The All-American

by Joe Milan Jr.

Introducing a character as viscerally believable and unforgettable as any in fiction, The All-American is a triumph―full of energy, dark humor, suspense, and hard-won wisdom.

Seventeen-year-old Bucky Yi knows nothing about his birth country of South Korea or his bio-dad’s disappearance; he can’t even pronounce his Korean name correctly. Running through the woods of rural Washington State with a tire tied to his waist, his sights are set on one all-American goal: to become a college football player.

So when a misadventure with his adoptive family leads the U.S. government to deport him to South Korea, he’s forced to navigate an entirely foreign version of his life. One mishap leads to another, and as an outsider, Bucky has to fall back on not just his raw physical strength, but resources of character and attitude he didn’t know he had.

In an expat bar in Seoul, in the bleak barracks of his Korean military, on a remote island where an erratic sergeant fights a shadow-war with North Korean spies, and in the remote town where he seeks out his drunken, indebted biological father, Bucky has to assemble the building blocks of a new language and stubbornly rebuild himself from scratch.

That means managing his ego, insecurities, sexual desires, family legacies, and allegiances in order to make it back home―wherever that might be―and determine who he is to himself, who he is to others, and what kind of man he wants to become.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Asian Literature, Aapi, Realistic Fiction, Asian American

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 4, 2023

About the author

Joe Milan Jr. is a Korean American author of the upcoming novel The All-American (W.W. Norton, 2023), and was the 2019-20 David T.K. Wong Creative Writing Fellow at the University of East Anglia. In addition, he was a Barrick Graduate Fellow and BMI Ph.D. Fellow at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. His work has appeared in wonderful places like The Rumpus, Broad Street, F(r)iction, The Kyoto Journal, and others. He is now an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Waldorf University in Iowa. You can read more of his work at joemilanjr.com

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially, this book was deeply upsetting to me. The first part is a completely plausible storyline, and a lot of it was happening during 45. Parts two through four were comfortably in the fictional realm. Between the dark and frightening realistic start and the imaginative rest of the story, you end up hoping the young man ends up being ok in the end. It’s a story about him finding out who he is and who he wants to be. And in the end, I ended up feeling glad his draconian circumstances forced him into it, though it also angered me that all his choices kept being taken away from him. He is a resilient soul just starting his life, and I hope he does great things with it.

[Alwynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

High school student By-ong-huk Yi goes by Bucky, that’s his American name and as far as he’s concerned American is all he is. Taken to America as a baby by his Korean father, he now lives with his white stepmother in a small, rundown town. He’s one of three Asian-American students in his school, most of his schoolmates are racist and his grades are lousy but he’s a rising star on his football team and that gives him hope for the future. Then an error in his immigration paperwork leads to his abrupt deportation to South Korea. What follows is a visceral, near-absurdist comedy of errors involving the Korean military, the Korean security services, a rusted submarine and a handful of North Korean spies. Joe Milan Jr’s coming-of-age narrative is a decidedly eccentric take on cultural heritage, identity and alienation. The plot’s more than a little contrived, and sometimes downright bizarre, but it’s fluidly written, fast-paced and intensely gripping. And even though the bewildered Bucky is often more anti-hero than hero, it’s hard not to root for him as he struggles to survive his nightmarish predicament.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher W. W. Norton and Company

