For many Asian Americans, there can come a time when you don’t feel Asian or American enough. Lacking a sense of connection to either side of your roots can be difficult, but even more so if the disconnection wasn’t your own choice. In Ex Marks the Spot, Gemma, an Asian American teen, comes face to face with this disconnection from her family’s Taiwanese roots when she finds out her late grandfather (or gong gong) left behind a treasure hunt for her. The catch? Her mom had told her that he died many, many years ago. Wanting to discover more about her heritage and hopeful to find an inheritance along the way, Gemma sets off on a trip to Taiwan for the summer. The second catch? She must go with her ex-boyfriend, Xander. Will Gemma find all that she hopes for, or maybe something more?
The story begins with an extensive backstory. Gemma Sun has always been an incredibly awkward person, with a brain that sees things in different “brainwaves” than others. Where people see jumbled up letters, she’ll see an anagram. Where someone sees random colors or shapes, she’ll see puzzles and patterns. She generally keeps to herself as she doesn’t understand a lot of normal social cues. To Gemma, it’s always just been her and her mom against the world, even though her mom didn’t want her to know anything about their Taiwanese heritage. Instead of porridge or rice crackers when she was sick, she had chicken noodle soup. Her mom’s goal was assimilation.
On the other end of the spectrum is Xander Pan, who Gemma nicknames in her mind as Xander Pander. He’s a straight A student, who is also social, athletic, popular, and fully embraces his Taiwanese background. He speaks, reads, and writes Mandarin fluently, and he even started an organization, T.A.R.P., to help fund trips to Taiwan for Taiwanese American students hoping to learn about their heritage. It’s through this program that Gemma is able to afford her trip, and it’s through this program that Gemma finds so much more than she had originally thought she would.
Just from the name of the book, one may think it would simply be a silly romantic comedy or maybe a treasure hunt. However, it’s a relatable tale about finding one’s identity. Gemma longs to belong, yet she feels like she’s not Asian enough to claim her own culture. The story highlights the teen struggle of feeling like someone hidden in the shadows in high school, watching others be the main character even in one’s own life and seeking approval while pursuing one’s dreams. Stuck in between two cultures, Gemma is a character who is imperfect, yet full of depth.
What makes Gemma such a lovable character is her flaws. She makes mistakes, unintentionally makes snap judgments, takes things too seriously or too loosely at the wrong times, and is especially clumsy when it comes to romance. But, she’s always trying her best, and she’s a “doer.” She doesn’t let difficulties stand in her way, and she’ll continue pushing forward to get to her goal even when the going gets tough. Xander is also similar to Gemma in this way, as he makes some poor choices to fit in with the cool crowd, but he ultimately takes great care to right his wrongs. Although the story only spans a few weeks, both Gemma and Xander show significant character development and growth just from the start of the novel to its end.
The story itself is beautifully written and effectively pays homage to author Chao’s Taiwanese heritage as well. Highlighting some of Taiwan’s best assets — Yehliu, Yangmingshan, Shilin Night Market, and 7-Elevens and Family Marts — this story is a great introduction to the island’s beauty for those unfamiliar and evokes nostalgia for those who know it. Through vibrant descriptions of the country, Chao paints vivid pictures in the reader’s mind, transporting them to Taiwan alongside Gemma. Reading night market scenes felt like walking alongside the group of teens and smelling the fried chicken cutlets and stinky tofu, and nature scenes called forth images of bright flowers and clear skies.
Not only do the teens grow and mature, the adult characters also face their pasts and navigate the future together. For Gemma’s mom, she must confront her own childhood generational trauma and learn how to move forward without accidentally imposing the same on Gemma. For Gemma’s gong gong, he had to learn how to deal with the consequences of inflicting said generational trauma on Gemma’s mom and how to cope with the concept of “right person, wrong time” as his one true love was unacceptable by societal standards. Together, they all realize that, regardless of age, they’re all learning as they go through life.
Ex Marks the Spot offers a unique and modern twist on a self discovery story. Weaving in all these different aspects of Taiwanese culture, Chao wrote a love letter not only to Taiwan, but also to youth and the mixed culture teens who are trying to find their way. Ex Marks the Spot reminds readers that everyone is human, and it’s up to us as individuals to determine our paths. Although the past is important to learn from, it shouldn’t hinder you from moving towards your future.
