Familial Hungers: Poems

by Christine Wu

Poems that reckon with identity, race, and fractured relationships through the lens of food.

Bittersweet, numbingly spicy, herbal and milky, Familial Hungers is a lyric feast. Ginger scallion fish, Sichuan peppercorns, ginseng tea, Chinese school and white chefs - the reader's appetite is satiated with these poems' complex palate. There are the bubbling expectations for immigrant daughters, the chewy strands of colonial critique, and dissolving crystals of language loss. Wu relentlessly searches the grocery shelves for the hard-to-digest ingredients of identity and belonging, offering us her nourishing honesty and courage pulled from the marrow.

Genres: Poetry

104 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2025

Reviews

[Mai H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Residue of Hunger

This is making me hungry. I knew it would. I miss all of the Chinese food mentioned. Having a soy allergy as an Asian truly is a hate crime.

Besides food, the other theme seems to be speaking (or not speaking) Cantonese fluently. I get that.

Offerings at the Altar

The food I miss the most is mapo tofu. This section kept mentioning it. *cries*

Shadow Histories

This one gets a little deeper. Sure, there's more food, but there's also imminent death.

Familial Hungers

Again, more food, but now with actual death. A little cold, but it is Asian, and I am Asian, so I get it.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Brick Books

[Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

I am easily persuaded by beautiful book covers, but even more so by anything related to poetry or food writing so Familial Hungers felt like the perfect fusion of all three. Christine Wu’s debut collection masterfully intertwines culture, identity, and community through the lens of food, which serves as both a tangible and symbolic presence in exploring these themes. Yet, this collection is far more than just its beautiful cover - it is a striking and deeply vulnerable body of work.

One of the most compelling aspects of this collection is Wu’s consistent use of food as a metaphor for the immigrant experience. Certain dishes, communal spaces like grocery stores and school cafeterias, and even the restaurant industry become vehicles for exploring identity and belonging; or the ways in which both are rejected in these spaces. Here, food is more than mere sustenance for our poet - it is history, parental expectation and, at times, an emotional minefield. Beneath the sensory details of meals and flavors simmer the complex realities of colonialism, intergenerational trauma, and language loss. Wu crafts a layered reading experience that will definitely resonate with those who have similar lived experiences of being a third culture kid or a part of a diaspora community. However, there is also the opportunity for a larger audience to see outside the scope of their own experiences.

In addition to her exploration of food, Wu also experiments with language throughout the collection. She candidly reflects on her broken Cantonese and the sense of disconnect it has created in expressing herself to her family and feeling truly rooted in her cultural heritage. Through intentional wordplay and structural nuances, she brings this struggle to life on the page. Her nods to the tonal shifts of Cantonese, interwoven with English, add a level of depth and artistry that is masterfully crafted. While this was fascinating to read, I think that what truly makes this collection so engaging is how seamlessly Wu blends memoir with the socio-political context of her life. Her poems capture the complexities of assimilation, the guilt of generational pressures, and the grief of never feeling fully like you belong. Yet, through all of this, her poems are imbued with a profound love for the flavors that shaped her life and a resiliency that she can carve her own path to living a life that gives her what she needs.

Ultimately, Familial Hungers is an emotional and thought-provoking collection that captures the complexities of identity, belonging, and cultural reflections. Wu’s ability to balance personal reflection with broader themes makes this debut an essential read - one that lingers in the mind and on the plate long after the final page!

Thank you to the publisher, Brick Books, for an E-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions shared within this review are my own.

[Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

An immersive and poetic undertaking of race, family, the immigrant experience, and of course soup.

I loved the continued use of food as a metaphor for the immigrant experience. The repeated use of food in all forms; cooked, uncooked, the act of cooking, the community housed in grocery stores and the lack of it in school cafeterias really highlighted everything Christine Wu was trying to say.

Wu’s poetic voice is lyrical and strong, a true feast of a collection of poetry.