Rating: 3.5

[Derek Driggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m currently teaching an intensive language and culture course for Korean Americans in the US military trying to better understand the native Korean language and culture as they prepare to work in bridge roles with the Korean military. I love teaching these courses, and learning from my Korean American students as they share the experiences they’ve had growing up in two magnetically opposed worlds: the American culture of their upbringing and the Korean culture of their heritage.
This book dove into the same topic with visceral emotion and believability, from the perspective of a Korean American foster child who is forcibly deported back to Korea and faces the struggle of immersion in a culture that is foreign to him, while also feeling rejected by the culture he thought was his own. Written by a Korean American author, it is clear that this story is being told by the best person to tell it.
One of the most powerful parts of the narrative structure here for me was how it captures the feeling of disorientation the main character constantly feels: he is never fully “in the know.” I think some readers will be frustrated at not knowing exactly what is happening, but it’s important to lean into the deliberateness of that choice by the author. Full access to information and agency in any situation is a privilege.
This book is a powerful response to the plight of Dreamers in our country and yet another reminder that those in power, here or elsewhere, rarely do what is right when they aren’t kept in check by their citizenry. I could go on and on about this book.
One note—if the reader is unfamiliar with Korean culture/language/customs (i.e. mandatory military service, etc) it might be hard to follow at times, but I really think it’s worth taking the time to look things up as you go.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an advance reader copy of this book to review. I can honestly say this book pushed a lot of buttons for me when reading: the emotional gambit ran from comedic to upsetting to thankfulness - and not necessarily in that order. Beyonhak “Bucky” Yi is growing up in Washington State looking forward to playing football at the professional level when through a series of bizarre incidents, he’s deported to South Korea, a county that he knows nothing about and whose language he cannot understand or speak. We experience Bucky’s transition from citizen to deportee when he’s detained and dehumanized- frankly this part of the book if a true representation of what our country does to deportees or those seeking asylum is disgusting (and if true I’m glad it was called out in the book). Once Bucky gets to Korea, he stays in a hostel and works to find a way home to America even getting to the US Embassy where it appears he might be going home, only to be conscripted by the South Korean government. In addition, it turns out his bio-father has accrued a mountain of debt which Bucky will have to pay back - as a result he never gets paid by the army. The period when Bucky is in the army is particularly interesting as he has to learn Korean and be assimilated into not only the South Korean army but is also required to learn Korean. Bucky just seems to flow into problems, some caused by his youthfulness and anger at being pushed around and some by the “powers that be.” He finally completes basic training and is sent to an island where he and another recruit work with the local and lone Army “head” (who’s really more of a quasi-spy operative) and uncover an infiltration of North Koreans to the island. Eventually Bucky finds his father, resolves the debt issue and gets recruited to work for the South Koreans - and is given a free college education in the process. Bucky finds that South Korea may be his home after all. There are a lot of funny moments in the book which helps alleviate some of the angst of Bucky’s situation. This is a coming-of-age story set in a culture far different than ours but I think that’s what makes this book kind of special. I think this book was a worthwhile read. Glad I had the opportunity to read it.

[Cathy Farrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started well, then just sort of lost coherence (& my interest) in the last third or so. I'm also not a fan of books that seem to just stop, rather than come to an actual end.

[Theresa Rohrer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading the advanced reader copy of The All-American as soon as I received it because the description seemed like it would be very interesting. I wasn't disappointed! I still can't imagine how horrible being deported to South Korea as a 17 year old with no Korean language skills would be.

[Justin Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reviews on this book drove me a little bit crazy. I understand everyone is entitled to their opinion, however, as someone married to an Asian American; I feel like I might have a little bit more insight to some of the events that happened here. Imagine only knowing America for your entire life and then being tossed into an Asian country. One of my favorite memoirs of all time is Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime. This book rivals that and I fell in love with the sweet “Bucky” and was inspired at how he constantly overcame adversity that will cripple most. The first 4-5 chapters are heavy on the football references which I didn’t enjoy but they are building the mindset for the character to be pushing through… it’s less about football and more about discipline and perseverance. Power through that and you will love this book! It’s in my top 3 of memoirs in the last 10 years… maybe 20? It’s really a book that should be in everyone’s library. I will 100% revisit it in the future.

[Jessi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book left me angry, annoyed, depressed, and frustrated. Throughout most of the story, bad thing after bad thing kept happening to this main character and he couldn’t do anything to stop all the bad things. The rest of the story felt forced in one way or another in order to make the story go forward. And don’t get me started on the bar with five different patrons named Mark! Towards the end of the book, the song Is It Over Yet by Wynonna Judd started playing in my head. Make of that what you will.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5.5
This was a fast read. The concept was interesting. I was a little confused on when this book took place, because of the way of speaking as well as lack of awareness of resources for children brought to the US illegally, like DACA. It was fun to read when the main character was in Korea, showing how he may adapt and find himself. The only reason why it's 3.5/5 is because in the 2nd half, I have no idea how we get to that point. It felt like it was a different story. Maybe I wasn't paying too close attention.

