Kween: A Queer Cambodian American YA Novel – Slam Poetry, Family, and Finding Your Voice

by Vichet Chum

A searing, joyful YA debut about a queer Cambodian American teen’s journey to find her voice and step into her legacy, perfect for fans of Ibi Zoboi and Elizabeth Acevedo.

Soma Kear’s verses have gone viral. Trouble is, she didn’t exactly think her slam poetry video through. All she knew was that her rhymes were urgent. On fire. An expression of where she was, and that place…was a hot mess.  

Following her Ba’s deportation back to Cambodia, everything’s changed. Her Ma is away trying to help Ba adjust to his new life, and her older sister has taken charge with a new authoritarian tone. Meanwhile, Soma’s trending video pushes her to ask if it’s time to level up. With her school’s spoken word contest looming, Soma must Is she brave enough to put herself out there? To publicly reveal her fears of Ba not returning? To admit that things may never be the same?  

With every line she spits, Soma searches for a way to make sense of the world around her. The answers are at the mic. 

From debut author Vichet Chum comes a celebration of Khmer identity, queerness, and embracing the complicated histories that shape who we are and want to be.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Queer, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Asian Literature

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 3, 2023

Reviews

[Bon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Happy release day, and thanks to Harper Collins for sending me a physical copy to review through the Epic Reads program.

Kween drops October 3rd. A queer YA debut by a Cambodian American voice sounded refreshing, but it wasn't quite what I expected.

This is a coming of age story of a 16 year-old, queer, Cambodian-American wannabe rapper, Soma. It's already a tough age, but she's struggling with her father's deportation to Cambodia, her mother's absence to deal with that, and her sister's authoritarian management of the household. 

My biggest issue with this was that I could simply barely read it. It's told in a first-person POV that was pretty grating, to be honest, as Soma's inner dialogue appears to appropriate a lot of AAVE in the name of...her rapper aspirations, I guess. Between that and other badly forced slang, her voice reads indecipherable and also so immature that I'd believe she was eleven, not sixteen, minus lots of swearing. 

I'm also not really into the rap or hiphop scenes, much less at this juvenile level, and on Youtube.

I did appreciate the critical tones towards Christianity, America's immigration policies, and the Cambodian culture woven into the story. Dahvy's semi-traditional wedding and the clothes, practices etc. were interesting.

Ultimately, this is not a book whose market audience includes me, but I hope it finds those readers. 

[PapayaSammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My little southeast Asian heart felt so seen while reading this it's not even funny. I'm personally Laos so being the neighbor to the author was nice, having family living in Lowell right now was even more crazy to me. If I had read this back in the day when I was in High School, man, I would've ate this up and I still strongly enjoyed it. I loved Soma, she was cool, calm, collected. How every first gen Asian American kid usually is. Juggling your traditions and religion while trying to be what we call normal, fitting in with everyone at school. Being a somebody. Overall, it was a great book. I didn't mind it at all.

[des · Rating 1 out of 5]

um no. an absolute hard pass. someone should burn this piece of trash in the garbage can because it did not serve. there are so many things wrong with "kween" that I'll have to make a list. I can't wait until it's released because obviously the other ARC readers don't see now much of a flop it is. like yall have to be PRETENDING atp.

let's start light before getting into the messier parts, because honestly, there was so so much of that.

1) The Characters

why the HELL are all of the characters so boring and generic? the author literally gives you a description of the character to make them seem so cool and "ooh different" and "diverse!😝" but the characters themselves don't potray that. they're so boring and they all talk the same for some reason. let's not get started on how soma is the epitome of every single annoying, whiney Disney channel teenager to ever exist. she complains about every single thing and is really petty, ungrateful and insensitive. every second she spoke, i wanted to dropkick her. soma's character is also very inconsistent, with how one minute she is complaining and then in another she gets preachy (obviously the author trying to impose his own views on the reader) about immigration and rights!! like girl, how is this even coming from the same person. not to mention for a book like this, soma does a lot of preaching and her "woe it's me we are so oppressed, absolutely all white people are bad speech." like I'm black and have had my own share of racism from not just whites, but there are a lot of good white people out there too.

ALSO the main character is a child smoking Marijuana with her friend but no one is advising her against it? Honestly, a horrible example.

