Sue Hua just moved from racially diverse Seattle to a suburban white-bread town where she feels like the only Asian American for miles. Then she me...
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Sep 21, 2008
Dan
rated it: 
I thought that Mismatch was a good book I rated it a 4. It really made me want to read more of it when the chapter ended and I was supposed to stop. Mismatch is a book that mainly deals with racism. Because of a war about 80 years ago two freshmen in high school can’t date each other. The war was between the Chinese and the Japanese. Sue is Chinese and Andy is Japanese but because of their families don’t like the other they can’t date. Grandma Mei, Sue’s grandma was a child during the Japanese i
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Jan 26, 2009
Jinbin
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Sue and Andy are both musicians in their school orchestra. They start to develop feelings for each other. However, there is one thing that is preventing them to be together. Sue is a Chinese-American while Andy is a Japanese American. Sue's mother dislikes the Japanese due to her grandmother's influence while Andy's father dislikes the Chinese. With their family's influence, Sue and Andy struggles in their decision of meeting each other's family.
While I was reading this book, it remi More...
While I was reading this book, it remi More...
Sep 23, 2010
704michellew
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Jan 04, 2012
Elise
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I enjoyed reading this book. I didn't like how it was written in third person and it was telling you how the characters felt and that this is happening in their lives. I think that if it wasn't written that way I could have enjoyed reading it but at times the writing felt awkward and that ruined it for me too. When the author kept switching and would end a chapter but then start the next with the same scene and I thought couldn't she have found another way to do that I just read about this! It w
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Apr 15, 2009
Faith
rated it:
3 1/2 stars
My sister Jessica got about 15 pages into this before throwing it away in disgust, calling it ill-written and boring. But I liked it! It might be that I love to learn about different cultures, so all of the information I learned about Japan and relationships between the Chinese and Japanese fascinated me. But I'd like to think that the story-line was good as well. It was certainly cute, but that's not really a compliment. I'll admit that the stories their relatives, etc. tell ar More...
My sister Jessica got about 15 pages into this before throwing it away in disgust, calling it ill-written and boring. But I liked it! It might be that I love to learn about different cultures, so all of the information I learned about Japan and relationships between the Chinese and Japanese fascinated me. But I'd like to think that the story-line was good as well. It was certainly cute, but that's not really a compliment. I'll admit that the stories their relatives, etc. tell ar More...
Apr 18, 2011
Susie
rated it:
This was a nice, light treatment of ethnic stereotyping and prejudice. The story is about Andy Suzuki (Japanese-American) and Sue Hua (Chinese-American), who meet in orchestra at high school and start a sweet romance. The conflict arises because Sue's family is very anti Japanese going back to the Japanese invasion of China during WW2, and Andy's father's impression of the Chinese as a backward people. There is a fun description of the orchestra's trip to play in Tokyo. I really liked this book
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Apr 23, 2010
Philip
rated it:
Meh. I could go either way on this one.
I didn't care about the first half of the book, but I thought it ended well.
The two main characters got on my nerves throughout most of the story. She was whiny, he was a putz. The back and forth - "Can we really go out? I'm Japanese you're Chinese," continued incessantly to the point where of me gnawing off my pinky finger. (I learned from this book that members of the Yakuza - the Japanese mafia - will cut off their More...
I didn't care about the first half of the book, but I thought it ended well.
The two main characters got on my nerves throughout most of the story. She was whiny, he was a putz. The back and forth - "Can we really go out? I'm Japanese you're Chinese," continued incessantly to the point where of me gnawing off my pinky finger. (I learned from this book that members of the Yakuza - the Japanese mafia - will cut off their More...
