Joanna Ho, New York Times bestselling author of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, has written an exquisite, heart-rending debut young adult novel that will inspire all to speak truth to power.
Maybelline Chen isn’t the Chinese Taiwanese American daughter her mother expects her to be. May prefers hoodies over dresses and wants to become a writer. When asked, her mom can’t come up with one specific reason for why she's proud of her only daughter. May’s beloved brother, Danny, on the other hand, has just been admitted to Princeton. But Danny secretly struggles with depression, and when he dies by suicide, May's world is shattered.
In the aftermath, racist accusations are hurled against May's parents for putting too much “pressure” on him. May’s father tells her to keep her head down. Instead, May challenges these ugly stereotypes through her writing. Yet the consequences of speaking out run much deeper than anyone could foresee. Who gets to tell our stories, and who gets silenced? It’s up to May to take back the narrative.
Joanna Ho masterfully explores timely themes of mental health, racism, and classism.
"An ornately carved window into the core of shared humanity. Read and re-read. Then read it again." —Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin
"Powerful and piercing, filled with truth, love, and a heroine who takes back the narrative." —Abigail Hing Wen, New York Times bestselling author of Loveboat, Taipei
“A held-breath of a novel that finds courage amidst brokenness, and holds a candle to the dark.” —Stacey Lee, New York Times bestselling author of The Downstairs Girl
“Ho confronts racism with care and nuance, capturing the complexities of grief and growth. A poignant call to action.” —Randy Ribay, National Book Award finalist for Patron Saints of Nothing
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Maybelline Chen isn’t the Chinese Taiwanese American daughter her mother expects her to be. May prefers hoodies over dresses and wants to become a writer. When asked, her mom can’t come up with one specific reason for why she's proud of her only daughter. May’s beloved brother, Danny, on the other hand, has just been admitted to Princeton. But Danny secretly struggles with depression, and when he dies by suicide, May's world is shattered.
In the aftermath, racist accusations are hurled against May's parents for putting too much “pressure” on him. May’s father tells her to keep her head down. Instead, May challenges these ugly stereotypes through her writing. Yet the consequences of speaking out run much deeper than anyone could foresee. Who gets to tell our stories, and who gets silenced? It’s up to May to take back the narrative.
Joanna Ho masterfully explores timely themes of mental health, racism, and classism.
"An ornately carved window into the core of shared humanity. Read and re-read. Then read it again." —Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin
"Powerful and piercing, filled with truth, love, and a heroine who takes back the narrative." —Abigail Hing Wen, New York Times bestselling author of Loveboat, Taipei
“A held-breath of a novel that finds courage amidst brokenness, and holds a candle to the dark.” —Stacey Lee, New York Times bestselling author of The Downstairs Girl
“Ho confronts racism with care and nuance, capturing the complexities of grief and growth. A poignant call to action.” —Randy Ribay, National Book Award finalist for Patron Saints of Nothing
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Praise for this book
"A vital message of the power of using your voice for change. Both challenging and accessible, realistic and aspirational." - Kelly Loy Gilbert
"A held-breath of a novel that finds courage amidst brokenness, and holds a candle to the dark." - Stacey Lee
"Ho confronts racism with care and nuance, capturing the complexities of grief and growth. A poignant call to action." - Randy Ribay
"The Silence that Binds Us is a propulsive reminder that race-based discrimination takes a multitude of forms, all of them insidious and traumatic. I adored this ornately carved window into the core of shared humanity. A fascinating exploration of what happens when deeply rooted cultural norms collide with privilege-centered notions of 'fairness.' Read and re-read. Then read it again." - Nic Stone
"A clarion call to search out, listen to, and uplift the narratives - personal, societal, and historical - that have been silenced by factors as intimate as shame and as broad as colonialism. Maybelline's insightful, honest narration frames her awkward conversations and her eloquent poetry to tell a vitally important story that everyone needs to hear." - Misa Sugiura
"Zinger after zinger, Joanna pierces us with the truth we can't ignore even as she cocoons us in love. Just like May, she's taking back the narrative with her powerful pen." - Abigail Hing Wen
"A held-breath of a novel that finds courage amidst brokenness, and holds a candle to the dark." - Stacey Lee
"Ho confronts racism with care and nuance, capturing the complexities of grief and growth. A poignant call to action." - Randy Ribay
"The Silence that Binds Us is a propulsive reminder that race-based discrimination takes a multitude of forms, all of them insidious and traumatic. I adored this ornately carved window into the core of shared humanity. A fascinating exploration of what happens when deeply rooted cultural norms collide with privilege-centered notions of 'fairness.' Read and re-read. Then read it again." - Nic Stone
"A clarion call to search out, listen to, and uplift the narratives - personal, societal, and historical - that have been silenced by factors as intimate as shame and as broad as colonialism. Maybelline's insightful, honest narration frames her awkward conversations and her eloquent poetry to tell a vitally important story that everyone needs to hear." - Misa Sugiura
"Zinger after zinger, Joanna pierces us with the truth we can't ignore even as she cocoons us in love. Just like May, she's taking back the narrative with her powerful pen." - Abigail Hing Wen
Visitors also looked at these books
Used availability for Joanna Ho's The Silence that Binds Us