What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wondrous Woo
The Wondrous Woo tells the story of Miramar Woo who is the quintessential Chinese girl: nice, quiet, and reserved. The eldest of the three Woo children, Miramar is ever the obedient sister and daughter ... on the outside. On the inside, she’s a kick-ass kung fu heroine with rock star flash, sassy attitude, and an insatiable appetite for adventure. Just as Miramar is about to venture forth on the real adventure of leaving home for university, her beloved father is killed in an accident.
Miramar watches helplessly as her family unravels in the aftermath of her father’s death. Her mother is on the brink of a recurring paranoia that involves phantom hands. Her younger siblings suddenly and mysteriously become savants, in possession of uncanny talents nicknamed The Gifts. As her siblings are swept up into the fantastic world of fame and fortune and her mother fights off madness, Miramar is left behind, feeling talentless and abandoned with no idea who she really is or who she wants to become. She gets herself to university on a bus with no family to see her off, no hugs, and no support. She is utterly on her own.
In a story that spans four eventful years, Miramar ventures forth from the suburbs of Toronto to university in Ottawa and back again. Along the way she encounters people and situations light years apart from her sheltered world. She explores new friendships, lust, and a side of herself never seen before. Ultimately, Miramar discovers the meaning of courage, belonging, and family.
The Wondrous Woo articulates a new voice that is at once displaced, but still squarely located in the centre of western and Chinese pop culture and everyday diasporic life. This novel joins other established novels in the increasingly popular genre of Chinese Canadian literature.
Miramar watches helplessly as her family unravels in the aftermath of her father’s death. Her mother is on the brink of a recurring paranoia that involves phantom hands. Her younger siblings suddenly and mysteriously become savants, in possession of uncanny talents nicknamed The Gifts. As her siblings are swept up into the fantastic world of fame and fortune and her mother fights off madness, Miramar is left behind, feeling talentless and abandoned with no idea who she really is or who she wants to become. She gets herself to university on a bus with no family to see her off, no hugs, and no support. She is utterly on her own.
In a story that spans four eventful years, Miramar ventures forth from the suburbs of Toronto to university in Ottawa and back again. Along the way she encounters people and situations light years apart from her sheltered world. She explores new friendships, lust, and a side of herself never seen before. Ultimately, Miramar discovers the meaning of courage, belonging, and family.
The Wondrous Woo articulates a new voice that is at once displaced, but still squarely located in the centre of western and Chinese pop culture and everyday diasporic life. This novel joins other established novels in the increasingly popular genre of Chinese Canadian literature.
232 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2013
5 people are currently reading
362 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
September 29, 2016
The Wondrous Woo was a wonderful book to read. There were so many things in Miramar's life I could relate to and empathize with, especially with her family. But I could also understand the tensions of opposites she was experiencing. The Toronto landscape came to life for me through this book and I think I sort of felt closer to the novel because I read it on the train. The passing landscape sort of added to my experience as I read it. Overall this was a very enjoyable book and I would definitely recommend it to everyone!
November 10, 2024
read this for my asian american literature class and enjoyed it!:-)
November 24, 2013
I can't go on enough about how much I enjoyed this book. I read it almost in one day – at 10am I was on page 36, by 9pm I had read the entire thing including the acknowledgements because I just wanted it to go on. It is a whirlwind-hurricane-storm of a book, I couldn’t stop; I was actually happy that my subway was delayed so I could keep reading, I’m not even kidding.
Leung is a magician with metaphor. My favourite type of drawings and paintings are ones where the artist can describe something believable with as few marks as possible; it’s almost like a kind of visual sleight of hand. Leung does this with writing, she paints an entire picture with a few carefully chosen words. Her handling of the subject matter and characters is amazingly rich, layered, so beautifully and believably human.
I would (and basically have, and this point) recommend it to everyone I know. Read it! You will not be disappointed.
Leung is a magician with metaphor. My favourite type of drawings and paintings are ones where the artist can describe something believable with as few marks as possible; it’s almost like a kind of visual sleight of hand. Leung does this with writing, she paints an entire picture with a few carefully chosen words. Her handling of the subject matter and characters is amazingly rich, layered, so beautifully and believably human.
I would (and basically have, and this point) recommend it to everyone I know. Read it! You will not be disappointed.
December 10, 2013
What did I like about the Wondrous Woo? Mostly everything.
I loved Miramar, and the angst of growing up as a Chinese girl from the suburbs who always felt like an outsider. I loved the other characters too – her siblings Sophia and Darwin who had “the Gifts,” and Ma and Ba, who’s the endearing catalyst for the story. And Mouse – such an unlikely hero, but one nevertheless.
