Crossing

Jul 14, 2010 Beverly rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: asian, immigrants, crime

Man, what a stinker! This may be the most awkwardly written book I've ever read. ESL is written all over it. Never mind that Ha Jin, whose first language was Chinese, is one of the best writers of English in the world. This guy doesn't have that kind of talent or almost any talent except maybe for persistence. The story, a xenophobic fantasy, is as ridiculous as the language. What I don't understand though is publishers' marketing. If this had to be published at all it should have been as YA. I...more

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Mar 27, 2010 Natalie (Mindful Musings) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Crossing was one of those books that I probably wouldn’t have picked up on my own. However, when I was given the chance to receive a review copy of the book, I thought the premise sounded interesting en0ugh, so I accepted. I’m definitely glad I did.

Crossing could be classified as a young adult novel, but it’s universal enough that adults would probably find it interesting as well. Its message is both true and heartbreaking—but I think it’s one that more people need to be aware of. Crossing tells...more

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Jun 19, 2010 Joella Tunnell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Xing Xu is one of two Chinese students in an all white high school. The other is Naomi Lee who finds it easier to get along in a white world than he does, and is the only one who understands his loneliness and frustrations. When a series of abductions of students takes place he is able to see and hear things others do not because he is virtually invisible and ignored by those around him. He solves the mystery of who is responsible for the abductions, and is a hero for a minute, but things change...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

Amazon has managed to piss a lot of publishers off recently - the delisting of Macmillan, for example. Not exactly an auspicious start for its foray into publishing. But if CROSSING is an indication of the quality of books they intend to publish, that is an auspicious start.

Andrew Xia Fukuda writes with authority. One of the major problems with small press books is the quality of the writing and editing. But Fukuda's grammar is good and his control of language is strong. CROSSING moves from medi...more Amazon has managed to piss a lot of publishers off recently - the delisting of Macmillan, for example. Not exactly an auspicious start for its foray into publishing. But if CROSSING is an indication of the quality of books they intend to publish, that is an auspicious start.

Andrew Xia Fukuda writes with authority. One of the major problems with small press books is the quality of the writing and editing. But Fukuda's grammar is good and his control of language is strong. CROSSING moves from meditative to harsh to creepy smoothly. The story moves back and forth in time, and I only found the transition jarring once. (Xing's father's death happens suddenly, and there is barely time to process it. In a way, it does fit.)

The main storyline is about Xing Xu, the only Chinese male at his school, finding a way out of his shell through the school's musical just as a series of disappearances and murders of high school boys begin. Xing's only real friend is Naomi Lee, the only other Chinese kid at the school. Her features are more Western and her English is better, while everyone confuses Xing with the Virginia Tech killer despite their lack of resemblance. She blends in better despite originally being the more FOB-ish.* The strain in his only close relationship doesn't do anything for his attitude.

Here's why I know Fukuda is a good writer: I emphasized with Xing and his struggles despite the fact he is not a nice person. He's cruel and petty. Fukuda makes his behavior understandable and illuminates the racism that helped shape Xing's attitude. He doesn't condone Xing's behavior, but presents it as part of his harsh look at American society and its attitudes toward race. It also works because Xing is more than his race. He's a young, lonely boy with a musical gift and no opportunities to express it.

In my mind, I'm going to pretend that CROSSING ends before the real end. It comes to a logical conclusion, but it sure is a downer ending. We all know I'm a sucker for happy endings. Fukuda's debut is atmospheric, character-driven, and affecting. CROSSING is very timely, considering the Virginia Tech Massacre happened only three years ago, but it explore several themes that will be relevant for a long time. The immigrant experience is essential to America.

I both like and dislike the cover. I think it captures the tone of the mystery very well. It has the woods, the figure that is there and isn't, and a moody palette. At the same time, it gives no indication of the conversation about being Chinese in America, which is also an important part of the novel and could draw as many readers in as the mystery.

*FOB stands for fresh-off-the-boat. I've heard the slur used more by immigrants talking about other immigrants, but that could be different elsewhere. Yes, it is a slur and not a nice thing to say. (less)

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Mar 19, 2012 Jenni rated it 5 of 5 stars

This novel immediately pulled me in and kept me reading to the end. It is skillfully written with layers of meaning, theme, and story. I felt the quality of writing was good, some of the descriptions were beautifully handled and left me feeling like I'd consumed a fine wine, rich with delicate prose. The thriller elements kept me reading, eager to know what would happen next.