2) the lingo
nobody uses "TBH" in a sentence or "AF" or "4eva." that was seriously so cringey.




3) BLATANT RACISM !
yay!! my favorite part. there is so much racism it's hypocritical at this point. first let's point out how the character Soma who is cambodian is always for some reason misusing AAVE as well as her friends?? it was oh so annoying to read and got tiring. also, soma states her favorite author is John kerouc (seriously another point of the author trying to push stuff on people because what teenager who says 4eva knows who the hell that is.) But John keroauc is actually a racist? One of his books about the road trip or whatever literally states that it would have been better if black people were still on the plantation 😒 and this is who our protagonist worships?? to make matters worse, she brushes him off as just "misogynistic." BUT GIRL HE IS LITERALLY A RACIST WTHH?? you do so much ranting why don't you do your research, dummy?

Annd let's talk about the part where she steals the name "Kween" (hence the title) which is actually a term coined by black FOR black people (Paris is Burning) but the main character adapts it and justifies it as her "culture" because she is named after some queen. cultural appropriation is very much real and alive in this one
😔

4) the author is disrespectful towards other religions

yeah OK probably unpopular opinion here but I hated the constant disrespect that soma and other characters had towards Christianity. like?? it's pretty obvious the author had some motive. he literally writes soma making a mockery of The Lord's Prayer and then he makes Ruben quote "I like these clothes better than what some God-fearing man wears." You didn't even have to include that first of all. please do not forget that people actually believe in God and get offended (like myself). you look dumb, dude. no one is out here calling the buddha obese and fake but here we are.

5) it was boring.

the story had so many subplots going on that it literally dragged at majority of the parts. the writing style is so childish too.

*Sigh*

In conclsuion, this book was a big dumpster fire and straight up sucked ballz❤️

[lapetitepritt · Rating 1 out of 5]

when did we, as a community, decide that it was okay to write “LOL” in a prose book

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredibly moving, debut coming of age #ownvoices YA story featuring a queer Cambodian American teen girl whose life gets turned upside down when her father is deported back to Cambodia and her mother goes with him, leaving her with her older sister who is busy planning her wedding.

Soma finds her voice in slam poetry and prepares to compete in her school's spoken word contest but her family life is stressful and navigating her sexuality is also complicated coming from a strictly religious family. Great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Elizabeth Acevado and Angie Thomas.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This was a standout debut and I look forward to reading more by this author!!

CW: alcoholic and depressed parent

[Manon the Malicious · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Soma Kear has posted a video of herself without thinking too much about it and it resonated with a lot of people. She has a lot to say at the moment. Her dad was just deported and her mom joined him in Cambodia so it's just her and her sister whom isn't the sweetest and has a lot on her plate since she's about to get married. And so, she starts doing slam poetry for everyone to see and it changes things in her life but also adds to her current load.

This was pretty good. I really enjoyed getting to know Soma with her flaws and all. And I enjoyed seeing her friendships and other relationships evolve. The most captivating relationships in this, for me, were the family ones. I really liked that part. I did have some trouble focusing through it all but that's definitely a me problem at the moment. I actually learnt some things reading this about Cambodia and Cambodian culture and also slam poetry. I really enjoyed this book and its main character, and I'm excited to read more from Vichet Chum.

[Saskia · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up.

This book wasn't for me.

I like to think of myself as a professional (reading YA for a job) and that I am able to see what makes for a good book regardless of subject matter. This one stumped me. I thought the slam poetry was awful (feel free to correct me - I'm not a 16yo Cambodian American girl) compared to slam poetry I've seen and experienced.

I also thought the MC was whiny and juvenile, and, quite frankly, I am mystified as to why the would-be girlfriend is still around?! MC didn't bother to respond for days, was sulky af, and self-absorbed to the max.

There were too many things going on - the sister, the brother-in-law, the wedding, the deportation, the new career on social media, the teacher stuff, the girlfriend, the best friend, the class frenemy, alcoholism, weed, god, Buddha, genocide, Mum issues, Dad issues, a school competition ... aaaaaargh!

Y9, Y10, Y11

[Elissa Granger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked this book out on Libby because it was an "available" book while I was waiting for what I really wanted to become available. What a fantastic happenchance. As a teacher, I want this book in my classroom library. I think the characters in this book face a lot of things that many kids can relate to. It definitely made me want a sister.

