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Ellen Sung #1
Finding My Voice
Seventeen-year-old Ellen Sung just wants to be like everyone else at her all-white school. But the racist bullies of Arkin, Minnesota, will never let her forget that she’s different—the youngest member of the only Korean-American family in town. At the start of senior year, Ellen finds herself falling for Tomper Sandel, a football player who is popular and blond and undeniably cute…and to her surprise, he falls for her, too. Now Ellen has a chance at life she never imagined, one that defies the expectations of hanging out with her core group of friends or pleasing her parents. But is her romance with Tomper strong enough to withstand hometown bigotry and her family’s disapproval?
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1992
31 people are currently reading
3185 people want to read
About the author
Marie G. Lee
9 books39 followersMarie G. Lee is a second-generation Korean American who was born and raised in Minnesota. Marie was born on April 25, 1964 in Hibbing, Minnesota. She is the daughter of William and Grace Lee, who immigrated to the United States in 1953.
As a Founder of the Asian American Writers Workshop, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Kenyon Review, and several anthologies. Her books include Finding My Voice, the story of Ellen Sung's senior year as the only Asian in a small Minnesota high school; Saying Goodbye, a sequel to Finding My Voice, is the story of Ellen Sung's continued search for her Korean American identity at Harvard; Necessary Roughness, the story of a Korean American boy who wants to play football; and If It Hadn't Been for Yoon Jun, the story of a Korean American adoptee, Alice Larsen, who confronts her Korean identity when she meets Yoon Jun, a Korean immigrant who is her fellow student at school. If It Hadn't Been for Yoon Jun is a finalist for the Maud Hart Lovelace award.
Marie's latest book is Night of the Chupacabras - a funny, slightly scary mystery about Mexican Vampires!
Marie draws on her experiences growing up as a Korean American. She is a graduate of Brown University, and a lecturer at Yale. She enjoys children and is a great role model for all kids. Her books are particularly relevant for Asian American children growing up in America today.
NEW FLASH!! The novel is being reissued by Soho Press forbes.com/sites/rachelkramerbussel/2...
As a Founder of the Asian American Writers Workshop, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Kenyon Review, and several anthologies. Her books include Finding My Voice, the story of Ellen Sung's senior year as the only Asian in a small Minnesota high school; Saying Goodbye, a sequel to Finding My Voice, is the story of Ellen Sung's continued search for her Korean American identity at Harvard; Necessary Roughness, the story of a Korean American boy who wants to play football; and If It Hadn't Been for Yoon Jun, the story of a Korean American adoptee, Alice Larsen, who confronts her Korean identity when she meets Yoon Jun, a Korean immigrant who is her fellow student at school. If It Hadn't Been for Yoon Jun is a finalist for the Maud Hart Lovelace award.
Marie's latest book is Night of the Chupacabras - a funny, slightly scary mystery about Mexican Vampires!
Marie draws on her experiences growing up as a Korean American. She is a graduate of Brown University, and a lecturer at Yale. She enjoys children and is a great role model for all kids. Her books are particularly relevant for Asian American children growing up in America today.
NEW FLASH!! The novel is being reissued by Soho Press forbes.com/sites/rachelkramerbussel/2...
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October 10, 2020In the author's note, Lee mentions she deliberately did not update the book for the reissue, and I think that was smart. This book really does stand the test of time (aside from, of course, a couple of unnecessary fat phobic comments that could have been pulled or challenged). The story of a girl who struggles with the expectation of her immigrant Korean American parents and the desire to fit in as an Asian American teenager. Considered to be the first #OwnVoices Asian American YA book, I'm really glad to see this will be released for a whole new audience.
November 28, 2023
yet another forgotten gem of classic YA which i learned about from paperback crush! this year it's been really lovely to supplement my tbr with books that caught my eye in paperback crush, and this is a lovely quick read.
it spans a year in the life of ellen sung, a second gen korean immigrant who is trying to get through her senior year of high school with straight As so she can attend harvard, following the footsteps of her older sister and the pressures of her parents. she's also balancing friendships, her passion for competitive gymnastics, and tentative romance. all this while enduring everyday racist microagressions (and sometimes all-out aggressions) from people in her minnesota small town.
lee illustrates the struggle of being second gen immigrant, othered both by white peers and by parents who push assimilation. ellen's parents haven't taught her the korean language, and her mom cooks american meals rather than korean recipes. "It's such a hex not knowing Korean - a whole part of me is not there."
in lee's afterword, she talks about how she chose not to update the book from its 1992 setting to the modern day upon reprint in 2020. it makes more sense in a historical context (apparently it was the first contemporary-set YA novel with an asian american protagonist). in the 90s, it was huge for this book to be published, telling ellen's story and unapologetically addressing the relentless racism she faces. in a modern day setting, while there are thankfully many other books on the subject, it would hit different.
