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The Life of a Banana
Xing Li is what some Chinese people call a banana - yellow on the outside and white on the inside. Although born and raised in London, she never feels like she fits in. When her mother dies, she moves with her older brother to live with venomous Grandma, strange Uncle Ho and Hollywood actress Auntie Mei. Her only friend is Jay - a mixed raced Jamaican boy with a passion for classical music.
Then Xing Li's life takes an even harsher turn: the school bullying escalates and her uncle requests she assist him in an unthinkable favour. Her happy childhood becomes a distant memory as her new life is infiltrated with the harsh reality of being an ethnic minority.
Consumed by secrets, violence and confusing family relations, Xing Li tries to find hope wherever she can. In order to find her own identity, she must first discover what it means to be both Chinese and British.
Then Xing Li's life takes an even harsher turn: the school bullying escalates and her uncle requests she assist him in an unthinkable favour. Her happy childhood becomes a distant memory as her new life is infiltrated with the harsh reality of being an ethnic minority.
Consumed by secrets, violence and confusing family relations, Xing Li tries to find hope wherever she can. In order to find her own identity, she must first discover what it means to be both Chinese and British.
272 pages, ebook
First published September 1, 2014
34 people are currently reading
1464 people want to read
About the author
P.P. Wong
2 books31 followersPP Wong is a novelist, screenwriter and editor. Her debut novel, The Life of a Banana, was nominated for the Women's Prize for Fiction and featured in numerous outlets, including The Guardian, The Independent, Corriere Della Sera, The Straits Times, Bangkok Post, Vanity Fair, BBC Radio 4 Women's Hour, Radio Television Hong Kong and BBC World.
PP completed an MFA at the University of British Columbia specializing in TV writing and received the celebrated Cordula and Gunter Paetzold Fellowship. She has a degree in Anthropology and Law from The London School of Economics.
PP has roots in Canada, England and Singapore.
www.ppwongauthor.com
PP completed an MFA at the University of British Columbia specializing in TV writing and received the celebrated Cordula and Gunter Paetzold Fellowship. She has a degree in Anthropology and Law from The London School of Economics.
PP has roots in Canada, England and Singapore.
www.ppwongauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
September 5, 2014
The title of the book made me smile, since a 'banana' was meant to describe a Chinese person with a western up bringing. Yellow outside and white inside. In my country we have the 'coconuts'. It seems as though there will always be confusion and bitterness when second generation immigrants have to adapt to their country while the parents expects them to uphold their old cultures and beliefs. In our country's case it is not immigrants, but indigenous groups adopting the western lifestyle.
Xing Li is a young school kid, born in England from Hong Kong parents, whose mother dies shortly before she is heading for school. Her dad is long gone. She and her brother must move into Grandma's house where she soon discovers a life she is not used to, neither find acceptable. There is her heartless grandmother, her aunt Mei, the sad uncle Ho, the tortoise and her missing cat, Meow Meow. She also has to find her own voice among white racist learners in the prestigious school she is sent to. Her friend Jay, a Chinese Jamaican boy, becomes her mainstay and support when the prejudice and bullying become brutal. She has a lot of growing-up to do, very quickly, while the lack of support from her grandmother drives her more into her own private little world where she has to vent for herself and she is not good at it yet!
However, she learns in the end what love really means and in how many forms it manifest itself. Some are less obvious than others. She also learns that things are not always what it looks like.
PP Wong is a refreshing new voice in the British literary world. Although I have no problem with racism combined with bullying, being spotlighted, I do believe that too much repetition of the situation, weakens, instead of strengths the message as happened in the book. The same thing happens when a world music hit gets played 24/7 for as long as the listeners can stomach it, until they start contacting the radio stations and plead with them to not play it anymore. Less is always more!
For young people, particularly, this book is a must-read. It is one of those experiences that forces the reader to learn more about the people they never get to know in their communities. What a wonderful new discovery it can be to accept people different from ourselves, into our lives. Of course it counts for both immigrants and old inhabitants alike.
A great read!
For what it is worth - the book cover should be reconsidered! Phew!
A NetGally read offered for review by Legend Press. I loved the experience. Thank you.
Xing Li is a young school kid, born in England from Hong Kong parents, whose mother dies shortly before she is heading for school. Her dad is long gone. She and her brother must move into Grandma's house where she soon discovers a life she is not used to, neither find acceptable. There is her heartless grandmother, her aunt Mei, the sad uncle Ho, the tortoise and her missing cat, Meow Meow. She also has to find her own voice among white racist learners in the prestigious school she is sent to. Her friend Jay, a Chinese Jamaican boy, becomes her mainstay and support when the prejudice and bullying become brutal. She has a lot of growing-up to do, very quickly, while the lack of support from her grandmother drives her more into her own private little world where she has to vent for herself and she is not good at it yet!
However, she learns in the end what love really means and in how many forms it manifest itself. Some are less obvious than others. She also learns that things are not always what it looks like.
PP Wong is a refreshing new voice in the British literary world. Although I have no problem with racism combined with bullying, being spotlighted, I do believe that too much repetition of the situation, weakens, instead of strengths the message as happened in the book. The same thing happens when a world music hit gets played 24/7 for as long as the listeners can stomach it, until they start contacting the radio stations and plead with them to not play it anymore. Less is always more!
For young people, particularly, this book is a must-read. It is one of those experiences that forces the reader to learn more about the people they never get to know in their communities. What a wonderful new discovery it can be to accept people different from ourselves, into our lives. Of course it counts for both immigrants and old inhabitants alike.
A great read!
For what it is worth - the book cover should be reconsidered! Phew!
A NetGally read offered for review by Legend Press. I loved the experience. Thank you.
April 11, 2019
Thank you @legendpress for sending me a copy of The Life of a Banana to read and review! Although I am quite a bit older than the intended audience for this book (I imagine), I still got a lot from it and think it’s a really good book to be promoting to a YA audience - if you have kids aged 11-15 then I think they could learn a lot from it (there is obviously bad language and racial slurs used but it’s important!)
.
Xing Li has been struggling with her identity since her mother died, leaving her and her brother to live with their eclectic bunch of relatives and attend new schools. Her new school is full of rich white kids, and as the bullying escalates, Xing finds herself in increasing danger because of who she is, her only solace her best friend Jay, a Chinese-Jamaican kid with a passion for music.
.