[Carrie-Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

La parte de los poemas no me molesta porque ajá me gusta ese género pero como no leí de corrido y tengo sueño 😴 no me encanto tampoco

[AJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

While it doesn't come off as someone who is actually from Lowell, and the dialogue seems dated for the time of tiktok the story is set in, Soma is a teenage girl who is struggling because she just doesn't know about her future. For her family. For herself.

While the story lacked details of characters and settings to help paint a picture of Soma's life, the constant questioning and thinking to me did a good job at showing a teenager who was trying to process the fact that her father may never be able to come back to the U.S. and their family just won't be the same.

I wouldn't say I would read it again, but I definitely think this is a good book to help someone process the loss of a family member due to deportation or help someone understand the mental mindfield that is created because of it.

I give it the 4 star rating because Soma does read like a confused 16 year old, even if how she and her friend Sophat talk sound closer to how I talked going to middle school in Lowell back in 2008-2010.

There is use of weed in the book if you are looking to add it a classroom or if you are a parent looking for materials for your kid.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved meeting Soma. She deals with a lot over the course of the novel— her Ba was recently deported back to Cambodia; her older sister is in charge while Ma is in Cambodia to help Ba; her friends are looking ahead to life after high school, but her brain can’t get beyond how to survive the present. Her rhymes help her process her swirling emotions. When a rhyme she impulsively posted goes viral, Soma realizes that her feelings about her life strike a cord with others. As she finds and claims her voice, how widely does she want to bare her soul? And how does she decide which stories are hers to tell?

[Liv Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally have the time to read all my friend’s wonderful books!!!

Love THIS BOOK

Love Vichet!!!

“I wanted you to know that just as we were made for survival, I know we were made for happiness. And I’ll never stop fighting for us to find that.” ❤️

This book was so lovely ❤️

[Liliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish it had focused more on the dad/immigration storyline than the rapper aspirations. The slang felt cringey. I like the bits on Cambodian culture and how normalized Soma’s queerness was.

[Phoebe August · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty cool that I lived in the same college house attic as the author. I enjoyed my read.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are few children’s, middle grade, or young adult with Cambodian / Cambodian American characters - this is just the start of Chum’s career and I cannot wait to see how many books he adds to this canon because he has a lot of talent. This may be the only contemporary YA by a large publisher that fits this category (at least I couldn’t find any others when searching).

KWEEN’s strength is in the family relationships. Those storylines had me particularly engaged. Sometimes the writing felt a little jarring/ out of nowhere so that took me out of the story a few times. Overall, I liked this book was so hopeful when so many others would feel hopeless about Soma’s situation.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I was drawn to Kween due to the intriguing premise, feeling both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, I’ve heard many stories about deportations, especially in recent years, and I appreciate how this story navigates that, while also focusing on centering Cambodian culture and heritage even in the midst of this trying time, especially as that’s a culture I don’t know a ton about.
But I also loved that this book was about a messy Cambodian queer teen in the midst of it all. Soma is dealing with her family’s situation the best she can, and there’s a great study of contrasts in how each family member interacts with the situation differently, but for her she struggles with her fear that he may never come back and reeling over that, and growing intentionally distant as a result. But I also love how she explores her own passions, particularly for slam poetry, and really comes into her own through that, really finding her voice.
My one difficulty was with some of the slang. On the one hand, this could be a sign that I’m not the target demographic, but I’ve also seen other reviews pointing out that it’s not necessarily something other teens would use either. So I can’t say whether it’s accurate or not, and it was much more jarring initially, and got much less so once I got into the “flow” of the story.
Personal nitpicks aside, I found this book enjoyable, and would recommend it if you’re looking for a YA contemporary that touches on tough topics and cultural issues, while also centering the coming-of-age narrative.

[Natalie D.C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

~Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review~
An emotional, inspiring story about a young queer Cambodian-American girl who struggles to speak her truth in the aftermath of her father's deportation. I really enjoyed this unique tale that is perfectly YA - I've never read about a Cambodian MC before so learning about Soma's culture was really engaging. I also enjoyed her sisterly dynamic with Dahvy, as well as her relationship with Brittany (wish we got to see more of their romance!) I also wish we got to see more of Soma's relationships with her parents as they are absent for the majority of the book. Finally, I didn't care for the enormous amount of slang in this book (teenagers don't use abbreviations IRL !!) but I still appreciated this book for the story it was trying to tell and felt engaged for the most part, so I definitely plan on checking out Chum's future works!

