Through interconnected characters that span generations in Taiwan and Canada, MIAH examines each character's "miah," Taiwanese for fate, and how their agonizing pasts of Japanese colonization followed by the White Terror under Kuomintang rule affect their future. Jumping in time and space, MIAH might be confusing for readers unfamiliar with Taiwanese history, and I find the stories to be more telling than showing. Regardless, MIAH powerfully portrays the oppression and violence Native Taiwanese* experienced for almost a century. My heart aches as I read this book and reflect on the lost lives of my ancestors and many others. MIAH is a painful yet essential read for those interested in learning about Taiwanese history.

*Native Taiwanese, also known as Benshengren (本省人), are ethnic Hoklo or Hakka Taiwanese nationals who settled on the island prior to or during the Japanese colonization of Taiwan. Native Taiwanese should not be confused with the indigenous peoples of Taiwan, who come from various recognized or unrecognized Austronesian tribes. [Wikipedia]