[Natalie Park · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley and W. W. Norton & Company for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Bucky Yi is a 17 year old adoptee and has big dreams to play college football, escaping the small town life of rural Washington State. Bucky doesn't know who his bio-father and mother as his adoptive mother dated Bucky's dad and disappeared one day. His adoptive mother has another adopted son and a bit of a crazy family. It's this family that lands Bucky in jail only to find out he's getting deported back to South Korea as it seems a payment bounced and his immigration paperwork was not finalized when he's a boy. So he's being shipped back "home". Then crazy things really start happening as the South Korean government figures out that he really doesn't belong there, and they're ready to send him back to the US but, as he's of age, the SK government realizes he can't leave without doing military service. This story is a wild ride but shows how tenuous it is for those who don't look "American", don't belong. There's also commentary on government, politics and family. Overall, it was an interesting read.

[Misha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was enjoyable and straightforward to read, but perhaps too much so. Bucky isn't the deepest of characters and honestly, as accused multiple times, he is indeed a meathead. His point of view is fairly shallow and his struggle is relatable as someone who has no idea about Korean society but is considered a Korean National and deported through no fault of his own.

An interesting idea but I think with a more thoughtful and interesting protagonist, I would have enjoyed it more.

[Wren · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is so fucking weird. So much stuff happens. It feels like a war movie, one of those over 2 hour ones that is brutal in every way possible.

I’d have DNFed a long time ago if it wasn’t my only entertainment on the long train ride home from a day trip. I will not get the 3 hours back

[Jj Burch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Home is a moving
Target when no one claims you.
A hero’s journey?

[Jaehee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Abrupt scenes and pacing, storyline that got hard to follow, and character growth that fell flat for me

[Marc Snetiker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bucky Yi is a Korean Holden Caulfield, an aloof but observant teenager lost in the gaps of society and stranded without the language to express what he actually wants and deserves. I found THE ALL-AMERICAN to be hopeful and harrowing, magnificent and distressing, beautifully tragic and optimistic. It’s not a book for impatient readers but rather a rewarding one for meanderers, with Bucky’s story ultimately leaving me completely speechless and knocking me fully off-balance with a satisfying gut-punch ending. The themes of home, freedom, and identity are so gorgeously and efficiently explored here—and from the POV of such a remarkably compelling new character—that I know I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time.

[Tembii · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got half way through and gave up, this book honestly, I rele wanted to love it, but the characters are so unloveable and theres no emotional connection to any of them. I care about his plights and the unfairness of the USA immigration law, I truly do, but this book did not hook me at all, the pacing is boring and so are the characters. I just dont even feel motivated to find out what happens. :( this book doesn't hit

[Stephen Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite line from my advance copy of The All-American appears during Chapter 53 and is made in reference to the Korean military, who "don't believe in mistakes. But every pencil has an eraser."

In a set of circumstances, some caused by the main character's anger and errors in judgment and others created through sets of random (often absurd) situations, a deported "Bucky" is ordered to serve his mandatory year in the Korean military. The problems with that being,
(a) he has lived in the United States (Washington state) his entire life—he has not been in Korea since very early childhood and he was never taught or learned about the Korean culture or language—and
(b) he doesn't believe he is a Korean citizen due to being brought to the US by his father, who paid an American girlfriend to "raise him in a better place" and then returned to Korea.

For me, the best parts of this book are the references to outdated immigration policies and layers of bureaucracies that even the family's lawyer cannot defend against and Bucky's first-hand accounts of being stuck in limbo between the two countries—not really a citizen of either but claimed by an entity that really only counts him as a duty-bound body. Those parts, in both the United States and Korea, were well-told and emotional and seemed sadly realistic (based on someone whose related experience relies solely on news reports).

