Book Review: Girl in Translation

I'm not into chick lit, so this was my version of a beach read, as it was interesting enough and a super quick read.  This debut novel from Jean Kwok follows a young girl, Kimberly, and her mother after they immigrate from Hong Kong.  While Kimberly is unbelievably smart, she must succeed while hiding the fact that she lives in filth and moonlights at a sweatshop - something I can not even begin to relate to, which is why I was intrigued.  I enjoyed the subject matter, but I felt the writing was not quite as sophisticated as that of Lisa See (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Shanghai Girls), a favorite author.  It was not as dramatic as I would have hoped, but it really came together at the end.  

Review: 6 out of 10 stars