Americans like happy endings, and I see in a lot of the reviews that people were not happy with this one. As someone who s...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Christine Nguyen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Cliche enough, but "you've got to read this!" The author, Andrew Xia Fukuda has proven to be great at writing; not surprising when he grew up being raised by university professors who emphasized the importance of reading each day. Reading The crossing for me wasn't necessarily about how good the storyline was. Throughout this book, I've realized that it served more purpose to the average teenager than I would have thought. Fukuda's character choice was very interesting. He had Xing who was rarel...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Ashlee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Overall, I thought this book was fantastic. I love books about mysteries and this was one that had me pondering throughout the whole book. Fukuda did a great job on elaborating many of the different settings and gave visual images. He carefully portrayed what kind of character Xing was and demonstrated all the various perspectives on situations that were going on in the main character's head. The author himself was one who actually grew up in New York and moved to America from his home foreign c...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Tyler Stump added it

This book is about racial discrimination against minorities. It was the father of the protagonist's dream to come to America, only to live in poverty and neglect in a chinatown. It was not Xing's dream to be in America though, as he experiences much abuse due to his race. Xing's father dies not long after arriving in America - killed by a drunk driver (who goes unpunished) right before Xing's eyes. Left alone with his crestfallen mother and his only friend; he dreams of being back in China with...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Winnie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Andrew Xia Fukuda's Crossing embodies the story of Xing Xu, a Chinese-American immigrant boy, one of two Asians in a white-dominated school, a socially awkward kid with a revisited talent, an outcast, an accused murderer. The novel creates a dilemma new immigrants, especially adolescent ones, often face: to hold onto the traditions of his birth culture, or to assimilate into the new one. In Xing's case, he didn't seem attached to either culture; he was more of a social outcast more than anything...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Alexis rated it 4 of 5 stars

I could really relate to Xing. We all feel like we are on the outside at times, and society is completely against us. Xing rises against the stereotypes that are forced upon him because of the way he appears. He remains silent of his suspicions even though he himself is suspected of committing the crimes, but even if he did who would listen? Through the story he develops a crush on his only friend, this helps everyone relate to his character, we have all had a crush at one time or another and di...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Kirk Strasser rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book "Crossing" by Andrew Xia Fukuda was an extremely interesting novel. The book in my opinion is classified as a thriller. The story starts off as a young Chinese boy named Xing trying to fit in at an American high school. Xing has just moved from Chinatown, to New York City. Xing has only one friend, Naomi, and is antisocial. Murders start to take place in the town, the victims being the high school students. Xing starts to revoke his passion for singing by partcipating in the school play...more The book "Crossing" by Andrew Xia Fukuda was an extremely interesting novel. The book in my opinion is classified as a thriller. The story starts off as a young Chinese boy named Xing trying to fit in at an American high school. Xing has just moved from Chinatown, to New York City. Xing has only one friend, Naomi, and is antisocial. Murders start to take place in the town, the victims being the high school students. Xing starts to revoke his passion for singing by partcipating in the school play. For a number of different reasons, the blame for the murders is starting to be placed on Xing. Because Xing is so antisocial, he sees things that other people don't. While Xing is unveiling the secrets as to who the actual murderer is, he is dealing with revealing his love to his childhood friend Naomi. Xing must choose between a life of focusing on himself, or trying to be social and interact with the people around him.

This book kept me on my toes. I finished this book in two days for the sole reason that I could simply not put it down. The suspense created by the author is so descriptive it feels like the reader is actually there. There was one chapter of the book that intensely spooked me in particular. The chapter is titled, "Night" and is written in all italics. The subject of this chapter is the very first murder occuring, and it is told in the perspective of the killer. Fukuda sends chills down the reader's spine by using personification. "Meow. Meow. Just liike this scared little cat. It went meow, meow. You're just like this cat. Meow. You can try to get away, just like this cat did."

