Migration Songs

Finished May 27
Migration Songs by Anna Quon
This is a first novel for Quon, a young half-Chinese-Canadian writer raised in the Maritimes and living in Dartmouth. Joan, the young woman who is the main character in her book is also half-Chinese-Canadian, and is still struggling to find her place in life.
She is an only child, and this book tells not only her story, but also the story of her parents. Her maternal grandparents came to Canada from China to escape the changing life under Mao. Her father is from England and was fascinated by China and admired Mao. Joan has worked several low skill jobs as she struggles to feel comfortable in her life. At 30, she still lives with her parents. When Joan's older friend Edna dies, Joan discovers many secrets about the people around her, particularly Edna, and also makes discoveries about herself.
This is a woman with intellience, humour, and who cares about others, but she struggles to express herself and deal with the world around her. She has always been a loner. As we see her make more connections with others, we also watch her begin to blossom. This was an intense book as I cared so much about Joan, and was rooting for her throughout.