Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu is an entertaining and thought-provoking look at identity and representation. It tells the story of Willis Wu, an aspiring young actor trying to make his way in Hollywood. Despite his ambition, Willis is constantly relegated to playing racialized stereotypes such as “generic Asian man” and “background parkour guy." As the novel progresses, Yu cleverly employs various film tropes to illustrate Willis’ quest for authentic representation. In doing so, the novel provides a humorous yet poignant satire of a world in which Asian-American identity is misrepresented and oppressed. Ultimately, Yu encourages readers to think deeply about their own identity and biases. With its blend of comedy, drama, and wit, Interior Chinatown is an enjoyable read with powerful lessons about identity and representation.