[Violet · Rating 3 out of 5]

The poetry was not my jam, but I did enjoy the cultural aspects and general storyline. I am trying to read more LGBTQ+ fiction, because that is a perspective often missed by those outside of that sphere. If you’re looking to explore that genre and those perspectives, this is a nice read. Being YA, it is an easy text; dealing with immigration and family issues lends it some depth.

Don’t let the ‘whack’ poetry scare you. This is a fine read, and would make a great movie.

3.6

[Deborah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book seriously needed an editor to help the author construct a consistent narrative.

And also a character who isn't the most selfish brat in the history of books.

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a 25 year old Cambodian American who grew up loving reading, I really wanted to like this book. This was the representation I was looking for as a teen. As a Cambo, there are SO FEW books out there about us that it hurts to be critical when I feel like I should be more uplifting. This book certainly has it moments, but I honestly thought this story would've been better if it were an adult fiction novel told from Dahvy's perspective.

All that said, I feel like I should be honest about my feelings as a reader.

My critiques:
-I don't know of any teen that talks like that. Soma's POV very lyrical, but I can't imagine any teen with that train of thought and voice inside their head. It's not even the way she talks, but the way that she tells the story. Both too sophisticated and almost immature at the same time. I feel like I was not clear of Soma's age, based on voice alone, because she could've been a freshman or a senior in high school.

-Representation is important, but this was crammed with all sorts cultural references that I feel would fall flat on most people, even to most Cambo kids. I did not grow up in an area with a lot of other Cambo kids so maybe I am wrong but realistically, these kids aren't that cultured. It's not realistic that a high schooler is listening to Sinn Sisamouth's granddaughter's rendition of his song or Laura Mam, whose career's peak was probably at least half, if not a whole decade ago. I consider myself pretty cultured compared to other kids I know and I am even fluent in Khmer, but the representation here just feels very packed in and forced. I more than understand the need for representation because this probably the only YA book we have right now about Cambodians, but this hardly made me feel seen and perhaps I wanted it to feel more realistic.

-Soma's poems were "meh" to me.

-The use of the Khmer language here drives me up a wall. This is not the entirely the author's fault because Khmer is an impossible language to spell out phonetically in English. But there was one point in the story where Dahvy say's to her parents in Khmer what translates to, "I love dad and mom." I feel like she should've said that in English 'cuz I have NEVER heard anyone speak like that. It was like she was stating it to some third party and not actually telling her parents she loves them. I think there needed to be some Cambodian editors and beta readers on the team. If there was, it didn't feel like it. It feels like this book was written more the white audience than an actual Cambodian kid. It's like you want to have Cambodian representation but it still doesn't speak to an actual Cambodian at all.

Things I enjoyed:
+ The family dynamic was probably a lot nicer than how real life would've been, but I really enjoyed the tenderness between Soma and her father. I think that it's very progressive that their family probably actually talks more about their feelings and problems than other immigrants family would, but I loved how their family was written and I almost wished we spent more time on that part of the story. I really enjoyed the emails from Soma's father to her and I think that it was some of the only times in the story where Soma reflected more than she acted on her feelings.

+ The narrative is definitely very lyrical and I can imagine that is because Soma is a poet. Although I was critical of the narrative, I also find some of the descriptions to be refreshing. Writers tend overuse certain common parts of speech or descriptive phrases just because it flows better, but seldom explore other ways of description.

+I feel like the story and its characters have lots of potential which is a great start for a debut author. I, again, think it would've been better from Dahvy's perspective, but hey, maybe that's not the story that Vichet was trying to tell and I have to respect that. There were definitely moments when I felt very touched by where the story could've gone. There are times when I was finally starting to make emotional connections with the characters, but I never quite got there.

[Jazelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

🦇 Kween by Vichet Chum Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❝ Step into your legacy. ❞

❓ #QOTD Who is your favorite poet? ❓

🦇 After Soma's Ba was deported back to Cambodia, her life became a hot mess of emotion. To try to make sense of it all, she puts her thoughts into verse, never expecting her video to go viral. When Soma's bestie pushes her to take those lines and rhymes to the mic for their school's spoken word contest, she has to decide if she's brave enough to put herself out there; to be vulnerable in her discussion of Cambodia's history, the fear that her Ba won't come back, and that her life may never be the same. Debut author Vichet Chum's Kween is a celebration of Khmer identity, queerness, and embracing the complicated histories that shape who we are and want to be.