(and if you've read my review of lois duncan's i know what you did last summer, you'll know that i'm not a fan of modernizing old school YA for a new young audience. it damages the integrity of the book.)
i really enjoyed the nostalgic details of ellen's daily life, complete with nightly landline phone calls with her bestie.
reading this book decades later, though, the title feels odd. because ellen takes so long to find her voice - to stand up to her overbearing parents, and to stand up to racist bullies in her life. she is understandably silenced, and by the end, she takes steps toward speaking out. but only small steps. it feels like she hasn't quite found her voice yet. but i suppose that's what the sequel is for!
side note - i can't believe i was won over by ellen's love interest, the golden retriever bad boy tomper. tomper!! what a name!! their romance is soft, tentative, and doesn't dominate the book, which feels perfect.
it spans a year in the life of ellen sung, a second gen korean immigrant who is trying to get through her senior year of high school with straight As so she can attend harvard, following the footsteps of her older sister and the pressures of her parents. she's also balancing friendships, her passion for competitive gymnastics, and tentative romance. all this while enduring everyday racist microagressions (and sometimes all-out aggressions) from people in her minnesota small town.
lee illustrates the struggle of being second gen immigrant, othered both by white peers and by parents who push assimilation. ellen's parents haven't taught her the korean language, and her mom cooks american meals rather than korean recipes. "It's such a hex not knowing Korean - a whole part of me is not there."
in lee's afterword, she talks about how she chose not to update the book from its 1992 setting to the modern day upon reprint in 2020. it makes more sense in a historical context (apparently it was the first contemporary-set YA novel with an asian american protagonist). in the 90s, it was huge for this book to be published, telling ellen's story and unapologetically addressing the relentless racism she faces. in a modern day setting, while there are thankfully many other books on the subject, it would hit different.
(and if you've read my review of lois duncan's i know what you did last summer, you'll know that i'm not a fan of modernizing old school YA for a new young audience. it damages the integrity of the book.)
i really enjoyed the nostalgic details of ellen's daily life, complete with nightly landline phone calls with her bestie.
reading this book decades later, though, the title feels odd. because ellen takes so long to find her voice - to stand up to her overbearing parents, and to stand up to racist bullies in her life. she is understandably silenced, and by the end, she takes steps toward speaking out. but only small steps. it feels like she hasn't quite found her voice yet. but i suppose that's what the sequel is for!
side note - i can't believe i was won over by ellen's love interest, the golden retriever bad boy tomper. tomper!! what a name!! their romance is soft, tentative, and doesn't dominate the book, which feels perfect.
November 30, 2020
Unlike anything, I can recall reading.
This book is a bit of an odd one for me. Because it read more like a memoir than a novel. It was a quick, easy read, dotted with familiar themes that I think most Asian Americans can relate to. The part I enjoyed the most was the fact that the novel felt very honest and realistic. Nothing too crazy happened to put it in the obvious land of fiction. If someone told me this was non-fiction I would believe them.
All-in-all I enjoyed it. In no way was it some all-consuming, highly engaging tale of youth. But it was an accurate one that touched on the seemingly simple but very real struggles of many Asian Americans.
This book is a bit of an odd one for me. Because it read more like a memoir than a novel. It was a quick, easy read, dotted with familiar themes that I think most Asian Americans can relate to. The part I enjoyed the most was the fact that the novel felt very honest and realistic. Nothing too crazy happened to put it in the obvious land of fiction. If someone told me this was non-fiction I would believe them.
All-in-all I enjoyed it. In no way was it some all-consuming, highly engaging tale of youth. But it was an accurate one that touched on the seemingly simple but very real struggles of many Asian Americans.
July 20, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and SoHo Teen for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Finding My Voice tells the story of "Ellen" Sung, a Korean girl living in Arkin, Minnesota. Ellen struggles with being 'different' (read being Asian in an all-white community), racist people, and the academic expectations of her parents. She tries to find her voice when facing bullies, as well as her parents.
I thought the story was super fast-paced. Rather than following Ellen from day-to-day it tells us different instances of her life. It was a light-read about Ellen's last few months of high school with some romance, but also some important underlying themes.
What is very interesting about this book is that it was first published in 1992, which I did not realize upon reading it at first. It is both interesting and saddening to see that what happened almost thirty years ago is still relevant today since racism is still very much present in society today.
Finding My Voice tells the story of "Ellen" Sung, a Korean girl living in Arkin, Minnesota. Ellen struggles with being 'different' (read being Asian in an all-white community), racist people, and the academic expectations of her parents. She tries to find her voice when facing bullies, as well as her parents.
