One of the most important messages conveyed through An Ocean Apart, A World Away is about eradicating sexism, encouraging equality between all genders, and restoring of the independence of women in many cultures. The author demonstrates the difficulties of an individual assimilating into a foreign culture. The difference between Chinese and American culture is evident, as are the main character's attempts to assimilate and adapt to his new environment. The novel compares the stereotypes that women face in both Chinese and American cultures and clearly views them as a problem. An Ocean Apart, A World Away is a unique story with an important message, providing great insight into China's history while maintaining a subtle sense of humor to keep the story entertaining. It also has a strong female protagonist but failed to successfully develop the supporting characters. More female characters could have helped the story give a stronger message and create a more interesting plot. The plot lacked many details during the events, making it feel rushed. Although the story is lacking in some aspects, readers will find themselves completely engrossed in the daily lives of Chinese women in the early 1900s. Bibliographic Information Namioka, L. (2002). An ocean apart, a world away. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.Lensey NamiokaLensey Namioka is a Chinese-born American writer of many popular novels for both young adults and children. She was born on July 29, 1929 in Beijing, China. In 1937, Namioka and her family lived in Nanjing but fled westward during the Japanese invasion. They eventually made their way to Hawaii and eventually settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Namioka attended University...... middle of paper ......cultural knowledge as well as lack of respect for these cultures. Personally, I really enjoyed An Ocean Apart, A World Away by Lensey Namioka for the insight it provided regarding the values, beliefs, customs, languages, and traditions of Chinese culture. Overall, it illustrated cultural norms for a Chinese (Zhuang) family which helped me compare many of the other cultures I have already been exposed to, such as Pakistani, Indian, Korean, and Canadian. The writing style of the novel is very clear and focused on the main purpose of the novel. Additionally, Namioka explains the reasoning and behind the events of Yanyan's life, his choices, and the political environment in China to reduce any confusion among readers. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants an interesting read, but can't set aside time for a long novel.