A gifted performer hounded by a diva reputation, Wu isn’t afraid to portray herself as volatile, cruel or conceited in enthralling essays that range from wistful recollections to uncomfortable confessions ... But Making a Scene is less of a mea culpa than a meditation on those mistakes (though there is a chapter titled 'An Apology'). That willingness to not just address her faults but grapple with them makes Wu’s memoir all the richer. Throw in her talent for vivid scene setting, plus an understanding that reflections are nothing without introspection, and the Crazy Rich Asians star delivers a page-turner that amounts to much more than its headline-grabbing revelations ... While Making a Scene is light on laughs—and a few attempts at humor fall flat—the overarching experience isn’t as harrowing as those chapters would imply. Much of Wu’s story, rather, is driven by poignant memories of her varied flings and loves.
It’s taken decades for the actor Constance Wu to accept her big feelings, but now it’s her depth of emotion that makes her debut memoir both captivating and tender ... feels lovingly labored over ... Wu writes with unsparing honesty about her shortcomings, revealing a complete person ... Wu ably portrays the everyday harassment women endure ... Later in the chapter, Wu is methodical, respectful and ultimately forgiving ... Wu ends her dazzling memoir with the chapter 'Unfinished Mansions,' about the lingering threads of her past romantic relationships and the rise and fall of her parents’ marriage. Bursting with revelation and reckoning, it’s a fitting end to a memoir about finding meaning in messiness.
Constance Wu is not afraid of embarrassment, and that is the greatest strength of her debut essay collection ... the actress does not hold back...In doing so, she invites the reader backstage to learn about her life beyond the screen ... Wu’s strongest essays delve into the ambiguity of issues and share both flattering and unflattering parts of her honest self ... At times, Wu’s writing feels a bit immature...Perhaps the charm of the book is that these embarrassing anecdotes and occasionally juvenile writing style are an integral part of expressing the 'big feelings' that Wu strives to embrace, but at times it feels overdone ... Beneath it all, we get to see the value that performance holds in Wu’s life ... She provides a sobering reality that is punctuated by the simple, frank tone of her book. Her refusal to not simply relate events, but also focus on examining various perspectives and acknowledging the thorns and ambiguities of current societal issues adds an additional layer of honesty to her account ... comes from a woman unafraid to stand up for herself and, if not necessarily embrace, acknowledge the flaws of her younger self. Wu makes the choice to own her stories, and anyone who reads Making a Scene will surely feel inspired to do the same.