I thought the story was super fast-paced. Rather than following Ellen from day-to-day it tells us different instances of her life. It was a light-read about Ellen's last few months of high school with some romance, but also some important underlying themes.
What is very interesting about this book is that it was first published in 1992, which I did not realize upon reading it at first. It is both interesting and saddening to see that what happened almost thirty years ago is still relevant today since racism is still very much present in society today.
October 24, 2025
The story was mediocre when it could have been stimulating due to the subject matter. Despite the title of the book, Ellen never learns to find her voice. I haven't been in her shoes and cannot judge her reactions, but I kept rooting for her to stand up to her bullies as the story progressed.
The summary is misleading since it lets the reader think this is a forbidden romance mixed with a quest for parental approval. Tomper and Ellen kiss once at a party at the beginning of the book and then he ignores her and dates another girl until the 70% mark where he decides he likes Ellen again. I didn't like his character since he was quite rude and unintelligent in several occasions (not to Ellen but to other classmates). He also somehow never heard any of the racist words spewed at Ellen despite standing right beside her.
This read as a stream of consciousness since each chapter depicted chronological stories of Ellen's senior year of high school. The majority of the book was filled with Ellen studying to make all As, weighing the pros and cons of going to Harvard, and going to parties with Jessie.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.
The summary is misleading since it lets the reader think this is a forbidden romance mixed with a quest for parental approval. Tomper and Ellen kiss once at a party at the beginning of the book and then he ignores her and dates another girl until the 70% mark where he decides he likes Ellen again. I didn't like his character since he was quite rude and unintelligent in several occasions (not to Ellen but to other classmates). He also somehow never heard any of the racist words spewed at Ellen despite standing right beside her.
This read as a stream of consciousness since each chapter depicted chronological stories of Ellen's senior year of high school. The majority of the book was filled with Ellen studying to make all As, weighing the pros and cons of going to Harvard, and going to parties with Jessie.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.
March 24, 2021
tw/cw - racism, racial issues, parental pressure, bullying
okay. that was important.
it honestly feels like a diary. discussing third culture kids' issues, pressure and fights.
last chapter made me cry.
okay. that was important.
it honestly feels like a diary. discussing third culture kids' issues, pressure and fights.
last chapter made me cry.
December 21, 2020
3,75/5
Really loved how the girl is growing up in this book and how she takes revenge of our own life
Really loved how the girl is growing up in this book and how she takes revenge of our own life
March 24, 2021
4 stars *may change
whooo 100 books this year 🥳 i liked this quite a bit for a short story!
whooo 100 books this year 🥳 i liked this quite a bit for a short story!
July 28, 2019
If this book had come out in the 1980s, I would have loved it. It has the same feel as the Paula Danzinger, Norma Klein books that I used to love. But, now, these are a tad dated in style. Today’s ya books tend to be more complex. Still, the time period is right for how Ellen’s parents act as well as expectations on Ellen. And, what comes through is how Ellen finds her voice with her racist classmates and even with her family.
January 21, 2021
"He's gorgeous." Beth sighs.
"Too flirtatious," I say as coolly as I can. "
This book is for you if... You're looking for an asian own voices novel.
Finding My Voice, a short read following Ellen Sung, a senior in high school, who is trying to balance school, sports, her parents high demands and her personal life, all while living in a small town with people who will say racial slurs to her in passing and directly to her face. All I can say is that I found this book really enjoyable to read, the pacing was quick but not too fast, the overall story was outstanding and to finally see why Ellen's parents were so strict at the end in the conversation with her father. I would definitely recommend.
As someone who never experienced the intense pressure to have perfect grades, it was definitely interesting to get a look into the pressure that some of my peers in high school went though while I was smooth sailing and not really worrying about what classes I was taking. Finding My Voice does a Wonderfull job at providing perspective, and opening my own eyes at least to a completely different lens that I have look though before.
I think that there's a lesson in this book that everyone can and should learn, and that's how to use your voice, to speak up when something upsets you, to learn that you don't have to sit back and be quiet when you have an opinion. I think everyone can relate to aspects of this book, Asian or not. I found myself relating to not knowing where you belong.
CAWPILE Rating: 7.57/10
Stars: 4/5 Stars
A quick read that is enjoyable and thought provoking.
"Too flirtatious," I say as coolly as I can. "
This book is for you if... You're looking for an asian own voices novel.
Finding My Voice, a short read following Ellen Sung, a senior in high school, who is trying to balance school, sports, her parents high demands and her personal life, all while living in a small town with people who will say racial slurs to her in passing and directly to her face. All I can say is that I found this book really enjoyable to read, the pacing was quick but not too fast, the overall story was outstanding and to finally see why Ellen's parents were so strict at the end in the conversation with her father. I would definitely recommend.
