Funny Ethnics by Shirley Le

Funny Ethnics by Shirley Le

This fantastic memoir-like debut is a fascinating dive into the cultural nuances of belonging with plenty of hilarious anecdotes along the way. In Funny Ethnics, narrator Sylvia Nguyen takes us through her often embarrassing, always hilarious life as a young Vietnamese girl growing up in Sydney’s western suburbs.

The story is told in episodic snapshots, as Sylvia progresses through life as an “unexceptional student and exceptional self-doubter”. She navigates the murky waters of high school, Kumon, and fitting in, alongside her refugee parents’ expectations and figuring out her own desires. Throughout it all is a thread of absurdity and laughing at the situations she finds herself in.

The warmth from this story felt like talking to a friend. Young women will relate to the main character, but the story is great and is really well-written – everyone can enjoy it! I most recommend Funny Ethnics to people aged 18 and over, as the book ends with Sylvia in her early 20s.

This book touches on the main character’s toxic relationship with food. It doesn’t go into too much detail, but it is discussed realistically. Readers are advised to use their own discretion; in case this is a topic you would rather avoid.

Although my background and experiences are significantly different, there were still so many familiarities that I could not help falling in love with the characters and entire world of this novel. For example, the story explores the camaraderie between minority cultural groups. This dynamic rarely shows up in Australian literature – and it echoes my own experiences, so it was really refreshing to read about. It was a great change from stories where protagonists just want to assimilate into Anglo Australian culture.

Years ago, it seemed like almost all Vietnamese stories published in Australia were about boats, war, refugees or trauma. It is great to see books like Funny Ethnics being published, pushing out and tackling wider topics.

Find Funny Ethnics by Shirley Le 

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