Made in China: A Memoir of Love and Labor
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- Create Date：2021-08-05 06:19:12
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Anna Qu
- ISBN：164622034X
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Sherri Puzey
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117 // “All three generations of my family， starting with my grandmother （and probably going back further than that）， were taught to be daughters， child bearers， caregivers， and laborers。 Women born to carry more than their weight。 Untethered anger stirs in all of us， and eventually becomes a tight ball of bitterness and resentment， handed down generation after generation。”MADE IN CHINA is a debut memoir about the meaning of work， the generational trauma and abuse in families， and what it looks 117 // “All three generations of my family， starting with my grandmother （and probably going back further than that）， were taught to be daughters， child bearers， caregivers， and laborers。 Women born to carry more than their weight。 Untethered anger stirs in all of us， and eventually becomes a tight ball of bitterness and resentment， handed down generation after generation。”MADE IN CHINA is a debut memoir about the meaning of work， the generational trauma and abuse in families， and what it looks like for immigrant families to pursue the American dream。 as a teenager @annaqu was sent to work in her family’s garment factory in Queens。 she was treated as a second-class citizen by her family， expected to dutifully serve them yet was not included in family functions。 Anna eventually decided to call to OCFS about her mistreatment， and this phone call impacts the rest of her life and her family relationships。 this story is both captivating and heartbreaking。 exploring difficult family relationships and how we define abuse， this debut will have readers rooting for Anna the whole way through。 if you love memoirs like I do， this is one to add to your list！thank you to @catapult for sending me a copy of this one！ 。。。more
Elena L。
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[3。5/5 stars] "She was my mother and I was her daughter。" MADE IN CHINA is a memoir about Anna Qu， a Chinese immigrant's woman。 It starts with her mother leaving China to follow her American dream。 Qu then lives with her grandparents for five years before being reunited with her mother in America。This memoir read like a Chinese drama based on how absurd was Qu's reality。 In Queens， her mother favored her half-siblings at home， she is treated as a maid and she had to work long hours at the garmen [3。5/5 stars] "She was my mother and I was her daughter。" MADE IN CHINA is a memoir about Anna Qu， a Chinese immigrant's woman。 It starts with her mother leaving China to follow her American dream。 Qu then lives with her grandparents for five years before being reunited with her mother in America。This memoir read like a Chinese drama based on how absurd was Qu's reality。 In Queens， her mother favored her half-siblings at home， she is treated as a maid and she had to work long hours at the garment factory。 In addition to the cultural shock - changing from freedom to order - Qn felt the isolation， loneliness and became resentful towards her new family。 Her mother wanted her to experience the hardships and feel how lucky she was compared to other Chinese immigrants。I mostly felt sorry since I couldn't see traces of kindness nor maternal love。 Qn narrates in a sensitive way the abandonment and cruelty that she felt for years and I can only imagine Qn's struggle to write her experiences down。 Being of Taiwanese descent， this book made me question the mother-daughter relationship considering the Chinese cultural aspect: is it mainly duty for the daughter to serve and obey？ or for a mother to have the right to sacrifice the daughter？ I personally think that the trust fact should be above all these concepts。Through this memoir it is also mentioned the tension between Chinese and Taiwanese descents， plus the painful yet common fact which parents leave China without their children。 This commonplace separation is often very harmful and traumatic。 Towards the end， Qn tries to understand why her mother is the way she is after learning more about her mother's story。 This memoir captures the flaws of Children and Family services and we are also allowed a glimpse into the startup world， with its specific challenges regarding budget and uncertainties。This is a fierce memoir that gives us insightful views about specific topics and I recommend it！[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Catapult - in exchange for an honest review ] 。。。more
Bonnie Brien
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I had a hard time engaging with this， very negative tone and the story jumped around a lot。 I hoped to learn more about the sweatshops in America， but that was a small part of the book。 Definitely heartbreaking what this woman suffered， and I’m glad she has made her way to a good life in spite of her tragedy。Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy。
Emily Martin
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I won a copy of this book through Goodreads Giveaways。 I am a steward for a Little Free Library and I'm excited to share this one with the community！ I won a copy of this book through Goodreads Giveaways。 I am a steward for a Little Free Library and I'm excited to share this one with the community！ 。。。more
Angie
