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The Woo-Woo
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❀ Susan
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Jan 31, 2019 07:09PM
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I've started this one and about 60 pages in. Super unique narrative voice, plus sarcastic humour covering up a lot of pain.... it's going to be a good read.
I've also started this one. Ann-Marie, I'm going to keep in mind your comment about sarcastic humour covering up pain because I'm having a lot of trouble with the tone in this book.
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https://www.cbc.ca/books/why-joe-zee-...
I hope I to be able to read this book before Canada Reads but there are a lot of holds ahead of me. I know I could buy it but am being up-front.....it just doesn't appeal to me. Of all 15 long listed books, it was 1 of few that didn't appeal to me and that I did not put on hold right away (which is probably why I many not receive it before the Canada Reads debates begin.)I know it's a popular book but the title alone immediately put me off - not just once but a number of times - demons? my crazy Chinese family? woo-woo? drug raids? surviving ice hockey? Sure packs a wallop and it doesn't sound like the author is taking an important topic seriously. The title screamed to me that it was a foreboder of a book of satire and humour about mental health issues and Chinese culture. Not my cup of tea.
If I'm fortunate enough to read it before Canada Reads starts, I will definitely read with an open mind as I may be pre-judging it a bit too harshly. I hope I'm proven wrong because it's going to have an awfully large reader stage.
I had similar reservations MJ but I am glad to say I think she did an amazing job at depicting her situation, and of course, rising above the challenges it presented. Its also well written and the characterization vivid.An unexpected bonus for me ( yes really) was how it illuminated some of the murkier questions i had about my own family dynamic. For a book i began with many reservations, i ended up loving it and her . You might not find it as pertinent as i did, but I hope you do too
@ Magdelanye - Have missed you in this group's discussions. Hope you're doing well! Thanks for joining in this particular discussion and for your comments regarding my reservations about The Woo-Woo. I appreciate your input as we quite often share a similar taste in books. I do have The Woo-Woo on hold at the library and will keep an open mind if I'm lucky enough to get a chance to read it before the Canada Reads debates begin. I too hope my initial ideas about the book are proven wrong.
I've only read a few pages of this and am liking it so far. Coincidentally, I came across this essay on laughter this morning and found it relevant to Wong's use of humour:Laughter is a tool for "experiencing relief from fear or tension"
" humour in general, whatever its content, is political by nature. Down to the smallest details of our lives, our relationships and encounters involve exercises and exchanges of power. In the face of these dynamics, laughter is an equalising gesture, a restoration of a rightful order in the face of an unjust hierarchy.
Similarly, when we find something funny, it’s often because of some incongruity between mind and body, the ideal and the real."
https://aeon.co/essays/does-laughter-...
If you're farther along in the book than I am, do you see Wong using laughter and sarcasm in this way?
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This will be my last book as I read through the CR books. here is a bit more information about the author and the impact reading had on her: https://www.cbc.ca/books/why-books-we...
Just finished The Woo-Woo — this is probably going to be a polarizing book. Using sarcasm as a humour tactic is funny when it works but so much of her experiences are deep that the sarcasm just hides her pain without digging into the root of it for their reader (and the author!).I’m curious how the debate will go on this book - mental health is the core theme - yet also immigration, assimilation, family support/love, Asian Canadian experience, family / cultural traditions — it deals with a lot of deep subject manner — but possibly not in a serious enough tone to challenge the other CR books.
Overall, I enjoyed the read. Gave it 3.5/5
PS: If swearing bothers you - this book may not be for you — lots of cursing on almost every page.
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I have wondered the exact same. The first 100 pages were quite difficult to get through although the rest had a little more draw. I find it so intriguing how, and in what ways, the effects of a traumatic life can then subsequently affect those around you. Lindsay definitely provoked some deeper thinking, post read.
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This was my least favourite read and I am hoping it is voted off early but then we all know that there will be strategy in the game!
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This was my least favourite read and I am hoping it is voted off early but then we all know that there will be strategy in the game!
❀ Susan wrote: "I feel like this is a book that i had to get through. It is very sad to think that this was the author's childhood so I hope that there was some creative license and embellishment in the descriptio..."Susan, exactly how I felt. I quit reading after the burning incident (around pg90). I felt I was watching some sordid chat show where each subsequent reveal was worse than the previous one.( I also have a very tough time reading about child abuse - could not finish Break or Women Talking.) This book also had a lot of inconsistencies - they had money but lived like poor people, the kids were assessed for various learning disabilities and attended good schools but no one saw the abuse. Going into this book, I heard a lot about black humour, wit, satire etc., but I didn't see any of it at all. Overall, this book was not for me.
I also hope this is one of the early exits.
I hated this book and am annoyed that it is taking up a space on Canada Reads that could have been better filled by any number of worthy titles.Srividya, that's an interesting point about the inconsistencies. I hadn't considered that. There were specific events in the book that just got more and more ridiculous with random details and, to me, that signalled that there was a lot of exaggeration (if not complete fabrication) going on in the storytelling.
I should have stopped reading after the second chapter about her neighbours. It was so incredibly nasty with the mean nicknames and making fun of others' appearance. I knew I'd get nothing out of the book then, but I'd promised myself I would read all five contenders.
This may sound silly, but I'm wondering if someone with a similar background may identify differently? Ie: may interpret the harsh words as 'encouragement' versus name calling?I'm curious to hear the defender discuss it as in the CR kick off on the radio he inferred to a connection via Chinese. culture.
I. Am. Struggling. To. Finish. This. Book.This is the 4th of the 5 books that I started. But then it was so painful that I set it aside and squeezed Homes in. I was sort of hoping that I wouldn't have time to finish The Woo-Woo, but alas, I do and I will.
But yeah, entirely painful for me as a reading experience. I get it -- it's about mental health and suppressing fear and pain. Satire, humour, etc, etc. But it's just so unenjoyable.
Ann-Marie, your comment is spot-on. It'll be so interesting to see the Chinese defender speak about this Chinese book/experience. Maybe he will enlighten me to its intrinsic value and help me to understand how any of it makes sense.
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I must have missed the humour as I really found myself frustrated with this book.
I too will be interested in hearing the Chinese perspective but regardless, feel that the CAS should have been involved when there are feet being burnt, emotional abuse and so much neglect. I am still hoping that this was embellished.
Interesting to hear that the author's family had not yet read the book and were waiting on a copy from the library. i can't imagine their reaction.
❀ Susan wrote: "Interesting to hear that the author's family had not yet read the book and were waiting on a copy from the library. i can't imagine their reaction..."Yeah, no kidding!!!!
I did find a lot of it so outrageous that it was funny. There were pointed when I was cracking up out loud. The sarcasm was deep and quite witty at times. Just as most sarcasm is... rooted in pain or an insecure coverup. Good points abt abuse yet I don’t think any of that was considered taboo by the family or friends at all. Everything was normalized and blamed on the spiritual “woo woo” so even if the family challenges the actions, the the person doing them would have been seen as embodying the woo woo.
Did you listen to Wong’s podcast — her family hasn’t even read the book??? They have it on hold at the library? (Why hasn’t she given them copies etc)It’s a bizarre family. Have you seen the movie Rich Crazy Asian’s? Some of the same stereotypes are depicted - not the mental health exactly - but the super tough love,
Negative commentary and unusual expectations.
Gotta say... I wasn't sad to see this one go on Day 1 of Canada Reads.
@Allison I agree with you although I have not read the book yet. It is the only one that I have not read.
