Author: Simu Liu
Genre: Memoir / Immigrant Narrative / Popular Culture
Ideal For: Anyone who’s ever felt divided by two worlds, carried the weight of expectation, or wondered what it takes to become the lead in your own story. This book is perfect for fans of origin-stories, cultural reckoning, and someone who turned stunts and spreadsheets into stardom.
From Chinese Immigrant to Marvel’s Lead—And All the Bumps in Between
Right from the first pages of We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story, Simu Liu immerses us in his great leap—from being sent away to live with grandparents, to arriving in Canada, crunching numbers as an accountant, crashing on benches as a clown actor, and eventually landing the lead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Shang-Chi. But this isn’t just a “from zero to hero” narrative—it’s the story of identity, belonging, failure and fight: the immigrant dream reframed, the expectations unpacked, the quiet truth behind “You made it.”
Liu’s Voice: Honest, Funny & Questioning
Liu writes as though he’s in your living room, notebook open, admitting his screw-ups, rewind calls in the airport, the awkwardness of fitting in, the silent rage of being the “model minority,” the wonder of being visible.
He balances humour (“I pooped my pants and you’ll laugh”) with revelation (“I carried my parents’ broken dream”). The book isn’t perfect—some behind-the-scenes Hollywood gossip is slim—but it never feels centre-stage; it’s about the human underneath the suit and rings.
Themes That Hit Deep
Dreams as weight and gift. Simu’s “dream” of being a superhero didn’t begin with comic-books—it began with promise, migration, survival. The memoir asks: if you’re given a shot, what do you do with it?
Identity across borders. China, Canada, Hollywood—each place demands a mask. Liu shows how you peel them off, rebuild, and still ask “Who am I?”
Success doesn’t erase roots. Award shows don’t fix the unresolved childhood. The book tracks the work still to do, even at the top.
Visibility matters. Liu begs the question: what happens when you are seen? For him, being the first Asian lead in a Marvel movie isn’t just career—it’s representation, pressure, and responsibility.
What Works Brilliantly
- Relatable even if you’re not a celebrity. The spreadsheet jokes, the parental pressure, the awkward parties—they land.
- Ambition met with humility. Liu says he’s flawed, doubtful, still negotiating his public self and his inner self. That makes the whole story richer.
- Structural clarity. The narrative flows: Act One (China → Canada), Act Two (career chaos), Act Three (hero-hood and what comes after). It’s sturdy and satisfying.
- Cultural resonance without sermon. Liu speaks of race, privilege and migration—not didactically, but through story.
- Humour under the heavy stuff. Expect belly-laughs, embarrassing backstories, and then the gravity hits: identity, power, legacy.
A Minor Quibble (Tiny, Really)
If you’re hunting for exclusive behind-the-scenes Marvel details, you may crave more. Some portions trade action for introspection, which means the glitz fades for personal grit. But honestly—that shift is the memoir’s strength, not weakness.
Why You’ll Keep Thinking About It
Once you finish We Were Dreamers, you won’t just remember Simu Liu on magazine covers—you’ll recall the kid hiding under the desk in China, the spreadsheet-tracking uncle in Toronto, the adrenaline of the audition, the quiet moment when he realises he belongs. You’ll refer to lines like:
“…it is one thing to have a dream and another altogether to own it—boldly, fearlessly—in its entirety.”
You’ll tell friends: “Read this if you’ve ever felt like you were playing a part—because someone found their role by rewriting the script.”
We Were Dreamers goes beyond memoir. It becomes manifesto—of migration, of ambition, of choosing yourself when the world expects something else. Simu Liu has delivered a book that’s fun, fierce and deeply human. If you’re ready for a story that makes you laugh, cry and then stand up a little taller—pick this one up.