I wasn’t expecting the dark turn this book took - like many YA lit these days, Wong doesn’t shy away from tackling intense themes including racism, classism, and even the right to die movement. It was also unexpectedly moving towards the end. It’s littered with teen speak and slang throughout so I was finding it hard to connect emotionally, but I was almost moved to tears towards the end, so that’s definitely worth mentioning! It opened up discussion about the importance of representation, as Xing Li talks about how she never sees anyone who looks like her on British TV, and occasionally there would be a truly profound paragraph with a young girl confused about her identity.
.
The teen speak did put me off initially (and I don’t know if that’s actually how 12/13 year olds talk these days) but like most books that use an unusual dialect or style, you quickly get used to it! I also thought that maybe she was a bit heavy handed with the racial slurs BUT at the same time, bullying in school is intense and awful and sadly it’s probably an accurate reflection of what second generation immigrants experience.
.
Xing Li has been struggling with her identity since her mother died, leaving her and her brother to live with their eclectic bunch of relatives and attend new schools. Her new school is full of rich white kids, and as the bullying escalates, Xing finds herself in increasing danger because of who she is, her only solace her best friend Jay, a Chinese-Jamaican kid with a passion for music.
.
I wasn’t expecting the dark turn this book took - like many YA lit these days, Wong doesn’t shy away from tackling intense themes including racism, classism, and even the right to die movement. It was also unexpectedly moving towards the end. It’s littered with teen speak and slang throughout so I was finding it hard to connect emotionally, but I was almost moved to tears towards the end, so that’s definitely worth mentioning! It opened up discussion about the importance of representation, as Xing Li talks about how she never sees anyone who looks like her on British TV, and occasionally there would be a truly profound paragraph with a young girl confused about her identity.
.
The teen speak did put me off initially (and I don’t know if that’s actually how 12/13 year olds talk these days) but like most books that use an unusual dialect or style, you quickly get used to it! I also thought that maybe she was a bit heavy handed with the racial slurs BUT at the same time, bullying in school is intense and awful and sadly it’s probably an accurate reflection of what second generation immigrants experience.
February 19, 2017
I adore this book. The plot is excellent, delievering plenty of twists and turns, some of which hit me like a punch in the gut. I always wanted to know more about the lives of the characters and I was interested as to what was going to happen for the entire book.
The characters in this book are brilliant. Our protagonist, Xing Li, just felt so real to me. I wanted to protect her from the horrible things she went through, but there was nothing I could do and I watched as the bullying went from bad to worse and I just felt really sad because even though I know what it feels like to be an outsider at school, I never went through anything like this. It saddens me to think that a lot of people go through this every day. I loved her mispronunciation of the musical greats. Xing Li's voice felt so real and the whole time I was reading this book I felt like I was listening to the voice of a thirteen year old, which was awesome. I loved watching her grow.
I really liked her brother, and he made me laugh through his funny antics and his endearing personality. I cared very much about Auntie Mei and she made me think about the stereotypical roles given to Chinese actors, and how very hard it must be to break down those walls.
Xing Li's Grandmother is a complicated and deeply flawed character who we get to learn more about as the book progresses. I can't say anything more about her, as I don't want to spoil anything.
This book made me think a lot about racism. I fail to understand how people can be rude to others just by the colour of their skin or what nationality they are. It's an absolute disgrace and those people should be very ashamed of themselves. I also thought a lot about stereotype. It was mentioned in this book that if you are part of an ethnic minority in a foreign country, the way you behave affects how people see others of your nationality. For example, if a Chinese person is rude then people will think that all Chinese people are rude. This really struck me and I'm still thinking about it now.
There are a couple of very sensitive issues discussed in this book, and I think that PP Wong handled these issues very well. The bullying in this book was extremely well handled and well written. There was one particular seen that I found very harrowing and I was reading the words with tears in my eyes, making my vision blurry.
This is Xing Li's story, and I loved following her on her journey towards finding herself. I hope that many others will read it too as it is a tale that deserves to be told. I loved it so much. It truly is excellent.
The characters in this book are brilliant. Our protagonist, Xing Li, just felt so real to me. I wanted to protect her from the horrible things she went through, but there was nothing I could do and I watched as the bullying went from bad to worse and I just felt really sad because even though I know what it feels like to be an outsider at school, I never went through anything like this. It saddens me to think that a lot of people go through this every day. I loved her mispronunciation of the musical greats. Xing Li's voice felt so real and the whole time I was reading this book I felt like I was listening to the voice of a thirteen year old, which was awesome. I loved watching her grow.
I really liked her brother, and he made me laugh through his funny antics and his endearing personality. I cared very much about Auntie Mei and she made me think about the stereotypical roles given to Chinese actors, and how very hard it must be to break down those walls.
Xing Li's Grandmother is a complicated and deeply flawed character who we get to learn more about as the book progresses. I can't say anything more about her, as I don't want to spoil anything.
This book made me think a lot about racism. I fail to understand how people can be rude to others just by the colour of their skin or what nationality they are. It's an absolute disgrace and those people should be very ashamed of themselves. I also thought a lot about stereotype. It was mentioned in this book that if you are part of an ethnic minority in a foreign country, the way you behave affects how people see others of your nationality. For example, if a Chinese person is rude then people will think that all Chinese people are rude. This really struck me and I'm still thinking about it now.
There are a couple of very sensitive issues discussed in this book, and I think that PP Wong handled these issues very well. The bullying in this book was extremely well handled and well written. There was one particular seen that I found very harrowing and I was reading the words with tears in my eyes, making my vision blurry.
This is Xing Li's story, and I loved following her on her journey towards finding herself. I hope that many others will read it too as it is a tale that deserves to be told. I loved it so much. It truly is excellent.
April 12, 2021
The Life of a Banana tells the story of Xing Li, a British born Chinese girl. The story begins with the tragic death of her mother, meaning Xing and her brother are forced to live with their super rich and super strict grandmother. They've never had much of a relationship with her and they're dreading going to live with her and their aunt and uncle.
The siblings are both forced to attend good schools by their grandmother, who prioritises good grades above pretty much anything else. Xing finds that she doesn't fit in at all at her new school. She's bullied mercilessly by a girl named Shils, who picks on her name and race every day. What starts as microaggressions become steadily worse, culminating in a truly awful incident that shocked me to read. This book seems particularly apt in wake of the Atlanta attacks which showed that racist "jokes" about Chinese people can actually lead to very serious consequences if this rampant racism goes unchecked.
