Bowman really captures social anxiety well with Kiko’s internal dichotomy between ‘WHAT I WANT TO SAY’ and ‘WHAT I ACTUALLY SAY’. I empathised with Kiko’s character on multiple levels, being both an introvert and an ethnic minority. It’s beautifully written and incredibly authenticexploring themes of race, social anxiety and familial abuse. Kiko’s journey results in her embracing her Japanese heritage, dealing with social anxiety, escaping abuse and potentially finding love. So when her childhood friend Jamie returns to town, she ends up travelling back to California with him to see other art schools and finds more Japanese culture across the country than she ever experienced growing up. This plan is shattered however when she is not accepted. Brought up by her white mother who is emotionally abusive, Kiko dreams of escaping to the art school Prism. Kiko Himura is many things a young artist, a teenager and half-Japanese.
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