Thank you so much to Literary Press Group of Canada and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hauntingly beautiful and painful. Wu captures a feeling of fragmentation and loss that is relatable to many immigrants and immigrants’ children. Some of her phrases really lingered with me: shadow histories and hungry ghosts to name a few. It was also striking that Wu was honest and vulnerable about shame, guilt, and family dynamics (re: abuse, lack of contact, resentment). I was comforted by seeing myself in her poetry while learning about her culture and generational trauma/history that is different than mine yet somewhat similar. This is truly a beautiful collection of poems that is unapologetically raw, honest, and mournful.

[Gabriel Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC given by NetGalley for Honest Review

A gorgeously delicious collection of poetry. Centered around her Chinese heritage, Wu uses meals/food as a tool for storytelling. One of my favorite ways to connect is through food and poetry so this was an incredibly satisfying read. Her small nods to the tonal shifts of Cantonese in wordplay is masterful and inspiring. Identity, colonization, and family ties are all on the table in this feast. Those who know the sting of nostalgia and diaspora will devour this.

My favorite poems are: "The Grocery Store Calls Them Cuties", "The Sixth Love Language Is Cut Fruit", and "Unnamed Laundryman Feeds His Earthbound Family."

[Danni · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was poetic feast!!! it was serving up identity, race, and family through the lens of food. each poem brims with flavor—both literal and metaphorical—bringing together the warmth of home-cooked meals, the sting of cultural problems and the feeling of belonging.

the way it was written was so sharp & honest. the author using ingredients like ginger scallion fish and Sichuan peppercorns to explore the complexities of being an immigrant daughter made this book a 5 star read to me. food isn’t just nourishment here—it’s history, expectation, and sometimes, a battleground. colonialism, language loss, and family tension simmer beneath the surface, creating a rich and layered reading experience for EVERYBODY. also, what makes this collection so compelling is how seamlessly the author blends the personal and political. her poems capture the bittersweet realities of assimilation, the weight of generational pressures, and the quiet grief of losing pieces of one’s heritage. yet, through it all, there’s resilience, tenderness, and a deep love for the flavors that shape us.

Familial Hungers is a must-read—bold, intimate, and full of heart. this poetry lingers like the aftertaste of a long-forgotten dish, bringing both comfort and revelation. such an amazing one-sit read. i cannot pick a favorite.

thank you so much Christine Wu & Literary Press Group of Canada for my copy! i will embrace this book with all my ❤️

[Alison Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

For various reasons, I can't eat most of the foods mentioned in this book, but honestly, I still kinda wanted to.

This was a really poignant collection. It's easy to feel the author's emotional pain and turmoil through her words, and I thought using food and cooking as a mechanism through which to tell these various aspects of her life story and identity was a brilliant one. For many people and cultures, food is such an integral and intertwined element of life beyond simple sustenance, and thus food can almost seem to take on life and emotions of its own. I especially appreciated that for this author, not being fluent in her mother tongue and feeling sometimes deficient because of that, food was a way to almost assert her ethnicity and embody it, even when it marked her as different, such as among her classmates who ate very different things and might have sneered at or mocked her own cuisine.

It did feel a bit repetitive at times, but I suppose that's to be expected when gathering together poems that were probably written over a span of years. But very strong and moving, and I quite enjoyed it.

[meghna :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Grain by grain, sew me into a blanket of rice, desire seeping out the seams.” 🍚

a special thank you to Net Galley, Literary Press Group of Canada & Brick Books for allowing me access to an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Familial Hungers by Christine Wu! it’s an absolute privilege to receive an ARC & i’m so honored to be able to share a honest review in exchange.

✍️ publication date: february 28th, 2025

review: ★ ★ ★ ★ (02/22/25)
with each poem digested, the reader grows to understand the different pieces & beliefs that Wu shares of herself. i loved how realistic and raw the poems were, it made the book feel more genuine.

poetry is a very intentional genre so i truly enjoyed seeing the Wu’s care embedded throughout the book. i also loved the questions raised about identity & comments about colonialism!

i found the references to another book, quote, proverb, etc. to be an cool addition!

my favorite poems: bilingual dreams, the grocery store calls them cuties, milk, memory flight & nuclear reactions

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Familial Hungers, debut book by Christine Wu. Happy Release Day!

