We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story

By: Simu Liu
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 289

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Marvel's newest recruit shares his own inspiring and unexpected origin story, from China to the bright lights of Hollywood. An immigrant who battles everything from parental expectations to cultural stereotypes, Simu Liu struggles to forge a path for himself, rising from the ashes of a failed accounting career (yes, you read that right) to become Shang-Chi.

Our story begins in the city of Harbin, where Simu's parents have left him in the care of his grandparents while they seek to build a future for themselves in Canada. One day, a mysterious stranger shows up at the door; it's Simu's father, who whisks him away from the only home he had ever known and to the land of opportunity and maple syrup.

Life in the new world, however, is not all that it was cracked up to be; Simu's new guardians lack the gentle touch of his grandparents, resulting in harsh words and hurt feelings. His parents, on the other hand, find their new son emotionally distant and difficult to relate to - although they are related by blood, they are separated by culture, language, and values.

As Simu grows up, he plays the part of the pious son well; he gets A's, crushes national math competitions, and makes his parents proud. But as time goes on, he grows increasingly disillusioned with the expectations placed on his shoulders, and finds it harder and harder to keep up the charade.

Barely a year out of college, his life hits rock bottom when he is laid off from his first job as an accountant. Unemployed, riddled with shame and with nothing left to lose, Simu finds an ad on Craigslist that will send him on a wildly unexpected journey, into the mysterious world of show business.

Through a swath of rejections and comical mishaps, it is ultimately Simu's determination to carve out a path for himself that leads him to not only succeed as an actor, but also open the door to reconciling with his parents. After all, the courage to pursue his ambitions at all costs is something that he inherited from his parents, who themselves defied impossible odds in order to come to Canada.

We Were Dreamers is more than a celebrity memoir - it's a story about growing up between cultures, finding your family, and becoming the master of your own extraordinary circumstance.

First Impressions

I really enjoyed Simu in Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. When this book was nominated as one of the top memoirs on Goodreads for 2022, I immediately added it to my list. The cover is clean and not over the top. I also this the title is cute. So, solid first impression.

What I thought

This is easily one of the best audiobooks I’ve listened to, second to The Rural Diaries by Hilarie Burton Morgan.

Simu’s voice is so soothing and confident throughout this entire novel. His charisma is immediately evident and I would highly recommend listening to this book over reading it. You will also get a bonus of getting a chance to hear Simu sing some ‘NSYNC!

I knew nothing about Liu prior to this memoir. He shared not only about his childhood but about his parents’ history as well. It was fascinating to learn so much about China pre-1980s. I also appreciated how Simu shared the perspectives so that later in the story when he shares a lot of the traumas of his childhood, you have a different understanding of his parents and don’t immediately despise them.

The book spans Simu’s parents’ childhoods, Simu’s childhood, his college years, and up to when he got the part of Shang Chi. This book made me fall in love with him a little bit, which to me, is a good sign for a memoir. It always bums me out when I finish a memoir and dislike the person. He’s definitely a bit cocky, but it somehow comes across as likable.