Review by khaulah -- Fighting To Breathe by Jong Yi

khaulah · Post by **khaulah** » 31 Mar 2021, 13:44

[Following is a volunteer review of "Fighting To Breathe" by Jong Yi.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Ginger Kim was thirteen years old when the Gwangju Uprising in Gwangju, South Korea, took place. Her brother Daehan's participation in pro-democracy demonstrations inspires her to pursue a career in nursing. After working as a nurse for five years in her homeland, Ginger accepts a job offer to work at King Faisal Hospital, Saudi Arabia. Tired of the constraints in Saudi Arabia, she eventually moved to the United States.

Fighting to Breathe tells the story of a Korean nurse who struggles for the betterment of her patients while dealing with bigotry and receiving no praise for her efforts. It lays bare the inherent racism in the medical profession in the United States. The author, Jong Yi, is a licensed nurse who based this work of fiction on her personal experiences. It's a moving page-turner that reads like a novel but lingers in your mind like a realistic experience.

The book deftly shows that racism toward Asian Americans is prevalent in the workplace, and it worsened during the Covid-19 Pandemic. It exposes white privilege in health care and demonstrates how non-white health workers are mistreated, neglected, and exploited. They are overlooked for promotion despite working twice as hard as their white counterparts. They face racism not only from some of their co-workers but also from certain patients.

As the story is from the perspective of a nurse, we also get to see the flaws in how hospitals operate, such as the early discharge of patients without regard for their welfare in order to save money. I especially enjoyed her contrast of working in the Middle East to working in the West. I also appreciated how it showed that stereotypes of Asian Americans injure them not only in the workplace but also in their personal lives.

Fighting to Breathe shows the ability of fiction to reveal the dark side of anything. There are no equivocations and no subtext here. The book's simplicity and directness of writing are its strongest qualities. Anyone who reads it will clearly recognize the bigotry directed at Asian Americans.

There isn’t anything in the book that I disliked. There are certain non-borderline profane words used, but they are not out of context or overused. I couldn't find a single grammatical error; it must be professionally edited. Fighting to Breathe was a rewarding read overall. I'm glad I chose this book to read. It is deserving of four out of four stars.

Fighting to Breathe gives a voice to an underrepresented community and should be on every responsible citizen's reading list. It is a must-read for those seeking to understand an Asian-American health-care worker’s experience in the United States.

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Fighting To Breathe
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NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 14 Apr 2021, 06:56

This seems like an interesting novel that addresses several important issues, as it explores the various problems existing in hospitals, which include the broader problem of racism. Thank you for your great review!

khaulah · Post by **khaulah** » 14 Apr 2021, 12:49

NetMassimo wrote: ↑14 Apr 2021, 06:56 This seems like an interesting novel that addresses several important issues, as it explores the various problems existing in hospitals, which include the broader problem of racism. Thank you for your great review!

You're welcome @NetMassimo

!

Dimi1 · Post by **Dimi1** » 14 Apr 2021, 14:36

It seems like a straightforward book on racism and the stereotypes given to Asian Americans. Thanks for the insight. Great review!

khaulah · Post by **khaulah** » 14 Apr 2021, 18:21

Dimi1 wrote: ↑14 Apr 2021, 14:36 It seems like a straightforward book on racism and the stereotypes given to Asian Americans. Thanks for the insight. Great review!

Thank you! @Dimi1

Prisallen · Post by **Prisallen** » 17 Apr 2021, 10:31

Prejudice against anyone is detestable, and unfortunately, we have been seeing a lot more of that in the U.S. recently. I hope we can come together and be treated on our merits instead of our ethnic background or religion. Thanks for your wonderful review!

khaulah · Post by **khaulah** » 17 Apr 2021, 11:00

Prisallen wrote: ↑17 Apr 2021, 10:31 Prejudice against anyone is detestable, and unfortunately, we have been seeing a lot more of that in the U.S. recently. I hope we can come together and be treated on our merits instead of our ethnic background or religion. Thanks for your wonderful review!

I really hope so! Thank you @Prisallen for taking the time to read it.