Weike Wang Combines Humor, Science, and Depression in Debut Novel ‘Chemistry’ – NBCNews.com

As for Wang herself, she said she genuinely enjoyed working in the sciences, but still felt her fate lay elsewhere. I like research, but I realized that someone else could be doing that research, with my writing I felt like I could be the only one doing that, she said.

In addition to the books humor, reviewers have noted Wangs choice to keep her narrator nameless. Wang explained that the decision to do so was a deliberate one. When I think of a name it is very specific to the character and I didnt want that to happen, Wang said. Would I name her something Chinese or something American? I didnt want to deal with that.

Juggling multiple identities is something Wang has a bit of experience in. Born in China, she and her family moved to Australia when she was 7 and later moved to Canada and then eventually to the United States. When I write characters that are not open, its because Im not necessarily that open in terms of opening up to new people, Wang said. I made her like that in that she is just very lonely. And when you are lonely, you are not used to telling people how you feel.

Wang added that she has been a bit taken aback at how mean many readers and reviewers said they thought her narrators parents were. Noting that while her books fictional parents did have high standards and did not always understand their daughter (especially as she waffled in regards to her studies), they were not uncaring.

When you are an immigrant parent, Do I want to make my child happy? is not a question you always ask, Wang said. Its I need to feed her. I need to put a roof over her head. I need to make sure she has health insurance. My point is not to vilify them.

That view of family also shaped how Wang developed her narrators journey and subsequent contrariness. Its not the traditional rebel story. Its not like Im going to go travel to find myself or I am going to join a band.' Because everyone I know rebels quietly, she said. Its not F**k you, parents. Im just going to leave the country.' Its doing really tiny things. Because first, my parents would kill me if I did that and also, how am I going to get health insurance if I do that?

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Weike Wang Combines Humor, Science, and Depression in Debut Novel 'Chemistry' - NBCNews.com