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Oct 04, 2010
Shelly - The Illustrated Librarian -
rated it:
Engaging YA book about the struggles of a Chinese-American girl who begins a relationship with a Japanese-American boy. The teens see themselves as American, but their families remember the horrors of the War and hold on to prejudices. The writing style felt like it would appeal to younger teens as well as older ones, and the story gets important points across about prejudices and culture acceptance. It managed to do all this while remaining an entertaining read and not get preachy at all. I enj
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Nov 02, 2008
Jessica
rated it: 
Written by Lensey Namioka, author of Ties That Bind, Ties that Break, and An Ocean Apart, A World Away, Mismatch tells the experience of Sue moving into a new neighborhood from an urban environment in Seattle. While Sue adjusts to the new school, Sue and her boyfriend Andy have to overcome the stereotypes that their families have about the Chinese and Japanese. The relationship between Sue and Andy could not let their families know since Andy’s family could not tolerate the Chinese and Sue’s gr
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Sep 21, 2008
Jay
rated it:
Mismatch
I thought that the book was good because of how two cultures come together and the parents don’t like Japanese people and Chinese people either. My other thought about the book was it was a very good book and it made me want to read more because I liked the book. The best part was when they went to Japan and played in the orchestra because they thought that they might not go when they all heard about it because the school doesn’t have enough money to go on this trip. My o More...
I thought that the book was good because of how two cultures come together and the parents don’t like Japanese people and Chinese people either. My other thought about the book was it was a very good book and it made me want to read more because I liked the book. The best part was when they went to Japan and played in the orchestra because they thought that they might not go when they all heard about it because the school doesn’t have enough money to go on this trip. My o More...
Sep 21, 2008
Grace
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Mismatch is about a Chinese American girl who moves to Seattle. Sue meets a boy who she thought was Chinese before she heard his last name was Japanese. Sue new this was going to be a problem because her Grandma Mei did not like the Japanese because when she was little the Japanese invaded China. So when Sue’s grandma Mei found out about Andy she was furious.
Sue was in the school orchestra with Andy. They went to Japan for their concert. Andy thought it would be like going home but when he More...
Sue was in the school orchestra with Andy. They went to Japan for their concert. Andy thought it would be like going home but when he More...
Sep 22, 2008
Christina
rated it:
Mismatch is about a Chinese American girl named Sue who has just moved to Seattle and has met a boy that she seemed to like named Andy who she thought was also Chinese American, until she heard his last name and found that he was Japanese. Sue new that this was going to be a problem because her grandma Mei did not like Japanese because when she was a little girl the Japanese invaded China. So when Sue's grandma Mei found out about Andy she was diffidently not happy.
Sue and A More...
Oct 02, 2008
Karmpal
rated it:
Mismatch
I think Mismatch was a good book because now I know a little bit more about the Japanese and Chinese culture. This book was interesting. It was mostly about Japanese and Chinese people how they hated each other. Sue and Andy first liked each other from school and then they started going to hero’s every single day after practice or either after school. Hero’s was a sand which place. They both played the violin. One day when their grandmother M More...
Sep 22, 2008
Devin
rated it:
Mismatch is a book about two Asian-Americans who like each other but their families fight since they one person is Japanese and the other is Chinese. Sue, the Chinese girl, liked Andy, the Japanese boy, when she first saw him. Then she learned he is Japanese. This is bad since Sue’s grandma had vivid memories of Japanese raiding her house and breaking her clay doll. Then Sue and Andy start going to lunch as friends to a sandwich shop after music for weeks. Then Andy asks Sue out thinking it be a
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Sep 30, 2008
Conner
rated it: 
Mismatch is a book about these to kids named Andy and Sue. Andy is Japanese American and Sue is Chinese American they obviously are different nationalities and they realize that. Once they do Sue is afraid that her parents wont appreciate that she likes a person with the same nationality as the Chinese had a war with that is Japanese. So Sue keeps it away from her parents so they don’t find out but before a while her sister Rochelle finds out that they like each other and she makes a big deal ab
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Sep 22, 2008
Sofia
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Jun 28, 2008
Steven Shane
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Lensey Namioka has structured a chrysanthemum of cultural relations with her bildingsroman. The blooming begins with the attraction between two students of differing cultural heritage. As they introduce their relationship across the generations of their family, complexities of cultural borderlands are presented in an increasing delineation of perceptual, normative and social adjustments. Historical repercussions of race relations are vivified between Sue and Andy. The two want to connect their i
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Nov 18, 2008
Jessica P.