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I couldn't put this book down。 Gripping and insightful。 Thank you Catapult for the gifted copy。 I couldn't put this book down。 Gripping and insightful。 Thank you Catapult for the gifted copy。 。。。more
Janilyn Kocher
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Unfortunately， I have read many memoirs like this。 You will want to cry when you read Made in China。 Anna was left by her mother for five years， being reared by her grandparents。 When her mother returns to bring her to America， she become an outcast。 Her mother is cruel and hateful， favoring her two，other children blatantly。 I was appalled at all that Anna had to endure。 She is made of strong fortitude because she certainly lived a life of emotional emptiness and lack of caring from her “family。 Unfortunately， I have read many memoirs like this。 You will want to cry when you read Made in China。 Anna was left by her mother for five years， being reared by her grandparents。 When her mother returns to bring her to America， she become an outcast。 Her mother is cruel and hateful， favoring her two，other children blatantly。 I was appalled at all that Anna had to endure。 She is made of strong fortitude because she certainly lived a life of emotional emptiness and lack of caring from her “family。” In the end， Anna is reunited with someone special from her only time of happiness in her childhood。 It’s a somber memoir。 Thanks to Catapult and NetGalley for the advance read。 。。。more
Amanda
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A painfully honest memoir about the complexities of family， immigration， and the impact of work on ourselves and our self-identity。 Read this really quickly。 Very engaging。*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review。*
Carlanna
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This is a memoir of Anna Qu’s Life as a woman born in China who’s mother left her there as a very young child to be raised by her grandparents because Anna‘s father died。 She eventually was sent to the United States to live with her mothers new family of a new husband and two children， but she was never quite fully excepted by the family and was expected to clean the home and work in a sweatshop for many hours per week。 I love memoirs and books about different cultures and immigrant experiences This is a memoir of Anna Qu’s Life as a woman born in China who’s mother left her there as a very young child to be raised by her grandparents because Anna‘s father died。 She eventually was sent to the United States to live with her mothers new family of a new husband and two children， but she was never quite fully excepted by the family and was expected to clean the home and work in a sweatshop for many hours per week。 I love memoirs and books about different cultures and immigrant experiences I had a special interest in this one because I am married to a Chinese man so of course I’m very interested in Chinese culture。There were so many hardships experienced by Anna And although she experienced severe issues at times that really impacted her childhood and her character as a young woman she also tried to see the flipside of the coin by realizing why her mother may have done certain things a certain way。She should not have had to endure even half of the experiences she had as a child and many of us are so privileged in comparison。 Many things that happened were inexcusable but she still tried to have some compassion for her mother in trying to understand why she had done things that way。She tried to make the relationship better as she got older and extended the olive branch which was frequently declined。I was glad to see a reuniting with someone special from her past towards the end。I really really did like this book and I wish I was better at describing how good it was。 。。。more
Sharon
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Anna Qu is just a little girl when her mother abruptly leaves China， handing over care of the fatherless child to her grandparents。 Years later， her mother returns from the United States to retrieve Anna， but the reunion is not what the young girl has dreamt it would be。 Arriving in New York City， not knowing the language or anything about the country， Anna finds that her mother has a whole new family。 Not knowing where she fits in， either in the family or in the larger community， Anna struggles Anna Qu is just a little girl when her mother abruptly leaves China， handing over care of the fatherless child to her grandparents。 Years later， her mother returns from the United States to retrieve Anna， but the reunion is not what the young girl has dreamt it would be。 Arriving in New York City， not knowing the language or anything about the country， Anna finds that her mother has a whole new family。 Not knowing where she fits in， either in the family or in the larger community， Anna struggles to make sense of her new life。Made in China is about an unwanted child， who tries as much as she can to fit in with the rest of the family。 Years of neglect and abuse takes its toll， until the day that Anna has had enough。 The strength and courage that she shows is admirable， especially through difficult circumstances。The author does not explain enough about the Chinese culture of honoring one's parents， as some readers might not understand why Anna keeps on going back for more emotional abuse even in adulthood。 Overall， Made in China is well written and riveting， with Anna explaining her life in a way that will have readers mesmerized。 I would strongly recommend Made in China: A Memoir of Love and Labor to those who are drawn to immigrant stories。Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of Made in China: A Memoir of Love and Labor。 The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own。 。。。more