This book does not only look outwards at the experience of a British born Chinese girl in a predominantly white society but also what it is like to be British born Chinese with a strict Chinese family. Xing Li has an incredibly strained relationship with her grandmother and uncle which goes through numerous twists and turns throughout the book. The feelings Xing struggles with and tries to reconcile between her Western values and her grandmother's Chinese values is something I think a lot of British born Asians understand to varying degrees.
The writing style is notable as the book is largely written from Xing Li's perspective. As an 11-year-old girl, she writes in a rather childlike manner, commenting very bluntly on the things around her. This allows for a lot of observational humour about Chinese culture to creep in, which is hilarious to me now as a mixed-race British Chinese woman.
This was, however, a little jarring at times as the narrative voice wasn’t consistent the whole way through. Most passages are from Xing’s perspective, obvious because of the misspellings of things she hears. But some are in the third person and in a much more adult voice. It was a little confusing at times.
Although the main character is a young girl, I wouldn't necessarily say that this book is aimed at teens or young adults. Given the topics in question and how rare it is for such topics to be covered in British literature, I think this is a must-read for adults too.
NB. This book (unexpectedly for me) deals with a lot of dark and heavy topics. I don’t want to reveal spoilers but the following trigger warnings should be applied: death, violence, suicide.
Sometimes funny, sometimes dark, this story shines a light on the British-Chinese experience in a way that no books have before. It's not flawless by any means but I think it is a really significant novel because of the story it tells and the characters it presents.
It's worth noting that P P Wong is the first British born Chinese novelist to be offered a book deal in the UK. Given that this book was published in 2014, that's pretty appalling to me. Despite the fact that Life of a Banana was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2015, it doesn’t seem to be readily available in the UK today. Amazon and Waterstones are the only stockists of new copies and the copy I purchased from Amazon is independently published by the author, rather than the publisher’s version.
This makes me quite sad, disappointed and angry. I see this as another important reminder to read diversely and actively seek out great titles by underrepresented authors whose works may not be given the attention they deserve. If we want more diverse stories to be published then we need to show the publishing industry that by ordering more of these titles.
My general search for British Chinese authors and literature has produced few results. There are nowhere near as many titles available in this category as there are for, say, Chinese American authors and literature. I’m loving all the titles by ESEA authors being shared on Instagram these days, this is just a little reminder that some of the best will be ones by authors you’ve never heard of, with covers that aren’t attractive and that don’t have big marketing spend behind them.
Basically, read this book.
The siblings are both forced to attend good schools by their grandmother, who prioritises good grades above pretty much anything else. Xing finds that she doesn't fit in at all at her new school. She's bullied mercilessly by a girl named Shils, who picks on her name and race every day. What starts as microaggressions become steadily worse, culminating in a truly awful incident that shocked me to read. This book seems particularly apt in wake of the Atlanta attacks which showed that racist "jokes" about Chinese people can actually lead to very serious consequences if this rampant racism goes unchecked.
This book does not only look outwards at the experience of a British born Chinese girl in a predominantly white society but also what it is like to be British born Chinese with a strict Chinese family. Xing Li has an incredibly strained relationship with her grandmother and uncle which goes through numerous twists and turns throughout the book. The feelings Xing struggles with and tries to reconcile between her Western values and her grandmother's Chinese values is something I think a lot of British born Asians understand to varying degrees.
The writing style is notable as the book is largely written from Xing Li's perspective. As an 11-year-old girl, she writes in a rather childlike manner, commenting very bluntly on the things around her. This allows for a lot of observational humour about Chinese culture to creep in, which is hilarious to me now as a mixed-race British Chinese woman.
This was, however, a little jarring at times as the narrative voice wasn’t consistent the whole way through. Most passages are from Xing’s perspective, obvious because of the misspellings of things she hears. But some are in the third person and in a much more adult voice. It was a little confusing at times.
Although the main character is a young girl, I wouldn't necessarily say that this book is aimed at teens or young adults. Given the topics in question and how rare it is for such topics to be covered in British literature, I think this is a must-read for adults too.
NB. This book (unexpectedly for me) deals with a lot of dark and heavy topics. I don’t want to reveal spoilers but the following trigger warnings should be applied: death, violence, suicide.
Sometimes funny, sometimes dark, this story shines a light on the British-Chinese experience in a way that no books have before. It's not flawless by any means but I think it is a really significant novel because of the story it tells and the characters it presents.
It's worth noting that P P Wong is the first British born Chinese novelist to be offered a book deal in the UK. Given that this book was published in 2014, that's pretty appalling to me. Despite the fact that Life of a Banana was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2015, it doesn’t seem to be readily available in the UK today. Amazon and Waterstones are the only stockists of new copies and the copy I purchased from Amazon is independently published by the author, rather than the publisher’s version.
This makes me quite sad, disappointed and angry. I see this as another important reminder to read diversely and actively seek out great titles by underrepresented authors whose works may not be given the attention they deserve. If we want more diverse stories to be published then we need to show the publishing industry that by ordering more of these titles.
My general search for British Chinese authors and literature has produced few results. There are nowhere near as many titles available in this category as there are for, say, Chinese American authors and literature. I’m loving all the titles by ESEA authors being shared on Instagram these days, this is just a little reminder that some of the best will be ones by authors you’ve never heard of, with covers that aren’t attractive and that don’t have big marketing spend behind them.
Basically, read this book.
February 24, 2019
The book is published by the independent book publisher Legend Press who impressively had two of their books on the 2015 Women’s Prize shortlist
https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...
Preti Taneja, author of the Desmond Eliot winning “We That Are Young” helped open my mind to the prejudice that still exists in the publishing world (even in the independent and small press sector) against BAME authors, particularly women and particularly those born in the UK it seems. See for example:
https://www.thebookseller.com/news/de...
So I was struck by the stark note at the start of this book that it’s author PP Wong was the first British born Chinese novelist to get a publishing deal in the UK.
And this idea of British born Chinese - and the prejudices and difficulties of fitting in, faced as a result of the culture clash, is at the heart of the novel and its very title.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banan...
Slightly to my surprise given its Women’s prize longlisting I would place this novel very firmly in the Young Adult camp - one examining being orphaned, bullying and peer pressure at a supposedly top London school which appears woefully poor in the well-being area, sibling relationships, wider family tensions, burgeoning relationships, aspirational parenting - all in the life of a refreshingly naive young teen and all against the backdrop of her cultural homelessness.