Andrew Xia Fukuda is a chinese author, with "Crossing" being his debut novel. Fukuda was born in New York City, and moved to Hong Kong at a young age. When he was age 12, he moved back to New York City. Fukuda understood what it felt like to be accepted or unaccepted in different communities. Fukuda says "Having moved, Xing easily found a place in my novel. He is a young boy who is trying to feel accepted in an American society, much like myself."(less)

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Jan 09, 2012 Kayla rated it 4 of 5 stars

"The Crossing" is a story of a high school boy named Xing. Because of his Asian background, Xing is discriminated against by his peers and has only one friend, Naomi. Xing tells of the horrors his town goes through when multiple students go missing. Ultimately, the goal of the book is to reveal who is guilty of these crimes, with unforeseen twists along the way.
Andrew Xia Fukuda, the author, was born in New York and raised in Hong Kong. He found inspiration for "The Crossing" while working in Ma...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Ashely H Herzner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Crossing was written by Andrew Xia Fukuda, who is an Asian-American author. Fukuda spent some time in Manhattan's Chinatown with students, where he learned they felt the same type of feeling of isolation that he discusses in Crossing. When he went to an all-white place, he would get strange looks because of his race. Fukuda was inspired by the Virginia Tech massacre for the thriller idea of Crossing.

I enjoyed this book pretty much. I thought that I could sort of relate to Xing's awkwardness, (ev...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Katie Watson rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is a good choice for teenagers around the globe. It is about a boy, Xing, who is accused of all the mysterious murders that have been happening throughout his school. It is about what happens when everyone suddenly seems to turn against you.

The author, Andrew Xia Fukuda, is half-Chinese and half-Japanese. He wrote this book in 2009, shortly after the Virginia Tech situation, and seems to mention it a few times throughout the novel.

This book deals a lot with racial tensions and profil...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Crossing by Andrew Xia Fukuda is a great revelation of today's effects of bullying. Xing is an Asian outsider at his high school, with only one friend, the love of his life, Naomi. With all of the mysterious disappearances at Slackenkill High School, Xing finally has the chance to prove himself. Xing constantly summarizes other students perspective of him as Seung-Hui Cho, the Virginia Tech shooter. Xing is the silent student who keeps to himself, unfortunately the victim of a horrible turn of e...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Drew Schroeder rated it 5 of 5 stars

Andrew Xia Fukuda is a Breakthrough Novel Award semi-finalist of his debut novel, "Crossing". "Crossing" hit the shelves in 2009 shortly after the Virgina Tech massacre in 2007. Fukuda is half-Chinese and half-Japanese. Fukuda wrote "Crossing" due to his experience working with Chinatown immigrant teens and his time spent as a criminal prosecutor.

"Crossing" is a story about a Chinese boy named Xing Xu who immigrated to the United States. Xing, a freshman in high school, has a reputation of bein...more Andrew Xia Fukuda is a Breakthrough Novel Award semi-finalist of his debut novel, "Crossing". "Crossing" hit the shelves in 2009 shortly after the Virgina Tech massacre in 2007. Fukuda is half-Chinese and half-Japanese. Fukuda wrote "Crossing" due to his experience working with Chinatown immigrant teens and his time spent as a criminal prosecutor.

"Crossing" is a story about a Chinese boy named Xing Xu who immigrated to the United States. Xing, a freshman in high school, has a reputation of being an outcast and a low life. Students associate Xing to the Virgina Tech killer. Xing's mother is always working and Xing's father died by getting hit by a car, so Xing is on his own in this scary world. Xing only has one friend named Naomi who he also has a crush on. There have been killings of students from the high school and the killings are mysterious because no one knows who the killer is. The ending of this book has looming questions and reminds me of the ending of the movie, Inception. After watching that movie, I had the urge to find out what happens next. After reading "Crossing", I had that same urge. "Crossing" has some similarities to the book "A Poisonwood Bible" because Xing is a Chinese immigrant whose life turned upside down once he moved to the United States. The Price family in "A Poisonwood Bible" had their lives turned upside down when they moved from Georgia to the Congo in Africa. Both Xing and the Price's lives changed once they moved to a new country and their lives were never the same again.

Personally, I loved "Crossing"! I never wanted to put the book down and had that "it" factor everyone looks for in a book. After reading this book, I questioned if there should be a sequel or not. I would really want to know what happens next, but at the same time I want to have my own ending to the book. That's what makes this book so amazing because it lets you be the author and end the book your way. I would strongly suggest this book to anyone who likes a murder mystery and a book that will keep you on your feet throughout the whole story. I give Fukuda an A+ on "Crossing" and am hoping he writes more books.(less)

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Jan 08, 2012 Alana Murray rated it 4 of 5 stars

It started off as a kid in high school, Xing a loner, an outcast, who was either bullied for being Chinese or ignored because no one knew him. He narrates the story in first person, with some excerpts from the news, and local paper. The author, Andrew Fukuda, wrote this novel amazingly. With wording that was easy to understand but at the same time kept one thinking. As it comes to and end it keeps you going with a "who done it" sense, as children in Xing's high school begin to disappear. Being a...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Mary Nguyen rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is a good, quick fictional teen read for those who like to read about high school teenagers and murder mysteries. It involves racial discrimination, bullying, murders, accusations, and some love interests. I would recommend this if you like a simple plot with some love drama on the side, and subtle hints throughout the story of who the killer might be. The book is easy to read and all the details are coherent throughout the story.