Hilary ☀️
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Thank you Catapult for an advance reading copy of this book; this is an honest review。Searing in its honesty， this memoir by Anna Qu （out on August 3） drew me in from the first chapter and didn't let me go。 After immigrating to the United States to join her mother and new stepfather， Qu is forced to work in her parents' sweatshop under her mother's supervision， after which she comes home to labor as a maid to her privileged step-siblings。 Every action is liable to trigger her mother's rage—fight Thank you Catapult for an advance reading copy of this book; this is an honest review。Searing in its honesty， this memoir by Anna Qu （out on August 3） drew me in from the first chapter and didn't let me go。 After immigrating to the United States to join her mother and new stepfather， Qu is forced to work in her parents' sweatshop under her mother's supervision， after which she comes home to labor as a maid to her privileged step-siblings。 Every action is liable to trigger her mother's rage—fighting her stepbrother for the remote， calling "Mommy" at the sweatshop， trying to finish her homework at night—and with that rage comes punishment， accusations of not fulfilling filial piety in accordance with her parents' "benevolence，" and threats of being sent away （which were followed through）。Many years later， as Qu sifts through the child services paperwork， she finds her case was ruled "no abuse。" As readers， we watch and listen as Qu reflects on this gaslighting， momentarily thrown off and unsure of herself。 We see this uncertainty even in the way she speaks about her mother's "unkindness" while recalling the childhood abuse。But this is not just a book about child neglect and child abuse。 Qu's reflections demonstrate incredible empathy and discernment for the intergenerational trauma inherited from the women in her lineage。 She writes: "Untethered anger stirs in all of us， and eventually becomes a tight ball of bitterness and resentment， handed down generation after generation。" For children who inherit this trauma， understanding it is not a condonation of the violence in which it manifests; rather， it's an understanding that this is pain that no longer needs to be passed down to future generations。Full review: https://www。instagram。com/p/CRsVDlPLe2U/ 。。。more
Marian
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Rating/review TK。
Annie
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At its heart， Anna Qu's memoir is about her relationship with her mother and the experience of being a Chinese immigrant in the United States。 Anna's mother left China after the death of her first husband， leaving Anna behind with her grandparents until it was possible to bring Anna to the United States， where her mother had established a new， more fortunate life as well as a new family。 In the five years her mother was gone， Anna missed her mother and hoped that they would be reunited and be ha At its heart， Anna Qu's memoir is about her relationship with her mother and the experience of being a Chinese immigrant in the United States。 Anna's mother left China after the death of her first husband， leaving Anna behind with her grandparents until it was possible to bring Anna to the United States， where her mother had established a new， more fortunate life as well as a new family。 In the five years her mother was gone， Anna missed her mother and hoped that they would be reunited and be happy together。 However， when they are reunited， Anna doesn't get the relationship with her mother she craves， being pushed aside in favor of her mother's new husband and children。 So much of the book focuses on Anna's relationship with her mother and the conflict between what Anna wants and what her mother gives， but it is also about trying to understand and accept the history and past of our parents and family that have shaped who they and we have become。 It feels weird to say that I enjoyed this book since so much of it deals with what many would consider abuse， neglect， and trauma， so perhaps I will say that Anna's story was powerful and I am still thinking about it。 Anna shows the reader what her childhood and young adulthood were like through her descriptions， evoking the frustration and dread of the relationship she has with her mother。 Her contextualization of her mother's choices and actions towards the end seem to provide some measure of closure， though I get the sense that Anna is still frustrated and unfulfilled by the relationship she has with her mother。 The story itself is powerful and upsetting， but also provides a look at one facet of the immigrant experience。 My only criticism is that the organization of the story sometimes made it a little hard to follow the chronology of what was happening in Anna's life， but it is a minor issue that doesn't take away from the whole experience of the memoir。Thank you to NetGalley， Catapult， Centerpoint Press， and Soft Skull Press for the opportunity to read Made in China early in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
KarenK2
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I received this from Netgalley。com。 Anna Qu is forced "to work in her parents sweatshop and calls child services on her mother in this powerful debut memoir。"Qu must have felt writing this book as a very cathartic experience。 3☆ I received this from Netgalley。com。 Anna Qu is forced "to work in her parents sweatshop and calls child services on her mother in this powerful debut memoir。"Qu must have felt writing this book as a very cathartic experience。 3☆ 。。。more
