We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story by Simu Liu is a poignant and uplifting story of grit and perseverance.
My Overview
Being a fan of Kim’s Convenience (I watched the series on Netflix), I was looking forward to learning about Simu Liu’s story. To be clear, I knew nothing about him before I watched the show. When the book was released, I’d come across an article that mentioned his parents had been disappointed and unsupportive about his choice to become an actor. Aside from that, I knew nothing else about the book or his story. Therefore, nothing prepared me for the journey he shared in this book.
In an honest and conversational manner, Simu delivers a poignant story about his life and the experiences that have made him into the person he is today. The book cover perfectly depicts the narrative style of the book. Simu is open, collected, and vulnerable as he tells it all like it is. He’s experienced much pain, loneliness, and disappointment throughout his life. All while being pushed, belittled, and physically abused by his parents for not being the person they wanted him to be. As a result of the trauma he endured while growing up, the feeling of never being enough is something he’s continually had to grapple with.
Simu’s fighting spirit and determination are evident throughout the book. As we know, he has now achieved success as an actor, so he also shares about his journey getting there. Fortunately, his parents are now his biggest fans. In the book, Simu states his (and his parents’) goal in sharing their story is to help other families who may be experiencing a similar situation. I think this book can certainly help many, on several levels.
My Recommendation
I love learning about other people through memoirs and biographies. In this case, I learned a lot about Simu’s life. From becoming an immigrant at four years old, to his struggles with this parents, he lays it all out in this book. As it turns out, his life has been more difficult than I would have ever imagined.
If you can, listen to the audiobook. I highly recommend it, because the book is read my Simu himself. Listening to him tell his own story is impactful. Also, you’ll be able to hear him sing lyrics from his high school boy band days 😆.
Interestingly enough, Simu Liu’s story reminded me of Sweet Like Jasmine: Finding Identity in a Culture of Loneliness by Bonnie Gray. Both Simu Liu and Bonnie Gray had similar upbringings.