❝ She drew that connection. She got personal so that she could get universal. Maybe that was the key: get into the icky personal stuff, draw it out in detail, and put it against rhythm to Frankenstein something that could maybe feel like a mirror to a stranger. ❞

💜 What. A. Debut. Vichet Chum CAME TO PLAY with these wicked rhymes and heartfelt truths. Soma's voice is fun, vibrant, and energetic, bounding off the page with a single line. Though I know there are readers who won't feel at home with her quick wit and dynamic, Gen Z ramblings, this story speaks louder because of it. The real hero of the story is the authenticity; the raw depth of exploration into a Cambodian-American teen living with the ache of losing a parent who is still alive. Chum shines a light on the Khmer Rouge genocides (a footnote in American history I don't recall learning) and how that trauma can echo between generations. As a second-generation Palestinian-American, I empathized with Soma, who feels connected to the past as a part of her history, but disconnected and distant from it as well. This emotional, inspiring story is a reminder that immigration and deportation stories are still a present problem that shouldn't be ignored. Most of all, I LOVED Soma's rhymes. I performed in a spoken word trope and still write my own poetry, but I've got nothing on Soma.

🦇 Though the bulk of the story spans over two-ish weeks, the pacing was a little slow for me. The biggest problem is the bulk of the story is internalized as Soma processes her emotions, leaving very little action and imagery for us to focus on. I also wish there was more focus on the relationships—between Soma and her sister, Soma and her parents, and Soma and her potential bae. Soma's interactions with her father are one-sided, over email, but there's so much beauty in his words that I wish we'd gotten a little more. The interactions Soma does have with people (whether her sister, bestie, or teacher) have a major impact on her self-discovery. Those conversations are what lead Soma to grow as a character, but most of those interactions are short compared to her internal dialogue. As much as I loved this story, it feels like there's a missing element that's keeping it from truly wow-worthy.

❝ It’s one thing to write your story, and then it’s another to go public. It becomes no longer just yours. Other people judge it, identify themselves in it, or sometimes, yes, reject it altogether. But hopefully, we tell our stories responsibly, and after that, we hope there are more...So tell your story, and develop hard scales. ❞

🦇 Recommended to anyone who loves a real, raw story about self-identity. For fans of Gabby Rivera, Ibi Zoboi, and Elizabeth Acevedo. I had tears in my eyes by the end of this one.

✨ The Vibes ✨
🎤 YA Fiction
🎤 Debut Novel
🎤 Poetic Prose
🎤 Queer Cambodian MC
🎤 Lesbian MC / Sapphic Ship

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #Kween #VichetChum #HarperCollins #QuillTreeBooks #Netgalley

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where to begin... First I would like to make a disclaimer that I may be biased in my review due to my identity as a Cambodian American and how close I feel towards the book. Now onto the book review

What I liked:
The premise of the book is so good! A book that discusses the issues that the Cambodian American community faces and highlights a lot of things that are felt but aren't typically talked about is written in an engaged way that I feel that many of us can relate to. From the genocide, family members being involved in gang activities, and deportation encapsulates a lot of feelings that are written in a way that doesn't feel too preachy but just as is and how we deal with it. I think having a first-person narration in this type of story is essential for those who want to learn more and have feelings of empathy/understanding. I also enjoyed how connected the story was to the culture, with specific community jokes sprinkled throughout (e.g. the Henny uncles and aunts LOL!) it felt that the book was really written for us.

What I didn't like:
Personally, for me, I felt that the pacing of the book was kind of slow and dragged on for a bit. Although the author introduces many characters where our protagonist was able to interact and have a dialogue with them it just felt repetitive in a way? Like reading it I was like "Okay dawg we know what they're going to say let's just get on with it!" Perhaps if the characters were a bit more multifaceted it would have gone a bit faster in terms of pacing as it felt that everyone had an archetype. I think more characterization for supporting characters would have been beneficial.