christine liu
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Anna Qu's debut book is a poignant and succinctly written memoir in which she reflects on growing up as a Chinese immigrant in America， as a neglected stepchild in a new family unit that made no room to include her， as a young girl navigating adolescence with no support while bound by her mother's oppressive parenting and expectations of free labor。 After her father passes away， her mother goes to the US in search of a better life， leaving her with grandparents in Wenzhou for years。 At age 7 she Anna Qu's debut book is a poignant and succinctly written memoir in which she reflects on growing up as a Chinese immigrant in America， as a neglected stepchild in a new family unit that made no room to include her， as a young girl navigating adolescence with no support while bound by her mother's oppressive parenting and expectations of free labor。 After her father passes away， her mother goes to the US in search of a better life， leaving her with grandparents in Wenzhou for years。 At age 7 she was finally reunited with her mother， who by now was more like a stranger， and with a stepfather and two young half-siblings whose carefree， indulged lives would always exist in stark contrast to her own reality of abandonment and abuse。Many parts of this book were hard to read — not just because the injustice and emotional neglect she endured for years is heartbreaking， but also because I could not logically comprehend how her mother could treat her child the way she did。 In reading about her memories of being excluded from family events， being forced as a child to finish evening shifts at the family's garment factory and take the train home alone while her parents drove home and had dinner with their other children hours earlier， being yelled at and slapped for staying up too late to do her homework because it was the only "leisure" time available to her， I often found myself judging the parent who would do this to her own daughter。But rather than lay blame on the family that caused her so much misery， Qu's narrative is full of deep and breathtaking empathy。 She writes eloquently about her attempts as an adult to make sense of the trauma her mother suffered growing up during the Cultural Revolution that made her the person she was， of her mother's struggles to survive as a poor working woman， and of the decision of her child services caseworker to declare there was no evidence of abuse and no need to remove her from her home。 In writing about her experiences with incredible candor and vulnerability， Qu peels back the layers on many difficult and complex issues of abuse， immigration， and belonging。This was such a powerful and insightful read for me， and I cannot recommend it enough。 Many thanks to the publisher， Catapult， for sending me this free ARC。 Make sure to check this book out when it's released on August 3， 2021！ 。。。more
Amanda
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Thank you to Goodreads for having this giveaway。 I thoroughly enjoyed this book！ It makes you appreciate any love you received from your family because Anna received very little from the person who should have given her the most。 I can't imagine enduring the loneliness she had at the hands of her own mother。 I hope she lives a life filled with the love and happiness she never had growing up。 Thank you to Goodreads for having this giveaway。 I thoroughly enjoyed this book！ It makes you appreciate any love you received from your family because Anna received very little from the person who should have given her the most。 I can't imagine enduring the loneliness she had at the hands of her own mother。 I hope she lives a life filled with the love and happiness she never had growing up。 。。。more
Glenda Nelms
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Emotionally painful， personal and gripping memoir。 Anna Qu had a broken mother-daughter relationship。 We observe the hardships of hard labor， what is my American dream， etc。 Through the trauma， the strength of the human spirit leaves readers hopeful。 Qu's memoir interwoven the place of Women in society and family。 When her father dies， Qu's mother heads to the US to work and leaves her daughter with her parents。 Years later， Qu follows her mother to New York and into a new life that involves a s Emotionally painful， personal and gripping memoir。 Anna Qu had a broken mother-daughter relationship。 We observe the hardships of hard labor， what is my American dream， etc。 Through the trauma， the strength of the human spirit leaves readers hopeful。 Qu's memoir interwoven the place of Women in society and family。 When her father dies， Qu's mother heads to the US to work and leaves her daughter with her parents。 Years later， Qu follows her mother to New York and into a new life that involves a stepfather and two half siblings。 Her mother treats her like a servant， neglects her needs， is emotionally abusive， and makes her work in the family sweatshop in Queens。 This book addresses the effects of intergenerational trauma。 。。。more
Scribe Publications