Overall a vibrant and interesting YA read.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...
Preti Taneja, author of the Desmond Eliot winning “We That Are Young” helped open my mind to the prejudice that still exists in the publishing world (even in the independent and small press sector) against BAME authors, particularly women and particularly those born in the UK it seems. See for example:
https://www.thebookseller.com/news/de...
So I was struck by the stark note at the start of this book that it’s author PP Wong was the first British born Chinese novelist to get a publishing deal in the UK.
And this idea of British born Chinese - and the prejudices and difficulties of fitting in, faced as a result of the culture clash, is at the heart of the novel and its very title.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banan...
Slightly to my surprise given its Women’s prize longlisting I would place this novel very firmly in the Young Adult camp - one examining being orphaned, bullying and peer pressure at a supposedly top London school which appears woefully poor in the well-being area, sibling relationships, wider family tensions, burgeoning relationships, aspirational parenting - all in the life of a refreshingly naive young teen and all against the backdrop of her cultural homelessness.
Overall a vibrant and interesting YA read.
June 26, 2015
I was at a book launch, in a book shop, last week and while waiting for the author to appear I scanned the bookshelves and spotted this.
Took it to the till, didn't buy book that was launched, and started it a couple of days later.
That is the story of how this book came into my possession.
So, the story. A 'banana' is a Chinese person who is 'yellow on the outside and white on the inside.' (NOT MY WORDS!) so born of Chinese descent but brought up in a western country with little knowledge of anything Chinese except the food.
The story focuses on Xing-Li, a teenaged girl, who'd lost her parents, and, with her brother, was forced to go and live with her Mum's family and the super-Chinese granny (old skool).
I loved this. It was a good story.
Initially I was miffed when I realised it was about a teen but I quickly got over that - surprising considering I can hold a grudge for eternity - and read it in chunks.
Definitely one for those who love reading about Asian cultures in Britain (I am obsessed).
Took it to the till, didn't buy book that was launched, and started it a couple of days later.
That is the story of how this book came into my possession.
So, the story. A 'banana' is a Chinese person who is 'yellow on the outside and white on the inside.' (NOT MY WORDS!) so born of Chinese descent but brought up in a western country with little knowledge of anything Chinese except the food.
The story focuses on Xing-Li, a teenaged girl, who'd lost her parents, and, with her brother, was forced to go and live with her Mum's family and the super-Chinese granny (old skool).
I loved this. It was a good story.
Initially I was miffed when I realised it was about a teen but I quickly got over that - surprising considering I can hold a grudge for eternity - and read it in chunks.
Definitely one for those who love reading about Asian cultures in Britain (I am obsessed).
January 31, 2022
I enjoyed this book so much! Even though most parts of this book were sad and heart wrenching, they were also an eye opener and show me of the reality of being Asian in foreign countries. The Life of a Banana is about Xing Li, an orphaned girl who suddenly lost her mother in an accident. She and her older brother Lai Xing went to live with their old, rigid and strict grandmother, an uncle and aunt in one big house.
After her grandmother enrolled her into a prestigious school, Xing Li started to face a lot of nasty things like bullies, racial discrimination and many others. She also got a friend, Jay, who's in the same shoes as hers, but it seemed like the bullies targeted her more than Jay.
I feel quite sad for Xing Li as I read through this book. I was also mad at her grandmother at first for being so angry and mad towards her but afterwards, I finally know why her grandmother acted like that. I don't know what more to say about this book. All I can say is you all should read this book!
After her grandmother enrolled her into a prestigious school, Xing Li started to face a lot of nasty things like bullies, racial discrimination and many others. She also got a friend, Jay, who's in the same shoes as hers, but it seemed like the bullies targeted her more than Jay.
I feel quite sad for Xing Li as I read through this book. I was also mad at her grandmother at first for being so angry and mad towards her but afterwards, I finally know why her grandmother acted like that. I don't know what more to say about this book. All I can say is you all should read this book!
June 3, 2015
I actually heard about this book in The Straits Times, so I was super excited. It's about British Born Chinese, the Chinese part coming from Singapore. I'll just say up front that my standards for this are probably higher than most other fiction I read, because I've been looking for awesome Singapore fiction. Plus, after that disastrous Singapore Lover book, I'm probably overly sensitive to depictions of Singapore and Singaporeans.
So dun say I complain too much hor. Like is like lah, but still must say bad things if got, right?
(And if you understood that, congrats, you understand Singlish. Or at least, what remains of Singlish after you study overseas for a few years :p)
The Life of a Banana is about Xing Li, a BBC (British-Born Chinese). One day, her mom passes away, and she and her older brother Lai Ker have to move in with their rich grandmother that they don't really know (or like). Living in the same house are Auntie Mei, a wannabe actress and Uncle Ho, who's strange. School isn't much better either, because she's getting picked on, and she has only one friend, a Jamaican-Chinese boy called Jay.
What I loved:
Xing Li's voice. It's fantastic, and it drew me in immediately. I don't really have much more to say about it, really, except that I love the voice. (This is short, but it's like, five stars for narrative voice, wheeee!)
The story: At first, I thought this was going to be a memoir-style story, where things happen to the author rather than her doing things in reaction to events. But, as I read on, I started getting more and more engrossed in the story. It may be the voice, but I think the story of growing up and finding out your identity starts to come out as the book progresses (and it helps that Xing Li starts being more proactive as the book goes on).
What I wasn't too keen on:
Any third-person narrative section. I think there were only two, and both of them were terrible, especially compared to how awesome the first person narrative voice was. When the book shifts to third person limited, the author seems to jump from one POV to another awkwardly, and it just comes across as... weird. The dialogue somehow becomes stiff: "I come from a poverty stricken background... you see, my foolish personality renders me to have a soft heart..." somehow becomes moving speech for the headmaster, who's been headmaster for forty years. I know you change your speech to the occasion, but this is strange.
Grandma's speech. Grandma speaks in broken English. At first, I thought it was because English isn't her native language, but then it's mentioned that she has "tons of brains", and (slight spoiler alert), she has friends who speak excellent English and write in said English with her. And I believe that friend and her grew up together, so why would one have good, standard English, and the other not? Please don't tell me it's just to emphasise the "foreignness", because it doesn't even read like Singapore-accented English to me. Like, even the old ah ma's in Singapore speak better English (those who can speak English, that is).
