The Brightest Star

by Gail Tsukiyama

A LIBRARYREADS PICK AND BEST BOOK CLUB PICK OF 2023 “A writer of astonishing grace, delicacy, and feeling.”—Michael Chabon, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay “A beautiful, haunting book.”—Karen Joy Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of Booth and We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves The beloved bestselling author of The Color of Air, Women of the Silk, and The Samurai's Garden returns with this magnificent historical novel based on the life of the luminous, groundbreaking actress Anna May Wong—the first and only Asian American woman to gain movie stardom in the early days of Hollywood. At the dawn of a new century, America is falling in love with silent movies, including young Wong Liu Tsong. The daughter of Chinese immigrants who own a laundry, Wong Liu and her older sister Lew Ying (Lulu) are taunted and bullied for their Chinese heritage. But while Lulu diligently obeys her parents and learns to speak Chinese, Wong Liu sneaks away to the local nickelodeons, buying a ticket with her lunch money and tips saved from laundry deliveries. By eleven Wong Liu is determined to become an actress and has already chosen a stage Anna May Wong. At sixteen, Anna May leaves high school to pursue her Hollywood dreams, defying her disapproving father and her Chinese traditional upbringing—a choice that will hold emotional and physical consequences. After a series of nothing parts, nineteen-year-old Anna May gets her big break—and her first taste of Hollywood fame—starring opposite Douglas Fairbanks in The Thief of Bagdad . Yet her beauty and talent isn’t enough to overcome the racism that relegates her to supporting roles as a helpless, exotic butterfly or a vicious, murderous dragon lady while Caucasian actresses in yellowface” are given starring roles portraying Asian women. Though she suffers professionally and personally, Anna May fights to win lead roles, accept risqué parts, financially support her family, and keep her illicit love affairs hidden—even as she finds freedom and glittering stardom abroad, and receives glowing reviews across the globe. Powerful, poignant, and imbued with Gail Tsukiyama's warmth and empathy, The Brightest Star reimagines the life of the first Asian American screen star whose legacy endures—a remarkable and inspiring woman who broke barriers and became a shining light in Hollywood history.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Asian Literature, China, Audiobook, Adult

352 pages, Hardcover

First published June 20, 2023

About the author

Born to a Chinese mother and a Japanese father in San Francisco, Gail Tsukiyama now lives in El Cerrito, California. Her novels include Women of the Silk (1991), The Samurai's Garden (1995), Night of Many Dreams (1998), The Language of Threads (1999), Dreaming Water (2002), and The Street of a Thousand Blossoms (2007).

Reviews

[Bkwmlee · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I had read Gail Tsukiyama’s previous novel, The Color of Air , and absolutely loved it! With that book, I was captivated by the beautiful, atmospheric writing as well as the emotionally poignant story that I sometimes still think about even now. So of course, when I learned that Tsukiyama would have a new novel out — and it would be about one of the most important trailblazers for entertainers of Chinese descent in Hollywood, Anna May Wong — I was, of course, excited beyond words. Not surprisingly, I had high expectations going into this one and was expecting to love it as much as I did Tsukiyama’s previous work. Sadly, that didn’t turn out to be the case, as this book ended up being a huge letdown. My first thought when I finished this book was that it couldn’t have been written by the same author as The Color of Air , as the writing style and execution here stood in such stark contrast, it honestly baffled me.

One of the biggest problems I had with this book was the way that the story was told. Narrated from Anna May Wong’s first person point of view, the story starts off in 1960, when Anna May is making a comeback from semi-retirement and is on a train across the country for a press tour to promote her latest film. She brings with her a stack of notebooks where she has written down her life story and as she starts reading them on the train ride, the timeline switches to 1913, when Anna May is 8 years old. From there, she takes us pretty much year-by-year through every aspect of her life, from when she was a child who would sneak off to watch movies, to her early days in Hollywood, to the height of her career and the last days of her life. In the process, every single movie that Anna May had been in — whether as an extra or with a significant role — is covered in great detail (in addition to basic movie facts such as who the director was, the names of the cast members, where and when the movie premiered, the reactions from audiences and critics, etc., there were also details on how she got each part, what led up to it, how she was treated and how she felt, what the aftermath was, etc. etc.) Normally, first person narrative wouldn’t be a problem, but in this instance, the voice was incredibly stilted and devoid of emotion — to the point that I felt like I was reading a long-form Wikipedia entry of Anna May’s life (except told in first person). Also, the way nearly every acting venture and personal milestone in Anna May’s life was recounted chronologically, and in exhaustive detail, made the story feel repetitive and tedious — I felt like I was reading about the same things over and over and over again, just with different people involved (and sometimes in different cities). I actually started to get bored about half way through the book and resorted to skimming whole sections so I could get to the end faster.

