A first-generation Chinese Australian, Qin Qin (previously Lisa Qin), was very good at school, and playing the piano; in fact, she was a model student.
Like many immigrant children, she was scared of disappointing her parents, who had given up so much in order to give their offspring a better life.
As she achieved great heights both academically and, in her career, she realized that it didn’t really make her happy. This led her to start questioning what she had been taught about her place and role in the world. She knew that she had to create her own path to make sense of the world and achieve real happiness.
Covering her years in four countries and nine cities, Qin Qin has not sanitized any aspect of her life and her desire to change the world. Instead, she exposes the reader to the ups and downs, which included drug taking, acknowledging her queerness and escaping abusive relationships.
Her journey of self-discovery resulted in finally coming to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a risk-free life and that she didn’t need to burden herself with the guilt and expectations of others.
The comprehensive ‘Selected Sources’ at the conclusion of this memoir provide the reader with further material to enhance their own path of self-discovery. For a little light relief, the author’s explanatory footnotes are not only interesting but also amusing.
Author        Qin Qin (Lisa Qin)
Distributor:Â Â Â Â Â Booktopia
ISBN:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 9780733649844
Publisher:Â Â Â Â Â Â Hachette Australia
Website:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â https://www.booktopia.com.au/model-minority-gone-rogue-qin-qin/book
Reviewed By     Janet Mawdesley
https://consciouslivingmagazine.com.au/category/arts/book-reviews/