Others:
While we're on the topic of Singapore, I'm glad to say that while Singapore only appears for a few chapters, its portrayal was more accurate than that Singapore Lover book. For one thing, prata appears! I miss prata! And Milo Dinosaur and Milo Godzilla.
Oh, and I found it strange that while there was some Singlish (people explaining Singlish words), hardly anyone used Singlish in Singapore. Like, what? Lah appeared twice, meh appeared once as an example of Singlish, and lor not at all. Then again, I'd rather the author not mangle Singlish if she's not used to it. It's just something I found strange.
One more strange thing that isn't really a complaint is that I'm not sure how Xing Li gets into a club. I'm pretty sure we're strict about stuff like this, and she's not even in her teens, but I might have misread that chapter, or mistook her age because the voice sounded so young.
Overall, this was way better than Singapore Lover. It's not the perfect book, but I did enjoy it, despite my complaints (then again, it is said that one of the Singaporean past-times is complaining. The other is queueing).
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
P.s. The author has this website for Asian writers called "Banana Writers - Where Asian Writers Get Unpeeled". Am I the only one who took the term "Banana" in the context of the novel and thought it meant "helping Asian writers become more Western"?
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
So dun say I complain too much hor. Like is like lah, but still must say bad things if got, right?
(And if you understood that, congrats, you understand Singlish. Or at least, what remains of Singlish after you study overseas for a few years :p)
The Life of a Banana is about Xing Li, a BBC (British-Born Chinese). One day, her mom passes away, and she and her older brother Lai Ker have to move in with their rich grandmother that they don't really know (or like). Living in the same house are Auntie Mei, a wannabe actress and Uncle Ho, who's strange. School isn't much better either, because she's getting picked on, and she has only one friend, a Jamaican-Chinese boy called Jay.
What I loved:
Xing Li's voice. It's fantastic, and it drew me in immediately. I don't really have much more to say about it, really, except that I love the voice. (This is short, but it's like, five stars for narrative voice, wheeee!)
The story: At first, I thought this was going to be a memoir-style story, where things happen to the author rather than her doing things in reaction to events. But, as I read on, I started getting more and more engrossed in the story. It may be the voice, but I think the story of growing up and finding out your identity starts to come out as the book progresses (and it helps that Xing Li starts being more proactive as the book goes on).
What I wasn't too keen on:
Any third-person narrative section. I think there were only two, and both of them were terrible, especially compared to how awesome the first person narrative voice was. When the book shifts to third person limited, the author seems to jump from one POV to another awkwardly, and it just comes across as... weird. The dialogue somehow becomes stiff: "I come from a poverty stricken background... you see, my foolish personality renders me to have a soft heart..." somehow becomes moving speech for the headmaster, who's been headmaster for forty years. I know you change your speech to the occasion, but this is strange.
Grandma's speech. Grandma speaks in broken English. At first, I thought it was because English isn't her native language, but then it's mentioned that she has "tons of brains", and (slight spoiler alert), she has friends who speak excellent English and write in said English with her. And I believe that friend and her grew up together, so why would one have good, standard English, and the other not? Please don't tell me it's just to emphasise the "foreignness", because it doesn't even read like Singapore-accented English to me. Like, even the old ah ma's in Singapore speak better English (those who can speak English, that is).
Others:
While we're on the topic of Singapore, I'm glad to say that while Singapore only appears for a few chapters, its portrayal was more accurate than that Singapore Lover book. For one thing, prata appears! I miss prata! And Milo Dinosaur and Milo Godzilla.
Oh, and I found it strange that while there was some Singlish (people explaining Singlish words), hardly anyone used Singlish in Singapore. Like, what? Lah appeared twice, meh appeared once as an example of Singlish, and lor not at all. Then again, I'd rather the author not mangle Singlish if she's not used to it. It's just something I found strange.
One more strange thing that isn't really a complaint is that I'm not sure how Xing Li gets into a club. I'm pretty sure we're strict about stuff like this, and she's not even in her teens, but I might have misread that chapter, or mistook her age because the voice sounded so young.
Overall, this was way better than Singapore Lover. It's not the perfect book, but I did enjoy it, despite my complaints (then again, it is said that one of the Singaporean past-times is complaining. The other is queueing).
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
P.s. The author has this website for Asian writers called "Banana Writers - Where Asian Writers Get Unpeeled". Am I the only one who took the term "Banana" in the context of the novel and thought it meant "helping Asian writers become more Western"?
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
July 23, 2014
My heart ached for little Xing Li, a British born girl of Chinese decent, facing racism and deep loss as she comes of age. After the loss of her beloved mother, Xing Li and her brother Lai Ker move in with their 'mean old' Chinese grandmother, strange uncle Ho and starlet beauty Aunt Mei. The reader follows Xing Li as she tries to understand the mystery of her mother's estranged relationship with her grandmother while trying to find her place in her new seemingly unwelcoming home. Worse, Xing Li faces obstacles at school, standing out as the only Chinese British girl in the school. She soon musters all the courage she can to fight off the horrid bully Shills, but just how far will the bullying go? Uncle Ho's strange, often violent behaviors frighten and fascinate her, leading her to uncover family secrets and hopefully a better understanding of them all, including her mysterious grandfather who she was told died long ago.
Beautiful Auntie Mei is troubled and young for her age, and brings out protective instincts in Xing Li much like her mother had. More than anything, this story proves that not all love is demonstrated the same. Sometimes the 'mean' people hardened because they were holding the family on their back, keeping the wheels turning. Maybe Grandma has more fire and strength than young Xing Li understands.
The story certainly exposes the vulnerabilities those with a different ethnic background face, from the simplest off-handed race related comments to the downright cruel. It's easy to not think on these things until you see another's perspective. To this day, we see racism in all forms, as the story opens with a joke about being glad her cat, which her grandmother had sent to the RSPCA, wasn't sitting instead in a peasant's belly in Guandong. Sure her own brother laughingly makes the joke, but surely it's because he wants to own such things before other's can.
Wong writes of people asking characters where they were born (remember, they are British born) just because they look Chinese. Later writing how frustrated and insulted her grandmother was when people would speak slowly to her as if she were a child, or just dumb. Also, there are moments when people say go back to China. It smacks of truth even in America, it happens often, even in this 'modern' day world of ours.