Another problem was that this story did not read like historical fiction at all. While it was obvious that Tsukiyama did a lot of research on Anna May’s life, the way the information was presented felt like I was reading a history book, which definitely did not work for me. I hate to say it, but the lack of emotion and atmospheric nuance (which I expect in historical fiction) made it feel to me as though the author simply took all the notes she had, organized it chronologically, changed the voice to first person, put in a prologue and epilogue, and voila, a retrospective of Anna May’s life in book format.

To me, this book was a missed opportunity. Executed differently, this story had the potential to be a powerful expose of the entertainment industry and the way it treated/still treats people of color. It also had the potential to be a moving story about a fascinating woman of color who struggled pretty much her entire career (and life) to gain acceptance into a notoriously misogynistic, biased, unforgiving industry — and the sacrifices she had to make in order to pave the way for other Asian entertainers who would come after. Instead, we got a robotic, paint-by-numbers recounting of Anna May’s life that lacked emotional depth — plus I felt like most of the information in this book, with the way it was presented, I could’ve gotten myself by spending a few hours searching the internet, which honestly adds to the disappointment.

Since I’ve enjoyed Tsukiyama’s previous works, I hope this book was an anomaly and that her next one will go back to the style that I’m used to seeing from her.

Received ARC from HarperVia via NetGalley.

[Jonas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the children's book, Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story, to my class. It inspired me to read Brightest Star. Looking forward to the reading experience!

[Linden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gail Tsukiyama is one of my favorite authors, and I have read and enjoyed all of her books. (Full disclosure: I usually don’t read fiction about historical/famous people because I can’t be sure what is just conjecture.) This novel is told in the first person by Anna May Wong, a Chinese-American actress well-known in the 1920’s and 1930’s. It shifts between this time period and 1960. Sadly, Wong was hampered (professionally and personally) by both anti-miscegenation laws and the Hays code, which prohibited any portrayal of mixed race relationships on film. (Asian roles were usually given to white actors in “yellowface.”) Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.

[Connie G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anna May Wong was infatuated with silent movies as a young teen, and skipped her Chinese school to sneak off to the cinema. She grew up in a traditional Chinese-American family in California where her family ran a laundry. Her father disapproved of Anna May's dream of becoming a film star since he felt that she would be unable to find a good Chinese husband if she was an actress. But Anna May was as stubborn as her father, and she started by taking part in crowd scenes as a Chinese extra.

It was difficult for Chinese women to find a leading part in a movie since California banned interracial marriage, and the Hays Code prevented an Asian woman from kissing a white actor in a film. She was cast mostly in roles like a murderous dragon lady, or a prostitute, or someone in an opium den in her early films. Non-Chinese actresses in "yellowface" played the leading roles.

Anna May was beautiful with a sense of style, and she was photographed with outfits combining Western and Asian fashions. She also spent part of her career in Europe--Berlin, Paris, and London--where attitudes were more liberal. As she progressed in her career, she helped pave the way for better roles for Chinese actresses.

The book is told in two timelines. In 1960, Anna May was traveling East to New York by train, and was reading her diaries as she travels. Her diaries and letters remind her of her younger years told in the second timeline.

Anna May Wong had an interesting life story. But I was disappointed with Gail Tsukiyama's writing in this book as compared to her "Color of Air" and "Samurai's Garden" that are more lyrical. She may have been trying for historical accuracy, but it felt like every event in her life had to be mentioned instead of going into more depth during fewer events. However, I'm still glad I read the book for an upcoming book discussion since it gave insight into the challenges that Asians faced in the movie industry. 3.5 stars.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anna May Wong (born to her Chinese parents who named her Wong Liu Tsong), born in Los Angeles in 1905 found her way to Hollywood in her teens. She started in the silent movies, and transitioned to talkies - but none of it was easy - because of the racist ways of the industry and the country at large. Even if a movie was based on a Chinese topic with all or mostly Chinese characters, the casting call was not for actual Chinese actors. . .especially in the leading roles - those would go to Caucasians in yellowface. That was the barrier Anna May was up against.

