ARC Provided by the Publisher for Review; I Also Bought a Copy
When I turned the last page of Kristen Mei Chase’s A Thousand Miles to Graceland, I thought, “Finally – a fresh narrative on Asian American mother/daughter relationships without a tiger mom in sight.” And we get a 40-ish mixed race MC, too? High five.
That’s not to say things are perfect between Grace and her mom Loralynn. They aren’t close, they speak maybe once a month. So when her mom proposes a birthday roadtrip to Graceland, it’s a little bit of a surprise. But she can’t really say no to her Elvis super fan mother — it’s her 70th birthday.
One of the things I thought a lot about while reading A Thousand Miles to Graceland is how the media has portrayed Asian American mother/daughter relationships. Best I can tell, it’s Joy Luck Club or Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom with little in-between or beyond. (If you *are* Asian American, you know our lived experiences are broader and more diverse than that, but the media portrayal of it has been much narrower.)
So Loralynn was striking to me. I read her as an American born (or raised) parent who was still othered as one of a few Asians in her community — a little kooky and a lot Elvis obsessed. She underscored for me that you can speak English perfectly, your children call you “mama,” you can call people “honey” but if you wear loud clothes and sport a bouffant ‘do with an Asian face, in some places, you still end up isolated as that “crazy Asian lady.” So you may as well do what makes you happy.
For me, this book is road trip hijinx on the highway to healing. As Grace and Loralynn get on the road in a boat of a vintage convertible, the trip is as much about uncovering the roots of the distance between them, as the Elvis-related stops along the way. We find out from both of them about Grace’s dad, a physically and verbally abusive alcoholic, and it explains a lot about how they’ve ended up where they are. You will laugh, you’ll cry (happy and sad tears), and you will run into characters who only seem to exist in road trip movies. No shade, that’s why road trip movies and books are so fun.
But let me say this louder for the people in the back. You don’t have to be an Elvis fan to get this one. If you know a few songs, great. It’s not about reaaaallly about Elvis, it’s more Elvis as a touchstone. It’s about moms and daughters and growth and healing and finding your way back. And a little bit about hearing a soundtrack in your head as Grace and Loralynn barrel down the open road.
Despite some tough topics, it’s a delightful debut. And it’s a hug for people who don’t really hug, but need one.
4 stars
CW: marriage breaking up, infidelity, verbally/physically abusive parent, alcoholism, death of a parent, cancer
Get A Thousand Miles to Graceland from The Ripped Bodice | Bookshop.org | Amazon | Apple Books
For more 2023 releases by Asian and Asian American authors, check out 19 Books by Asian and Pacific Islander Authors for your 2023 TBR