This poetry collection was so enjoyable. Steeped rich in food metaphors, recipes and tradition. I loved all of the reference to Chinese culture. Providing such a needed perspective regarding other cultures, immigrants, and the social and personal effects.

I enjoyed the setup of this poem collection and found the length to be enjoyable and accessible. The blend of language what beautiful to read, even as I am only an english speaker/reader.

I also found myself relating to a lot of the poems in relation to family relationships.

So unique and so capturing to a reader of any culture. These poems were so heartfelt and painful to read.

I will be keeping an eye out for Christine’s next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Brick Books Publishing for an ARC copy and my honest review.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the Literary Press Group of Canada, Brick Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Truly one of my favorite poetry books I’ve ever read. Each poem was poignant and fit into the larger collection seamlessly. I especially loved “Before You Ask” (I want to write my own similar response poem as a journal exercise), “How to Speak Home,” “The Grocery Store Calls Them Cuties,” and “Why I Stopped Coming Home For the Holidays.” The structure, cadence, and overall composition of the poems are extremely thought-provoking and will be with me for a long time. Looking at familial and generational trauma through the lens of food is brilliant. The cover of this book is also stunning!

Highly, highly recommend

[Mea Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Brick Books for this review copy - my review still remains honest and without the influence of the publisher.

Familial Hungers stirred quite a few emotions within my heart as I read, reminding me of the little thoughts and observations I had growing up part of the second-generation immigrant experience. Both of my parents were born in Kowloon. I know little about the geography of Hong Kong, only seeing more modernized streets and cityscapes in C-Dramas, so I usually just settle for telling people my parents were from Hong Kong. If I knew little about Kowloon except for its famous walled city, what would my friends know?

This was the kind of dialogue shared by Christine Wu in her poetry. Someone who once knew more, but had felt it was easier to shed her skin to grow up in a different part of the world where classmates didn’t understand warm but “stinky” lunches. Where it was just easier to speak English instead of transitioning to the mother tongue, over time realizing the it was getting harder and harder to hold a conversation where you can fully express yourself. Someone living in the in-between, trying to keep sufficient ties to family and the roots deeply embedded in our flavourful culture. Someone who is still learning to appreciate their shared identity while creating one for themselves.

Christine uses a slight blend of Cantonese in her poems and references to common dishes found in Hong-Kong/Chinese cuisine to introduce the complexity of assimilation and to open the door into the Chinese-Canadian immigrant experience. It is vulnerable and shows the dynamic of intergenerational family guilt and traumas, both in personal reflection and a connection to the broader themes.

Personal favourite pieces were, “Milk”, “Memory Flight”, “We Eat Lobster Yee Mein” and “37 Ways to Make Rice”

[Astrophel R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for a free arc in exchange for an honest review.

Familial Hungers is a very personal poetry collection. I really love the exploration of culture and loss of culture through food. The way that Wu discusses hunger, nostalgia, and longing feels so visceral.

Admittedly, I struggled to decide on a rating for this collection (as I often do with poetry and short story collections) since there were some poems in here that were so incredibly powerful, and others that I didn’t connect with at all. With that being said, there weren’t any poems that I disliked, so 3.75 rounded up to 4 seems fair to me.

[Angie F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Familial Hungers by Christine Wu is a poetry collection due to be published today by the Literary Press Group of Canada and Brick Books.

This collection of poetry deals with immigrant identity, childhood memories, and grief complicated by anger and sadness seen through the lens of food. The author sticks closely to this theme, which is both the great strength and weakness of this collection. While the use of food metaphors were inspired in many of the poems, I sometimes wished that the poems went beyond the limitations of it in others.

The poems that hit me hardest were "Why I Stopped Coming Home for the Holidays" and "Nuclear Reactions". These, along with "37 Ways to Make Rice" really highlight a reality of the immigrant experience -- the feeling of not fully belonging in either place or culture.