The Brightest Star is written from Anna May Wong's point of view, looking back over her long career, putting up with a great deal of abuse just to find a place in that world. Her family ran hot and cold over her participation in film work, but in time they began to depend upon her support and help as family members grew older. While she traveled the world, and found a more receptive work life in Europe, she remained centered in her Southern California world to the end of her days. She helped pave the way for Asians to gain firmer footing in the movie and fashion industries.

An interesting read about someone who need a bigger piece of the spotlight!

*A sincere thank you to Gail Tsukiyama, HarperVia, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review.* #TheBrightestStar #NetGalley

[Abby Chu · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really disappointed in this book. It’s written autobiographically but I wish I had read an actual biography instead. There is no doubt Anna May Wong had an interesting life and career that is worth exploring but this book did the opposite of what it likely intended to do, reducing her and flattening her to a one-note character, like many of the roles she inhibited on the screen and on the stage.

[Martie Nees Record · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Historical Fiction/Multicultural/Bio-Fiction
Publisher: HarperVia International
Publication Date: June 20, 2023
2.5 Stars

"The Brightest Star" is a fictionalized account of the life and times of Anna May Wong, the first Chinese-American starlet to appear in Hollywood films and the first Chinese-American to get a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. The book is written as if Wong is writing in her journal, so she speaks to us in the first person. The novel is a tribute to Anna May Wong's legacy in her battle against racism and sexism rather than reading as historical fiction. I love black and white movies, and having seen a handful of Wong's films, I thought I would be in awe of this bio-fiction. However, I was disappointed.

Anna May Wong was a trailblazer. I wanted to feel her strong spirit and determination as she clawed her way into the movie business. Instead, the story reads more like a lengthy article in a newspaper—passionless. Tsukiyama did much research for her novel. She presents Anna May's films in chronological order. Despite this, we don't get a sense of who Wong was. Anna May's voice comes off as wooden. The author does the same when writing about Wong’s lifelong effort to have America understand and accept Chinese- Americans. There are snippets mentioned of her depression, drinking, and affairs with married men. Even her romance with Marlene Dietrich, with whom she co-starred in the 1932 motion picture "Shanghai Express," struck me as lifeless.

I only felt moved by "Brightest Star" when the studio misled Wong into thinking she would be the leading lady in the classic 1937 film, "The Good Earth." Despite Anna May's established status in Hollywood, a white actress in yellowface makeup was cast. The racism smacked me in the face. I can only recommend this novel if you want to learn about her life and do not want to go to Wong’s Wikipedia page.

I received this novel at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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[Abby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia for allowing me to read this ARC!

Content Warning: death, racism, homophobia, misogyny, outdated racial terms (used by those of that race), racial slurs (specifically anti-Asian and Chinese racial slurs), relationships between an adult/minor.

Growing up, Wong Liu Tsong falls in love with silent films, running home to mimic the expressions of the actresses she sees on screen. Taunted at school for her Chinese heritage, she dreams of becoming a star, picking out her own stage name as a child: Anna May Wong. While her sister Lulu is obedient, helping their parents faithfully at their laundry, Anna is a rebel, drawing the ire of their father. But when all of her hard work pays off and Anna gets an opportunity as an extra in The Red Lantern, she's hooked for life -- and there's no one who can stop her. Pitted against white actresses in yellowface, predatory film executives, and an American audience that wants their Chinese heroines either unsympathetic villainesses or good girls who always die, Anna rises in the industry nonetheless, and leaves a lasting impact that will change the lives of many Chinese and Chinese-American women for generations.