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Anna Qu has written a thoroughly engrossing and nuanced memoir about triumph over trauma and the meaning of home。 Made in China brings the immigrant experience to life and makes you root for Anna。 A must read。Sopan Deb， Author of Missed TranslationsMade in China is an important story told with intelligence and heart， and a study of discipline as a form of devotion — devotion to a mother， to a legacy， to our own dreams and to those of others， to being good。 So much of American rhetoric is about w Anna Qu has written a thoroughly engrossing and nuanced memoir about triumph over trauma and the meaning of home。 Made in China brings the immigrant experience to life and makes you root for Anna。 A must read。Sopan Deb， Author of Missed TranslationsMade in China is an important story told with intelligence and heart， and a study of discipline as a form of devotion — devotion to a mother， to a legacy， to our own dreams and to those of others， to being good。 So much of American rhetoric is about what we are owed。 This graceful memoir is about the much trickier problem of what we deserve。 Which is， in the end， brightest love。Lacy Crawford， Author of Notes On A SilencingAnna masterfully evokes her childhood with a power and grace that speak of an experience that no one should ever have to endure。 This moving and unforgettable memoir needs to be read by everyone。Nicole Dennis-Benn， Author of PatsyMade in China is a sympathetic， brave portrayal of the confusions， difficulties， and hurts that come with growing up between worlds。 Anna Qu’s writing about her journey as an immigrant deftly shows how our origins — of economic status， of country — have lasting effects on the ways we approach family， work， and self。 I was captivated and moved by her story。Alexandra Chang， Author of Days of DistractionQu rewrites the bootstrap narrative of immigrants building a better life for their children in her grim and entrancing debut。 Her “path to the American dream” amounts to a devastating story of abuse and abandonment … Even in revisiting her harrowing memories， Qu writes from a place of empathy， transcending pain to embrace hope … This marks the arrival of a promising new voice。 STARRED REVIEWPublishers WeeklyQu’s debut memoir untangles the knots of her complicated， traumatic past as she learns the truth about her own history and reckons with the hopes and constraints of the immigrant experience。Time 。。。more
Megan Bell
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A young Chinese immigrant calls Child Services on her mother。 Like the threads whirling through her mother and stepfather’s New York City sweatshop where she was forced to work as a girl， Anna Qu’s debut memoir is full of the fragments of a traumatic childhood and the challenges of piecing together the truth—about trauma and the generational pattern of cruelty， immigration and identity， labor and self-worth， and ultimately， the love we deserve， awaiting us。
Steve Haruch
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What Anna Qu has achieved with Made in China is understated and extraordinary。 At its center Made in China is a deeply， often painfully personal story about family， upward mobility， and the thin line between a harsh upbringing and an abusive one。 There are no easy answers here， and Qu is never content to simply vilify。 Instead， she vividly renders a childhood spent in fear — treated largely like a servant in a household where her presence was a terrible reminder of a life her mother wanted to fo What Anna Qu has achieved with Made in China is understated and extraordinary。 At its center Made in China is a deeply， often painfully personal story about family， upward mobility， and the thin line between a harsh upbringing and an abusive one。 There are no easy answers here， and Qu is never content to simply vilify。 Instead， she vividly renders a childhood spent in fear — treated largely like a servant in a household where her presence was a terrible reminder of a life her mother wanted to forget — until eventually she is put to work in a sweatshop owned by her family。 Something has to give， and does。 Additionally， it's a book that asks us to consider that， while immigrants may in fact get the job done， there is a cost to that productivity that can go unnoticed， even by other immigrants — and there are layers of class， education and other privilege to consider。 I admire the detail， the patient and vulnerable way Qu trawls her memory; as she puts it， "It was terrible and surprising how things turned out。" 。。。more
Jhoanna
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📚📚📚📚
Rakan
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Impossible to put down， Qu expertly navigates many questions gripping American immigration today: what does it mean to be American， what is my 'American Dream，' and why， how does my new found sense of individualism relate to my family's culture etc。。。 all wrapped into a heartfelt account of a broken mother-daughter relationship。 I loved the story's texture and framing。 We experience the hardships of modern day labor， from sweatshop to startup， woven into the intricacies of what it means to be Ch Impossible to put down， Qu expertly navigates many questions gripping American immigration today: what does it mean to be American， what is my 'American Dream，' and why， how does my new found sense of individualism relate to my family's culture etc。。。 all wrapped into a heartfelt account of a broken mother-daughter relationship。 I loved the story's texture and framing。 We experience the hardships of modern day labor， from sweatshop to startup， woven into the intricacies of what it means to be Chinese and American living in Queens， NY。 You will find some of it hard to believe。 Qu deftly contextualizes trauma with history， and she balances pain with the reality of survival。 Throughout the traumatic events， the strength of the human spirit endures， and does not leave the reader down trodden， but hopeful。 I wont spoil it， but this spirit soars into the final act， culminating in a tearfully joyous experience。 A must read！ 。。。more