I recommend this unique poetry collection to anyone who can relate to its themes.

Thank you to the Literary Press Group of Canada, Brick Books, and the author for making this collection available via NetGalley for early reading and review consideration.

[Iara Moure · Rating 2 out of 5]

Familial Hungers de Christine Wu aborda la migración y la búsqueda de identidad, pero su ejecución no logra todo su potencial. Aunque la temática es prometedora y universal, los poemas a veces se sienten repetitivos, con metáforas previsibles como árboles y raíces que carecen de frescura. Además, el tono introspectivo puede resultar excesivamente hermético, dificultando la conexión emocional con el lector. Si bien hay destellos de sinceridad y momentos de gran sensibilidad, el conjunto carece de una profundidad que haga destacar a cada poema por sí mismo. Es un intento valioso, pero no logra dejar una huella duradera.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this poem collection felt like the moment your fight with your mother and it's still stinging, but she's already set a bowl of noodles wordlessly in front of you as the apology.

The struggles with identity in this book will resonate with a lot of Asian-Americans like myself. There's a very specific kind of hurt, shame, and pride that comes with that territory that is so difficult to put into words. Christine Wu has managed to articulate these experiences and feelings so well - over and over again in this collection.

I absolutely devoured this in one sitting.

[Therese Kennelly Okraku · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous poetry collection that explores the themes of belonging, family, and identity through the lens of food.

I found myself savoring each poem. Each felt like a meal that took time to digest and tended to sit with me throughout the day.

Wu is exceptionally gifted at evoking strong emotions with just a few words. I especially loved her vivid descriptions of food (dishes and ingredients), as well as her thoughtful commentary on how food intersects with class, race, and relationships.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[Michelle Graf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Literary Press Group of Canada for the ARC.

A collection of poetry that successfully conveys the identity crisis and complex familial bonds in the immigrant experience, and makes me hungry at the same time. Using food as the language to share her experiences is so damn clever. Cooking is often seen as this unifying act, a physical way to connect with others; it makes sense to extend that to the written word to connect with the reader, and for the reader to understand despite possibly not knowing the same perspective.

[Eesha Rashid · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cultural phenomenon that rises out of colonialism. Absolutely heartbreaking collection that takes a look at the isolation and loneliness of being a foreigner within your own family. Beautiful collection, though I'm not a particularly foodie, I appreciated how it was used to foster that hunger for more in your relationships.

[Breanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Multilingual was/is the anthem of my life. I can barely form a proper sentence in Cantonese but I know how to say "sik teng mm sik gong".

I would have preferred if Ancestry.com Has Nothing On Me was placed at the beginning and then interspersed with personal anecdotes.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

[Lorren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection stays tightly on theme—complicated familial relationships, the immigrant experience, and religious trauma illustrated by poem after poem about food. The poems are accessible, sensory, and at times deeply moving.

[Carolina C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her experiences are both informative and deeply relatable, even across different backgrounds.
The prose is beyond beautiful.

Thank you to Literary Press Group of Canada and NetGalley for the ARC

[Donna Alward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow!

[Courtland Bethune · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very lovely work. I especially enjoyed the Shadow Histories portion of the book.

I was lucky enough to witness some of these poems read in person recently.

Would highly recommend!

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ Review ✨ Familial Hungers: Poems by Christine Wu

Thanks to Brick Books and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

This is one of the most engaging and accessible poetry collections I’ve read lately. Many collections of poetry feel hit or miss where certain poems make sense or resonate, but this was a hit all the way through.

Her poems focus on themes of food, family, and belonging and tackle big concepts of immigration and colonization, especially through discussion of food.

One of my favorite poems "Nuclear Reactions" ends with these words:
“Chain reactions occur / when your body is a by-product / of colonialism. / A misplaced birthright, / a paperless map, / a homing pigeon / flying in circles.”

If you're looking to try out poetry, this is a good place to start!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: poetry
You'll love this if you liked Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner
Pub Date: Feb 28, 2025