Not to say the story is a lecture on racism, it is not. It is a beautiful, sad story about family, love and doing the best we can with what we've got. Uncle Ho was a very important character in the novel, and it is hard to hate Xing Li's grandmother knowing how tenderly she cares for Ho. I stayed up all night reading this novel. What a wonderful title, Xing Li is like a banana- yellow on the outside, white on the inside. It echos my own grandmother in some ways when Xing Li's grandmother sees her own children becoming more 'British' than Chinese. I have had my own grandmother laugh that she never imagined one day her grandchildren would be American. It is said with happiness and sadness, because the old ways (traditions) are altered to fit a new country.
I loved it. I loved all the characters, they made me mad, sad and laugh- Xing Li has her silliness. Yes, loved it.
Beautiful Auntie Mei is troubled and young for her age, and brings out protective instincts in Xing Li much like her mother had. More than anything, this story proves that not all love is demonstrated the same. Sometimes the 'mean' people hardened because they were holding the family on their back, keeping the wheels turning. Maybe Grandma has more fire and strength than young Xing Li understands.
The story certainly exposes the vulnerabilities those with a different ethnic background face, from the simplest off-handed race related comments to the downright cruel. It's easy to not think on these things until you see another's perspective. To this day, we see racism in all forms, as the story opens with a joke about being glad her cat, which her grandmother had sent to the RSPCA, wasn't sitting instead in a peasant's belly in Guandong. Sure her own brother laughingly makes the joke, but surely it's because he wants to own such things before other's can.
Wong writes of people asking characters where they were born (remember, they are British born) just because they look Chinese. Later writing how frustrated and insulted her grandmother was when people would speak slowly to her as if she were a child, or just dumb. Also, there are moments when people say go back to China. It smacks of truth even in America, it happens often, even in this 'modern' day world of ours.
Not to say the story is a lecture on racism, it is not. It is a beautiful, sad story about family, love and doing the best we can with what we've got. Uncle Ho was a very important character in the novel, and it is hard to hate Xing Li's grandmother knowing how tenderly she cares for Ho. I stayed up all night reading this novel. What a wonderful title, Xing Li is like a banana- yellow on the outside, white on the inside. It echos my own grandmother in some ways when Xing Li's grandmother sees her own children becoming more 'British' than Chinese. I have had my own grandmother laugh that she never imagined one day her grandchildren would be American. It is said with happiness and sadness, because the old ways (traditions) are altered to fit a new country.
I loved it. I loved all the characters, they made me mad, sad and laugh- Xing Li has her silliness. Yes, loved it.
July 22, 2021
Another book from Legend Press, this time about Xing Li, a girl born and bred in London who is Chinese and never quite feels like she fits in. She is what some... read the full review here: https://www.amybucklesbookshelf.co.uk...
October 26, 2017
Xing Li’s world has been taken from her and she has to fend for herself. Not only are things harsh at home – but life is brutal at her new school – horrifyingly so. The school is very prestigious and Xing Li is not only Asian she speaks with a cockney accent at well. Certainly not a worthy person in the eyes of the other students who are absolutely cruel. Xing Li is bullied and vilified almost to the nth degree and her only support is Jay, a part Chinese, part Jamaican boy who is also bullied but is more resilient.
As the book opens Xing Li has very little life experience, having been sheltered from the nastiness in the world by her mother. With her mother gone, and a grandmother who is almost as bad as the kids at her new school, Xing Li has to grow up quickly and learn to fend for herself. I have to admit though, I actually didn’t warm to her as a character although I sympathised with her predicament. I felt the bullying was a bit unbelievable, not the fact that bullying happens, but the level of the bullying that occurred; and the fact all this widespread activity was never discovered or noticed by staff at the school. And yes, I know bullying can happen at schools and fall through the cracks, but not in this type of situation – large scale – massed events. Unnoticed bullying is usually small scale – done when alone or there are no adult witnesses. No less traumatic but harder to prove and report. If the events were as bad as described in the story this would NOT have gone unnoticed.
Having said this, the story is important because if you don’t fit the norms of a society – the prevailing ethnicity, religion, disability etc – then you are very much likely to be suffering some type of bullying because of your difference. This, I think, is what the book is trying to get across. You may not recognise someone is a victim of bullying or abuse because you can’t tell by looking at them. I was also angry when Xing Li excused her grandmother’s punishments, yes this is abuse too, because her grandmother only wanted the best for her and had had a hard life herself. That’s ok then – grandmother was abused so it’s alright for her to abuse me – love you grandma! Now that right there is the attitude of a victim. And maybe I missed something, because this book has received rave reviews and a Fiction prize nomination, but I’m not sure how effective the message of the nastiness of bullying is going to be as overall it is a very depressing story – with little to no hope, and an ending which left me asking more questions than giving me answers.
As the book opens Xing Li has very little life experience, having been sheltered from the nastiness in the world by her mother. With her mother gone, and a grandmother who is almost as bad as the kids at her new school, Xing Li has to grow up quickly and learn to fend for herself. I have to admit though, I actually didn’t warm to her as a character although I sympathised with her predicament. I felt the bullying was a bit unbelievable, not the fact that bullying happens, but the level of the bullying that occurred; and the fact all this widespread activity was never discovered or noticed by staff at the school. And yes, I know bullying can happen at schools and fall through the cracks, but not in this type of situation – large scale – massed events. Unnoticed bullying is usually small scale – done when alone or there are no adult witnesses. No less traumatic but harder to prove and report. If the events were as bad as described in the story this would NOT have gone unnoticed.
Having said this, the story is important because if you don’t fit the norms of a society – the prevailing ethnicity, religion, disability etc – then you are very much likely to be suffering some type of bullying because of your difference. This, I think, is what the book is trying to get across. You may not recognise someone is a victim of bullying or abuse because you can’t tell by looking at them. I was also angry when Xing Li excused her grandmother’s punishments, yes this is abuse too, because her grandmother only wanted the best for her and had had a hard life herself. That’s ok then – grandmother was abused so it’s alright for her to abuse me – love you grandma! Now that right there is the attitude of a victim. And maybe I missed something, because this book has received rave reviews and a Fiction prize nomination, but I’m not sure how effective the message of the nastiness of bullying is going to be as overall it is a very depressing story – with little to no hope, and an ending which left me asking more questions than giving me answers.
January 26, 2023
It gives you a perspective on how Singaporean-British lives are like in the UK. The Life of a Banana has moved me to tears with its bittersweet experience through the lens of the youngest sibling of family. Three key takeaways:
1.) Singaporean-British subjective experiences are rooted in family and heritage culture even if those experiences are in a western society.