Anna May Wong has captured the imaginations -- and hearts -- of people ever since she debuted in 1919. A trailblazer by every definition of the word, she's someone who fought time and time again against discrimination and oppression, and although we now look back on her as a woman who was successful, she often felt the stinging blow of being denied role after role, only to have it taken by a white woman in dreadful, monstrous yellowface. Tsukiyama makes an effort here to peel back the layers, to allow us to see the film icon from her own perspective, and to also help us understand the setbacks she faced and overcame each time.

As a fan of Wong's, it was a thrill to see this book available on Netgalley. The cover, with its beautiful photograph of her with the haircut that inspired so many others to chop their bangs, caught my attention instantly. Reading the first page of The Brighest Star, however, I'm afraid to say that I felt the first, slightest hints of apprehension. This is my first time reading a novel by Tsukiyama, but she's famous and well-regarded, so I wasn't very concerned that I would dislike her writing. With that being said, as difficult as it is to say this, I'm not a fan of Tsukiyama's writing in the slightest. My main problem is partly due to writing style, which is all tell, no show, and partly due to pacing, which takes you so quickly through every part of Wong's life that it feels as if you get no time to absorb it whatsoever.

This is one of my biggest disappointments of 2023. It's hard to emphasize how much the pacing damages this story; it feels almost like flashes of her mind and thoughts and then, in the blink of an eye, it's gone. To put it simply, everything is flat, particularly Wong's inner monologue. There's absolutely no personality, and it's extremely off-putting, especially when you consider what an interesting and brave person Wong was. One other problem: the depiction of her relationship with Marlene Dietrich. Many people are aware of their relationship, but while Tsukiyama gives much dedication to the relationships Wong had with older, predatory men (including those when she was underage), and gives much detail to their "love and passion," Marlene is many times called nothing more than a friend. Very strange.

So, with all of that being said, I couldn't in good conscience give The Brightest Star a rating higher than two stars.

[Afi (WhatAfiReads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the renowned Chinese-American actor, Anna May Wong, its a story of hope and surival, of a woman that has tried her hardest to brave thru a world of fame ; of Hollywood in the midst where acceptance of people-in-colour had not been fully accepted. Left a dent in my heart but not the best from Tsukiyama unfortunately.

"Success is not a jewel that you can purchase and keep for your entire life. On the contrary, the brightest star can fall down at any time for short-lived reasons and can miserably fade away into the dust."

A story of what I can call an autofiction based on the first ever Chinese-American actress, Anna May Wong that had made it into Hollywood, we follow her journey from the early paths of her career to the last parts of her life. Its a story that is filled with burning passion, hunger for success, of the fight for equality in the midst of a world filled with horror and terror and mostly of love in various forms.

The story had been told in three parts, in a journal form that showed the highlights of her life from her childhood , her downfall and following her to her deathbed. Character-wise , the story that was told in the first-person might seem to disengage the readers with the character, but to me, it felt a bit like following the journey of a person going through her ups and downs in the midst of world of chaos and where it was not easy to be accepted as a person of colour at the time. I liked that we went thru her phase of rebellion with her father, the complicated relationship of second-generation children that had to go through the dilemma of being indebted to your parents and torn to chase your dreams and how she was adamant to survive in a world that is so cut-throat and can tear down a person limb by limb in a heartbeat.

I feel that Anna May Wong is definitely a character of her own. Her keenness and love towards art and acting had made her strive to become a name and a legend of her own. In some ways, Tsukiyama had shown the complications of her acting and how it had affected both the Americans and Chinese at the time. The blatant racism that she had to face and how she had gone up the ladder bit by bit represented the harsh realities of Hollywood and the entertaiment industry, and the fact that it is still now the way it is made it even heartwrenching to read.

For the most part, I had enjoyed her journey; but one thing I had felt the most lacking in this novel was the depth of character in here. Anna May Wong felt generic and I hated that at some parts, there is a series of blatant info-dumping on Tsukiyama's parts. It was definitely a missed opportunity as I would have loved if the nuances and Anna's feelings were more explored in here rather than just writing it as an almost matter-of-fact way.

But overall, I had still enjoyed the book. It was more heartbreaking as it was based on a real person and that she was an icon of her own. What had saved the book for me was the relationship and love that she had through her family and the representation of a bond and culture that can be burdensome but is what that had kept a person like Anna uphold for a long time. At the end, what matters most through the phases of loneliness and heights of fame is to come back to a home filled with the people that loves you and who you love. And that is what had helped the brightest star to shine the brightest.

