Everything I never told you

                             ‘One escaped the other was trapped forever’ – Narrator

Celeste Ng gives an insight to the Asian – American experience, which is often looked over, in her debut novel Everything I never told you, where the death of middle child Lydia unravels the entire Lee family.

From the first chapter it is evident that the Lee family’s lives revolved around Lydia with James being referred to as only ‘Lydia’s father’ despite having two other children, and Hannah being described as ‘Lydia’s sister’ or otherwise she would be forgotten beneath family trauma.

Ng wastes no space on her pages. Everyone being filled with valuable detail about the characters and their perspective.

Ng’s debut novel is set in late seventies but unfortunately the social pressures placed on Lydia by her parents remain timeless. Both parents place their failed dreams on Lydia. Her father’s unrealistic mentality about how his daughter should make friends made me audibly gasp. He even goes so far as to gift her a book which contains bad advice such as ‘force yourself to smile’ which seems to create docile friendships rather than treasured ones. This aspect of family pressures helps to make Ng’s novel engaging for every diverse reader along with her detailed writing style as well as highlight the Asian - American influence.

The idea of Asian’s being treated as outsiders in America is more than present. From insults such as ‘coolies’ and playground bullying to being told to ‘set a good example’ as the first Chinese student. The family even tries to keep up American appearances by having a ‘lovely and decorative dinner’.

If anything, I think the books best quality is highlighting the detrimental effects of biting your tongue and having things that are unsaid. Lydia and her older brother Nathan develop a way of talking to each other without saying anything but are unable to talk to each other when it is most needed.

It is obvious that despite being her parents only focus, that Lydia still carves real attention, attention on her as a person and her own interests even though she hasn’t had the opportunity to truly figure out what they may be.

Within the many positive aspects of Ng’s debut novel lies the lacklustre revelation of how in fact Lydia died. At best it can be taken as poetic and at worst a cop out by Celeste. You can argue that was never the focus of the book. That Lydia’s death was only ever a vehicle to exhibit the deep family problems. But still I am left wanting more.

Irrespective of the many negatives that the Lee family experience Ng consistently presents them to be thinking of the future. Yearning for what is ahead. The book ends before we learn what is ahead for Nath or the other members of the Lee family but what is clear is the future anticipation for Celeste Ng books based on her almost flawless debut.