What I wished to see:
On god, I really would have loved to see more interaction and conversation between Dahvy and Soma! Although they reached an emotional climax towards the end I wish there was more in their sibling dynamic! Maybe it's because I see so much of myself in Dahvy and wanted to get to know her more, but I felt that there was more to uncover between the two and their family overall! I felt a bit sad when we didn't get to read more about them especially since it seems that Soma feels strongly about her family. I think my main issue with the plot here is the fact that Soma is deeply affected by her dad being deported and it has impacted their family in a multitude of ways but I feel that we don't get into the thick of it all.. I think I just wanted to see more interaction between the family members T-T.

3.8/5 Overall pretty solid debut book and I look forward to more of Vichet Chum's work!

[Bookashbutterfly · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚 Kween
📖 𝐛𝐲 Vichet Chum
🎀🍒"So, when you’re feeling like the future is uncertain, I need you to remind yourself of who you are: Soma. You are a queen. This is your inheritance. And with that is your ability to say, to do, to be whomever you want to be. Don’t be afraid. Step into your legacy."🍒🎀
🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀
🎀 Qotd: What's your comfort food, movie, book and place?
🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀🍒🎀
🔖 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: LGBT|Asian lit| Realistic fiction
Pages:352
Pub day: 03rd October 2023
🔖 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: A searing, joyful YA debut about a queer Cambodian American teen’s journey to find her voice and step into her legacy, perfect for fans of Ibi Zoboi and Elizabeth Acevedo. Soma Kear’s verses have gone viral. Trouble is, she didn’t exactly think her slam poetry video through. All she knew was that her rhymes were urgent. On fire. An expression of where she was, and that place…was a hot mess. Following her Ba’s deportation back to Cambodia, everything’s changed. Her Ma is away trying to help Ba adjust to his new life, and her older sister has taken charge with a new authoritarian tone. Meanwhile, Soma’s trending video pushes her to ask if it’s time to level up. With her school’s spoken word contest looming, Soma must Is she brave enough to put herself out there? To publicly reveal her fears of Ba not returning? To admit that things may never be the same? With every line she spits, Soma searches for a way to make sense of the world around her. The answers are at the mic.
🔖𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔖𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: 🎀From debut author Vichet Chum comes a celebration of Khmer identity, queerness, and embracing the complicated histories that shape who we are and want to be.
🎀 First of all, those peoms written by heart from the author are a really great experience 🌷
🌷I learned so much about Cambodia and their culture, it's very refreshing to study different types of cultural references and their impacts on the personalities of individuals 💯
🎀 The book deals and handles the intricate topics of deportation and immigration very beautifully. It made me realise how blessed I am to be born and brought up in the same country. Their hardship and other issues to tackle are literally noteworthy 💯
🌷I loved this book very much and I'll be surely looking forward to reading more from Vichet Chum! 🩷✨ Good luck with future endeavours 😊
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#bookashbutterfly

[Madeline K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is also a 2.5. You might notice that I might rate something a 2.5 and give it a three, or I might rate something a 2.5 and give it a 2. That is because each book marginally leans toward one side or the other, and this is like a 2.51.

I am Cambodian. I am a Cambodian American. I am a second generation American. I am not Soma. My grandmother is named Davy, we are Stockton Cambodians, not Long Beach or Lowell Cambodians. I thought this story would be really relevant to the Cambodian experience, but it was definitely speaking to a specific experience. I was excited that it was also going to be talking about deportation issues in the US, but I felt like it was less about the institutional and legal issues and more about how to keep moving in the face of deportation, which is an equally worthy cause. However, Soma is annoying, and the voice developed for her is incredibly strong. But I found her to be so annoying. I couldn't get through it.

I also felt like there was way too much going on. I understand poetry as a tool to tap into your power and express yourself, but with the slam poetry contest, a potential love interest, your sister's wedding, and your father's deportation. It was too much and I couldn't handle it on top of Soma's messiness.

However, I applaud the author for keeping it real. Sometimes we are simply annoying. Sometimes there are a million things happening our lives. But as a story, it makes it difficult to follow.