As someone who never experienced the intense pressure to have perfect grades, it was definitely interesting to get a look into the pressure that some of my peers in high school went though while I was smooth sailing and not really worrying about what classes I was taking. Finding My Voice does a Wonderfull job at providing perspective, and opening my own eyes at least to a completely different lens that I have look though before.
I think that there's a lesson in this book that everyone can and should learn, and that's how to use your voice, to speak up when something upsets you, to learn that you don't have to sit back and be quiet when you have an opinion. I think everyone can relate to aspects of this book, Asian or not. I found myself relating to not knowing where you belong.
CAWPILE Rating: 7.57/10
Stars: 4/5 Stars
A quick read that is enjoyable and thought provoking.
August 13, 2020
This book is such a well done exploration of the struggles that an Asian/ Asian-American ensures to unapologetically be themselves.
The character development in this book was so good and the way the author showed Ellen learning and growing and being happy was just really nice to read.
All of the side characters helped to mold the story into one that showcased so many sides to one story and it helped to paint a vivid picture.
This was a very good book and it honestly transcends time.
The character development in this book was so good and the way the author showed Ellen learning and growing and being happy was just really nice to read.
All of the side characters helped to mold the story into one that showcased so many sides to one story and it helped to paint a vivid picture.
This was a very good book and it honestly transcends time.
April 3, 2021
Finding My Voice was first published in the 90’s, and even though the book was not updated since then, the issues Ellen faces in the book are unfortunately too common in the world today. Ellen is very realistic and is likely to do what many would do if they were in her shoes.
I know there’s a sequel, but I don’t think the story was compelling enough for me to read it, but I might...
or not?
Spoilers—
I would like to have a talk with Ellen’s gymnastics teacher, because she was definitely not comforting, even as the adult who was trusted enough for Ellen to even come to speak with her.
I also wish her teacher with the racial “jokes” would’ve suffered some consequences, because that wasn’t appropriate in a student environment and work-place.
The peers that Ellen encountered that hurt Ellen also got me wrangled up. These actions just made me want to protect Ellen in those moments.
I know there’s a sequel, but I don’t think the story was compelling enough for me to read it, but I might...
or not?
Spoilers—
I would like to have a talk with Ellen’s gymnastics teacher, because she was definitely not comforting, even as the adult who was trusted enough for Ellen to even come to speak with her.
I also wish her teacher with the racial “jokes” would’ve suffered some consequences, because that wasn’t appropriate in a student environment and work-place.
The peers that Ellen encountered that hurt Ellen also got me wrangled up. These actions just made me want to protect Ellen in those moments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2021
I really enjoyed getting to know Ellen's coming of age story. It felt timeless and universal, and it also deeply touched me. It offered a new perspective on the hardships that Asian American teens like Ellen used to go through in the 90s. Although many years have passed, sadly not much has changed. Therefore, this book is as essential now as it was when it was originally published in 1992. Even though some passages felt dated, the whole reading experience was as enjoyable as one could have hoped. Do yourself a favor and read this young adult novel whenever you get the chance.
Arc kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Arc kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 12, 2015
Marie G. Lee wrote what should be considered a seminal multicultural book. while this novel is mild-mannered, it holds all the essence of what has happened to anyone who was considered "different" in its arms.
This has a romantic theme, yet the crucial elements of the novel are about living as a Korean I a Minnesota community.
I recommend this novel.
This has a romantic theme, yet the crucial elements of the novel are about living as a Korean I a Minnesota community.
I recommend this novel.
May 30, 2020
Seventeen-year-old Ellen Sung just wants to be like everyone else at her all-white school. But the racist bullies of Arkin, Minnesota, will never let her forget that she’s different—the youngest member of the only Korean-American family in town.
At the start of senior year, Ellen finds herself falling for Tomper Sandel, a football player who is popular and blond and undeniably cute and to her surprise, he falls for her, too. Now Ellen has a chance at life she never imagined, one that defies the expectations of hanging out with her core group of friends or pleasing her parents.
I honestly didn't know that this book was originally published in 1992 when I started reading it, though I felt that it was set at a different era but still it was interesting to read.
It was beautifully written it was a fun light read about Ellen's final months as a high school senior. Its about how she manages to meet her parents expectations while trying to enjoy her senior year with her friends.
Also most importantly the book focuses on how Ellen overcomes the constant racism she faces from few of her classmates and teachers. Its really amazing how Ellen takes in all the racist comments and kind of uses it as a motivation to do better in what she is good at, ie , studies. At times I hoped that she would get some courage and confront those idiots!!
Though I feel if the book was set in 2020, the story would have been different and maybe Ellen would have found her voice sooner, I still enjoyed this book!!