Personal Ratings: 3.65🌟

Biggest thank you to Times Reads and the publisher for the copy of this book!

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

A story of Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American actress in Hollywood. A story that should be told.

I have read nearly all of Gail Tsukiyamas books. I really struggled with this one. I didn’t care for the writing in first person. It read really flat to me. I wanted more. I wanted to feel her personality jump out of the pages. For someone who had such an interesting life, I felt the writing confined her to brief journal bits. An example without quoting. She looked out a window, she sipped scotch. She went for a walk. She came back to a note from this guy who asked for to dinner. She thought that sounded like something she wanted to do.
I spent 10 minutes reflecting on the paragraph. Who is this guy? How is he going to be important to her? What happened at dinner? And nothing more is said about the dinner.
Sorry I do love the other tsukiyama books and was just so excited to learn about Anna May Wong. I’ll go watch Shanghai express now.
2*

[Mai H.]

ANHPI TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia

[Stacey-Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not usually a historical fiction reader unless there's a Hollywood aspect so The Brightest Star naturally caught my attention.

Told in the first person perspective of Anna May Wong, the first Chinese-American actress to grace the silver screen. Wong was the original trailblazer for authentic representation and insisted on fighting a system that oppressed and silence people of colour through discrimination and anti-miscegenation laws.

I found the strength of Anna May Wong in The Brightest Star endearing and heartbreaking. I can't be sure how true to the life this story is but it was fascinating. I'd say a worthwhile read perhaps if you enjoyed the more political aspects of something like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Just don't expect the level of romance because the important relationships in this are family and the few supportive friends we find along the way.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2. I have liked other works by Gail Tsukiyama, notably The Samurai’s Garden but also The Color of Air. This novel focused on the life of the early 20th century Asian actress Anna May Wong. Ms. Wong was the daughter of Chinese immigrants and worked hard to gain stardom in Hollywood’s early days. She started in silent movies but easily transferred her skills to talking movies. This is an excellent and captivating historical fiction of the struggles of her community, and the discrimination and misogyny that she experienced growing up and embarking on an impressive acting career despite all those odds. A riveting and poignant story. Very well done. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an unbiased and candid review.

[Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.
The writing is mediocre, which surprises me since I generally like her books.
The book is a fictional account of the life of Anna May Wong, a famous Chinese-American actress from the 1920s. The book reads like an extended Wikipedia page. Although written from Anna’s perspective, you get no feel for what she is like. The author “tells” not “shows”. ( An example: the book says that someone asked Anna out to dinner, but doesn’t say anything about the date, or how Anna felt about the invitation, or even why this is mentioned; just that “X” asked me out to dinner and ended the chapter. Bizarre!)
Halfway through and not worth continuing.

[Tram · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anna May Wong is a wonderfully fascinating person.

She is considered the first Chinese-American film star in Hollywood with a career in silent film, sound film, tv, stage, and radio. During her career, she sought leading roles in Hollywood only to be met with Hays Code anti-miscegenation and racial discrimination. After being considered for only stereotypical and secondary/background roles in Hollywood, she left for a much more successful career in Europe.

In 1935, she auditioned for the role of a lifetime in LA: O-Lan in The Good Earth. However, MGM refused to hire her and, instead, hired a white actress to perform the role in yellowface. This actress later won an Oscar for it, while Anna May Wong largely retired and became a political activist.

🎬

While I find Anna May Wong's life to be utterly fascinating, I can't say the same for this book. For being a historical fiction written in first-person, it felt lifeless. For someone with so much tenacity and vibrancy, this book felt like a Wikipedia article listing events in her life. We get a lot of details of every year of her life leading to her early death, but not a lot of insight into the emotions driving her decisions, relationships, and desires. The details of her affairs felt transactional, while the depictions of her complexities, depression, and alcoholism felt distant.

Hope to see a more engaging depiction of her in print or on screen soon.

[Tissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cover: So lovely!

Identity is the major theme of The Brightest Star, the core of Anna May Wong’s life and career. Her constant struggle against racism and favoritism permeates the book, really offering the reader a glimpse of how difficult her existence has been.