Carrianne Leung has painted a portrait of strong and memorable characters, and a beautiful story about loss, love and redemption. I laughed, cried and marveled at the way she wove fantasy with reality in her debut novel. I think she has many more stories to tell.
I loved Miramar, and the angst of growing up as a Chinese girl from the suburbs who always felt like an outsider. I loved the other characters too – her siblings Sophia and Darwin who had “the Gifts,” and Ma and Ba, who’s the endearing catalyst for the story. And Mouse – such an unlikely hero, but one nevertheless.
Carrianne Leung has painted a portrait of strong and memorable characters, and a beautiful story about loss, love and redemption. I laughed, cried and marveled at the way she wove fantasy with reality in her debut novel. I think she has many more stories to tell.
November 19, 2013
Actually started reading this immediately after the book launch on Tuesday evening... How well written. Great storytelling. Loving it so far!
Now that I have finished reading this book, I want to find my own Mouse.
Really great book! Congratulations!
EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT! YOU'LL LOVE IT!
Now that I have finished reading this book, I want to find my own Mouse.
Really great book! Congratulations!
EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT! YOU'LL LOVE IT!
February 13, 2014
This is the most engrossing, entertaining and interesting story I have read in a long time. Leung's characters leap off the page with life and bring you into a story that is at once fantastical and very real. Read in two sittings and I look forward to more from this talented writer.
Read
June 1, 2014This was a fast read with intriguing characters and a good story. I read it in a day and found it highly enjoyable.
The story was realistic with some magical/fantastical elements.
I have a hard time giving star ratings to books of people I know, even if I only know them online.
The story was realistic with some magical/fantastical elements.
I have a hard time giving star ratings to books of people I know, even if I only know them online.
December 1, 2013
The Wondrous Woo takes you on a wonderful adventure with Miramar Woo. Incredibly well written, great story, must read!
Read
December 30, 2013A quirky, engaging coming-of-age novel set in Toronto and Ottawa.Very enjoyable.
October 4, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, It's beautiful, heart-wrenching, magical and yet, wholly real.
October 14, 2014
Charming and refreshing.
January 20, 2019
The Wondrous Woo is a standalone contemporary fiction written by Carrianne Leung. It is a bildungsroman of Miramar Woo, who is about to leave for university, when her beloved father was killed in an accident and she is left to find a new normal.
Miramar Woo is perceived as the quintessential and stereotypical Chinese girl who is nice, quiet, and reserved. The eldest of the three Woo children, Miramar is ever the obedient sister and daughter. However, secretly, she is a kick-ass martial arts hero with rock star flash, sassy attitude, and an insatiable appetite for adventure. She planned to show this side more when she leaves home for university, but plans changed when her father was killed.
The Wondrous Woo tells the story of Miramar Woo, whose father moves their family to Scarborough from Hong Kong in the 1980s. While his "gung-ho" enthusiasm for Canada is not entirely matched by his wife and three kids, the Woo family generally enjoy their new suburban life, albeit with some struggles that are hidden from the children.
When Miramar's father dies unexpectedly and tragically, the family is thrown into turmoil and it is up to Miramar to step into the lead role of the family, caring for her mother, brother, and sister in the aftermath of the tragedy. Shortly after their father’s death, Miramar's siblings each develop incredible aptitudes that the family refers to as "The Gifts". Their mother is quickly consumed by caring for and traveling with her two prodigies, which keeps her depression and panic attack-triggered hallucinations at bay.
The children believe that "The Gifts" came from their late father as a means to cope with and distract themselves from their grief, leaving Miramar behind, literally and figuratively, to wonder why her father did not grant her a special talent.
Over the course of the next year, Miramar must deal with her grief largely on her own. After a tumultuous period filled with love and soul-crushing heartbreak along with new interests and failed classes, she returns home. Her mother eventually succumbs again to her hallucinations, leaving Miramar to once more lead the family through the tough times – after she strikes out on her own in Toronto for a while, first.
While living in the city, Miramar meets Mouse, a boy, who shows her that, after a lifetime of keeping her true self inside, being yourself leads to the best, most honest, and most rewarding relationships.
The Wondrous Woo is written rather well. Surprisingly, despite the heavy subject matter, this novel is a genuinely funny book. Leung's narrative is sharp and moves quickly, keeping up with Miramar's lightning-quick internal monologue of witty, biting, often self-deprecating observations. The balance of heartfelt and hilarious is mixed in a manner that feels deeply satisfying.