At the start of senior year, Ellen finds herself falling for Tomper Sandel, a football player who is popular and blond and undeniably cute and to her surprise, he falls for her, too. Now Ellen has a chance at life she never imagined, one that defies the expectations of hanging out with her core group of friends or pleasing her parents.
I honestly didn't know that this book was originally published in 1992 when I started reading it, though I felt that it was set at a different era but still it was interesting to read.
It was beautifully written it was a fun light read about Ellen's final months as a high school senior. Its about how she manages to meet her parents expectations while trying to enjoy her senior year with her friends.
Also most importantly the book focuses on how Ellen overcomes the constant racism she faces from few of her classmates and teachers. Its really amazing how Ellen takes in all the racist comments and kind of uses it as a motivation to do better in what she is good at, ie , studies. At times I hoped that she would get some courage and confront those idiots!!
Though I feel if the book was set in 2020, the story would have been different and maybe Ellen would have found her voice sooner, I still enjoyed this book!!
November 28, 2020
Check out my full video review: https://youtu.be/WDXow5TPgIg
Finding My Voice follows Ellen Sung, a 17 year old Korean-American in her last year of high school, trying to keep up with her grades to get into Harvard as well as balancing hanging out with friends and her potential new boyfriend.
I think it is amazing that this book is being rereleased with this new cover so it can find a new audience! I know 30 years is not that long, but I still think it is scary to see the themes and what is happing to Ellen in this book and it is the same themes and events that happens in current YA contemporaries coming out now from Asians authors. It is weird how so little has changed, while at the same time it feels like the whole world has changed. In this book they need to HANG UP the phone physically. And I thought that was both great and weird (not that I’m so young that I never had to hung up a phone before, but you get the point). This book is so relevant to this day, and I think it shows that the market is changing that it is given its second chance! That is great. I really enjoyed Ellen’s story, and I both related to her character while at the same time just enjoying parts of the story that was different from mine. It was cute, fun and short! My biggest problem was the writing, which didn’t flow as much as I wanted it to and made me disconnect from the story several times. However, a solid story and I’m excited for more people to pick it up! 4/5 stars.
Finding My Voice follows Ellen Sung, a 17 year old Korean-American in her last year of high school, trying to keep up with her grades to get into Harvard as well as balancing hanging out with friends and her potential new boyfriend.
I think it is amazing that this book is being rereleased with this new cover so it can find a new audience! I know 30 years is not that long, but I still think it is scary to see the themes and what is happing to Ellen in this book and it is the same themes and events that happens in current YA contemporaries coming out now from Asians authors. It is weird how so little has changed, while at the same time it feels like the whole world has changed. In this book they need to HANG UP the phone physically. And I thought that was both great and weird (not that I’m so young that I never had to hung up a phone before, but you get the point). This book is so relevant to this day, and I think it shows that the market is changing that it is given its second chance! That is great. I really enjoyed Ellen’s story, and I both related to her character while at the same time just enjoying parts of the story that was different from mine. It was cute, fun and short! My biggest problem was the writing, which didn’t flow as much as I wanted it to and made me disconnect from the story several times. However, a solid story and I’m excited for more people to pick it up! 4/5 stars.
January 25, 2021
I got this eARC from Netgalley in exhange for a honest review
I really like it. Sometimes it`s hard to find their own voices and this is an great example of that. That it`s hard but will be rewarding when you do.
I really like it. Sometimes it`s hard to find their own voices and this is an great example of that. That it`s hard but will be rewarding when you do.
December 24, 2020
This a light and faced paced read which was pretty enjoyable!
Finding my voice follows Ellen Sung, a Korean girl living in Minnesota with her family who struggles with racism and reaching the academic expectations of her parents.
Even though I don't listen to audiobooks very much, I think that this book was narrated brilliantly by the narrator which made me not want to stop listening to it.
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an advance audio copy in exchange of an honest review. This did not impact my review in any way
Representation:Korean-American MC, Side Korean characters
Trigger Warnings:Usage of racial swears, Racism
Finding my voice follows Ellen Sung, a Korean girl living in Minnesota with her family who struggles with racism and reaching the academic expectations of her parents.
Even though I don't listen to audiobooks very much, I think that this book was narrated brilliantly by the narrator which made me not want to stop listening to it.
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an advance audio copy in exchange of an honest review. This did not impact my review in any way
Representation:Korean-American MC, Side Korean characters
Trigger Warnings:Usage of racial swears, Racism
January 16, 2021
This was a pretty middle of the road YA for me. It definitely reads like it was early 90s at some points, but is pretty accessible for a modern audience and felt like it still had concerns that are relevant to modern teens. While Ellen's experiences with racism are important, this book failed to feel anything other than run-of-the-mill.
