3.5⭐

This novel is set against the backdrop of the case of the fatal shooting of Akai Gurley by Asian American cop Peter Liang, which sparked protests in 2015-16 –with Asian American groups protesting on behalf of Liang stating that that the shooting was unintentional (the bullet ricocheted off a wall to fatally injure Gurley) and that Liang was being made a “scapegoat” for several white police officers guilty of violence against Black men. Many Asian Americans however joined BLM counter-protests supporting action against police brutality against Black people. Our protagonist, twenty–one–year–old Reed, a student at Columbia University and the child of a Korean American mother and Chinese American father returns home to Los Angeles to visit his ailing grandmother. Reed is currently actively engaged in the BLM movement protesting the shooting of Akai Gurley. He is fired up, motivated and seriously considering dropping out of college to take on a full- time role with the movement against social injustice.

While on a mission to gather stories of Black-Asian solidarity from his parent’s experiences as activists who were a part of the Black-Korean Coalition initiative in 1980s Los Angeles, which he is eager to share with his activist community, Reed is made to confront his own beliefs, the strength of his convictions and his interpretation of activism as opposed to that of his parent's generation.

“ ‘You’re smart enough to know the difference between performing politics and living them.”
“That’s not how it is anymore,” I said. “How you show up in the world is also how you change it. How you talk about the movement is the movement.’ ”

As the narrative progresses, Reed learns more about his parents’ life and times, the events that shaped their convictions, and the impact their activism had on the family. The author references several true events from that period, combining fact and fiction to weave a compelling narrative. Much of the narrative is shared through conversations between Reed and his parents (mostly his mother). In Reed, the author depicts a young idealist who though well-intentioned is immature and influenced by his peers and seems to be enthralled with the idea of activism to the extent that he considers it his calling and is in the process of sacrificing his academics. His understanding of his parents’ motivations, conviction and dedication to their cause is superficial at best. But as the narrative progresses he begins to see his parents in a different light and grasp what it means to be dedicated to a cause and what that means for him going forward. I found Reed’s mother to be a very interesting character and while Reed does come across as annoying with his preachy “wokeness” at times, I did like his willingness to look inwards, listen to what was being said, and learn from his experiences.

Which Side Are You On by Ryan Lee Wong is a well-written debut that tackles sensitive and important issues with compassion, wisdom and humor. This is not a lengthy read which makes it easy to get through, given the subject matter and the author keeps the narrative moving at a consistent pace. Overall, I found this to be a thought-provoking read that is timely and relevant. ( )

Reed returns to his parents' house in LA after a year at Columbia ready to tell them he's dropping out to devote himself to activism. But even with politically active parents, it's not so easy to get their approval and his modern, twitter-friendly activism isn't entirely compatible with his parents', and especially his mother's, way of working for change.

Set in Los Angeles' Korean community, this novel is an exploration of left-wing political activism, both current and in the past, specifically in aftermath of the unrest in the early nineties. This is a debut novel and it often leans too heavily into a caricature of twitter activism, with Reed often unable to think or speak outside of a narrow idea of what is right, but even as he behaves like a stereo-type, he's still somehow likable. And his parents are remarkable, especially his mother, who worked to improve relations between the Korean and Black communities during a time of high tension.

In addition to the discussions about how to work towards change, this novel is a picture of an Asian American family and of the Korean community in Los Angeles. It also provides another viewpoint on the LA riots of 1992 and the murder of Latasha Harlins. While it often felt ham-handed, it was well-written, and the setting and subject matter were fascinating enough to offset that flaw. ( )

Ryan Lee Wong's Which Side Are You On works well as an introduction to some of the ways in which systemic racism is being discussed and responded to today. It's less successful as a novel, but certainly not without its merits.

Which Side Are You On tells the story of Columbia student Reed Lee Wong's visit to his family in Los Angeles. Reed announces to his parents his intention of dropping out of school to put more energy into Black Lives Matter Protests. Not surprisingly they aren't pleased with his choice. What's interesting here is that Reed's parents were both activists in their youth—and his father still works in public policy. Reed knows of this history in a very general way, but has never heard much in the way of specifics. As he presses them for their stories, his wrestling with ethical choices is first confirmed in its dogmatism, then increasingly questioned.

The publicity material describes Which Side Are You On as "a book that is as humorous as it is profound, a celebration of seeking a life that is both virtuous and fun, an ode to mothering and being mothered." True, Which Side Are You On offers a balance of humor and "profundity," but neither is offered in particularly generous amounts. While Wong's characters make the case for an activism that is both virtuous and fun, we're told much about agonizing over virtue and much less about what "fun" might entail.

The book does succeed as a tale of mothering and being mothered—focused particular on the generational experiences that aren't passed down within a family. There are reasons for silences, but in the long run, many silences are ultimately more destructive than constructive.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via EdelweissPlus; the opinions are my own. ( )