Karen
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Anna's story is horrifying。 For the most part she tells it well， and I couldn't put it down。 I wish I'd understood a bit more of what is normal for Chinese culture - obviously Anna's mother's treatment of her was not the norm， but it still had a context that I didn't feel I knew enough about。 The last quarter or so of the book drifts off a bit。 She talks a lot about her experience working for a startup company， and I believe she does this because parts of the experience remind her of her childho Anna's story is horrifying。 For the most part she tells it well， and I couldn't put it down。 I wish I'd understood a bit more of what is normal for Chinese culture - obviously Anna's mother's treatment of her was not the norm， but it still had a context that I didn't feel I knew enough about。 The last quarter or so of the book drifts off a bit。 She talks a lot about her experience working for a startup company， and I believe she does this because parts of the experience remind her of her childhood and her mother， but it feels off-topic。 Also， what I thought would be the climactic moment of Anna turning in her family to CPS wasn't as big a deal as one would expect， although I suppose she is just telling things the way they happened。 。。。more
Nancy
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I was a ghost haunting a family that wanted nothing to do with me， and the loneliness left a tightness in my chest。~from Made in China by Anna QuOne thing I have learned in my reading is that trauma is passed through generations。 Grandparents and parents do not share what haunts them， the terrors they saw or the hardships they endured。 But it changes who they are， their behavior， and how they raise the next generation。Anna Qu's mother insisted that the world was a hard， unfair place and not to e I was a ghost haunting a family that wanted nothing to do with me， and the loneliness left a tightness in my chest。~from Made in China by Anna QuOne thing I have learned in my reading is that trauma is passed through generations。 Grandparents and parents do not share what haunts them， the terrors they saw or the hardships they endured。 But it changes who they are， their behavior， and how they raise the next generation。Anna Qu's mother insisted that the world was a hard， unfair place and not to expect anything from life。 Qu was expected to earn every bite of food， the roof over her head and a bed in the basement。 In her early teens， she worked in the family sweat shop fifty hours a week and then acted as the family maid at home。When Qu's father died， her mother knew she could not remarry in a China with a one child law; she already had one child and no man would want her。 So， she immigrated to America and found work in a sweat shop， leaving her daughter with her parents in China。 Beautiful and hard working， she caught the eye of the factory owner; they married and had two children before Qu was summoned to join them in America。Qu had been told that life in America would be easy， with lots of food and toys and love。 But the fatherless girl was treated like a burden， a dependent on her benevolent step-father， an outsider who had to earn her keep。 The family indulged in conspicuous consumption， her mother wearing high end fashions while her step siblings were lavished with gifts， while Qu did not have enough to eat， no private property， and was treated like the lowest servant。Qu's memoir is filled with disturbing scenes。 Her parents left the factory for home before Qu's shift ended。 By car， they were home in thirty minutes。 Later in the evening， Qu took mass transit， an hour long journey。 She describes her vulnerability， how a man exposed himself to her and how she had to elude his following her。 She came home to a dark house and a cold plate of food。Qu had idealized her grandmother who had raised her in China after her mother left。 Later， she tells Qu that she had been a hard mother as well， just one of generations of women who had to fight to survive。 From her grandmother， Qu learns of the bitterness of women's lives， how they must be ruthless to survive， and to teach the next generation to survive。When Qu sought help through Child Services， they gave her short term counseling but did not report that she was abused。 The beatings， the neglect， the violence， the lack of love， the lack of concern， the work in the sweatshop were not enough。 But her mother was told to allow Qu to keep the money she earned。 Qu studied hard。 Books were her passion。 She got herself into college and graduate school without financial or emotional support from her mother。Qu， like her mother， beat the odds and became successful， each in her own way。 She still struggles with her past。 It is certain her mother did， too。 Overcoming hardship， the immigrant experience， the place of women in society and the family， what it takes to survive--it is all in this affecting and honest memoir。I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley。 My review is fair and unbiased。 。。。more
Gemma Peckham