February 7, 2020
As someone who grew up with taunts like the narrator describes, seeing this experience written about in a book was a welcome surprise. I could so relate to the feelings of hurt and being taken aback when kids would say asinine things like "Ching chong" and "Ah so," as they pulled the corners of their eyes to simulate Asian eyes. Even the shift from calling our heritage "Oriental" to "Asian" was a detail I could relate to. I enjoyed this book.
December 21, 2023
This book was given to me from one of my aunt's friends, and I have really enjoyed it! It is relatively short, but the characters and the plot are so wonderful!!
July 5, 2009
Parents always expect their child do well in school and put the education at first place rather than other useless stuff. In this book, character Ellen Sung is very sneaky to her parents. They expected her to get A's in school and to becoming like her sister, Michelle go to Harverd. They expected her not to hang out any guy until in college. She needs to be home early before midnight. Ellen doesn't want to disappointed them and on ther side she is having a relationship with a boy named Tomper. She has to keep with side balanced but it's difficult. However, her determination for keeping both sides equal had made an unexpected result.
I think Ellen Sung is very close to me. My parents always pushing me hard and wanted me to have a better future. Ellen's parents want her to be top student because they want her to get big job and don't want to see her suffering like them without any literature. In this connection, I can conclude that all parents want their child to be brilliant and have better future. They don't want to see them suffer for some of them don't even have a chance to go to school during their yougth.
My favorite part of the book is when Ellen's parents told her why she needed to work hard and be motaviated in school. She doesn't put their sentences aside and she is very obedient. At the very end, something is terrible happens to her but she doesn't give up what her parents had told her and her went beyond.
I highly recommend this book to every student. This book is one of great books I ever read. It makes me think of the book Odyssey. Each protagonist had their goal to accomplish but the jorney is different. I also like the author who wrote this book. The explaination is clear and the reading level is just right for me.
I think Ellen Sung is very close to me. My parents always pushing me hard and wanted me to have a better future. Ellen's parents want her to be top student because they want her to get big job and don't want to see her suffering like them without any literature. In this connection, I can conclude that all parents want their child to be brilliant and have better future. They don't want to see them suffer for some of them don't even have a chance to go to school during their yougth.
My favorite part of the book is when Ellen's parents told her why she needed to work hard and be motaviated in school. She doesn't put their sentences aside and she is very obedient. At the very end, something is terrible happens to her but she doesn't give up what her parents had told her and her went beyond.
I highly recommend this book to every student. This book is one of great books I ever read. It makes me think of the book Odyssey. Each protagonist had their goal to accomplish but the jorney is different. I also like the author who wrote this book. The explaination is clear and the reading level is just right for me.
October 11, 2016
Read for 5427 class
Ellen's parents are extremely strict. They desperately want her to get into Harvard like her older, genius sister that they make her quit gymnastics if any of her grades dip below an A. In addition to their unrelenting expectations, Ellen frequently is bullied by racist classmates. At the beginning of her senior year, she struggles to stand up for herself, but, ten months later, she has learned how to stand up to her parents and her racist classmates, earning her a gruesome head injury from a bottle smashed against her temple. She's also learned that while her parents are extremedly demanding, it's because they want what they believe is best for her: to not have racism stop her from succeeding in America. 8th grade me would have absolutely loved this book; however, it seemed a bit low level considering the protagonist is a high school senior, which typically reflects the ideal readers' demographics. Even so, it is a good book for illustrating how to learn to stand up to one's bullies. Alternately, I don't think this book would have been published so easily today because of Ellen's relationship with her parents. While parents today aren't as blockheaded as Disney Channel portrays them, this whole should-I-disobey-my-parents or do-what-they-want cognitive dissonance and resolve that Ellen works out is not realistic to today; usually, these teen protagonists either outwardly defy their parents in all areas of their life, not find some sort of compromise and/or complacency as Ellen does.
Ellen's parents are extremely strict. They desperately want her to get into Harvard like her older, genius sister that they make her quit gymnastics if any of her grades dip below an A. In addition to their unrelenting expectations, Ellen frequently is bullied by racist classmates. At the beginning of her senior year, she struggles to stand up for herself, but, ten months later, she has learned how to stand up to her parents and her racist classmates, earning her a gruesome head injury from a bottle smashed against her temple. She's also learned that while her parents are extremedly demanding, it's because they want what they believe is best for her: to not have racism stop her from succeeding in America. 8th grade me would have absolutely loved this book; however, it seemed a bit low level considering the protagonist is a high school senior, which typically reflects the ideal readers' demographics. Even so, it is a good book for illustrating how to learn to stand up to one's bullies. Alternately, I don't think this book would have been published so easily today because of Ellen's relationship with her parents. While parents today aren't as blockheaded as Disney Channel portrays them, this whole should-I-disobey-my-parents or do-what-they-want cognitive dissonance and resolve that Ellen works out is not realistic to today; usually, these teen protagonists either outwardly defy their parents in all areas of their life, not find some sort of compromise and/or complacency as Ellen does.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2020
”One day, I think to myself, I will figure out how to please my parents without silencing my own voice.”