The story refers to the Virginia Tech shooting, similari...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Carly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever been discriminated against? For any reason at all? What if you were targeted just because of the color of your skin? Or where you are from? If you have been a victim of this, you know what a terrible feeling it can create. In Crossing by Andrew Xia Fukdua the reader follows a tale told by main character Xing Xu, a Chinese- American student living in New York City. He is one of only two Chinese students at his high school. The other being his best friend, Naomi Lee. Xing usually liv...more Have you ever been discriminated against? For any reason at all? What if you were targeted just because of the color of your skin? Or where you are from? If you have been a victim of this, you know what a terrible feeling it can create. In Crossing by Andrew Xia Fukdua the reader follows a tale told by main character Xing Xu, a Chinese- American student living in New York City. He is one of only two Chinese students at his high school. The other being his best friend, Naomi Lee. Xing usually lives under the radar from his peers at school. Until disappearances start to occur at his school, along with the appearance of a new student, Jan Blair, then Xing becomes a key member of the school musical. Suddenly Xing’s predominately quite life gets shaken up. Soon he is the prime suspect in the disappearances of the boys. Targeted only because of his subtle demeanor and his ethnicity. Crossing will keep you thrilled until the very last page.
A major theme in Crossing is the effect of prejudice. Prejudice is when people make assumptions and opinions of someone before they even take the time to get to know them It is usually done based on something as unimportant as ethnicity or the color of the persons skin. The main character, Xing, must face prejudice daily while in America. The reader sees him getting bullied physically, but also emotionally just because he is Chinese. The prejudice that people have for Xing just because he is a quite, Chinese-American affect his choices until the end of the novel. He is always worried about what others are thinking of him. So in order to counteract this, Xing tries to keep attention away from himself and does not try to start trouble. This approach works for him for a while, but after the disappearances happen, it is impossible for Xing not to be labeled as a suspect. Another theme is the power of love. This theme shines through with Xing’s love for Naomi Lee, his best and only friend. Although he does not tell her that he loves her right away, it is a passion that motivates him throughout the story. It is the reason Xing agrees to start in the show, so he can impress Naomi with his talented voice. The strong feelings for Naomi also influence Xing’s actions at the end. When she says that she doesn’t believe him, it shatters him so badly that he makes his shocking choice that surprises every reader at the end of the novel. It shows how love can affect us all to do things that we would not normally do.
If the themes in Crossing spark your interest, you might also want to check out To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It also exposes prejudice and judgement based solely on appearance. When black citizen, Tom Robinson, is accused of a crime it does not take long for all the townspeople to find him guilty. Even though the evidence does not entirely support this. The hate for him is created simply because of the color of his skin. Another form of media showing the prejudice in our society is the film Remember the Titans. This film documents the integration of an all white high school and how the citizens reacted. It is similar to Crossing in that the black students get bullied just because of how they look. These two examples show the sad but true effects of what prejudice can do. Just like the ones shown in the novel Crossing. It is a great read, and it opens your mind to how you treat others and why. (less)

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Jan 03, 2012 Lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book was about a young man originally from China named Xing or Kris(his American name) In the town of Ashland, New York teenage boys start to disapear. After the disaperance of one teen, Kris gets the lead role in the musical where he is destined to be, having an angelic voice. Kris faces the troubles of bullies, friends and family but he finds that he ends up facing more than expected when he seems to learn the truth.

