Based on a real person

[AnnaVan]

I just finished Tastes Like War by Grace Cho, which was the title for current Big Libray Read, coordinated by OverDrive. I think this book fits in perfectly in this category as it is "based" on the author and her mother. There is a lot of (social media) controversy about this book (mainly found on the goodreads page and via the author's SIL's social media) -- family challenge a great deal of its validity, claim it was published despite the mother's wishes, as well as label it abelist. While I did find parts of it "off" (i.e., VERY early childhood memories (e.g., age 2), what read as hyperbole, contradicitions, etc.), I definitely cringed more than a few times at her choice of words -- which, to me, lacked compassion. The book is a 2021 National Book Award finalist, but I was not as impressed with the writing (e.g., disorganized/scattered (though she tried with titles and dates for sections), its tone, etc.) -- and after reading the reviews, I can't help but question its credibility (even though the publisher has been assured by the author "that the book is an accurate account of her memories and that she conducted extensive research through the course of writing the book"). Could a work of fiction have had the same impact -- addressing/bringing awareness to the topics at hand (e.g., American regulated prostitution services in South Korean military camptowns, schizophrenia diaganoses/treatments, immigrant experience, etc.)?