Title: House of Koi
Author: Lilian Li
Publisher: New Degree Press
Genres: young adult, struggle with identity, culture, high-school, fluff, family relationships
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book Blurb
House of Koi is about identity and learning that, sometimes, your future is waiting for you in your past.
The story follows Mila as she strives to reconcile the person she became in an effort to fit into her American international school with the young girl she was; the girl who spoke Mandarin and Malay with ease. Is it too late to embrace both parts of herself?
When Mila is sent to the top of the mountain to live with her grandmother for a year when her parents go away for business, she cannot avoid her native tongue, even if she does try. To make matters worse, Mila must now attend a local private school, and navigate a world she seems to barely understand.
Everyone keeps telling her that she should not forget her heritage, but this only takes her deeper inside herself. That is until she meets the “Fish Boy” from the bottom of the mountain. Together, they teach one another what the other is best at. However, every time Mila asks about the past, he refuses to answer. She resolves to find out what happened that caused her to be unable to look her grandmother squarely in the eye.
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My Review
First of all, I really like how Malaysian references being stated in this book, ranging from the hawker stall food, festive celebration, keropok Tam Tam, 'Pepsi Cola' game, those distant relatives who love to ask a typical question about your status whether you have a boy/girlfriend or not and so on. It's really an incredible feeling to me to see all of those references being written in a book and there's me who keeps nodding in agreement with every relevant situation I unfold in between the pages.
Written from the third person omniscient view, House of Koi by Lilian Li penned about a Chinese Malaysian girl, Mila, who has struggled with her identity being a Malaysian at the same time yearning to grasp her sense of belonging in the world she's living in. Things rather become difficult for her when she's sent to live with her Popo (grandmother) who only speaks Mandarin to her and expects her to do the same.
Considering the fact that she's used to study at American International School, speaking English seems more comfortable to her rather than Malay and Mandarin languages. Thus she believes that she always feels alienated from her big Chinese family and her new classmates for her inner struggle to speak these languages confidently.
In terms of characterisation, I truly adore Mila's braveness in coping with the changing cultures around her. Like she won't give up learning Malay and Mandarin languages despite how learning them actually takes a toll on her mental health. Proof is that how she always feels anxious when trying to speak Mandarin with her Popo to the point that she's thought being silent is the perfect way to deal with this nerve-wracking situation. Nevertheless, she slowly regains her confidence when she has met Sean, her childhood friend, who constantly reminds her that she'll eventually learn these languages in the course of time.
Because you should practice your confidence. You know the language, Mulan. You do. Now I just need you to know that you can do it.
The fluffy moments between Mila and Sean are worthy enough to be mentioned. I just love their banters and their chemistry. Oh, yup, the author surely does have some humor sense. I felt like her writing seems whimsical at times, especially when it comes to the interaction between Mila and Sean. Besides, there are also some Manglish words inside the dialogues which makes them more engaging. As a side note, there's Mandarin in dialogues as well accompanied with direct translation.
Overall, it is an interesting read for me as the story is easy to understand and to follow.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lilian Li studied advertising with a minor in English at Boston University. She still can’t quite get used to the cold, as she will always be a tropical island kind of girl. Born in Penang, she attended a Malaysian private school before moving to, and facing culture shock at, the island’s only American international school.
Each weekend, she would visit her grandmother on the mainland, Bukit Mertajam, which helped her to continue speaking Mandarin and inspired her to write about her home and the struggles that come with living in two worlds.
From a young age, she knew she would pursue her studies in America in an effort to fulfill her mother’s dream. In Boston, she found her own dreams as well as she stepped into the world of publishing with House of Koi. She found friends and her place in a broader world in Boston, never forgetting her roots.
She has come a long way from her Wattpad days, but she still gives the platform a nod of respect for keeping her writer’s spirit alive. However, it took the homesick days of college life in America to truly lead Lilian back to writing. In writing, she found solace and a way to return home whenever she wished. She might still have the inability to simply walk past a bookstore, but at least her friends know where to find her.
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