Lusica Wu's debut novel, WIN ME SOMETHING (WMS) is a captivating tale about a 24 year old college graduate, Willa Chen, who finds herself at odds and lands a nanny job for a wealthy couple living in NYS's trendy Tribeca neighborhood. Willa is the only child from the marriage of a Caucasian mother and Asian father which leaves her floundering to find roots. She's distanced from both parents who've moved on to second marriages and more children. The name Willa translates to strong-willed warrior or desire. Our young heroine, while not strong willed, is resolute in her pursuit to forge connections having grown up feeling very much alone. As she puts it, "in my solitary world...I don't know what it's like to be in a family." Willa wins the reader over by not being pitiful despite being lonely. We admire her unflappability and willingness to open herself up to form attachments. After graduating, Willa worked nights as a bartender and wanted to try something during daytime hours. She finds working for a rich couple caring for their precocious 9-year old daughter, Bijou, as a live-in nanny. The relationship between Willa and Bijou moves the story along with zest and warmth. Bijou's packed schedule is filled with enrichment classes of ballet, violin, mandarin etc. Bijou is also a budding chef whose culinary skills are encouraged at home. WMS does give a fun peek inside the extravagant lifestyle of NYC's rich and parodies some of their snobbish behaviors. However, the main focus is Willa's quest for any port in a storm. As much as she'd like to be accepted as a member of Bijou's family she will also always remain an outsider to them and to others remain at a distance being bi-racial and of two disjointed families. Wu's debut novel traverses Willa's childhood and back to the present through Willa's keen understanding of herself being on the sidelines. In truth, neither her parents or Bijou's parents are cruel or heartless, but neither provides the nurturing Willa craves.Throughout, Willa retains a pragmatic understanding of herself and a sense of humor which lends enjoyment to this clever and delightful read. Besides being geared for millennials, there are universal themes of feeling listless and unanchored in Wu's winning debut novel. Willa's father confides that her younger sisters are too coddled and tells her,"You were never like that, picky, or afraid. I know you can handle life. You're tough." We agree with that assessment which we've perceived all along. Willa maintains our affection with her desire and to fit in and our admiration for her self-realization. At a party of wealthy, young urbanites Willa observed the other sophisticated women and admits, "I watched all this and I tried to do it, but it never worked for me. Everyone knew I was pretending to be someone else...But I didn't feel the way I used to-that I'd give anything to become one of them. They'd see through me, and that was worse. I would have to be myself."
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