SHADOW OF THE DRAGON
by Sherry Garland
A pessimistic YA novel, full of conflict: interethnic (Vietnamese immigrants vs. skinheads); intergenerational (old- fashioned matriarch vs. children and grandchildren struggling to assimilate and prosper); and intrapersonal (traditional values of self-sacrifice for the family's good vs. American individualism)- -all devolving upon 16-year-old Danny (Vo Van Duong), who renounces his ``American'' girlfriend Tiffany after his newly arrived cousin is killed by her brother's skinhead friends. The picture of Vietnamese-American immigrant life is vividly detailed—the turmoil of an overcrowded apartment; the web of family obligations, often onerous but also indicative of great love and support; daily struggles with schooling and employment; the ethnic pride embodied in the legend that the Vietnamese are descended from a noble dragon. Ultimately, Danny and Tiffany are forced to retreat into their separate worlds, their love shattered by the ignorance and prejudice they had nearly transcended. Honest; well written; depressing. (Fiction. 12+)