More importantly, the development arc for Miramar Woo feels measured and realistic. She does not instantly morph into one of the no-nonsense, butt-kicking heroines from her favorite Kung Fu movies in one theatrical burst, but through her grief, struggles, joys and small triumphs, she undergoes a slow-burning transformation over the course of the narration that culminates in a dramatic climax that shows her the value of being herself on purpose.
All in all, The Wondrous Woo is a well-written coming of age story about Miramar Woo, whose life projection has been unhinged as she tries to find a new normalcy and her true self.
Miramar Woo is perceived as the quintessential and stereotypical Chinese girl who is nice, quiet, and reserved. The eldest of the three Woo children, Miramar is ever the obedient sister and daughter. However, secretly, she is a kick-ass martial arts hero with rock star flash, sassy attitude, and an insatiable appetite for adventure. She planned to show this side more when she leaves home for university, but plans changed when her father was killed.
The Wondrous Woo tells the story of Miramar Woo, whose father moves their family to Scarborough from Hong Kong in the 1980s. While his "gung-ho" enthusiasm for Canada is not entirely matched by his wife and three kids, the Woo family generally enjoy their new suburban life, albeit with some struggles that are hidden from the children.
When Miramar's father dies unexpectedly and tragically, the family is thrown into turmoil and it is up to Miramar to step into the lead role of the family, caring for her mother, brother, and sister in the aftermath of the tragedy. Shortly after their father’s death, Miramar's siblings each develop incredible aptitudes that the family refers to as "The Gifts". Their mother is quickly consumed by caring for and traveling with her two prodigies, which keeps her depression and panic attack-triggered hallucinations at bay.
The children believe that "The Gifts" came from their late father as a means to cope with and distract themselves from their grief, leaving Miramar behind, literally and figuratively, to wonder why her father did not grant her a special talent.
Over the course of the next year, Miramar must deal with her grief largely on her own. After a tumultuous period filled with love and soul-crushing heartbreak along with new interests and failed classes, she returns home. Her mother eventually succumbs again to her hallucinations, leaving Miramar to once more lead the family through the tough times – after she strikes out on her own in Toronto for a while, first.
While living in the city, Miramar meets Mouse, a boy, who shows her that, after a lifetime of keeping her true self inside, being yourself leads to the best, most honest, and most rewarding relationships.
The Wondrous Woo is written rather well. Surprisingly, despite the heavy subject matter, this novel is a genuinely funny book. Leung's narrative is sharp and moves quickly, keeping up with Miramar's lightning-quick internal monologue of witty, biting, often self-deprecating observations. The balance of heartfelt and hilarious is mixed in a manner that feels deeply satisfying.
More importantly, the development arc for Miramar Woo feels measured and realistic. She does not instantly morph into one of the no-nonsense, butt-kicking heroines from her favorite Kung Fu movies in one theatrical burst, but through her grief, struggles, joys and small triumphs, she undergoes a slow-burning transformation over the course of the narration that culminates in a dramatic climax that shows her the value of being herself on purpose.
All in all, The Wondrous Woo is a well-written coming of age story about Miramar Woo, whose life projection has been unhinged as she tries to find a new normalcy and her true self.
January 30, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️🌗
Note: I received a preview copy of this audiobook in order to provide an honest review.
The Wondrous Woo follows a Miramar Woo, a Chinese-Canadian girl in the 80’s, and her family in the years following her Ba’s sudden death. I enjoyed the audiobook and thought the narrator was quite good. While the story wasn’t the most gripping to me, it was still enjoyable and called some really difficult topics with a touch of magical realism.
There was a lot of mental health representation as Miramar’s mom struggles with persistent panic attacks and depression (and hallucinations potentially related to trauma). Personally, the initial description of her struggles had me leaning more towards bipolar disorder with psychotic features so the doctor’s diagnosis actually surprised me a bit when it was revealed much later in the book. Because I wasn’t sure about the time period, I actually went back and checked the DSM-III-R which would’ve been in use then... I still would lean more towards bipolar, but since we’re in a limited POV with Miramar it’s hard to say for certain. Anyway, though at times it was very frustrating to read, the struggles of the kids coming to terms with their grief and their mom’s mental illness seemed very realistic. I do wish that Miramar herself had gotten some therapy earlier in the book (and even when she did it was kind of... not actual therapy even though she was meeting with a psychologist, but it was informal and on the Dr’s lunch breaks). But Miramar definitely dealt with some pretty intense depression and isolated herself from everyone and I was just like “please! get help!”
