Abigail Hing Wen’s novel Loveboat, Taipei is about four bright young Asian Americans who attend a summer program in Taiwan called Loveboat. Despite the name, there is no boat involved, but there is some romance!
Ever, the main character, shares a similar background with the author. Dancing is her passion, but her strict parents are pushing her to become a doctor. Meanwhile, Ever’s roommate, Sophie, seems more interested in finding a boyfriend than anything else.
During Loveboat, Ever befriends two boys named Rick and Xavier. Rick is a highly successful student, and Ever’s parents often compare her to him, much to her annoyance! She discovers, however, that he has a normal side just like everybody else. Xavier, on the other hand, is an artist who is drawn toEver, but he has a bad reputation for being a heartbreaker.
In America, Ever had to deal with her parents’many rules. In Taiwan, she is given almost complete freedom, which gives her the opportunity to discover her identity. She and her friends also deal with issues that many second-generationimmigrants face. At Loveboat, Ever learns a lot about herself and Taiwan, just like Abigail did.