rated it:
Mismatch is about two young teenagers who both have a love for music. Sue, a Chinese American girl, comes from a family that believes the Japanese are monsters. Andy, a Japanese American boy, comes from a family that believes the Chinese are a dirty, backward people. The two teens fight to keep their relationship a secret, but when the school orchestra holds meetings about their upcoming trip to Tokyo, they can hide it no longer. Find out what happens to these teens in love, and see if the fam
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Apr 13, 2008
Trisa
rated it:
This book is about a Chinese-American girl named Sue. She lives in the Seattle suburbs and transfers to a new school. She tries out for the schools orchestra and totally crushes on a violinist named Andy. Later she finds out two things: Andy is Japanese-American and that the Orchestra is traveling to Japan. Sue's grandmother has a deep hatred for Japanese and Japan in general. She lived in China when Japan invaded and witnessed her parents being beaten and a special doll of hers being smashed. S
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Mar 02, 2009
Karla
rated it:
A Chinese-American girl falls for a Japanese-American boy and struggles to tell her family who would be opposed to the relationship. Deals with racism on a number of levels. Very accurate details about the cultures and a class trip to Japan. A good premise and very interesting to see how racism crosses over many different cultures (including anti-Korean sentiments in Japan), but the characters weren't three dimensional; the author needs to show vs. tell and be a little less didactic.
Sep 30, 2008
Roop
rated it:
This book is about a Chinese-American girl named sue from Seattle, who was transfers to her new school. She joins the musica grop and she falls in love with a violinist named Andy. Later on she finds out that Andy is Japanese-American, and now she can't date him because of her grandma and her family. Her grandma hates Japaneses because of her childhood, she witnessed her mom and dad geting beaten up, and her doll being smashed and being laugh at when Japnaneses invaded China. So Sue's mom and d
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Oct 01, 2011
706Emma
rated it:
Though it's a very cute romance and it ends well, the writing is too formal for me to really get into it, and is bland. it's like the narrator is holding keeping you ten feet away the whole time. Interesting plot though.
I really liked the background history of this story, and thought it was really interesting the point the author took how two people very similar to the eye can really be so different.
Overall, I thought is was okay but not my favorite.
I really liked the background history of this story, and thought it was really interesting the point the author took how two people very similar to the eye can really be so different.
Overall, I thought is was okay but not my favorite.
Sep 01, 2010
Beth
rated it:
Probably not her best book. Too many diadatic conversations about Japanese- and Chinese-American cultural difference, and not enough romantic tension. The characters were well-written and belieable, but the story didn't have enough emotional plot. For chick-lit with an Asian-American female lead (who also is in the orchestra) I liked Good Enough by Paula Yoo better.
Oct 02, 2011
Xiaoqing 703
rated it:
I agree with a reviewer earlier who said it seemed more like a collection of facts than an actual work of fiction. It is interesting to explain certain words, historic terms, etc. but to do them to such a degree as is presented here creates a didactic feeling and leaves the reader feeling a bit bored.
Mar 26, 2011
Shelley
rated it:
The story of a Chinese American girl and a Japanese American boy. How much of their families backgrounds will affect their relationship? This is a good story about stereotypes and how to overcome biases against people that we don't really know. A wonderful story, very touching.
Oct 02, 2010
I kind of love this book even with it's horrid writing style. (So bland and awkward). Seriously it's like a shoujo manga in YA novel incarnate. I sped read this in absolutely glee.
Jul 01, 2008
Candy
rated it:
This was an excellent book to not only reflect upon the relationship of young adults struggling with their families values and ideals about another culture, but it is great for young students to relate to. It does not get too complicated in the relationship and keeps it very appropriate for even upper elementary students to relate to. It offers a great spring board for discussion about stereotyping, hatred and misconceptions. This can be used in a multitude of facets in the classroom, especia
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Sep 23, 2008
Cedric
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I liked this book alot. It was very interesting to me to learn about some of the Japanese and Chinese culture. The book was great ,and i was always wanting to find out how Andy and Sue would get thier family's to stop predjudisim against the other nation. The book is about Sue Hua and Andy Suzuki who go to a High school in America. Andy plays violin and Sue play the viola in the school orchastra. They are the only Asian american's in thier school. Thier friends think that they would get along gr
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Sep 25, 2011
Jazz
rated it:
This book reminds me of Romeo and Juliet :) I say this because the 2 families hate each other. I honestly say if you liked Romeo and Juliet then read this book. This book is truly an amazing book. I love how the 2 totally different families come to like each other.
