what some Chinese people call a banana - yellow on the outside and white on the inside. Although born and raised in London, she never feels like she fits in. When her mother dies, she moves with her older brother to live with venomous Grandma, strange Uncle Ho and Hollywood actress Auntie Mei. Her only friend is Jay - a mixed raced Jamaican boy with a passion for classical music. Then Xing Li's life takes an even harsher turn: the school bullying escalates and her uncle requests she assist him in an unthinkable favour. Her happy childhood becomes a distant memory as her new life is infiltrated with the harsh reality of being an ethnic minority. Consumed by secrets, violence and confusing family relations, Xing Li tries to find hope wherever she can. In order to find her own identity, she must first discover what it means to be both Chinese and British.

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