Bates, Judy Fong. Midnight at the Dragon Cafe.BATES, Judy Fong. Midnight at the Dragon Cafe. Perseus, Counterpoint counterpoint, in music, the art of combining melodies each of which is independent though forming part of a homogeneous texture. The term derives from the Latin for "point against point," meaning note against note in referring to the notation of plainsong. . 316p. c2005. 158243-189-2. $14.00. SA When Su-Jen and her mother, Lai-Jing, left Communist China in the 1950s for Canada, they spoke no English, and Su-Jen had never met her father. In Ontario, they are the only Chinese family, set apart but for the fact that Su-Jen's father owns the local Chinese restaurant See:
n. A spouse's son by a previous union. stepson Noun a son of one's husband or wife by an earlier relationship Noun 1. begin a torrid affair to which Su-Jen is the only witness. As Su-Jen's family unravels before her eyes, she is rapidly adapting to life in Canada. She becomes fluent in English; she is given the school name of Annie; and she develops friendships among the Canadian girls. The best of these friends is Charlotte, a spirited girl who behaves in a way that is older than her years. Little does Annie realize that the fate a fortuneteller predicted for her would befall be·fall v. be·fell , be·fall·en , be·fall·ing, be·falls v.intr. To come to pass; happen. v.tr. To happen to. See Synonyms at happen. her best friend. Midnight at the Dragon Cafe is a quietly lyrical lyr·i·cal adj. 1. a. Expressing deep personal emotion or observations: a dancer's lyrical performance; a lyrical passage in his autobiography. b. coming-of-age novel about a young girl who is adapting and thriving while watching her family struggle to maintain their cultural identity as they impotently fight against racism and poverty. The writing in this novel is beautifully simple and perfectly complements the out-of-context Chinese culture, which exists at the heart of the story. The style is accessible, and although the character of Su-Jen is young, the portrayal of her disenchantment dis·en·chant tr.v. dis·en·chant·ed, dis·en·chant·ing, dis·en·chants To free from illusion or false belief; undeceive. [Obsolete French desenchanter, from Old French, with her family as well as her awkward assimilation of Canadian culture will ring true with the older teens to whom this book might appeal. Heather Lisowski, YA Libn., Castle Rock, CO |
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