Hollywood shuns her because she’s Chinese-American, preferring Caucasian actresses in yellowface as leading ladies. The Chinese critics call her performances degrading and disgraceful. Europe is the only place that really embraces Anna May—up to the moment the local politics start to change.

What helps her navigate through all the belittlement she suffers is her family, her friends. Despite the disagreements she has with her father throughout their lives, the Wongs are Anna May’s safety net.

Speaking of the Wongs, Tsukiyama really does an excellent job in fleshing them out. Lulu is maybe the one I like best—well, Lulu and Mary—as their vibrancy shine though the pages. My favorite famous actor? Marlene, of course. : D

The grammar is flawless, the rhythm and the pacing quite pleasant. What I think jarring instead, and the reason for my final score, is the switch between first and third pov, present and past tenses. It’s a hard feat to pull off, because it throws me out of a story nine times out of ten.

4 stars on GR.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read a couple of Gail Tsukiyama's previous books and really liked them. So I was looking forward to her latest, especially because it was about Anna May Wong. Unfortunately, this was a missed opportunity. I did not like the book's format, which consisted of tons of little sections, some as small as a single sentence. This was constantly jarring and took me out of the narrative -- you can get no momentum in the book.

THE BRIGHTEST STAR was also all about reporting the facts, almost like Tsukiyama was confined by the facts of Anny May Wong's life and couldn't go beyond that. It was all telling, no showing. The first-person narrative also offered no insights into the character. Anna May often refers to her "dark bouts," but we never see it happen on the page. Too many things are mentioned but don't actually occur on the page. There was a lot of name-dropping too, with those storylines going nowhere.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. An interesting historical fiction novel based on the true story of Anna May Wong, a famous Chinese American actress in the 1920s and 1930s. She was enraptured with film at a young age and an avid movie goer. Her father ran a successful laundry business in Los Angeles. Anna was born in Los Angelos.

Her first leading role occurred at the age of seventeen, in 1922. She was often passed over for major roles that went to white actresses in yellowface. She had a number of lovers. She ended up going to Europe where she was treated as a movie star, escaping American racism. She drank too much and this affected her health when she was in her forties.

The novel is a good account of Anna May Wong’s life, narrated from Anna Wong’s perspective. However the novel was not emotionally involving. The novel is more plot based than an exploration of Anna’s character.

This book was first published in 2023.

[Elissa Granger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another book that I'm glad I stumbled upon when looking for something "available now" on Libby. This novel beautifully depicts the life of Asian American actress Anna May Wong, and I learned a lot while reading it.

[Gabrielle Nisbett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very different historical fiction than I’ve read before. I really enjoyed it though! It opened my eyes to racism in Hollywood and the struggle to break through those barriers in the early 1900’s.

[Caitlin N. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Harper Collins for the chance to read this book that was just released 10 days ago! How exciting!

I wish i could say the same for Tsukiyama's novel. This was so boring.

I hesitate to be so critical, because I hear Tsukiayama is incredibly well respected (I've not read any of her previous work.) But while I know I can't write a novel, I've read many of them. A good one pulls you in. This one somehow made an incredibly interesting woman's life painfully boring.

I don't think the first person narrative serves it well, as it did nothing to illuminate Wong's meaningful relationships or internal life.

She mentioned her "dark phases" several times, but we're never really *in them* with her. She mentions heartbreak, but it's very clinical and brief - we never *experience* it with her. Everything is mentioned. Little is *realized* in any sort of moving way.

It's a dry summary of the events and details of Anna May Wong's life, told through a voice devoid of personality. Mostly, it reads like the same obvious thought over and over:
I have to show them what a real Chinese American is like.
They'll never understand what it means to be Chinese.
I needed to prove to them that Chinese people are as complex as other people.
I was disappointed by Hollywood's failure to see the value of a real Chinese woman.
On and on and on.

I understand that's the point of the book, but this novel is a perfect case of too much telling, not enough showing.

I was so pleased to win the giveaway for this on Goodreads, but I am so disappointed to say that, for me, it didn't live up to what it could or should have been.

[Walt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna May Wong is the first Asian-American actress of note in Hollywood history and the challenges she faced in trying to find a place for herself. I did not know much about Ms. Wong when I first started reading this book, but I was interested in it as I've always enjoyed author Gail Tsukiyama's work. This book provided beyond what I expected.