At first Finding My Voice moved a bit too slow for my taste. Lee dives right into Ellen's story and at first, I wondered where she was going with it. As a reader, we experience everything Ellen deals with from parental pressures to racism. The racism theme was THICK in "Finding My Voice," I screamed a few times, mostly at Ellen because she just stood there and took it. The romance in this book was cute and it added some drama but it with or without the story could have moved forward. The book only began to pick up towards the end of the story but it went out with a bang! I was upset at the open ending, I really needed some closure! I love to see Ellen struggle with the blending of western and eastern ideas in her life; it's a very real thing that people have to deal with in this day and age. The growth of Ellen and her parents' relationship was brought me to tears and the theme of racism is well dealt with. Finding My Voice is pretty simple in this day and age compared to today's YA works but it's a book for younger children and people who want to branch out into this type of theme.
At first Finding My Voice moved a bit too slow for my taste. Lee dives right into Ellen's story and at first, I wondered where she was going with it. As a reader, we experience everything Ellen deals with from parental pressures to racism. The racism theme was THICK in "Finding My Voice," I screamed a few times, mostly at Ellen because she just stood there and took it. The romance in this book was cute and it added some drama but it with or without the story could have moved forward. The book only began to pick up towards the end of the story but it went out with a bang! I was upset at the open ending, I really needed some closure! I love to see Ellen struggle with the blending of western and eastern ideas in her life; it's a very real thing that people have to deal with in this day and age. The growth of Ellen and her parents' relationship was brought me to tears and the theme of racism is well dealt with. Finding My Voice is pretty simple in this day and age compared to today's YA works but it's a book for younger children and people who want to branch out into this type of theme.
March 30, 2020
I didn't know this was originally published in 1993 before I started reading. The author makes a note at the end that all the smoking, hairspray, teased bangs, Nancy Reagan, and records references were left in on purpose. Despite being hailed as the first Asian American contemporary YA novel, this is also a first novel and it shows. The chapters were short and the characters were caricatures for the most part. Some of the events especially the face maiming at the end were a bit after school special. And what kind of name is Tomper? It reminded me of the mass market paperbacks I used to read in the 90s that cost 4.50 each. The main character wouldn't speak up for herself until the end which seemed a bit unrealistic in today's times. I would love to see an updated version.
I received a free e-arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free e-arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2021
3.5/5
I’m sure this paved the way for diverse YA stories and I found much of the casual racism relatable to my own experience. But there didn’t seem to be enough depth built in to the relationships (love interest, father-daughter relationship, sisterly bond, etc) to care enough by the end of the book. The gymnastics storyline seemed a bit random. Still enjoyed the story overall though.
I’m sure this paved the way for diverse YA stories and I found much of the casual racism relatable to my own experience. But there didn’t seem to be enough depth built in to the relationships (love interest, father-daughter relationship, sisterly bond, etc) to care enough by the end of the book. The gymnastics storyline seemed a bit random. Still enjoyed the story overall though.
June 25, 2020
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This book had a lot more heart than I thought it'll have. It dealt with a lot of issues such as racism, growing up, first love and fitting in. I'm really glad that this book is scheduled to be republished to reach a broader and new generation of readers.
Finding My Voice follows the story of 17 year old Ellen Sung, a regular girl who just wants to be like everyone else at her American high school. The people in her town however, never forget to remind her of her cultural differences of being a Korean-American. At the start of the year she starts falling for the cute popular boy, Tomper who seemingly likes her too but is their relationship enough to withstand the bigotry of her town and the disapproval of her family?
I found that the book was really light hearted despite its darker and more serious themes. It's well written with a real focus on Ellen trying to finish her last year of school and trying to satisfy her parents high expectations on what she should do once she graduates. More importantly, it shows Ellen struggling and overcoming the extreme racism and racist slurs of her peers and teachers. She uses the racist remarks as a motivator for her to do better in class and to achieve well to get into the University of her dreams.
I really enjoyed looking into Ellen's personal life with her family, her relationship with Tomper and her own identity as a student at her school. I thought each aspect of her life was carefully looked at and written. However, with Tomper I found that the relationship was built up too quickly for my liking. Despite its shortness I thought that if the romance was developed slower then I would've increased my rating.
All in all, I really enjoyed the book and thought it was very careful and thoughtful with the themes depicted in it. I reckon that if this book was published today with current themes, the whole plot would've been very different especially with the prevalence of social media and cyber-bullying. Nevertheless though, it must be said that this book is very important to a wide variety of readers and should be on many people's to-be-read pile.
