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Ezekiel Lee was born and raised in New York. He currently lives in the Mountain West with his wife, son, and two cats. He practices as a speech-language pathologist and teaches Chinese and Japanese on the side. He also has worked as a Chinese and Japanese translator. When he's not doing speech therapy, teaching foreign languages, or writing, he may be found fiddling away (literally), refining his Korean, or reading on the couch with his family (both human and feline). This is his first novel.
He wrote The Translation of Julian Yu for all those who have experienced the hurt of bullying, and the longing for wholeness.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
The Translation of Julian Yu is a work of fiction in the cultural writing, interpersonal drama, and slice-of-life genres. It is best suited to the general adult reading audience. Penned by author Ezekiel Lee, this is a tender coming-of-age novel about 18-year-old Julian Yu, a Taiwanese-American who struggles with relentless bullying, cultural identity, and his future. As he navigates his junior year, Julian grapples with relationships with his popular brother, an enigmatic English teacher, and a Jewish classmate who might become more than a friend. Julian's journey involves reconciling his Taiwanese heritage with his American upbringing and finding hope amidst his cynicism. Julian's struggles with his culture and acceptance in a world of mixed influences are sure to resonate deeply with readers from similar backgrounds, but these also evoke a great deal of empathy and understanding in those who have never experienced these feelings before.
Author Ezekiel Lee has crafted a poignant and relatable novel that heightens the beauty of everyday life and the heartache of searching for identity. His desire to retreat into books to escape bullying felt heartbreakingly familiar, and his attempts to navigate complex relationships added realism and depth thanks to the enigmatic and detailed dialogue exchanges. The author delivers a confident narrative peppered with beautiful moments of atmosphere and emotion, and the delivery of themes like the pressure of familial expectations and cross-cultural connections was balanced and well-considered from every angle. Julian's journey toward reconciling his Taiwanese heritage with his American life was compelling and thought-provoking, reflecting the universal quest for belonging and identity, but also offering rich, authentic details from Taiwanese life in the modern world. Overall, The Translation of Julian Yu is a moving and inspiring work, and I’d certainly recommend it to fans of cultural coming-of-age tales everywhere.