I wish those parts of Bucky's story could have been told against a different backdrop, but the author uses analogies with and comparisons to American football to make many points and justify others. He also uses random, often-ludicrous, ill-fitting experiences in the Korean military to demonstrate roadblocks to Bucky's American return. I do feel that many of these stories, which are scattered throughout the entire book, could better stand on their own in other, independent works; they just didn't work for me in a telling of Bucky's life and experiences. I also feel that the author did a good job of tying up an excess of loose ends by the book's completion, and I felt that the main character's resolution was realistic—especially when set against his wild journey of frustration!

I would recommend this book for more advanced YA readers and, especially, for readers (who don't mind filtering through a long story) striving to grasp an understanding of the personal costs of immigration on children as well as the difficult positions that undocumented youth—particularly children of undocumented parents, or DACA Dreamers—who have never lived in their parents' homeland are forced to face.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out very slow for me. I’m not a fan of football and I found Bucky’s family to be incredibly unlikeable. I was hoping things would get better. Unfortunately, for me, not so much. I just could not connect with Bucky. I felt really sorry for his circumstances but it was difficult to get past the football references, the teenage hormones, the rage and the bad decisions. I almost stopped reading in the last section because it was just so odd, and, my gosh, there isn’t one appealing character in the entire book.

I don’t usually give gender labels to books but there is such a thing as Women’s fiction so I suppose this book would qualify as Men’s fiction so perhaps I’m judging unfairly. I would actually be interested to hear from a man that had read it. I give the book 2 stars for two reasons: I actually liked the ending, and the book also opened my eyes to how immigrants who have been deported may be treated. Some cash and see you later feels like a very broken system.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up on a whim because the title entrigued me. I am so glad I did. I loved this book. It was perfect. What can I say... nothing. I don't want to pop the fragile bubble that is the awe I feel over this book.

My favorite part was when he didn't know if the loans were for tea or a car because in Korean they are spelled the same 차. Those little details were utter perfection. As an American learning Korean I related so much to Bucky. It was just so great.

[Mary Schreiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the first sentence of the first chapter Milan pulled me in when he wrote, “At sunny meadow, there’s no sun, and no meadow, just a mobile home park buried in the ass of Lion Mountain.” The plot: a naïve high school student is busting his ass just trying to land a football scholarship when, through no fault of his own, ends up in a foreign country and all his choices become horrifying, painful, and ultimately, life threatening.
After discussing CATCHER IN THE RYE ad nauseum in high school and arguing the only redeeming part of that book was understanding a narcissist, I was surprised when Milan’s main character’s (Bucky) first-person voice inspired me. Bucky’s voice forced me to understand, really understand, what it was like growing up poor and looking different than most of your classmates. I loved Milan’s genuine, textured, first-person voice.
Milan’s theme of identity (Who am I? No, really, who the hell am I?) transformed this book into an amazing psychological thriller. However, in chapter 50 I stopped reading and started reflecting when Milan wrote, “There are no lies when there’s no truth… You’ll agree when you realize what you are.” I discovered that this novel is so much more than a psychological thriller. It asks readers to ponder the meaning of truth, to question our freedoms, and to face the choices we think we have, but don’t.

[David Jin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that may remind some of Dave Barry, The All-American is a Forest Gump tale for Korean-Americans, at to a looser extent, Asian-Americans in general. Bucky goes on a life-changing, bizarre journey, defined by setbacks the entire way. He learns about himself and the country he has so much tie to, matures, and develops a more worldly view. The twists keep coming, and each one is unexpected.

I felt that Bucky was a good, but not elite protagonist. He was sympathetic and the character growth arc he undergoes was quite good. However, he was unconvincing at times as a character. I did not feel like I could convincingly understand his growing affinity for his Korean heritage. I feel like the story needed a little more meat to show this development, while not necessarily falling into using the rather cliched “enlightening moment” trope. There were a handful of other times where I could not create much explanation for his actions. Sometimes, actions don't have much of an explanation, admittedly.