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I went into this expecting a traumatic story， and it is certainly that， but Qu's restraint and subtlety when writing about the pain of her childhood is remarkable; the language is not often emotional， but every word is loaded with meaning。 This is a beautifully written book。 Briefly， it's the story of Qu's life: being left behind in China by her mother as a toddler， eventually being brought to America， and suffering awful mistreatment in the family that her mother has built with a new husband an I went into this expecting a traumatic story， and it is certainly that， but Qu's restraint and subtlety when writing about the pain of her childhood is remarkable; the language is not often emotional， but every word is loaded with meaning。 This is a beautifully written book。 Briefly， it's the story of Qu's life: being left behind in China by her mother as a toddler， eventually being brought to America， and suffering awful mistreatment in the family that her mother has built with a new husband and new children。 Forced to work in the family sweatshop in Queens as a teen， Qu gets the Office of Children and Family Services involved， exploding the already fraught relationship that she has with her mother。Qu is incredibly generous with way she treats her mother in this story—who many will feel does not deserve it。 Qu acknowledges the complexity of feeling neglected and abused by a woman who is a product of her own difficult history， showing empathy even in the face of such horrific treatment。 It's a testament to how far she has come in working to understand and overcome her past。 A fantastic memoir; I raced through it， completely engrossed。 Definitely put it on your reading list！ 。。。more
Julie Kim
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I finished Made in China in a couple days， but it was hard to read in all its bare honesty and utter vulnerability。 In her memoir， Qu walks you through her abuse-filled childhood as a young child of a widowed immigrant mother。 After 5 years of waiting for her mother to get her bearings in America while she stays in China with her grandparents， she traverses several continents to arrive at her new home， only to realize that she's an unwanted vestigial nuisance to the family， serving only as a rem I finished Made in China in a couple days， but it was hard to read in all its bare honesty and utter vulnerability。 In her memoir， Qu walks you through her abuse-filled childhood as a young child of a widowed immigrant mother。 After 5 years of waiting for her mother to get her bearings in America while she stays in China with her grandparents， she traverses several continents to arrive at her new home， only to realize that she's an unwanted vestigial nuisance to the family， serving only as a reminder of her mother's difficult past。 What you witness in the subsequent years is a pattern of unrelenting， hateful abuse as seen by her mother's incessant verbal mistreatment， physical violence， forced unpaid child labor， and most symbolically， an emotional and physical （though only temporary） ejection from the place Qu wanted to call home and family。 The most tragic part， though， is when the author， even after all those years， still questions the very fact that she got abused。 That breaks my heart。 To think that a piece of paper from the OCFS based on a stranger's non-committal observance of her family led her to question and doubt all the experiences she lived， felt， and breathed is awful。Qu refrains from using words that portray the extreme depth and drama of her mother's abuse， and I found that interesting。 The heaviest accusation she throws at her mother is "being mean。" She narrates events matter-of-factly。 In fact， the memoir is rather organized and "put-together" for a recollection of such horrid memories。 At first， I couldn't tell if that was some emotional distancing deployed as a defense mechanism， which is obviously understandable。 But as she details her adult years and her gradual processing of her past experiences， I sensed overwhelming compassion on Qu's part to truly， deeply understand her mother's point of view and how she too was affected by her personal and intergenerational trauma。 Qu doesn't mention forgiveness or reconciliation， and the story doesn't necessarily tie together to a happy ending， but her memoir is an engrossing reflection of two people estranged by land， culture， and history。 Worth the read。Thank you to the publisher for making this ARC available through Netgalley！ 。。。more
Shirley Freeman
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This is a real-life twist on the Cinderella story。 Anna Qu was a young child in Wenzhou China when her father died。 In an effort to make a life for her and her daughter， Anna's mother emigrated to NY leaving Anna with her grandparents。 The proposed short separation lasted for several years。 As a young teen， Anna finally got her wish to re-join her mother in NY where Anna discovered that she was joining her mom， a step-father and two half-siblings。 For complicated reasons， Anna was mistreated， ne This is a real-life twist on the Cinderella story。 Anna Qu was a young child in Wenzhou China when her father died。 In an effort to make a life for her and her daughter， Anna's mother emigrated to NY leaving Anna with her grandparents。 The proposed short separation lasted for several years。 As a young teen， Anna finally got her wish to re-join her mother in NY where Anna discovered that she was joining her mom， a step-father and two half-siblings。 For complicated reasons， Anna was mistreated， neglected and treated as a second-class member of the family。 As a young teenager， she ended up working in her parent's clothing sweat shop。 With the help of a high school guidance counselor， child protective services got involved and Anna's relationship with her mother moved from bad to estranged。 Her memoir is a story of resilience in the face of seemingly petty cruelty and also a story of how one adult's love can be transformative in the life of a child。 Coming in August 2021。 。。。more
