This was an interesting memoir. As a mother to a daughter, I have also asked myself how I raise her so she doesn’t end up hating her body. It’s a tough world for women and the last thing I want is my daughter to struggle with body issues. I connected a lot with Susan and her desire to be understood by her family. I appreciated her candor and sense of humor. If you’re looking for a unique memoir, you should definitely check this one out! I think it would pair nicely with If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha.

Memoir of a Vietnamese-American woman who lost her mother at a young age during a botched plastic surgery by a doctor who preyed on immigrant women. Reading about how losing her mother in this way affected her own body image was almost painfully vulnerable. It’s an incredibly raw story about the importance of family and the process of healing.

2.5 stars. I love memoirs, and while I loved the conclusion of this book and the beginning, I found myself skimming a lot of the middle without feeling like I missed anything. Missing something.

4 stars

This is a one-of-a-kind memoir that absolutely MUST be listened to versus read by sight when and where accessible.

Lieu - the titular manicurist's daughter - tells her own story as she grapples with trying to understand her mother's untimely death. Though her mother died when Lieu was quite young, the event was so unexpected and her family really shutdown any meaningful communication about it, so it's no surprise that Lieu has been searching for unconventional methods through which to work through her grief.

Lieu's mother was an iconic head of both her family and her nail salons, coming through in Lieu's young view and in her memories as an unflappable binding agent for everyone from her children to her employees to her customers. While still in her 30s, Lieu's mother goes in for a tummy tuck and never reemerges. Horrifyingly, all facts point to a shocking outcome: that her doctor was a shady individual and that her death was preventable at multiple points.

For me, two highlights of this read included (1) Lieu's exceptional narration of this audiobook - it's nearly indescribable - and (2) Lieu's articulation of her journey. Parts of this are hard to read, and readers who struggle with content about body image need to know that this is a major theme, not only because of the circumstances of Lieu's mother's death, but also because of Lieu's lifelong struggle with her own self-image. Those who can handle the delicate themes will find an intriguingly organized and exceptionally accomplished performance of a very personal story with unusually public rewards.

A beautiful complex unraveling of familial trauma, love, culture, and ourselves.

A voice which brims with tenderness and anger for her subjects even herself

I loved this memoir

It takes a lot for me to continue reading a memoir with enthusiasm. I need to find something in there that speaks to me, that I can relate to, that I can appreciate. While this memoir was focusing on the rise and fall of the American dream for Lieu family, I considered this a memoir of a mother and daughter, whose behavior impacted each other deeply. It was a story of women who needed to find themselves.

I laughed it hard when Susan Lieu said USA was embedded in her name as the first born child in the US. I see how important it was for her family to establish that she was American. I love how these small details that no one would recognize were actually very well thought by an immigrant family. Susan was the first born in the US thus first major business in his country was named after her. Her family's hopes and dreams were embodied in her existence. But just like every young adult, she had other plans. She was a great student and got into Harvard (which would be success story every immigrant family wanted for themselves). However, her mother's untimely passing and her need for mother figure put her on a soul searching path (i.e., cult :D until she had enough).

Eventually she got to wear her mother's shoes. She became a mother herself and had a health scare that could have ended her life too. Then, she got to wear her father's shoes. She stepped back and saw how much her father cared about her. It was only that her father did not know to show his love. I really liked how no BS, very direct and raw this memoir was!

Fresh on the heels of listening to “I’m glad my mom died” and I see a ton of similarities. News flash: they aren’t celebrating demise but rather facing complicated grief as they come to term with parents who are flawed as we all are. This book offered a different lens as it explored Vietnamese culture and elements related to immigration. It also has a touch of body image processing. Basically, it spoke to me! It teaches a lot while also entertaining. I’d highly encourage the audiobook read by the author. She pronounces the Vietnamese words and educates on how the inflection changes the meaning. I highly recommend this one!