2.) Family can get it wrong sometimes but they care
3.) just because something is not apparent to you doesn’t mean it’s not there.
1.) Singaporean-British subjective experiences are rooted in family and heritage culture even if those experiences are in a western society.
2.) Family can get it wrong sometimes but they care
3.) just because something is not apparent to you doesn’t mean it’s not there.
August 18, 2024
Definitely a page turner. Wong’s style of writing takes you through the events and emotions in a gripping and humorous manner.
October 14, 2014
Review by Melissa Barnsley on behalf of Liz Loves Books.
The Life of a Banana is a deeply moving, funny and fascinating insight into the life of a British-Chinese teenager, Xing Li. Having lived in China for a short while myself I found this book particularly interesting; during my time in China I found that a lot of Chinese nationals yearn to start a new life in Britain or America, and many of them see the freedom of our countries as preferable to the often oppressive Chinese traditions and laws. However, I’ve never looked at it from the other side – do Chinese people who move to, or are born in Britain really experience this freedom and happiness? It really pains me to say this, because I consider myself a very open minded and accepting person, but until I read this book I had never considered the implications of coming from an ethnic minority but not feeling like a fully formed member of that culture. Of course, I realise how difficult it is for foreigners living in England – unfortunately racism still runs rife throughout the country, especially around the inner city areas which provide the setting of this excellent novel. I have never really thought about the fact that not all people who look Chinese can necessarily speak Chinese – I knew it was a fact, but had never thought about how it might feel to be one of those people. I’ve always understood that somebody who looks different to me can still be just as British as I am (I’m a painfully typical blonde-haired blue-eyed white girl) yet I can’t imagine how it must feel to be rejected by your own nationality and have nowhere to turn. ‘The Life of a Banana’ challenges preconceptions, breaks down barriers and tackles the widespread racism against British-Chinese head on. The comic and quirky writing style of the teenage protagonist provides a beautiful contrast to the dark, difficult situations that she finds herself in, and all the characters are written with such depth you will find that you care for each and every one. This is a stunning debut novel, which will no doubt resonate with people in a similar situation to Xing Li, and open the eyes of those who are not.
The Life of a Banana is a deeply moving, funny and fascinating insight into the life of a British-Chinese teenager, Xing Li. Having lived in China for a short while myself I found this book particularly interesting; during my time in China I found that a lot of Chinese nationals yearn to start a new life in Britain or America, and many of them see the freedom of our countries as preferable to the often oppressive Chinese traditions and laws. However, I’ve never looked at it from the other side – do Chinese people who move to, or are born in Britain really experience this freedom and happiness? It really pains me to say this, because I consider myself a very open minded and accepting person, but until I read this book I had never considered the implications of coming from an ethnic minority but not feeling like a fully formed member of that culture. Of course, I realise how difficult it is for foreigners living in England – unfortunately racism still runs rife throughout the country, especially around the inner city areas which provide the setting of this excellent novel. I have never really thought about the fact that not all people who look Chinese can necessarily speak Chinese – I knew it was a fact, but had never thought about how it might feel to be one of those people. I’ve always understood that somebody who looks different to me can still be just as British as I am (I’m a painfully typical blonde-haired blue-eyed white girl) yet I can’t imagine how it must feel to be rejected by your own nationality and have nowhere to turn. ‘The Life of a Banana’ challenges preconceptions, breaks down barriers and tackles the widespread racism against British-Chinese head on. The comic and quirky writing style of the teenage protagonist provides a beautiful contrast to the dark, difficult situations that she finds herself in, and all the characters are written with such depth you will find that you care for each and every one. This is a stunning debut novel, which will no doubt resonate with people in a similar situation to Xing Li, and open the eyes of those who are not.
July 21, 2016
The Life of a Banana is essentially a coming of age tale, but Xing Li, a British Born Chinese girl has it far harder than most of us. The story tackles multiple big themes - grief, mental health, bullying, cultural identity and the timeless horror of adolescence. There are tear-jerking moments aplenty, but Xing Li is an engaging and believable teenage narrator making this a very readable and thought-provoking first novel.
May 19, 2025
3.5 stars rounded down.
As a banana myself (albeit one growing up in Asia), I was really drawn to the premise of this and loved how Wong illustrated the difficulties of effectively being caught in two worlds and never belonging to either. To be honest, I'd probably have scored this higher for how well she did that - had I not so recently read Phil Wang's Sidesplitter which knocked it out of the park.
I thought the early chapters of this one didn't do well enough to set the scene, there were just too many things going on e.g. that it felt like it detracted from the point of the book. It almost felt as though the author felt the need to address everything and anything: really was not necessary, or needed to be expanded upon more not just thrown in for 10 pages and then never mentioned again.
But what really ruined it for me was the .
I appreciated the effort to make the feel more real, e.g. spelling words in the way that Grandma would have said them, and that did work - I thought the banana effect came through well in that sense. But overall I think it was a case of trying to do too much in a story that is far too short, and to keep the analogy of the book going, it ended up as something resembling a not-quite-ripe banana.
As a banana myself (albeit one growing up in Asia), I was really drawn to the premise of this and loved how Wong illustrated the difficulties of effectively being caught in two worlds and never belonging to either. To be honest, I'd probably have scored this higher for how well she did that - had I not so recently read Phil Wang's Sidesplitter which knocked it out of the park.
I thought the early chapters of this one didn't do well enough to set the scene, there were just too many things going on e.g. that it felt like it detracted from the point of the book. It almost felt as though the author felt the need to address everything and anything: really was not necessary, or needed to be expanded upon more not just thrown in for 10 pages and then never mentioned again.
But what really ruined it for me was the .
I appreciated the effort to make the feel more real, e.g. spelling words in the way that Grandma would have said them, and that did work - I thought the banana effect came through well in that sense. But overall I think it was a case of trying to do too much in a story that is far too short, and to keep the analogy of the book going, it ended up as something resembling a not-quite-ripe banana.
April 27, 2021
I found this really compelling and well written. As a white lass born and raised in London, I experienced poverty and witnessed racism. It's really important for voices of every background to be heard and for us to have a more open dialogue that is honest and straight forward about systemic racism, as well as open and hostile racism in the UK and how that has detrimentally affected those who have experienced it.
