Anoka-Hennepin School District incident
The Anoka-Hennepin School District, the largest school district in Minnesota, revised its policies following a challenge of the book at Anoka High School.[16] The parents of an Anoka High student, partnering with a citizen's group within the district, had challenged the book's place in school libraries, calling it "vile profanity" because of its crude language. They cited 227 instances of coarse language and sexuality and demanded it be pulled from library shelves.[17] The district and the Anoka County Library withdrew an invitation to the author to speak about the book.[17] When the Anoka High principal convened a committee of parents, staff and a student to review the book, the committee determined that it was powerful, realistic and appropriate for high schoolers.[17] During this controversy, the book received support from the National Coalition Against Censorship, which noted irony in the school district canceling an appearance by the author that was scheduled to occur during Banned Books Week.[18]
Criticism of racism
The book has received some criticism for being anti-Asian.[19][20][21][22][23] Critics say Rowell mishandles Park, a biracial Korean-American boy, and that his internalized racism is never unpacked by the end of the story. Critics also accuse Rowell of fetishizing and exoticizing Park throughout the book. At one point, Eleanor says that Park "looked dangerous. Like Ming the Merciless," referencing a stereotypical Asian villain from the Flash Gordon comic strip and TV show. Critics also noted that the author often fixated and exoticized Park's physical features, describing his eyes as green but "almond shaped", "almond flavored" and "almondy", as well as describing his skin as "honey". The former is a common but inaccurate description of epicanthic folds, and the implication of the latter is that it is an alternative way of calling Park "yellow", a labeling that has racist roots directed toward people of Asian descent. Park's younger brother, Josh, is described as white-passing, and Park's Asian features are described to have negatively affected his appearance unlike his brother's features. Taekwondo is misspelled as "taekwando" and is also treated as interchangeable with kung fu at one point (the former is Korean while the latter is Chinese).
Rowell has also received criticism for Park's name, as Park is a common Korean surname rather than a given name. Rowell has addressed the character's name on her website's frequently asked questions page:[19]
My backstory for Park's name was that "Park" is his mom's family name, and that his parents thought it would be nice for him to have both their names, "Park" and "Sheridan." This is fairly common in American families – to use the mom's maiden name as the kid's first or middle name. (It's a tradition in my family.) I was also thinking about how in lots of families, the oldest kid has a more unusual name. (Like "Rainbow.") And then the parents decide to play it safer with younger kids. (My brother is literally named "Jerry.")[24]
Some have responded that this custom, which applies to Rowell's white American family, is unlikely to apply to Park's South Korean immigrant mother. There are also accusations of the book romanticizing the relationship between Korean women and American soldiers during war times and having racist depictions of an Asian women – Park's mother is described as a "China doll".[21] In addition, in a now-deleted post, the author addressed her reasons on making Park Korean (Note: the post, however, still remains on the author's personal Goodreads account[25]). Reasons range from her father serving in Korea in the Army and being in love with a Korean girl to old Asian-American high school classmates, and representation in young adult books during the time the book was released.
"There aren't a lot of Asian boys in YA; the character calls attention to himself. Why would a white author write about an Asian guy? I don't have a complete, definitive answer. Why is Park Korean? Because I think there should be more Asian-American characters in YA, especially boys. (And also more chubby girls.) Because it's up to people like me, who write, to write them ... Because that's how I saw him the moment I saw him. And then I couldn't imagine him any other way."[26][19][27]
Some people have expressed concern about the film adaptation having a Japanese director due to historical conflict between Japan and Korea.[23]
The book has also been criticized for perpetuating anti-black stereotypes. In the novel, Eleanor makes friends with two black girls named Beebi and DeNice. The two characters have been viewed as stereotypical.