At the begining, I couldn't put the book down. I loved the mystery to the...more

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Aug 30, 2011 THRILLHO rated it 4 of 5 stars

i was sort of torn about this book. i thought the writing was a little awkward. i have a decent vocabulary, but even i found myself looking up a few words. it seemed the entire book was peppered with some five-dollar words that were just thrown in for no reason. they didn't fit with the way the rest of the book was written. at one point i wondered if the book had been translated. the reason i give it four stars is because i didn't want to put it down because i wanted to know how it would end. i...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Terry rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-books, cdcs-young-adult

Crossing is a twisty thriller in the vein of Shutter Island that never quite comes together. While the melancholy tone set by the narrator's terse style feels authentic, the mystery plot does not. There are a lot of interesting elements--a mysterious renter, the main character's tragic past, a shadowy figure in a red coat who may or may not exist--but each one feels half-done. In addition, the ending is a satisfying conclusion to the mystery (really, it's the only satisfying ending), but it make...more

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Sep 04, 2010 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Racism, bigotry and abuse are the foundation on which of this very powerful novel is built. Set in small-town Upstate New York where few families are of any ethnic persuasion other than caucasian, we follow Xing through the traumatic events of a slew of child abductions.

Having been on the receiving end of bullies his entire life, Xing (called Chris so as to more fully immerse himself in American culture and not single his Asian heritage out) is immediately under suspicion when series of classmat...more Racism, bigotry and abuse are the foundation on which of this very powerful novel is built. Set in small-town Upstate New York where few families are of any ethnic persuasion other than caucasian, we follow Xing through the traumatic events of a slew of child abductions.

Having been on the receiving end of bullies his entire life, Xing (called Chris so as to more fully immerse himself in American culture and not single his Asian heritage out) is immediately under suspicion when series of classmates go missing without a trace. Often referencing the Virginia Tech massacre the town’s inhabitants are a mixture of cautious and accusatory when these white boys go missing. Particularly given Xing’s inadvertent and circumstantial involvement in each of the boy’s lives.

Fukuda has written Xing as a quite and shy boy, understated in everything he does. He’s fearful of any attention (positive or negative) being drawn to himself. With the exception of his best friend Naomi, another Asian student who has better assimilated herself into the tiny town, Xing has isolated himself. That is until he starts to open himself up to several adults he’s encountered (an inhabitant of his mother’s boarding house and a music teacher). Through their encouragement, he is finally making a life for himself, opening up and putting himself out there as a valuable contributor to society.

The complexity of Xing’s characterization is what makes this story so powerful. Sure, there are heavy topics explored — racism, bigotry, stereotyping, child abuse — but the strength of the story lies with Xing and his reactions and interactions with the people and situations that surround him. The centerpiece of all the town’s attention and in many cases rage, he very quickly becomes the portrait of tragic evolution. Finally flourishing and coming into his own, he experiences the same events as the towns people just from a different perspective which ultimately brings the mystery to a much unexpected end.

This, of course, made his story all that more tragic.

Not wanting to spoil the story, its progression or the outcome I will say that the ending packed a punch. Not without some predictability, Fukuda created a mystery that kept me on my toes. I was regularly left wondering where the next steps would lead and found the ride between quite enjoyable. It is a very deep, rich and strong story with troubled characters and complex issues to explore.(less)

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Jul 02, 2010 Newengland rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: finished-in-2010, ya

Ah, yes, the unreliable narrator. Remember that lesson in English class some decade or other ago? Andrew Xia Fukuda does, and he ponies it out in a big way for CROSSING, his debut YA novel that features your typical angry young (Chinese) man in your typical clueless and cruel (American) high school.

Xing Xu is called "Kris" here in the States and he attends a school Fukuda chooses to name "Slackenkill High School" (Dear Andrew: What WERE you thinking?). Xing is secretly in love with the only othe...more Ah, yes, the unreliable narrator. Remember that lesson in English class some decade or other ago? Andrew Xia Fukuda does, and he ponies it out in a big way for CROSSING, his debut YA novel that features your typical angry young (Chinese) man in your typical clueless and cruel (American) high school.

Xing Xu is called "Kris" here in the States and he attends a school Fukuda chooses to name "Slackenkill High School" (Dear Andrew: What WERE you thinking?). Xing is secretly in love with the only other Asian girl in his school, Naomi, but she has fallen for an all-American, blond hair blue eyed type. What's more, Xing is bullied (almost a requirement in any YA fare set in an American school). And, maybe worse, the new girl in town who is a Plain Jane eccentric living in a trailer with her stranger than strange dad, has fallen for him in the worse way. One word: obsession. And five words: never leads to good things.