There were some truly horrifying moments in this poignant tale. It's hard hitting but nothing ever feels unnecessary or over the top.
I enjoyed the use of language the author employed - using grammar to give a more authentic story-telling voice of a young teenager.
It loses a star just because I wanted more development of some of the characters and their background, especially Uncle Ho. YA books can be really chunky these days so there was scope to indulge in these fascinating side characters a bit more.
There were some truly horrifying moments in this poignant tale. It's hard hitting but nothing ever feels unnecessary or over the top.
I enjoyed the use of language the author employed - using grammar to give a more authentic story-telling voice of a young teenager.
It loses a star just because I wanted more development of some of the characters and their background, especially Uncle Ho. YA books can be really chunky these days so there was scope to indulge in these fascinating side characters a bit more.
December 1, 2021
This is the first book that has made me want to cry. It is such a lovely, brilliant, sad and funny book all in one!
August 14, 2022
3.5⭐️
I love Jay with my whole heart <3
I love Jay with my whole heart <3
April 16, 2021
A really insightful and enjoyable read. Recommended reading!
March 8, 2021
The first British Born Chinese author to get a publishing deal in the UK, Wong no doubt has a plethora of personal experiences to draw up on in the writing of this story. Xing Li is a stuck between 2 cultures, that of her birth place, and that of her Singaporean Chinese ancestry, and when her mother dies and her and her brother are sent to their matriarchal grandmother’s home, life only becomes more complex and confusing. A brilliant glimpse into the life of 2nd and 3rd generation immigrant children in a post-colonial world.
October 31, 2014
Xing Li is a banana – yellow on the outside and white on the inside. This is the term used uncritically by BBCs – British Born Chinese – for those born and bred in the UK but who are ethnically Chinese. In this debut novel - which was turned down by 27 publishers before finally being accepted – we get to know one such banana through her thoughts, feelings and experiences as she copes with the death of her mother, her new life in her matriarchal grandmother’s somewhat dysfunctional household and her dreadful bullying at school as she struggles to fit in somewhere, anywhere. It’s an interesting and often moving novel, and sheds light on a community that I hadn’t thought about before. But I’m afraid I just didn’t relate to Xing Li. I accept that she has a bad time of it, and I should have felt more sympathetic, but her relentless use of teenage vernacular really irritated me and her constant mishearings/misspellings (Wagger for Wagner and so on) simply got on my nerves. The narrative seemed unnecessarily overdramatic and the bullying she is subjected to surprisingly brutal to go unnoticed by anyone else at the school. Perhaps this works better as a young adult novel – it sadly didn’t work for me.
February 7, 2017
banana, ovvero giallo fuori e bianco dentro
Xing Li perde la madre per un incidente e, insieme a suo fratello, dalle periferie londinesi si trasferisce a casa della nonna a Kensington e in una scuola privata, dove viene in contatto con il classismo inglese e il razzismo che spesso accompagna le persone lontane dal loro paese di origine, inutile dire che, nonostante le origini familiari, Xing Li è nata in Inghilterra...
storia di formazione adolescenziale, con tanto di segreti familiari e modi di dire cinesi, il mio preferito è "i cinesi tengono la spazzatura in casa", una storia che, proprio perchè non strettamente etnica, finisce per restare in superficie, senza mai approfondire del tutto le tematiche affrontate...
Xing Li perde la madre per un incidente e, insieme a suo fratello, dalle periferie londinesi si trasferisce a casa della nonna a Kensington e in una scuola privata, dove viene in contatto con il classismo inglese e il razzismo che spesso accompagna le persone lontane dal loro paese di origine, inutile dire che, nonostante le origini familiari, Xing Li è nata in Inghilterra...
storia di formazione adolescenziale, con tanto di segreti familiari e modi di dire cinesi, il mio preferito è "i cinesi tengono la spazzatura in casa", una storia che, proprio perchè non strettamente etnica, finisce per restare in superficie, senza mai approfondire del tutto le tematiche affrontate...
November 15, 2015
I would honestly have expected a lot more from a book long listed for the Bailey's prize. Thus is definitely a Y.A.text both in subject matter and style. The plot trots along at a good pace but without much need to engage brain. The characters are thin stereotypes. The bully is too horrific to be human and the Grandma too icy for me to believe in any transformations. Also how did they find the letters she sent? Surely they wild have only found this she received? This irritated me but what irritated me more was the utilisation of this at the end to reveal character - it seemed a little lazy and in the whole unconvincing. Overall j think it's a great boon to engage reluctant teens to read and was definitely interesting but on a superficial level.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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May 17, 2015In some ways, I felt it was more for young adults, and should be on all school curriculums. There is a fine line between writing from the point of view of a young person, but still from a filtering adult, like Margaret Atwood is so good at for example, and seeming to be unfiltered adolescent. However, I still think it was a powerful book, really important in terms of finding a voice, and I often think of it while driving etc, or seeing young Asian women walking down the street, and wondering what they have had to put up with in terms of racism today. I also thought the revelations about the grandmother was very well done.
October 14, 2014
Touching, funny and thought provoking all at once. A brilliant first novel by PP Wong, the narrative is fast paced and witty and written from the perspective of a young British Chinese girl, captures her 'growing up' well in the midst of cultural confusion and bullying. The plot is engaging and the characters memorable.
In particular I could identify with the messages and themes brought out and would highly recommend this book. This Banana has a healthy life ahead!! Can't wait for the sequel.
In particular I could identify with the messages and themes brought out and would highly recommend this book. This Banana has a healthy life ahead!! Can't wait for the sequel.
October 30, 2022
Xing Li is what some Chinese people call a banana - yellow on the outside and white on the inside. A great story about Xing Li life, after her mothers death she and her brother live with her Grandma, there are secrets to be uncovered.
A wonderful first novel from PP Wong, four stars all the way.
A wonderful first novel from PP Wong, four stars all the way.
August 24, 2018
I admire what P.P. Wong was endeavouring to do in The Life of a Banana, but the book simply did not work for me. I have heard great things about it, but found what I read of it rather dull, predictable, and even a little confusing with regard to characters who were not introduced properly.
December 17, 2014
This book was interesting, entertaining and I loved it.
Humourous and deeply moving.
Humourous and deeply moving.
June 24, 2015
Clunky writing, poor pacing, and a couple of unbelievable turns in the plot spoiled this book for me, although I agree that Xing Li is a very appealing protagonist.
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