Plot summary, “Mona in the Promised Land” by Gish Jen in 4 Minutes - Book Review

Mona in the Promised Land by Gish Jen is a 1996 novel that blends coming-of-age and humorous fiction. Set in the late 1960s, it follows Mona Chang, a Chinese American teenager who converts to Judaism after her family moves to the affluent, predominantly Jewish suburb of Scarshill. As Mona navigates her new identity, she faces tension with her parents, who disapprove of her choices, and struggles with acceptance among her Jewish peers. The novel explores themes of cultural and religious identity against the backdrop of the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War. Mona's journey highlights the complexities of self-discovery and the ways in which different identities can intersect and enrich each other. The story concludes with Mona reconciling with her parents and embracing a hybrid identity, suggesting that the search for self is an ongoing process that opens up new possibilities for understanding one's place in the world.