I define “growing up” as finally learning that your parents are just big kids trying to figure life out. None of them actually have any idea what they’re doing, and being an adult is just bumbling through the world making shit up as you go. This book is a beautiful exploration of that idea. The author breaks down the idea of her mom by the different Vietnamese tones and their definitions, exploring different sides of a woman that was emotionally elusive and hard to understand in life and then was taken away from this world too soon in a tragic case of medical malpractice. The author reminds us to cherish those we love while we still have them and explores the disadvantages of not talking about the people we love and lose. All of these themes are through the lens of a Vietnamese family, the author being the first generation born in America.
This book is wonderful for anyone that enjoys memoirs, especially those told from extremely unique perspectives. I highly recommend the audiobook, it is read by the author so you feel more connected to the story and she is able to capture the nuanced tones of Vietnamese.

Celadon was kind enough to send my book club advanced copies of this book to review and garnish questions for future book clubs. Because I also lost a mother at a young age, I had a strong connection to The Manicurist’s Daughter. It fostered an interesting discussion among our group and generated a lot of curiosity. We discussed cultural differences, the Vietnam War, and compassion for immigrants, particularly those who struggle to assimilate into American culture. We also discussed our own relationship with our mothers and how well we know them. Discussion geared toward body image and what women are willing to risk for the price of beauty was prevalent, as well as the stigma of mental illness. There were thought-provoking opinions about the “supernatural” aspects of the book, and many discussed whether or not they believe in visions, readings, etc. There was also a major discussion about family dynamics and how it plays a role in the book and our own lives. Personally, as someone who also lost a mother, the questions the author wishes she could ask her mother was the most poignant section of the book for me. I think other motherless daughters will also connect to that portion of the book, as well as the author’s insecurities about becoming a mother herself when she does not have one. If your book club is interested in a memoir that delves deep into the loss of a parent, culture, insecurity, body image, mental illness, and family dynamics, this book will fuel much discussion.

🎧 I was drawn to the audiobook because it was narrated by the author, who is an incredible performer. Susan Lieu initially performed this story as a one-woman show before penning the memoir. My second encounter with The Manicurist’s Daughter through the audiobook proved even more moving than the first time I read the physical copy, thanks to Lieu's exceptional performance. I empathized deeply with her portrayal of loss and felt the rawness of her pain. Listening to her story was a profoundly impactful experience, one that I wholeheartedly recommend, especially to those who have experienced similar loss.

I listened to the audio version. I thought the author did a great job narrating. It is interspersed with Vietnamese language which adds to the authenticity. She is a professional performer and it shows.

Her story is compelling. I would have liked more about her parents immigration experience from Vietnam. Her mother died after elective surgery while she was still in her 30s leaving her 4 children in the care of their father. The author felt isolated from her family growing up and tried to learn about her mother once she was in her 20s. She also grapples with her relationship with her father and siblings. She certainly seemed to get closure through her one woman show. The story was good but disjointed. 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ARC.

The Manicurist’s Daughter depicts Lieu’s journey to grieve her mother’s death after an elective cosmetic surgery and go through womanhood as a first-generation Vietnamese-American without her. While this memoir tackles serious topics, like intergenerational trauma, impossible beauty standards, and classism in the United States, Lieu manages to insert humor as well. Overall, this was a well-written memoir that I strongly recommend you add to your shelf!

This is a very emotional journey that a thirty-something wife, mom, and daughter takes after losing her mom at the young age of eleven. It's a deep dive into how this event shapes the authors' life. Family plays such a huge role in Susan's Vietnamese family, her parents having escaped Vietnam to this country for the chance at a better life. While pushing your children and yourself isn't always positive, it certainly has an effect on your life. The one thing Susan didn't talk about was her anger at her mother for undergoing multiple elective surgeries when she had a responsibility to her four children, the youngest only eleven. While she tries to understand why her mom did it and go after those responsible, she is allowed to be angry at her mother, I sure would be, but that never seems to happen.

This was a really interesting book. It had me feeling so many different emotions. The author did such a great job sharing her family history and emotional journey. The author narrates the book too. I thought she did a great job and would recommend listening to the audiobook.

I can’t imagine loosing your mother at eleven years old and having to try to navigate that journey. The author set out to learn more about her mother and her culture in this book. I was very interested to learn more about Vietnamese culture. The book is full of discussions about different foods and traditions. I enjoyed that she sprinkled different Vietnamese words throughout the book.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy learning about the struggle of obtaining the American dream and different cultures. It’s a really fascinating look at the Vietnamese culture.