ACTUAL RATING: 4 STARS
This book had a lot more heart than I thought it'll have. It dealt with a lot of issues such as racism, growing up, first love and fitting in. I'm really glad that this book is scheduled to be republished to reach a broader and new generation of readers.
Finding My Voice follows the story of 17 year old Ellen Sung, a regular girl who just wants to be like everyone else at her American high school. The people in her town however, never forget to remind her of her cultural differences of being a Korean-American. At the start of the year she starts falling for the cute popular boy, Tomper who seemingly likes her too but is their relationship enough to withstand the bigotry of her town and the disapproval of her family?
I found that the book was really light hearted despite its darker and more serious themes. It's well written with a real focus on Ellen trying to finish her last year of school and trying to satisfy her parents high expectations on what she should do once she graduates. More importantly, it shows Ellen struggling and overcoming the extreme racism and racist slurs of her peers and teachers. She uses the racist remarks as a motivator for her to do better in class and to achieve well to get into the University of her dreams.
I really enjoyed looking into Ellen's personal life with her family, her relationship with Tomper and her own identity as a student at her school. I thought each aspect of her life was carefully looked at and written. However, with Tomper I found that the relationship was built up too quickly for my liking. Despite its shortness I thought that if the romance was developed slower then I would've increased my rating.
All in all, I really enjoyed the book and thought it was very careful and thoughtful with the themes depicted in it. I reckon that if this book was published today with current themes, the whole plot would've been very different especially with the prevalence of social media and cyber-bullying. Nevertheless though, it must be said that this book is very important to a wide variety of readers and should be on many people's to-be-read pile.
ACTUAL RATING: 4 STARS
September 5, 2024
Finding My Voice by Marie Myung-Ok Lee is an inspiring story following the bad realities of highschool and unrealistic expectations. I enjoy that the author made it relatable to a highschool student, the relatableness made the book more interesting and easy to read. The author created positivity through the book as she showed “Ellen” (the main character) develop and become her own person.
The book was inspiring as Ellen faced many social obstacles with trying to fit in and being bullied because of her race. “Oho you Koreans. Mr. Borgund grumbles.” “You Koreans wok your dogs.” (Page 34 Chapter 5) Finding My Voice by Marie Myung-Ok Lee. It’s inspiring to see her overcome these obstacles despite struggling with insecurity herself and being picked on by her own teachers.
Despite the good aspects of this book in my opinion the writing style of the book felt slightly immature. Not only that but at many parts of the book it was not super interesting because nothing big was happening. I would have enjoyed some more events happening in her life to keep readers on the edge of their seat and interested.
However, I enjoyed that the author focused on making sure we knew how Ellen felt about everything so we could experience her feelings better and feel more related to “I don’t know what anything is worth anymore. Books, Tomper, letter jackets, parties, friends. Where do I fit into this mess?” ( page. 47 Chapter 6) Finding my voice by Marie Myung-Ok Lee. Marie did a great job of capturing emotions and chaos in this quote leading readers to feel more absorbed in the story.
The author did a good job of making it relatable to all types of readers and her writing felt like it was pointed at a very diverse audience instead of just a small group of people. Overall, the book was an easy read that has room for improvement but also had many good things about it. I would recommend this book because its relatable and inspiring, with good morals of hard work and perseverance.
The book was inspiring as Ellen faced many social obstacles with trying to fit in and being bullied because of her race. “Oho you Koreans. Mr. Borgund grumbles.” “You Koreans wok your dogs.” (Page 34 Chapter 5) Finding My Voice by Marie Myung-Ok Lee. It’s inspiring to see her overcome these obstacles despite struggling with insecurity herself and being picked on by her own teachers.
Despite the good aspects of this book in my opinion the writing style of the book felt slightly immature. Not only that but at many parts of the book it was not super interesting because nothing big was happening. I would have enjoyed some more events happening in her life to keep readers on the edge of their seat and interested.
However, I enjoyed that the author focused on making sure we knew how Ellen felt about everything so we could experience her feelings better and feel more related to “I don’t know what anything is worth anymore. Books, Tomper, letter jackets, parties, friends. Where do I fit into this mess?” ( page. 47 Chapter 6) Finding my voice by Marie Myung-Ok Lee. Marie did a great job of capturing emotions and chaos in this quote leading readers to feel more absorbed in the story.
The author did a good job of making it relatable to all types of readers and her writing felt like it was pointed at a very diverse audience instead of just a small group of people. Overall, the book was an easy read that has room for improvement but also had many good things about it. I would recommend this book because its relatable and inspiring, with good morals of hard work and perseverance.
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