There's a lot of name-dropping, which is to be expected as this is early days of Hollywood and Anna May Wong traveled in some pretty exclusive circles while often being excluded herself. As a reader, I felt like I was so in the head of Ms. Wong that a part of me understood a bit of the challenges she was facing. And when tragedy strikes later in the book, and I won't mention what to avoid spoliers, the reader picks up on Ms. Wong's pain.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and I heartily endorse it.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very interesting subject - trailblazing Chinese American actress Anna May Wong - but portrayed in a boring and repetitive manner. This is what it was like (I am exaggerating, but not by much): I traveled from LA to London to NY, then back to LA, London and NY, and then back to LA, London, and NY. I wanted a bigger role, I didn’t get it, I wanted a different role, I didn’t get it. Over and over again. Too factual and not enough feeling.

[Holly Christianson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was so poorly written, the only thing that got me through was wanting to learn more about the subject. No chapters drove me nuts! Plus the overall scheme of her reading the notebooks she’d written in the process of writing her memoir gave the author an out for her crappy writing. It just could have been written and organized so much better to honor such an influential figure.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt like I was reading a Wikipedia article. Very disappointing.

[Desiree Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whelp, that didn’t last long. 5% in and I gotta bail. Every page has been deluged with racism references. 🤢 Movin’ on 🪂

[Stacie (MagicOfBooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will also do a video review here at my channel: http://www.youtube.com/magicofbooks

"The Brightest Star" by Gail Tsukiyama follows Anna May Wong, the first Chinese-American Hollywood actress as she fights to earn leading lady status and exposure for Asian actors.

This book wasn't perfect, but it definitely is a book that I appreciate. Before Michelle Yeoh, Ming-Na Wen, Gemma Chan and Awkwafina, there was Anna May Wong. Primarily an actress through the 1920s and 1930s, Anna May Wong was the first Chinese-American Hollywood actress. Though "The Brightest Star" is historical fiction, Gail Tsukiyama follows Anna's story from childhood to her death, relying on what is factually known, but also fictionalizing certain elements and condensing Anna's life down to 300+ pages. And what a life! While reading this novel, you root for Anna from start to finish, wanting her to get her dream jobs, and frustrated when she doesn't get them. The vast majority of this novel is spent handling Anna's frustrations over not being treated equal in Hollywood. There were tons of movies being made during this era featuring a Chinese character, but an actual Chinese person was hardly ever used. Instead, a white actress would get the role and do Yellowface, which obviously, horrifies Anna. If a Chinese actor was used, if was often in a small or supporting role and they would either be a servant or a prostitute or overly sexualized. Thus is the fate of Anna May Wong and the very thing she fights against. The roles that she gets, she makes the most of, adding her own flavor and spin when she can, so American audiences can see a real Chinese woman. The heart of this story is a woman who never entirely got leading lady status, but she paved the way for future generations of Asian actors and actresses. Thanks to Anna May Wong, we have an Asian-lead superhero in "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan won Oscars for "Everything Everywhere All at Once." There are so many opportunities and stories being told for diverse groups, and Anna May Wong lead the way.

So let's head into some of my personal nitpicks with this book. I don't think this book is badly written. Gail Tsukiyama has a wonderful way with language and descriptions, and her characterization of Anna May Wong came to life as a flesh and blood woman. I guess what frustrated me about this book is that I felt like I was reading a Wikipedia page about Anna May Wong sometimes. The chapters in this book are very short, and oftentimes felt like these little snippets or vignettes into some random moment in Anna's life. It just made the pacing and flow of this book a bit odd. You never get to linger too long in certain areas of Anna's life before moving on to the next moment and then the next, all in rapid succession. And Anna is constantly on the move. One page she's in America, then she's in Berlin, then London, then China. I felt like this book never took a moment to breathe. And this book also felt like a whos-who of Hollywood. Tons of actors are either mentioned or make cameo appearances, and I felt like those cameos sometimes took away a moment that should have belonged to Anna.