Thanks, Celadon Books and Macmillian Audio, for the early review copies of the e-book and audiobook via NetGalley. (Available 12 Mar 24)

“On the last day of her life, Má, my Vietnamese refugee mother and proud owner of two nail salons, went in for plastic surgery—a tummy tuck, the narrowing of her nostrils, a chin implant—and figured she would be home the next day with her beautiful new body.”

I strongly recommend this memoir, especially as an audiobook. Susan Lieu is a Vietnamese-American who created, wrote, and performed an autobiographical solo theatre show, “140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother.” In this memoir, she fleshes out more of the story of her life and her family’s trauma. The author is funny and a gifted performer, so audio is the way to go (also the best way to appreciate the beautiful Vietnamese language interspersed throughout).

I plan to reread this with my IRL book club read it later this year because there’s much to unpack. The author offers her personal insight into immigrant culture, Vietnamese traditions, generational trauma, and body shaming. I learned, laughed, and even cried a bit.

Wow, what an emotional and powerful journey this book was. Susan and her mother's story spoke so poignantly to an experience that is felt by so many women of color, aspiring for everything from unattainable body standards to breaking generational trauma to being known and knowing the people whose blood we share.

The Manicurist's Daughter is a memoir of Susan, who lost her mother at age eleven during a tummy tuck gone wrong. The memoir is Susan's exploration of healing throughout her life in an immigrant family who struggles to discuss their feelings.

It's crazy how Susan and I have lived such drastically different lives yet I can see so much of my own experience reflected back at me. Susan's parents immigrated to the United States from Vietnam with three of her siblings before she was born in the States. They owned a nail salon that Susan helped out with as a child. None of these experiences are even close to my own - but her healing journey was one many of us can share in some capacity.

I really loved getting a peek into Susan's journey, and she was really able to translate her past feelings to the reader without making it clear that she would have behaved differently now after years of therapy. I really felt for Susan in all of her stages of grief, and the different reactions her family members had to her journey made me reflect on my own experience of losing a parents as a young child.

This is not a typical dead parent memoir - While there are definitely sad moments, it isn't overall a sad book - but I would still highly recommend it. Susan also really incorporated her family's culture of being Vietnamese immigrants so beautifully. I loved how often she incorporated Vietnamese into the story - it really helped the reader connect with her mother.

I loved this, and I particularly enjoyed it in audio. You can tell the author's one woman show would have been great to see, as she has different ways of portraying her own family members that are really well done.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What an emotionally raw and moving memoir of family and healing!!! I've seen this one getting a lot of buzz and it is for good reason! Excellent on audio read by the author herself and I highly recommend listening if you can and/or enjoy audiobooks! The youngest daughter of two refugees, American Vietnamese author/artist Susan Lieu shares her journey dealing with her grief over her mother's tragic death from a plastic surgery gone wrong and the way she tries to comes to terms with her feelings about it, especially the way her mother's surgeon was never held accountable. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the audiobook version of this book. I also want to thank Goodreads and Celadon books for the physical ARC copy of this book. I am not compensated in any way.

The cover of this book caught my attention. Then I realized this is memoir so I started it immediately. I love learning about people and different cultures. This book does not disappoint! This book is beautifully written! She touches on many aspects of her life from a young age up to where she is in life. I feel that this book was very healing for her to write.

I had mixed feelings on this one. I really enjoyed the first 30%, learning about the nail salon, the family dynamic, and what happened to Susan's mother. But things fell a bit apart for me when Susan goes into details about how her mother escaped Vietnam, the wording was almost like Susan was there and seemed rushed and it threw me off, confused me. I think it was supposed to be like that to immerse you in the passage but it was just so different from the beginning and seemed rushed. I also really enjoyed the ending, finding out additional details on the shady doctor, the ad Ma likely saw and how he got away with doing surgeries like this one for so long. But this book is a reason I don't like rating memoirs. It isn't up to me to judge someone's life story. So here I am rating the writing.