Anyway, aside from that, I really did enjoy the rest of the book and the story was compelling I liked the friendship between Mouse and Miramar and I loved the king fu story snippets we get at the beginning of every chapter. As mentioned before, the characters were sometimes infuriating, but in realistic ways (mostly Sophia and sometimes Miramar). However, I did really like the journey that the characters took, the emphasis on family and understanding and loving each other despite flaws and mistakes was particularly poignant. There was one plot point right at the end that drives the conclusion that just makes... very little sense to me (maybe Canadian hospital security and staff in the 80’s just... was really not great? Idk), but the resolution itself I liked.
All in all I liked this coming of age story set in the midst of grief with the Chinese culture mixed throughout and some magic and kung fu! While I have a few mixed feelings, I do still think it’s worth a read.
Note: I received a preview copy of this audiobook in order to provide an honest review.
The Wondrous Woo follows a Miramar Woo, a Chinese-Canadian girl in the 80’s, and her family in the years following her Ba’s sudden death. I enjoyed the audiobook and thought the narrator was quite good. While the story wasn’t the most gripping to me, it was still enjoyable and called some really difficult topics with a touch of magical realism.
There was a lot of mental health representation as Miramar’s mom struggles with persistent panic attacks and depression (and hallucinations potentially related to trauma). Personally, the initial description of her struggles had me leaning more towards bipolar disorder with psychotic features so the doctor’s diagnosis actually surprised me a bit when it was revealed much later in the book. Because I wasn’t sure about the time period, I actually went back and checked the DSM-III-R which would’ve been in use then... I still would lean more towards bipolar, but since we’re in a limited POV with Miramar it’s hard to say for certain. Anyway, though at times it was very frustrating to read, the struggles of the kids coming to terms with their grief and their mom’s mental illness seemed very realistic. I do wish that Miramar herself had gotten some therapy earlier in the book (and even when she did it was kind of... not actual therapy even though she was meeting with a psychologist, but it was informal and on the Dr’s lunch breaks). But Miramar definitely dealt with some pretty intense depression and isolated herself from everyone and I was just like “please! get help!”
Anyway, aside from that, I really did enjoy the rest of the book and the story was compelling I liked the friendship between Mouse and Miramar and I loved the king fu story snippets we get at the beginning of every chapter. As mentioned before, the characters were sometimes infuriating, but in realistic ways (mostly Sophia and sometimes Miramar). However, I did really like the journey that the characters took, the emphasis on family and understanding and loving each other despite flaws and mistakes was particularly poignant. There was one plot point right at the end that drives the conclusion that just makes... very little sense to me (maybe Canadian hospital security and staff in the 80’s just... was really not great? Idk), but the resolution itself I liked.
All in all I liked this coming of age story set in the midst of grief with the Chinese culture mixed throughout and some magic and kung fu! While I have a few mixed feelings, I do still think it’s worth a read.
March 9, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, Carrianne K. Y. Leung, Lisa Truong, and ECW Press Audio for the opportunity to read The Wondrous Woo in exchange for an honest review.
I used the NetGalley Shelf App to listen to an audiobook e-galley of this novel. The narrator, Lisa Truong, did a fantastic job of portraying Miramar Woo.
This is a book that shares the experience of a Chinese family moving to Canada (an interesting perspective from the usual United States portrayals). While this book is listed as young adult, I would say it is more of a new adult novel because of the setting and experiences that the main character goes through.
Miramar Woo is the oldest of three siblings and she is eager to leave for college. Just as she is ready to leave, her father is killed in an accident. This death heavily affects Miramar and her siblings, as well as her mother. Learning to navigate through life and learning that the world doesn't stop even when death arrives is a major theme near the beginning of the novel. Miramar does end up going to university, for a time, and even has a boyfriend. Some of the usual stereotypes that accompany Asian people are portrayed through Miramar's experiences.
While these multicultural elements are touched upon, this book also has a bit of a fantasy element to it. The death of their father seems to trigger...strange powers? among the younger siblings. This part of the novel was a bit confusing to me. Miramar escapes into her mind where she explores these Kung Fu fantasies. This is also a story of identity, and even when people reach college age, they may still have a long road ahead of them when it comes to finding out who they are.
I enjoyed this book and think it would make a fun addition to book groups in the classroom. It has a lot of good themes and can be relatable to many young people, both high school and college-age alike as they go down their own roads to self-discovery.
