Helpful Score: 1
Don't let the cover fool you—The Revenge of the Mooncake Vixen is more manifesto than novel. There is no linear plot, but rather a series of 41 loosely interconnected stories about two Chinese American twins Moonie and Mei Ling, their dominating grandmother, and the family "Double Happiness" restaurant. Poet and novelist Marilyn Chin is a master wordsmith blending Chinese words and legends with rich colorful language in fantastical tales that span the girls' coming of age. There's a lot of symbolism of intergenerational tension, cultural legacy, the pursuit of the American dream, and asserting one's own identity and sexuality given this complex backdrop. Don't expect Amy Tan-like immigrant literature; however, The Revenge of the Mooncake Vixen will jolt, engage, and entertain the reader.
