Barnes & Noble Nook discussion

. . . . Please share in this thread your thoughts about this book, as you read it, or when you finish. We seem to be be choosing some fantastic books for our new little book club! I've already downloaded my copy, and am looking forward to starting to read this book this week!

I didn't get a chance to start reading this book until today!

I thought I'd post 3 of the author's discussion questions for anyone to consider as they read this book:

1. Throughout Girl in Translation, the author uses creative spelling to show Kimberly’s mis-hearing and misunderstanding of English words. How does the language of the novel evolve as Kimberly grows and matures? Do you see a change in the respective roles that English and Chinese play in the narrative as it progresses?
2. The word translation figures prominently in the title of the novel, and learning to translate between her two languages is key to Kimberly’s ability to thrive in her new life. Does she find herself translating back and forth in anything other than language? Clothing? Priorities? Expectations? Personality or behavior? Can you cite instances where this occurs, and why they are significant to the story as a whole?
3. Kimberly has two love interests in the book. How are the relationships that Matt and Curt offer different? Why do you think she ultimately chooses one boy over the other? What does that choice say about her? Can you see a future for her with the other boy? What would change?

As I read this book, I'm finding it to be quite moving. Here are 4 more discussion questions to think about, whether you've finished the book yet or are in the middle of it:

4. In many ways Kimberly takes over the position of head of household after her family moves to New York. Was this change in roles inevitable? How do you imagine Ma feels about it? Embarrassed? Grateful? In which ways does Ma still fulfill the role of mother?

5. Kimberly often refers to her father, and imagines how her life might have been different, easier, if he had lived. Do you think she is right?

6. Kimberly’s friend Annette never seems to grasp the depths of Kimberly’s poverty. What does this say about her? What lesson does this experience teach Kimberly? Is Kimberly right to keep the details of her home life a secret?

7. Kimberly believes that devoting herself to school will allow her to free her family from poverty. Does school always live up to her expectations? Where do you think it fails her? How does it help her succeed? Can you imagine the same character without the academic talent? How would her life be different? What would remain the same? Is Kimberly right to believe that all of her potential lies in her talent for school? Must qualities like ambition, drive, hope, and optimism go hand in hand with book smarts?

I'm almost finished with this book, but have to stop every once in awhile because it makes me cry! I just checked the author's website to see if this were a true story or work of fiction, and while Jean Kwok says it's fiction, it is based on details from her own life. She came from Hong Kong as a 5 year old, with her family, to New York, and lived in wrenching poverty. She was one of 7 children, worked in sweatshops, lived in an unheated New York apartment with only a kitchen oven for warmth, and infested with roaches and rats. Here's a link to her web page if you want to learn more: http://www.jeankwok.com/faq.shtml

Please hurry and finish reading this book so I can see what you think about the ending! I'm passionately disappointed in its ending! Why, oh why, didn't the author just take a vacation or something before writing the last 30 pages or so? It's not that I didn't like the choice Kimberly made at the end; I'm feeling cranky with the author for arranging the "situation" at the end; it seemed like someone desperately trying to find a way to end the book, and knew they couldn't just type "the end." Harumph.

Hi there -- I'm new to the group but Girl in Translation was the first book I read on my nook (my face-to-face group selected it for our next discussion)

I agree that the ending wasn't that great. It did seem that the author was on a deadline and just compressed the ending together. Other than that I enjoyed the book a lot; I was amazed at Kimberly's ability to essentially live two separate lives at such a young age. I would not have been able to do it.

Welcome to the group, Suzanne! Good point, about the "deadline;" maybe that's why it seemed to just sort of screech to a halt with a contrived-seeming ending. Suzanne, if you haven't seen it, we're also just about to start our July book selection now.

Angela2932 wrote: "Welcome to the group, Suzanne! Good point, about the "deadline;" maybe that's why it seemed to just sort of screech to a halt with a contrived-seeming ending. Suzanne, if you haven't seen it, we're..."

Thanks, I'll go have a look ....