The All-American explores so much in its pages and feels like a book targeted towards Asian-Americans who seek identity. Racial and ethnic lines in American and Korea. International relations. National pride and brainwashing. Obedience and rebellion. Self-growth. I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, and I am happy I picked it up.

[Heather L · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read, and it seemed very plausible. Bucky is South Korean, living in rural Washington State with his step mom, going to high school, playing football and hoping to make it into college on a football scholarship. You could say he's living the American dream. All of which comes crashing down when his "Uncle" and him get into an argument which escalates and Bucky finds himself arrested. And very soon after that he finds himself deported to South Korea, someplace he has never been. Culture shock is daunting to say the least, he can't speak Korean, can't even say his Korean name. He eventually finds himself working at a bar, cleaning the place and loading kegs of beer (because he's very fit he's the only one that can lift them). All the while he's trying to get back to America, he's talking to a lawyer, things are looking positive until they are not and he finds himself in the South Korean military, part of the mandatory military service for Korean men. He goes through basic training, is assigned to a small island with another recruit to watch for invading North Koreans. Overall I enjoyed the story and how Bucky adapted to all the situations he was thrust into. Thanks to #Netgalley and #WW Norton and Co for the ARC.

[mike m · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out slow, and I came to actively dislike this book as it went along, and only kept going bec of its adoption-adjacent territory. The world and circumstances the author imagined about Koreans who grew up in white American household and returned to Korea knowing nothing is so small, it was hardly an exploration of this main topic. He said in an interview he didn't do any research, and it truly shows. The characters in such a book should at least be rich and intriguing, but these (incl and maybe esp the main char) are all flat and mostly annoying. So then the plot should be gripping... No. The only somewhat interesting aspect was the first parts of military training, and I later found out that he wrote that first, and then built the rest of the book around that, which is exactly how the book turned out. The adoption related topics were completely shallow and unimaginative, author has nothing interesting to say there.

This might have worked as a parody, not serious tone, but it never struck me as funny and I do believe we were supposed to be emotionally invested throughout.

It's too bad, bec I could tell where the author's sympathies lie, and therefore wanted to be a big fan. [audiobook]

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging and fast read that sucked me in quickly. I thought it was a very vivid story surrounding a boy raised as a mid to lower class typical American teenager who suddenly, through no fault of his own, is taken from the world he knew to (even its unfairness and prejudice) into one where he, although born there, was a stranger. As a foreigner on both shores, Bucky has to navigate life as barely an adult, unable to speak a language and no understanding of the culture of his heritage. Compounded on top of that is the sudden, jarring military conscription and concept of family debt. He is left adrift, fighting to survive and find his place in a world that makes him feel expendable. While he makes some questionable choices, it’s easy to feel empathetic towards him, he is, after all, little more than a child in a grown up disguise trying to navigate where the odds seem infinitely stacked against him. The novel is an original take on a coming of age story that makes the reader wonder whether we are merely creatures created solely by the circumstances of our births or if the saving grace is something in our own mettle. Bucky matures through the story, and at the conclusion, displays the emotional intelligence and wisdom required of a man.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bucky, a high-school football player, was born in Korea and only speaks English. His American stepmother filed paperwork for his citizenship, but the check bounced. After an altercation, he is accused of being an illegal immigrant, placed in a detention center, suffered in humane treatment, and sent to Korea. In Korea, he discovers his father has run up debts in Bucky’s name that must be paid, he is or isn’t a Korean citizen, and must complete military service. This book is the story of his feelings, experiences in Korea, resiliency, and search for identity.
At first, I had difficulty getting into the book because of football references, guns, violence, and maleness. But the story of this poor young man's search for identity and belonging was heartbreaking. Once into Bucky's misadventure, I couldn’t book the book down. I wanted to read the twists and turns of his story and how he used the lessons from football to navigate his struggles. How many young people today are being sent to a country where they don’t speak the language and have no friends or family all because of failed immigration policies or government ineptitude? What happens to them?

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Korea, a child, “Bucky,” is born to an American expat woman and Korean father.

