SOURCE: Yardley, Jonathan. “Some of Her Best Friends.” Washington Post Book World (12 May 1996): 3.

In the following review, Yardley observes that Mona in the Promised Land includes likable characters and interesting stories, but asserts that the novel as a whole is disappointing because of inconsistencies in the narrative voice.

Gish Jen's first novel, Typical American, published five years ago, is by any reasonable standard a rare accomplishment: mature, subtle, knowing, compassionate and, by no means least, funny. It tells the story of two Chinese immigrants to America, a brother and sister, whose determination to become “typical American” leads them into any number of difficulties and adventures, in the process of which a good deal is revealed not merely about them but also about us.

Typical American was reviewed with the enthusiasm it deserved and sold moderately well, but was swamped—along with a number of other good books all...