I would still recommend this book for the educational value alone. Many people have probably never heard of Anna May Wong, and this book gives you an insight into her life and her struggles and her desire to inspire and expose minorities in Hollywood. Check this book out if you love classic Hollywood and Hollywood drama.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those of you who listen to our podcast may know already that I grew up in an inter generational home. My Grandma was born in 1906 and was forty when she had my mom, who was in her 40’s when she had me. As a result, I grew up watching all the movies from the golden age of Hollywood and was obsessed with Clark Gable, Katherine Hepburn, Ann Miller AND Anna May Wong.

This novel reimagines the life and legacy of Anna May who was a trailblazer who fought to show the world what a real Chinese woman looked like in a time when Hollywood thought it was cool to just have Caucasian actors in Yellowface.

This book was fascinating, I had no idea how many legendary characters Anna May came into contact with including the LEGENDARY Josephine Baker and a casual relationship with MARLENE DIETRICH?!!Seeing the world through her eyes, especially Berlin and France on the brink of WWII was eye opening and truly saddening to see what a vivacious and liberal place Berlin was before the rise of the Nazi Party.

I really felt for Anna May as she struggled with her identity as a Chinese American and where she fit not only on screen but in our world. I loved how she started refusing parts that just no longer served her and wish she had lived long enough to act on Flower Drum Song. It’s truly incredible how she ignited a fire for the Chinese culture in the US, inspired fashion and makeup and YET Hollywood would not cast her as a leading lady.

If you are as fascinated by Old Hollywood as I Am and want to learn more about the force who was Anna May Wong, I highly suggest picking this up. While I would have liked to dive a bit deeper into her life in some areas, it’s hard to pack almost 60 years into one novel especially a life as epic as this one.


Thank you to Harper Via and BiblioLifestyle for the gifted copy!

[Dana K · Rating 3 out of 5]

{3.5 stars}

Anna May Wong was a movie star in the 1920's and 30's with a brief TV career in the 1950's. She was born in America to Chinese immigrant parents and lived her youth stuck between two worlds. Too Chinese looking to be American and not quite Chinese enough to be Chinese. Her parents' expectations of a young, obedient daughter are thwarted when Anna becomes obsessed with Hollywood. As a teen she becomes determined to be in the movies and she succeeds. We see her successes but also the impact of racism on her career including her struggle to be cast as a star. She definitely makes a mark on Hollywood but not the one she hopes for.

I really rooted for Anna but felt bad as she was trading one set of rules set by her father for an equally complex set established by Hollywood and the movie viewing public. Her work ethic was amazing and I loved how she maximized every opportunity to hobnob with folks like Josephine Baker and Marlene Dietrich to help her star rise. But the experience of being passed over for the role of a lifetime in The Good Earth was so sad.

I will say that this reads more like a biography at times than historical fiction. I wish it had been a bit more immersive. I liked seeing the experiences through Anna's eyes and traveling the world in the various time points but the emotional connection was missing for me a bit with the bulk of the story.

Read this one if you liked The Siren Queen.

Thanks to Booksparks for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.

[Nancy Shields · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've never read anything by this author so I can't compare The Brightest Star to her other books but I understand this one is very different in style. It is the story of Anna May Wong, the first Chinese-American movie star. Miss Wong was in the Hollywood system in the 1920's-1950's and experienced discrimination from producers and writers. Laws preventing Chinese from marrying Americans bled into the movie system so that story lines of love stories between the two were not allowed. So, Miss Wong and other Chinese actors were relegated to small roles and English/American actors were put in "yellow face" to play the main characters.

This was all an interesting bit of history and I am glad I read this BUT

the story would have worked better as a short story or even an article in a magazine/newspaper.

Here are my criticisms-
The story is told in first person, Anna Mae reliving her childhood and professional career as she reads diaries she wrote. The writing is nothing more than "I did this" then "I did that". She refers to herself as a glamorous movie star, a beauty, etc. It is almost like a simple timeline of her life.

There is a lot of meat in Anna Mae's story that could have been discussed but that would have required the author to be selective and choose specific incidents and times. Instead, Ms. Tsukiyama seemed to prefer the "spray and pray" method - spray out all the information she had learned during research and pray some of it stuck.

I am glad I learned about Anna Mae Wong. I am sorry I spent time on this specific book.