Shana
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*Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review*This heartbreaking memoir is the exploration of Anna Qu's upbringing and re-engagement with those memories as an adult。 When her father dies， Qu's mother heads to the US to work and leaves her daughter with her parents。 Years later， Qu follows her mother to New York and into a new life that involves a stepfather and two half siblings。 Her mother treats her like a servant， neglects her needs， is emotionally abusive， and makes her *Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review*This heartbreaking memoir is the exploration of Anna Qu's upbringing and re-engagement with those memories as an adult。 When her father dies， Qu's mother heads to the US to work and leaves her daughter with her parents。 Years later， Qu follows her mother to New York and into a new life that involves a stepfather and two half siblings。 Her mother treats her like a servant， neglects her needs， is emotionally abusive， and makes her work in the family sweatshop in Queens。 It's a tough read simply for these descriptions of abuse。 Qu eventually talks to her school counselor and agrees to have her call the Office of Children and Family Services （OCFS）， and while this changes a few things， her relationship with her mother remains volatile。 As an adult， Qu then seeks her OCFS files as she reflects on her childhood， and sees that it is riddled with errors。 More importantly， she sees that her situation was declared as "Not Abuse，" and that leads to another set of complicated questions。 Though deeply personal， this book also speaks volumes to the effects of intergenerational trauma and how that can play out。 。。。more
Julie Tieu
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In MADE IN CHINA， Anna Qu reflects on her difficult upbringing， being raised by her grandparents in China while her mom immigrated to America。 When she reunited with her mom in Queens， she soon realized that she didn't fit in with her mother's new family and she was treated differently from her half-siblings。 In her memoir， she explores the abusive relationship with her mother， the generational trauma that stems from poverty， famine， family separation， systems that fail its constituents， unfulfi In MADE IN CHINA， Anna Qu reflects on her difficult upbringing， being raised by her grandparents in China while her mom immigrated to America。 When she reunited with her mom in Queens， she soon realized that she didn't fit in with her mother's new family and she was treated differently from her half-siblings。 In her memoir， she explores the abusive relationship with her mother， the generational trauma that stems from poverty， famine， family separation， systems that fail its constituents， unfulfilled good intentions， and immigration。 There are painful moments， but the tone of the memoir is one that seeks to understand these complicated feelings。 While it was heartbreaking to read， I was fully engrossed in this memoir。 It offers a real look at the darker consequences and life experiences of immigrants in America in their quest for the American dream and upward mobility。 Thank you NetGalley and Catapult for the ARC。 。。。more
Veronica
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I always have a hard time reviewing non-fiction based on an individual's experiences because it feels a bit like you're judging something that's deeply personal。 I can't imagine how difficult this must have been for Qu to write， but it almost feels like she went through this with a grit and bear it attitude。 The book lacks any kind of flow， which makes the reading experience a little hard。 The memoir is a bit disjointed， and the transitions between the narrative and flashbacks are awkward。 There I always have a hard time reviewing non-fiction based on an individual's experiences because it feels a bit like you're judging something that's deeply personal。 I can't imagine how difficult this must have been for Qu to write， but it almost feels like she went through this with a grit and bear it attitude。 The book lacks any kind of flow， which makes the reading experience a little hard。 The memoir is a bit disjointed， and the transitions between the narrative and flashbacks are awkward。 There are random asides about the history of China or factories that seem completely out-of-place。 I don't mind the information per se， but it almost feels like a bait-and-switch when you sign up to read a memoir and start reading a bunch of exposition。 I don't know how much will change between now and publication， but the ARC reads more like a rough draft than a cohesive， finished product。 This has a lot of potential， but in her attempt to tackle a wide range of topics， none of them get the time and attention they deserve。 As a result， we end up with a lot of half-explored ideas about childhood trauma， culture clashes， and unreliable memory。 This was an ambitious attempt; it just fell a bit short for me。 I got a free digital copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Ellis Emerson
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