The Brightest Star

Tsukiyama’s (The Color of Air) fictionalization of the life of Anna May Wong (1905–61), a first-generation Chinese American who acted in films, theater, radio, and television, generally sticks to the true timeline and events of Wong’s life. Wong grew up in Los Angeles, living behind her parents’ laundry business. Her father didn’t approve of her acting career, especially when she garnered negative reviews in Chinese newspapers because her characters were scantily clad or stereotypical. She longed to play characters who weren’t concubines, prostitutes, or evil dragon ladies. As one of the first Chinese American actresses, she often struggled to get movie roles for two reasons: Hollywood protocols and anti-miscegenation laws prevented her from starring as a love interest to a white man, and Asian roles often went to white actors in yellowface. She was determined to take the roles she could get and never give up on acting. While Wong’s life is fascinating, the author’s use of the first-person perspective is not always successful.