First Pages: Frankly In Love
I started out by listening to David Yoon’s Frankly in Love on audiobook (which my mind still calls books-on-tape). The voice narrator did a great job but I just wasn’t sure if I believed his voice as a teenager. Korean-American, yes. He got all the nuances correct for me (as a first generation Asian-American who is not Korean).
But, like a natural Bookworm, I really wanted to see the words on the page. So I checked out the book via cloud library. Suffice it to say, this means that I’ve listened to the beginning of Yoon’s novel twice and read through it 2-3 times. It works for me every time.
I love seeing the dichotomy of being both Korean and American right away. Frank’s discussion of names and meanings were fantastic. He then segues into his sub-par (only to his parents) PSAT scores. The fact that his mom’s response is ‘we still love you’ cracks me up.
Even better is the geeky voice that comes through. From the start, Yoon establishes Frank’s character with SAT prep words and fantasy-based viewpoints. He also delves right into the fact that his sister, Hanna, has been disowned for dating someone who is non-Korean. I want to read more right away.
Oh, did I mention that I grew up in The OC, which is where this novel takes place? And that I moved back right when The OC tv series started?
Though Frank is a younger generation than I am, I’m likely similar in age to David Yoon and I understand exactly the upbringing he’s talking about. I’ve lived it, in a way. Or I grew up with good friends who have lived it.
In all honesty, we are (mostly) all immigrants to this country. My mom immigrated here from the Philippines at age 21 to do her internship in Ohio. She would later finish residency in Internal Medicine in Boston where she met my Dad. My Dad immigrated here from Hong Kong at age 18 to go to college in Wisconsin. He then went to med school in DC and did residency in Interventional Radiology in Boston, where he met my mom.
His dream was to move to California and raise his family there, which he achieved and much more. As a first generation American, yes, I understand Frank Li’s journey.
Were my parents as strict about grades and who we dated? No. They were very demonstrative and I always knew they loved me and were proud of me. But I can still understand where Frank is coming from, even in these first few pages.
And I’m so happy that there are books like Frankly in Love out here, now. I never got to read books like this when I was growing up because they did not exist. As I’ve said before, my kids (who are not growing up in the same OC that I did), don’t fully understand my wonder at finding these books by David Yoon, Nicola Yoon, Erin Entrada Kelly, Kelly Yang and more. They are growing up in a more diverse area, and in a more diverse era for books and bookworms. And I love it.
P. S. No, I didn’t get into The Harvard. My dad has high hopes for his grandchildren, however. I tell them to go wherever they want to go. (But they MUST go to college.)
P. P. S. One noticeable benefit about reading the book rather than listening to it? I love Yoon’s use of Mom-n-Dad as one entity. Kind of like In-N-Out. Also there is a lot of word play that can’t be as appreciated in just listening. I’m not done reading the novel yet, but Yoon’s voice, tone, and language draw me in from the very first pages.