After being brought to the US for a better life, the Korean-American youth experiences the alienation and isolation of Asian-ness in rural America. This is exacerbated by adult guidance which propels him on a path to a likely unachievable goal in football. A variety of unfortunate missteps leads to his deportation back to Korea, where he knows no one and does not speak the language, cannot even pronounce his own Korean name. Coming with difficulty to some acceptance of his circumstances, with few leads and no money, teen-aged Bucky embarks on a quest for family and identity.

The many diabolical roadblocks of this tale bring to mind Kafka’s The Trial; there is never any (justifiable) reason for the maladies which befall him. We experience along with Bucky the ignominy of arrest and incarceration; we share his sense of entrapment in military service. This was not a particularly pleasant read, but the denouement was satisfying.

[Meredith Molloy · Rating 3 out of 5]

📚: The All-American by Joe Milan Jr.
⭐️: 3.5/5 (rounding down on #goodreads)

As a forewarning, this read is not a light one. A Korean adoptee, Bucky has lived detached from his Korean identity in the US. A football running back, he has dreams of playing college football, and a temper that lands him of all things, deported back to South Korea. Without knowledge of Korean culture, language, and a chip on his shoulder, Bucky finds himself having to grow to survive.

This stream of consciousness style writing made for a quick read, but at times fragmented reading. As a Korean adoptee myself, I hoped to connect more, but found Bucky’s character so unlikeable for more than the first half. There doesn’t seem to be many books with an adoptee story from a male main character perspective, and while this makes a place for that literary need, the anger issues and casual misogyny were a little tough to swallow at times.

Thanks to @w.w.norton via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The All-American is out now as of April 4th! #gifted

[Dulcie]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The All-American by Joe Milan Jr. is the story of the deportation of a high-school football player gone terribly wrong. Bucky is 17 years old and trying to get a college scholarship to play football. He gets mixed up in a bad situation with his uncle, and next thing he knows he is in a detention center while waiting for deportation. His father has not been seen for years, and due to paperwork errors, his stepmom never became his adoptive mom nor did his citizenship ever come through. Follow his wild adventures as he is released in South Korea without a clue of what to do and without speaking the language. I laughed and cried while reading this book. But most of all, I found myself cheering Bucky on as his life spun out of control, and then turned around for the better.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to write a review. The All-American is currently for sale at your favorite bookstore. #goodreads @wwnorton

[Kara Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "The All-American," Joe Milan Jr. takes us on an emotional rollercoaster through the life of Bucky Yi, a Korean-American teenager whose world is turned upside down when he’s deported to South Korea. From the very first page, the story grabs you with its fast pace and the raw honesty of Bucky’s teenage voice. He’s a boy caught between two worlds—too American to feel at home in South Korea and too Korean to fit in back in the U.S.

What I loved most about Bucky is how real he feels; he’s not just a character on a page but someone you can see growing and changing right before your eyes. He starts off making impulsive decisions, but as the story unfolds, he learns to navigate his emotions and those of the people around him, which adds depth to his journey. The ending is both surprising and satisfying. It’s a beautiful reminder that sometimes our paths take unexpected turns, leading us exactly where we need to be. Milan has crafted a heartfelt story that resonates with anyone who has ever felt out of place.

[Lee Cornell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bucky Yi is a 17-year-old Korean-American, though perhaps only a Korean living in America. His family history is convoluted, and it is not entirely clear if he was ever legally adopted by his step-mother. As a result, an encounter with the law leaves him a deportee on a plane to Korea.

All Bucky really wants is a chance to be a college running back, and he is nearly completely unprepared to find himself thrown into an absurd, sometimes hilarious, sometimes bleak drama that leads him first to work in an ex-pat bar and then into the Korean Army.

There are more than a handful of unforgettable characters ... I mean, **really** unforgettable characters. There are family members, ex-pats, a fellow recruit, a twisted sergeant, a Korean intelligence agent, a former classmate, ...

In spite of all of this, it is really a serious coming-of-age novel that speaks to identity, and it is well worth reading.