Cover of Mona in the Promised Land

Mona in the Promised Land

by Gish Jen · 1996

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Gish Jen's second novel is populated by characters who "switch" ethnicity almost as if they were changing their hairstyles. The main character, Mona Chang, whose parents were featured in Jen's first effort, Typical American, acts Chinese for her American schoolmates and then converts to Judaism and becomes known as Changowitz. Then there's Naomi, a black woman who teaches Mona's Chinese-American sister about being Chinese. Jen's casual style and deftness with different voices make this a rich and compelling novel.

Genre
historical fictionhistorical fictionMore like thisLess of thiscoming of agecoming of ageMore like thisLess of thisliterary fictionliterary fictionMore like thisLess of this
Themes
diversitydiversityMore like thisLess of thisJewishJewishMore like thisLess of thisraceraceMore like thisLess of thisimmigrationimmigrationMore like thisLess of thiswomenwomenMore like thisLess of this
Setting
1990s1990sMore like thisLess of thisNew York StateNew York StateMore like thisLess of thisWestchester CountyWestchester CountyMore like thisLess of thisAsiaAsiaMore like thisLess of thisChinaChinaMore like thisLess of this
Audience
young adultadult
Length
medium · 320 pages

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