OK. Nothing out of the ordinary so far. But Fukuda chooses not to take the path most traveled. This is not to be a Heartbreak Hotel in Chinatown book set in a cruel, cruel American school. This is not to simply be a study of ethnography, race, class, and wayward youth, either. This is to be... a murder mystery! Ah-ha. The school's name! Slackers get killed. Only who gets to define "slacker"? The kids dying one by one would seem to have little in common. A jock. A nerd. An actor. And a bully.

As the outlier (we used to say "outsider" thanks to S.E. Hinton, but the buzzword nowadays is "outlier" thanks to Malcolm Gladwell), Xing sees things that other kids don't. Some of the descriptive flourishes, like the one where Xing is being pursued through the woods during an ill-advised shortcut for home, are well done, too. Who's that red jacket glimpsed in the gathering gloom chasing him? Why, the murderer trying to add to his serial score, of course. This IS a murder mystery slash young adult melodrama, after all.

As the book hits its stretch drive, the reader begins to see the author's strings. And try as you might to pay no attention to that man behind the curtain, it's all too obvious. Fukuda winds up giving up all semblance of subtlety by laying his cards on the table at the end, to which I can only wonder, "Why?" The novel, stronger than most YA's, would prove that much stronger if more was left to the imagination. When people are not sure about something, it drives them crazy.

But no. Fukuda is thinking of that unreliable narrator and showing off his plot's conceit. Clearly he has a strict interpretation of the device. Me, I consider ALL first-person narrators (never mind angry Chinese boys) unreliable. This review, for instance, is unreliable, run through as it is with my own subjectivity and prejudices about writing, YA fare, murder mysteries, red herrings, review-writing, and canned lessons about unreliable narrators.

Four stars? Maybe. And then again, maybe not. It depends how reliable you think I am.(less)

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Jun 13, 2010 Kari rated it 5 of 5 stars

Complex and reverberating, Crossing pulls together several seemingly unrelated elements and weaves them together to create a complex and engaging tale. With intelligent writing, a unique main character and a “who done it” premise, Fukuda has put a memorable spin on both bullying and murder mysteries. A phenomenal world has been built, central to the main character, cataloging the struggles that happen in the present day for a teenage boy who has immigrated from China to the United States . Addit...more

Complex and reverberating, Crossing pulls together several seemingly unrelated elements and weaves them together to create a complex and engaging tale. With intelligent writing, a unique main character and a “who done it” premise, Fukuda has put a memorable spin on both bullying and murder mysteries. A phenomenal world has been built, central to the main character, cataloging the struggles that happen in the present day for a teenage boy who has immigrated from China to the United States . Additional struggles come from the community he lives in- a very white one.

Xing, otherwise known as Kris, is a freshman in high school, holding all the same insecurities as his peers but troubling him more is how ghostlike he truly is. Though he doesn’t blend with his classmates in terms of looks and certainly sticks out with is ethnic background, Kris goes unnoticed apart from one student- the only other Chinese girl. Kris is not only the son of two Chinese parents- he was born and spent the first several years of his life in China . He recounts when Naomi first arrived, the two thrust together while she still didn’t understand English only to learn she has surpassed him in that she no longer holds a thick accent like he does.

This thick Chinese accent sets him further apart from his peers. The writing, however, is strong and shows a very firm grasp of the English language, driving him a very bold point that though the words coming out of his mouth aren’t ideal, he most certainly understands. Kris is not ignorant, actually holding a better grasp of English with a wider vocabulary than some of his peers. This was one of the most notable and defining aspects of the book, making the character very realistic.

Xing is both bullied and ignored; a boy who has slowly changed and hardened over the years at the hands of his classmates. This aspect of the story alone drives the plot but adding another layer is the mysterious serial killer targeting teens at the school. As tension builds and the community grows more scared, just how far apart Xing is from everyone else becomes clearer. The elements continue to pulse and shift until they finally come together for a very startling and gripping ending.

My initial reaction to the ending was dumbfounded, primarily because readers, in general, have an inherent desire for everything to be wrapped up and tied off. This is not the kind of ending presented here- but the one provided is far more powerful. It is one that takes a little while to fully sink in and will remain with the reader for days after. The full scope of things will astound the reader, rendering it astounding and brilliant.