I used the NetGalley Shelf App to listen to an audiobook e-galley of this novel. The narrator, Lisa Truong, did a fantastic job of portraying Miramar Woo.
This is a book that shares the experience of a Chinese family moving to Canada (an interesting perspective from the usual United States portrayals). While this book is listed as young adult, I would say it is more of a new adult novel because of the setting and experiences that the main character goes through.
Miramar Woo is the oldest of three siblings and she is eager to leave for college. Just as she is ready to leave, her father is killed in an accident. This death heavily affects Miramar and her siblings, as well as her mother. Learning to navigate through life and learning that the world doesn't stop even when death arrives is a major theme near the beginning of the novel. Miramar does end up going to university, for a time, and even has a boyfriend. Some of the usual stereotypes that accompany Asian people are portrayed through Miramar's experiences.
While these multicultural elements are touched upon, this book also has a bit of a fantasy element to it. The death of their father seems to trigger...strange powers? among the younger siblings. This part of the novel was a bit confusing to me. Miramar escapes into her mind where she explores these Kung Fu fantasies. This is also a story of identity, and even when people reach college age, they may still have a long road ahead of them when it comes to finding out who they are.
I enjoyed this book and think it would make a fun addition to book groups in the classroom. It has a lot of good themes and can be relatable to many young people, both high school and college-age alike as they go down their own roads to self-discovery.
January 30, 2020
I loved this book. My second-hand bookstore labeled it as a Kids book so I was a bit worried it would be a a basic, easy read but it had a lot of heavy themes. After Miramar's father dies, we follow her through her experience of starting university alone and trying to find herself as her mom struggles with depression and her siblings suddenly become famous geniuses (one in music and one in math). Miramar is left to figure out relationships, school, and what family really means, all on her own. I got the cozy university feels of living with new roommates and experiencing a first love, and enjoyed reminiscing on Ontario cities along with Miramar. This book is a pretty easy read but was heavy with emotion.. You want to comfort Miramar and help her navigate the adult world. I loved seeing her grow throughout her journey and you know her father would have been proud of her. Recommended for those who may have enjoyed Jenny Zhang's Sour Heart and Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You.
January 15, 2021
Well deserved 2014 Toronto Book Award finalist.
There are “Kung Fu” vignettes at the beginning of each chapter; since I was listening via audiobook, it took me a while to appreciate this. (So I went from being confused at the beginning of each chapter ... to adding Kung Fu chops and hollering “haii yah!”)
My suggestion would be to make these intros a “separate chapter” for the audio.
What a great story! Mixing grief over the loss of a father and mental issues with the mother and child prodigies; there is a lot going on in this book, but it flowed seamlessly and quickly. Not a dull moment. Really like-able characters.
I wanted to finish this book before going to sleep; it’s now 1am. What a great way to head off to dreamland.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/Carrianne Leung for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. The narrator Lisa Truong did an excellent job!
There are “Kung Fu” vignettes at the beginning of each chapter; since I was listening via audiobook, it took me a while to appreciate this. (So I went from being confused at the beginning of each chapter ... to adding Kung Fu chops and hollering “haii yah!”)
My suggestion would be to make these intros a “separate chapter” for the audio.
What a great story! Mixing grief over the loss of a father and mental issues with the mother and child prodigies; there is a lot going on in this book, but it flowed seamlessly and quickly. Not a dull moment. Really like-able characters.
I wanted to finish this book before going to sleep; it’s now 1am. What a great way to head off to dreamland.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/Carrianne Leung for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. The narrator Lisa Truong did an excellent job!
April 25, 2019
"She awakened something in me, and I later spent hours in the library researching the Beat Generation, feminism, South Africa, the Vietnam war. The more I read, the more I realized I had decades, contexts, and generations to catch up on."
"The pain of letting go seeped into me like slow poison. I had already been there, and this time felt twice as bad. I forced myself to get out of bed, to go to work, to go home, to eat, to sleep, then rinse and repeat. Inside, the pain pooled and grew, and I could only take sharp shallow breaths in order not to suffocate."
"Love was like a calm lake when all was well; it was nice to watch the sun catch ripples of water and send up flashes of extraordinary light. But if you broke the surface and went deep, it became this thick and murky thing."
"The pain of letting go seeped into me like slow poison. I had already been there, and this time felt twice as bad. I forced myself to get out of bed, to go to work, to go home, to eat, to sleep, then rinse and repeat. Inside, the pain pooled and grew, and I could only take sharp shallow breaths in order not to suffocate."
