Listen to the Squawking Chicken

Listen to the Squawking Chicken: When Mother Knows Best, What's a Daughter To Do? A Memoir (Sort Of) - Elaine Lui

Listen to the Squawking Chicken is an intriguing memoir of growing up in Canada and Hong Kong – with The Squawking Chicken for a mother. The cultural differences are both mesmerizing and horrifying, but always fascinating. Elaine Lui's childhood made me cringe and howl with laughter by turns. Recommended for any North American who wants a look a a completely different mother/daughter relationship!

 

What Went Well:

  • Liu is great at cultural interpretation of things most North Americans wouldn't otherwise understand
  • The absurdity of things really shines through

 

Even Better If:

  • Some of Mother's actions weren't defended - they are indefensible!
  • Liu didn't universally refer to her mother as "The Squawking Chicken"

 

The publisher provided this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 22 April 2014.