The lasting effects are eye opening and Fuduka has pulled in real world events that have happened in the past few years to drive both the overall points home as well as build the story. Though set in the perspective of a Chinese immigrant, any reader from any background will be able to relate to Kris. There are several surprising plot twists and left hooks thrown. Adding more elements is Kris’ journey to find himself, primarily through music and the rediscovery of his ability to sing. Fukuda has artfully weaved together a few different plot lines, all separate and strong enough to create their own story ideas but culminating in remarkable ways.(less)

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Apr 08, 2010 Lawral rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ya

There are some books that you stay up all night reading because you just have to know what happens. Then there are books that you stay up all night reading because you really don't want to turn off the lights. Crossing falls gracefully into both categories.

The whole story, the story behind the disappearances, is told by Kris. We see his classmates, his one friend, the town, through his eyes. Kris kind of goes through the motions of his life, the ultimate observer. It isn't until he starts singin...more There are some books that you stay up all night reading because you just have to know what happens. Then there are books that you stay up all night reading because you really don't want to turn off the lights. Crossing falls gracefully into both categories.

The whole story, the story behind the disappearances, is told by Kris. We see his classmates, his one friend, the town, through his eyes. Kris kind of goes through the motions of his life, the ultimate observer. It isn't until he starts singing lessons before school that he gains some confidence and things really start happening both to and for him. If it weren't for the missing kids, this would be a very different story, one about an unpopular, unspectacular kid who, with a little adult attention and encouragement, finally comes out of his shell, makes friends, and is recognized by his peers. Well, almost. The disappearances are good for Kris. He's no longer bullied at school, and when the guy he's understudying goes missing, he gets the lead in the school musical. It's easy to see why Kris is the perfect suspect.

The first couple of pages of the book make it seem as though Kris is just that, at the very least: a suspect. For most of the story, however, that's not how it looks like things should go. Other things in his life, his crush on Naomi, the new girl Jan, and his music lessons, are more important than the missing kids. The disappearances are almost peripheral to Kris's story; he's to busy being a freshman for the disappearances, which make his life a little bit more livable, to worry him. When the disappearances, and the rumors surrounding them, come crashing into Kris's life, they are really creepy. Don't turn the lights off creepy. Everyone is paranoid and thinks they are being watched; Kris is chased. They've all "seen" the person watching them; Kris sees no one. He manages to brush these things off, most of the time, but they come back in strange ways.

But Jan, herself, is what creeped me out the most. She is new and an outsider, like Kris, and she eventually clings to him. Her desperation and hopelessness scared me. She is a truly haunting character. She's an important part of the story, in a nuts and bolts kind of way, but she's very much a side character. On one hand I wish there had been more of her in the book, especially in the aftermath part of it, but on the other hand, I don't think it would be the same story if she had been more present in it. The whole point, I think, is that Kris, Jan, and, to some extent, Naomi are kids no one notices. We only see what Kris sees, and even he doesn't really see Jan for a lot of the book.

The ending wasn't really a surprise, but the story did throw me for a few loops getting there. The mystery still exists, even if you think you know who did the deed.

Book source: Review copy from publisher.
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Jun 15, 2012 April rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: asian-american, cantonese, chinese-american, coming-of-age, diaspora, gritty, murder, racism, social-commentary, xenophobia, young-adult, dystopian, conversation-starter

WHAT JUST HAPPENED. Disturbing, haunting, chilling on so many levels. WTF, I have so many mixed feelings. Supposedly the author worked with Chinese teen immigrants in New York, which inspired this novel--I'll tell you, when he writes about the racism and xenophobia against Chinese people in the U.S., God, it just makes me sick because I know it's real. There's a sense of futility, of desperation--that white Americans will always rely on paranoia rather than the truth in order to protect themselv...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Amber rated it 4 of 5 stars

Having to deal with the move to American and the horrible death of his father, Xing has had to grow up real quick. With so much happening in his life, he seemed to distant himself from others and soon became the loner in school with only one friend.
Going to an all white school and being one of the only two asians in school, Xing seemed to always get picked on. On the first day of school, Xing's class was introduced to a new student named Jan Blair. She seemed differnt to Xing so he tried to s...more

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Nov 08, 2010 Kathyladner rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 02, 2010 Eileen Granfors rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

"Crossing" by Andrew Fukuda combines the reality of American high schools, that despite the programs and the focus on bullying, the schools teem with outcasts and bullies. In this story, the high school loner carries an interior life of wistful yearnings--an artist in like his father or to regain his own ability to sing. When Xing comes to America, his classmates, and even his teachers, are not kind and welcoming. The kids find every reason to mock his clothes and his accent. The teachers believ...more

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