Finally, I get my grubby hands on this book after numerous delays. And now I wish I had it on the plane with me to read because the first sentence sucked me right in. I'm not done yet, but I'm two-thirds into it after only a record two sittings.
As mentioned on the cover, the book is a series of stories revolving around medical students and the kind of lives they lead and the relationships they make. In the center is Ming, who starts off as a pre-med student at the beginning of the book; she is an achiever with complete focus on her goal of getting into med school, and is trying to find a balance between her strict Chinese upbringing and the more western society of which she is also a part of. Each chapter of the book is like a slice out of her life, as well as the lives of the people she interacts with, and is written in such a way that it can stand on its own like a short story. (Then again, they're stories that are so interconnected that they seem like chapters of the book.)
What I find most interesting is how multicultural the stories are and how the viewpoint shifts with almost every story. Some stories are in the third person, some are in the first; sometimes it's about Ming, sometimes it's about Sri, or Winston, or some of the other people in Ming's circle. It's sometimes disorienting but nevertheless still very interesting; it often feels like getting the inside scoop on someone else's private life. The writing is strong and clear, and there is a nice, even flow to all the stories I've read thus far. I find it hard to believe that this is Vincent Lam's debut; his writing reminds me of both Jeffrey Eugenides and Haruki Murakami at the same time, with a touch of Amy Tan. Maybe it's just me, but being reminded of all three is very, very good thing.
I would totally recommend this book, especially for those who are looking for books that have med students, Chinese culture, Canadians, short stories, interesting titles, overachievers (heh), among other things. And another
good thing: at the end of the book is a glossary of medical terms for
the rest of us mere mortals. I find that really considerate and of
course that gets brownie points!
Having said all that, I'm now going to go off and finish the book!
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