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| Plot Summary of The Barbarians are Coming |
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"Sterling Lung is a young Chinese American man struggling to create a separate identity from his parents in the 1970s. His parents are Chinese immigrants, and throughout the novel, we learn more about the hardships his parents endured and see them as individuals with their own histories.
Despite his parents' wishes, Sterling goes to culinary school after graduating from college. He specializes in French cuisine, but the New England country club he works for insists that he cook Chinese food for them. He wants to fit in and be accepted by white Americans, but they stereotype him and don't really see him as an American like them.
Sterling has been dating a Jewish woman named Bliss, and they have a lackluster long distance relationship while she is in dental school in the midwest. During one her visits to him, she becomes pregnant. Sterling does not want to get married and have a baby, but Bliss is strong-willed and gets him to marry her.
Several years later, Sterling and Bliss have two sons. He admits to favoring one son and feels guilty about it. He begins to realize that Bliss is having an affair and while spying on her, there is a tragic accident that kills one of the boys. "
Jessica, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Barbarians are Coming |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- humorous
Time/era of story
- 1960's-1970's
Romance/Romance Problems
Yes
Kind of romance:
- marriage/relationship going to pieces
Inside culture (main char)
- Chinese
Other aspects:
- immigrant story
Culture clash?
- family young v. old guard
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Outside culture (society)
- American Northeast
Ethnic/regional/gender life
Yes
Woman's story?
Yes
Lover is
- of a different race (interracial loving!)
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Chinese
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Female
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- homemaker
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an above average amount
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 2 (a little)
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Sex in book?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- impregnation/reproduction
- actual description of hetero sex
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Click here for more information about this book
David Wong Louie Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Jessica
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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