Side note about something random that bothered me: the Romanization of Khmer words. I always heard it as Pou/Pu, not Boo, Ta not Thagh, Babaw not buh bah, Kuy Teav or Ka Thiew and I can't even remember how it was spelled in the book except that I was confused, bai instead of bigh (as in bai cha, like fried rice), etc. And I think that also really threw me off because I, knowing the Khmer words, couldn't figure out what they were saying which was very distracting.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soma is depressed. Her father, her Ba, has been deported back to Cambodia, because of a transgression he did years before, and no one can tell her when he is coming back. Plus, her Mom went to be with him, so now it is just her older sister, who is trying to plan a wedding, who is supposed to be taking care of her.

Does she have anger? Like heck she does. How does she deal with it? By writing slam poetry.


She puts her poetry out there on social media, and everyone likes it, so she does more, and enters a poetry contest. Meanwhile, she can’t talk to her Ba. It is just too much that he is gone, and she is afraid he will never come back home again, and she can’t live with that.

Full disclosure, I can’t read poetry, and judge it, so that part of the book kind of goes over my head, but I think it is enough to know that it is her way of escape. Her way of making sense of the world.
I do like how the author dropped little bits of the culture that Cambodian-Americans have in the US, as a second generation, for the wedding of her sister, of the food. Of the frustration of reading white male authors for inspiration.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. The book comes out the 3rd of October 2023

[MOSS Kids Book Project · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting. I really loved the written dynamic between Soma & her friends; the felt dynamic between Soma and her family. Soma's verses go viral after she posts a slam poetry video. All she knew was that her rhymes were urgent. On fire. An expression of where she was, in that moment. Her Ba's deportation back to Cambodia changes everything. Her Ma is gone trying to help her Ba adjust back on Cambodia. Her older sister is now in charge with a new authoritarian tone towards Soma & stressed about her upcoming wedding. Her friends, her crush, her teachers, her sister's fiancé are all pushing her to enter into school's spoken word contest. But is she brave enough to level up? Is she ready to pour her feelings into her rhymes? Is she ready to be her authentic self in front of a crowd? This debut is a beautiful celebration of Khmer identity, queerness, and embracing our complicated histories that shape our sense of self and who we strive to become. 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley & Quill Tree Books for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a debut so I'm excited to see where Chum goes after the publication of this one. Centered around a Cambodian girl whose sister is getting married, Soma uses her lyrical words to make sense of a world that seems unfair like her father's deportment back to Cambodia and being raised by a sister because the mother chose to go back as well and is unsure, with the impending wedding, whether she will come to the wedding.

There's a richness in culture of the food and celebration around her sister's wedding but also how the past informs her present and why it should (and shouldn't) shape her future with insight into how she feels about certain schoolwork.

Ultimately her coming-of-age, similar to The Poet X is about using words to empower and navigating family and culture too. Her inclusion in a Kerouac writing contest sets up her ultimate goals and getting through her sister's wedding and hopefully finding romance too.

The audiobook was awesome especially when Soma's writing her poetry.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soma is Cambodian-American. She's struggling with a father who has been deported back to Cambodia, her mother has gone back to try to help her dad, and her bossy older sister is currently acting as her guardian. With all this turmoil, her feelings come out as a viral slam poetry video. After that, her crush Britney starts talking to her which is great but causes additional stress. The only way for Soma to deal with everything is through her rhymes - and after her viral video she is pressured to enter a poetry competition.

I think it is great to have some Cambodian representation. I can't tell how authentic it is though as it isn't my culture but it does feel a bit heavy on pushing *all* aspects of Cambo-American-ness just because there is finally the opportunity to do so. (Here are our issues with genocide, here's how we do weddings, here's our deal with immigration, this is our music, here's our mythology. Now you now everything all in one book!) Personally, I didn't think Soma's rap/poems were that strong. I did love the theme about family and her strong friendship. I look forward to what else this author has to offer!

[AveryM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kween by Vichet Chum is a coming of age novel about a queer Cambodian American, Soma Kear, who tries to find her own voice when nothing seems to be going right. I like the way Vichet Chum writes Soma as someone struggling with issues at home and problems every teenager deals with like jealousy and anger. However, while the story is cute, I was not hooked to the novel. I started it in September and stopped because there was nothing to really keeping me to read it. I was also not a big fan of the poems in the beginning, and I had trouble dealing with Soma’s inner dialogue at times. That said, I felt the story got better the more I read and did end up enjoying it. I especially loved how Soma was queer without it being the whole point of the book. It doesn’t have to be a queer romance in order for a character to be queer, but queer romances are pretty much the only books I see queer main characters.