"Love was like a calm lake when all was well; it was nice to watch the sun catch ripples of water and send up flashes of extraordinary light. But if you broke the surface and went deep, it became this thick and murky thing."
September 26, 2020
This book made me feel an enormous spectrum of emotions. Miramar's feelings for her family seemed to transfer perfectly to me, leaving me weeping and smiling by the end of the book.
In a way, Mir did end up with a Gift - not the one to stop time, but the gift of fighting for others, which she had idolized for so long in the kung fu movies she watched.
I personally love how she mentioned that most of the women in male-centred kung fu movies were in the background - it's true, there are few I can think of off the top of my head where they actually get a piece of the action!
Overall, a wonderful heartwrenching read.
In a way, Mir did end up with a Gift - not the one to stop time, but the gift of fighting for others, which she had idolized for so long in the kung fu movies she watched.
I personally love how she mentioned that most of the women in male-centred kung fu movies were in the background - it's true, there are few I can think of off the top of my head where they actually get a piece of the action!
Overall, a wonderful heartwrenching read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2022
I loved every moment of The Wondrous Woo!
An emotional, often hilarious, coming of age story about Mirimar Woo. Following the untimely death of their father, the Woo family has to grow up fast in an unsympathetic suburban Ontario. Where her two siblings develop special gifts that take them away from their hometown, Mirimar is left behind with her grief, jealousy and identity confusion.
Lots of firsts, mistakes, personal growth and a healthy amount of living room kung fu, this is a novel of discovery, family and cultural preservation. I loved everything about Mirimar and never wanted to leave her. 10/10 would recommend.
An emotional, often hilarious, coming of age story about Mirimar Woo. Following the untimely death of their father, the Woo family has to grow up fast in an unsympathetic suburban Ontario. Where her two siblings develop special gifts that take them away from their hometown, Mirimar is left behind with her grief, jealousy and identity confusion.
Lots of firsts, mistakes, personal growth and a healthy amount of living room kung fu, this is a novel of discovery, family and cultural preservation. I loved everything about Mirimar and never wanted to leave her. 10/10 would recommend.
April 1, 2018
When I read the quote from a review by Farzana Doctor on the back cover “super powers” were referenced - and suddenly, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read this. Am I ever glad I did!
The main character has such realistic thoughts, and her path is atypical - she seems like any of us just trying to function in a nonsensical world. The family’s dysfunction and Leung’s vivid description of place enhance the authentic feeling of the story!
Easily 5 stars++
The main character has such realistic thoughts, and her path is atypical - she seems like any of us just trying to function in a nonsensical world. The family’s dysfunction and Leung’s vivid description of place enhance the authentic feeling of the story!
Easily 5 stars++
August 8, 2019
Started this book several weeks ago but wasn’t so enthralled that I couldn’t put it down to read a couple of others that turned up. However I’m glad I picked it up again, if only to find out how Miramar would get to the happy ever after that I thought was the likely conclusion. I think this is really for a YA audience. Some good insights into the experiences of “new Canadians” however.
February 3, 2022
read this for my "Racism in YA literature" course this semester. I love how it shared the story of a young chinese girl from scarborough and her struggles with family, death, mental health, and just navigating being a young person. it was super real and gritty and spoke about real life. also... Mouse.... can be my husband if he wants. favourite character HANDS DOWN.
July 20, 2018
Riveting, touching. Magical and also utterly believable. Blends kung fu fighting with the tragedy of losing a beloved parent and the struggles of the first and second generation immigrant family.. Scarborough and Toronto are an unlikely magical landscape.
January 26, 2021
Such a lovely book. All about growing up as a HK Chinese in Canada. A sprinkle of magical realism, Chinese kung-fu, romance, growing up Asian in Canada and a sweet happily ever after ending. Easy read. I enjoyed it.
July 7, 2021
There were some interesting concepts in this tale of 3 siblings whose father died suddenly and whose mother struggled with mental illness. Still, there were a number of twists and turns that were hard to follow.
March 5, 2020
Wonderful little book.
May 4, 2021
Oh no, this wasn't at all what I expected. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy my time reading.
May 3, 2022
This book Rock
August 29, 2020
The Wondrous Woo is a fantastic book! Once I started reading it, I found myself staying up until the earlier hours of the morning to finish it. Touching on many impactful events in a young person's life (losing family members, grieving, moving away from home, first relationships, mental health), it was impossible not to be drawn into the story. Looking forward to reading more by Carrianne Leung!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews