60 pages • 2 hours read
Maxine Hong KingstonThe Woman Warrior
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1976A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston is an experimental memoir that intertwines the author’s childhood in California with her mother's youth in rural China, along with folklore, legend, and myth. The narrative explores themes of identity, cultural heritage, family secrets, and the challenges of navigating between different cultural expectations. Sensitive topics include suicide, adultery, and mental health struggles.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior has received acclaim for its lyrical prose and inventive blend of autobiography and folklore. Reviewers praise its exploration of identity and cultural conflict, though some find its structure and narrative style challenging. Overall, it's celebrated for its depth and emotional resonance, despite occasional critiques of its complexity.
Who Should Read The Woman Warrior ?
Readers who enjoy The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston typically appreciate narratives that blend memoir, myth, and cultural history. Fans of Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club or Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake will find Kingston's exploration of Chinese-American identity and generational storytelling captivating.
RecommendedReading Age
14+yearsLexile Level
880L