We Were Dreamers: A Immigrant Superhero Origin Story by Simu Liu

I haven’t read enough memoirs lately, so I was so happy that I got to buddy read Simu Liu’s WE WERE DREAMERS via the audiobook with a friend on bookstagram. I had been curious about the actor ever since he was first announced as playing Marvel’s Shang-Chi, and listening to him share his life story (so far) made this a personal read that made me see and appreciate him in a new light.

I should start by saying that I am not usually a crier (I’m a Capricorn after all), but throughout the book, I was hit with a wave of empathy and emotions. I practically had to hold back tears as Liu shared his parents’ backstory - and this was only chapters 2 and 3. His mother’s story especially, and then listening to him get choked up thinking back on his grandparents, who helped raise him in Harbin before he embarked on his new life in Canada with his parents.

Liu talking about growing up in Canada - millennial references and all - had me feeling hilariously nostalgic (if you used AIM, I would love to know what your screen name was. Mine was enchantedgrrl 😂). These lighter moments however, also conflicted with his difficult relationship with his parents, which he openly discusses. It was the hardest to listen to sometimes and I really respected them for sharing it. In my own Filipino household, my parents were not as strict on me, but I understand that pressure and weight to succeed because of all the risks and sacrifices they made. It’s something I hadn’t realized until much later and this book had me reflecting on it again as well as about remembering where you come from.

I really enjoyed listening to him talk about how he first got into acting after starting a career in accounting. It wasn’t glamorous, but scrappy yet full of earnestness, hope, humor, and ambition despite the odds. To see how all of it paid off and where his career is now is amazing. I even mentioned to my friend how I was ready to read more after his Marvel audition until I realized that this is only the beginning of whatever he has ahead.

This was a great read and if you get a chance to pick it up, I highly recommend the audiobook to get the full experience of Simu Liu telling his story.

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A Gorgeous Retelling | The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is unequivocally one of the best authors of our time. Her beautiful prose and homage to her heritage come together in such truly captivating storytelling, while even some of her books with speculative elements add a new layer to the story and its characters. Having read The Beautiful Ones last year and Mexican Gothic prior to that, I was excited to pick up The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, which turned out to be just as engrossing and gorgeously written as its predecessors.

Inspired by H.G. Wells’s The Island of Doctor Moreau, Moreno-Garcia’s novel reimagines the classic by giving the doctor a daughter: Carlota Moreau. Carlota has developed a familial relationship with the hybrids her father has created and experimented on, and tries to help them along with Moreau’s assistant, Montgomery Laughton. Their peaceful coexistence is disrupted however with the arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the son of Moreau’s patron. His attraction and pursuit of Carlota, much to Montgomery’s dismay but to Moreau’s hope that more funding will be fueled through their union, threatens to expose the secret of the hybrids as well as unravel everything Carlota thought she knew.

Initially, I didn’t realize this book was based on The Island of Doctor Moreau, although the title sounded familiar. And despite having not read the original book but knowing its story, I thought Moreno-Garcia did an amazing job elevating it with her version. She brought in something new and reimagined its source by introducing a heroine, the titular daughter of Doctor Moreau, whose journey exemplifies the original book’s themes about science, evolution, religion, combined with her own themes about colonialism and power. I was unfamiliar with the historical context that was referenced and happening in the background, but I liked how Moreno-Garcia uses it and later expounds upon it in her Afterword.

The entire novel felt lush and immersive, especially because of its setting. This paired with a bit of mystery regarding Moreau, the hybrids, and the simmering tension between Carlota, Eduardo, and Montgomery heightened the brewing conflict that happens. All together, it was riveting.

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