Our Wayward Fate

This is a beautiful coming of age story about dealing with racism, stereotyping, family relationships and cultural identity. Ali is a strong girl who has dealt with so many racial biases in her predominantly white town in Indiana. She has given up trying to address the prejudice and just wants to blend in. Her parents have their own struggles. When the new student at her school, Chase, is also Taiwanese she discovers someone who can help her navigate her individual and group identity. Unlike Ali, Chase challenges the prejudices he encounters. They develop a friendship but Ali’s mother does not approve of their relationship. Ali uncovers a whole lot of family secrets. The story is extremely well written and flows nicely. The characters are complicated, funny, likable and complicated and they grow a great deal throughout the story. Overall this book is about developing one’s sense of identity as an individual and as a member of a cultural group. I strongly recommend this book for anyone over the age of fourteen. It’s a beautiful example of what it means to be from a cultural background that is not reflected back at you on a daily basis.